James Bond's iconic stolen car has reportedly been found 25 years after its disappearance. The secret agent was first seen driving the Aston Martin DB5 in 1964 during the franchise's third film, Goldfinger. Although Bond creator Ian Fleming imagined his character driving a DB Mark III by the company, the film's special effects expert John Stears convinced Aston Martin to let the team use a DB5 prototype. Sean Connery sat in the driver's seat as the fictional MI6 agent, utilizing the specially-equipped vehicle's various weapons and gadgets to complete his missions. Goldfinger began a long love affair between Bond and Aston Martin.
Over the course of Bond history, 007 has become almost synonymous with the luxury British car. The exact same one was used in the next film, Thunderball, and various versions of the sports car were featured in the franchise afterwards. One of the four original gadget-filled Aston Martins was sold at auction in 1986 to real estate mogul Anthony Pugliese for $275,000. But in 1997, the prized prop vanished without a trace from its storage hangar at Boca Raton airport in Florida. At the time, the car was insured for a whopping $4.2 million.
Now, 25 years after the Aston Martin's disappearance, The Telegraph reports that the original car has been found. The VIN number of a recently spotted DB5 matches that of the stolen car seen in the Bond film. Investigators believe that the iconic Aston Martin is a part of a private collection somewhere in the Middle East. This rare model is reportedly worth £18.2 million, or roughly $25 million.
Bond's Aston Martin DB5 is considered to be one of the most famous cars in the world. What's more, the original model used in the film should still be tricked out with all of the bells and whistles, including various weapons, tire shredders, a bulletproof windshield, smoke distributors, and the agent's landmark ejector seat. The only other remaining original Aston Martin DB5 used in filming was sold at an auction in 2010 for $4.6 million.
Although the James Bond and Aston Martin have entered a more promotional relationship in recent years, the spy's original ride is much more than a car. The Aston Martin has become a beloved and consistent character in the 007 universe, spawning toy replicas and even limited edition reproductions from the manufacturer. Though other models have raced onto the screen in the Bond franchise, the DB5 will always be a fan favorite. It has appeared in not only Goldfinger and Thunderball, but also Goldeneye, Casino Royale and Skyfall. A reproduction of the car will next appear in the highly-anticipated Bond film No Time to Die, and will hopefully stay in safe hands this time around.
Source: The Telegraph
