One of three remaining Lotus Esprit props used in Bond movie, 'The Spy Who Loved Me' is up for sale
There’s Bond memorabilia and then there’s this, one of three Lotus Esprit props used during the filming of The Spy Who Loved Me. It’s not the functional sub, nicknamed Wet Nellie, that’s currently being morphed into an actual functional underwater car by Tesla boss and mad genius Elon Musk. Instead it’s one of six Esprit props built and used in the film, with only Musk’s being a drivable underwater sub. There are three remaining in existence. This one is the retractable wheel version that appeared onscreen.
This static piece underwent a complete overhaul on the reality show American Restoration, and features the folding wheels on the left side, and the underwater fins on the right. It’s been up for sale a couple of times, most notably in a 2014 eBay sale, again for $1m USD. There were no takers then for a car that was once referred to as the only Lotus that doesn’t leak, so it’s back on sale again. If it’s still a bit rich for your tastes, look out for a big Esprit splash here in Unique Cars soon.