Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
LONDON (at a top secret location) 28 June, 2013 – “Pay attention, 007, RM
Auctions is about to sell one of my most ingenious creations and we wouldn’t
want it to fall into enemy handsâ€. Well, ‘Q’ might be a little concerned that
his incredible Lotus Esprit Series 1 ‘Submarine’ Car is due to be sold at
auction, but for millions of movie fans out there, the appearance of this
iconic Bond car on the open market represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
No Bond car has ever done
anything as outrageous as transform itself into a submarine. Used to incredible
effect in the film The Spy Who Loved Me,
starring Roger Moore, the white Lotus commonly tops the polls when generations
of movie fans are asked to vote on their favourite film cars of all time. Like
all the best Bond cars, the Lotus was a veritable war chest of weaponry and
gadgetry, all designed to fox and foil the enemy, whilst also helping Bond to
another hard-won victory for Queen and country.
The vehicle to be offered
by RM Auctions at its forthcoming London sale, 8-9 September, in Battersea
Park, is the one and only fully functioning car especially designed and built
for the famous underwater sequence seen on screen in the 1977 film. Abundantly
authenticated, and known as ‘Wet Nellie’ on the set, it was developed from one
of six Esprit body shells used in the making of the film. As the only car to be built into
a fully operational, self-propelled ‘submarine’, by Perry Oceanographic,
based in Riviera Beach, Florida, it is the vehicle which claimed the most
screen time in the film. The driver of the car was Don Griffin, a retired U.S.
Navy SEAL and test pilot for Perry, who operated the vehicle utilizing its motorized
propellers while manoeuvring with levered steering mechanisms. At the time, the
car was said to have cost over $100,000 to create (equivalent to nearly a half
million dollars today).
Subsequent to filming the underwater scenes in the Bahamas, the vehicle
was shipped to Long Island, NY, where it was kept in an unassuming storage unit
on a ten year rental, paid in advance. Fate later intervened when, in 1989, the
then rent delinquent unit was put up ‘blind’ for public auction. A modest
winning bid from an area couple brought surprise and wonder when the blankets
were removed to reveal the iconic 007 ‘Submarine’ Car. After positive
authentication, the Lotus was shown occasionally – including a stint at the
Petersen Automotive Museum – but mostly kept closely under wraps, until now.
Max Girardo, Managing
Director, RM Auctions, Europe, says: “We
have a great track record in selling incredible and iconic movie cars, and this
particular Lotus is certainly up there amongst the most famous cars of all
time. Over the years, millions of moviegoers have stared in awe as the Lotus
transformed itself into a submarine, and now, perhaps one of them will have an
opportunity to own it. Her Majesty’s Secret Service aside, it surely is the
ultimate beach accessoryâ€!
RM Auctions sold “the most
famous car in the worldâ€, the Aston Martin DB5 used by Sean Connery in the enormously
popular Goldfinger and Thunderball movies, for an incredible
£2.9 million during its 2010 London sale.
For further information on RM Auctions’
forthcoming London sale, or to view a frequently updated list of entries, visit
rmauctions.com or contact RM’s London office at +44 (0) 20 7851 7070.