Pink Panther auto and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica headed for online auction Sept. 4
A rare, original "Pink Panther" and one of six cars from the movie "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" will be on the auction block Oct. 14.
The original Pink Panther car and a replica of the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" car will be featured in an online auction from from a U.K. auction house beginning at noon on Sept. 4, and running through 1 p.m Oct. 14.
The Panthermobile was created for "The Pink Panther Show," which ran from 1969 to 1976 on NBC.
According to auction house, Robson Kay, the car was the brainchild of Hollywood designer Jay Ohrberg, who is best known for creating memorable small- and big-screen vehicles such as K.I.T.T. from "Knight Rider," the "Back To The Future" DeLorean, the 1966 "Batman" TV show Batmobile, the 1989 "Batman" film Batmobile, "The Dukes of Hazzard"'s General Lee, the Ford Gran Torino from "Starsky and Hutch," and the Flintstones cars.
Ohrberg owned the 42-year-old Panthermobile until it was sold at auction in June 2007 by COYS for 88,000 pounds ($144,399 U.S.) to an unknown investor. The vintage, yet futuristic, vehicle does not run, and is not street legal. The Panthermobile will be on display at the Chelsea Auto Legends Show.
Also available in an online auction is a fully licensed replica of the 1968 "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" car. The 18-foot-long, 6-foot-wide vehicle has a curb weight of 1.5 tons.
Although the car's power comes from a 3L V6 Ford engine with a BorgWarner automatic gearbox, and is road legal, it hasn't been driven in 18 months, Robson Kay said in a press release.
The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica could be sold for up to $410,150.
One of the extremely rare vehicles from the movie, which starred Dick Van Dyke, was auctioned off in Los Angeles in May for $805,000.
The original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang vehicle was designed by Ken Adam, and built by the Ford Racing Team, but the flying capabilities of the car were pure Hollywood magic.