Americans have arguably produced the greatest car movies of all time. Flicks like Bullit, Vanishing Point, and Gone in 60 Seconds creating cult-like followings among car fans and Hollywood buffs alike. But we don’t want to leave out our cousins across the pond, specifically famous British spy James Bond, who has had more than a few iconic cars himself.
Bond’s cars always come with a full complement of gadgets and weaponry, and from machine guns to oil slicks. One of Bond’s most famous cars, however, was the Lotus Esprit Series 1 from the 1977 Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me.” It wasn’t the weaponry or gadgets that made it so cool, but the fact that it turned into a submarine.
RM Auctions will be selling this incredible piece of movie and car history at its September auction in London and, according to the listing, this is a fully-functional car/sub. It was reportedly built by Perry Oceanographic at the cost of $100,000, and was piloted by a former Navy Seal. It remains one of the coolest Bond cars of all time.
After filming finished, the Lotus submarine was stored in New York, and when the 10-year storage contract ran out, no one renewed it. That put the sub up for auction, and was one by a local couple for a modest price. While it was loaned to the Petersen Auto Museum for a brief time, the Lotus sub has not been for sale until now.
Unofficial bidding estimates put the final price at more than $750,000, though we wouldn’t be surprised if it hit a million bucks. This car hits all the marks when it comes to collector pieces, and it’ll be a serious bidding war before the gavel falls.