A James Bond super fan could soon have a licence to thrill.
The Aston Martin DB5 from the movie’s Goldfinger and Thunderball is up for auction.
The head-turning sports car — arguably one of the world’s most famous vehicles — goes under the hammer next month at the RM Sotheby’s auction at Monterey, California.
Made famous by the smooth and charming super spy played by Sean Connery in the 1964 and ’65 films, the DB5 has often been counted among the best looking cars ever built.
The DB5 up for auction is one of four examples built to Q’s specification. The vehicle comes with all the gadgets seen in the films including machine guns, tyre slashers, bulletproof rear screen, dash-mounted radar, reversible licence plates and smoke screen dispenser among others.
There are even a number of secret gadgets never shown in the film including a driver’s door mounted phone that was meant to be a direct line to MI6 and a hidden compartment under the driver’s seat.
However, this isn’t one of the vehicles shown on film but is one used to promote the release of the 1965 film Thunderball.
Die hard fans wanting to get a double zero designation need to have a rather healthy bank balance.
A price guide of between US$4 and $6 million ($6-$9m) will rule out all but the world’s most wealthy buyers.
The vehicle is said to be in immaculate condition as it was stored in a museum for 35 years and has had very few owners. It has since been restored by a licensed Aston Martin heritage specialist.
But the Aston won’t come close to being the most expensive car ever sold. Last year at the same auction at Monterey a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for a world record US$48.4m ($73m). The GTO was just one of 36 built and has some serious racing pedigree.
The most expensive Aussie car ever sold was a Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III. The classic Aussie muscle car sold for more than $1 million at an auction at Bathurst last year.
The GTHO’s seven-figure price is a long way from the original $5000 showroom sticker in 1971. The record setting model was once owned by Australian fast bowling legend Jeff Thomson.
- News.com.au