London: The Aston Martin car that James Bond drove in the film Goldfinger is expected to fetch 4 million pounds at an auction.
Hitting the open market for the first time, the DB5 sports car Sean Connery drove, comes complete with the full complement of `Q Branch` gadgets including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates, smoke screen and oil slick.
All of the gadgets are still in full working order, although the machine guns do not fire for safety reasons.
The car, which also featured in 1965`s Thunderball, was bought from Aston Martin in 1969 by American radio DJ Jerry Lee for 12,000 dollars.
Mr Lee, who used to drive it around in the 1970s, is now selling it at auction in London, with the proceeds going to the Jerry lee Foundation.
"After the car was used in Thunderball, Aston Martin sold it to Mr Lee who has owned it ever since.
"He paid 12,000 dollars for it at the time. He had to really persuade Aston Martin to sell it to him and they did on condition they could use it for promotional purposes whenever they wanted.
"In fact the car was last seen in public in the 1970s and has been locked away in a private Bond-themed room since then.
"The car is up and running and all the gadgets still work too. You can use the smoke screen and oil slick discharge, the revolving number plates and activate the bulletproof shield at the back.
"The machine guns obviously don`t work - they never have done - but you can still press a button inside and it moves them into position.
"The car is road legal and whoever buys it will be able to take it out on the open road or drive it to work if they wanted," The Telegraph quoted Peter Haynes, of RM Auctions, as saying.
The auction takes place on October 27 and Haynes said they are expecting huge interest in it from around the world.
He said, "This is the car Sean Connery drove in the film. It is the same car he arrived in to play his round of golf with Goldfinger and the one he drove up a mountain pass alongside actress Tania Mallett`s Mustang car.
"Under normal circumstances we would expect classic car collectors to be interested.
"But because it is 007`s car then it should appeal to wealthy people who like collecting cultural iconic items, like Jimi Hendrix`s guitar or Marilyn Monroe`s dress."
Lee, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said, "The James Bond car has brought me much enjoyment for some 40 years.
"Even as I sell it, the car will continue to give me great pleasure as it furthers the mission of the foundation to do good around the world."
ANI
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