One of just four working Aston Martin V8 camera cars used in the filming of the 1987 James Bond movie, “The Living Daylights,” is coming up for auction, and following a thorough restoration, it might be the perfect addition to your collection whether you’re an automotive or a movie enthusiast.
Now equipped with a working V8, skis, and flame-shooting rocket thruster, the car has lived a long and storied life. First sold in 1973, the car was purchased used by EON films in 1986, because the automaker had an 18-month-long waiting list for new cars at the time.
Originally painted Tudor Green metallic with a fuel-injected engine and an automatic gearbox, the production team had to repaint it Cumberland Grey, added the hood from a carbureted model and a sunroof, and updated any details that had been redesigned since the car was first sold 13 years earlier.
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In addition, it was given removable skis and a prop rocket thruster to help make it an appropriate ride for James Bond. Unfortunately, its moment in the limelight wasn’t gentle. This example was used for a scene in which it was to be driven down a hill and into a snowbank. To make the whole process easier, the production team removed the engine and gearbox.
EON Productions held onto the car until 1995, at which time it was sold to noted Bond collector, Peter Nelson. With him, it sat in the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum in England, and lived there as a static display until 2004, when it was sold to an American collector.
It was sold to its current owner in 2021, who decided that it was finally time to give the car its engine back. A carburated V540 V8 engine with Vantage-spec upgrades was installed, along with the correct ZF five-speed manual transmission.
While they were replacing the engine, the owner took the opportunity to fix any corrosion, repair any mechanical issues, and repaint the car to make it look good as new. In addition, a removable center console with dummy switches for all of the movie gadgets was fitted, as well as a self-destruct button. Finally, a flamethrower was added to make the rear rocket booster more believable.
This is an exceedingly rare opportunity to purchase a true Bond car, though it won’t come cheap. Indeed, RM Sotheby’s, which is handling the auction, estimates that it will go for between $1.4 to $1.8 million at its Monterey sale, which is taking place between August 17-19.