The Aston Martin, associated with James Bond, was left in the barn for 20 years
The Aston Martin, associated with James Bond, was left in the barn for 20 yearsu00a0u00a0
It looks like it has been through more scrapes than 007 himself, but this battered Aston Martin is expected to sell for a staggering ufffd200,000 (Rs 1.3 core).
This iconic DB5 -- the model forever associated with James Bond -- has spent the last twenty years rotting away in a barn.
The bodywork is stripped bare and the interior little more than a shell with the once stylish black leather seating ripped apart and the luxury pile carpet torn out.
Auctioneers say its purchaser will have to spend at least another ufffd200,000 restoring the car to its former glory. But despite the huge price tag, wealthy vintage car enthusiasts are set to form a queue when it comes up for sale in Monte Carlo on April 30.
Rustic appeal
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| Bond film delayed |
| The 23rd film in the James Bond series has been delayed indefinitely due to the pending sale of debt-ridden MGM studios.u00a0 Bond 23 was tentatively scheduled for a late 2011 or early 2012 release, but development on the film has now been halted. |
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Philip Kantor, European director of motor cars for auctioneers Bonhams, said the Aston Martin's rustic condition actually made it more appealing to buyers.
He said, "People interested in buying it are generally very wealthy collectors who want it to be in a barn find condition. This is because they see it as a restoration project and can restore it to their own choice."
"DB5s were one of the most expensive cars on the market at the time. This one would have cost around ufffd4,000 (Rs 2.7 lakh) new in the 1960s," he added.
According to Kantor, there is no doubt that the James Bond films helped make the car famous. "That is why most people who own one have it in the silver birch colour, just like in the films," he added.
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1964 modelThe car being sold is a 1964 model, has only had three owners. It was bought from new by an American as it was titled to an address in Pennsylvania from 1968.
The owner sold it to a William Jackson from Pennsylvania in 1979 but he relegated it to his barn for two decades.
It was bought by its current owner who rescued it from the farm building a year ago. But the anonymous vendor realised he didn't have sufficient funds to restore it properly and so is selling it.
Rs 2.7 lakhThe approximate price of Aston Martin in 1960s
