James Bond's snazzy submarine car (pictures)
Equipped with fins to outfox pursuing foes, this Lotus Esprit sub from "The Spy Who Loved Me" is full of surprises. It just sold for $968,000 at a London auction.
The Bond sub
Who wouldn't want a car that doubles as a submarine? This modified Lotus Esprit was made famous in the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me," in which the super spy was seen driving it beneath the waves. It recently sold at a London auction for an impressive $968,000, including fees.
The Lotus Esprit isn't a real car as it lacks tires, but it was sold as a functional "wet submarine," a submersible that fills with water when submerged. Its new owners will need diving gear to pilot it.
Storage war
Have fins, will swim
Propeller engine
The life aquatic with Lotus
Licensed to thrill
In the film, the Lotus was equipped with missile launchers, a smoke screen, and mines. A prismatic mirror that came from a tank was mounted on the roof. According to RM Auctions, the air bubbles that are seen coming out of the sub were "actually generated by utilizing a giant cache of Alka-Seltzer tablets."
What would Q say to that?