Drive Another Day: A Very Recognizable Aston Martin Hits eBay
A replica of the car 007 used in “Die Another Day’’ is for sale and comes with lots of gadgets.
Over the years, James Bond has used a fleet of cars to battle evil megalomaniacs determined to wreak havoc all over the world. Now, 007 fans have a chance to own one of the super spy’s cars. Or at least a cool replica of one.
A car modeled after the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Bond drove in the 2002 film “Die Another Day’’ is being sold on eBay for $249,200.
“The car is phenomenal, it’s built like a piece of art,’’ said the car’s owner Mark, a Vancouver businessman and car collector who asked that his last name not be used. Mark said he bought the car because the Bond lifestyle really spoke to him.
“I think every guy, deep down, wants to be James Bond,’’ said Mark. “It’s about being a gentleman and being a bad-*ss gentleman, at that.’’
Mark said he wanted this set of Bond wheels to diversify his car collection, which includes a Dodge Viper Final Edition, two Aston Martins, an Acura NSX, and more than one Lamborghini. But despite this impressive car roster, Mark insists it’s the Bond car that really steals the show.
“When you park it next to a Lamborghini, no one even looks at the Lamborghini,’’ he said. “So many kids and adults go crazy for it.’’
But Mark said the real fun is putting the car’s crazy Bond weaponry to use. These features include mock machine guns that pop up from the car’s hood, fake rockets that emerge from the grille, and a revolving license plate. All these features can be operated by remote control.
Inside, a dashboard compartment opens to offer passengers a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon and two champagne glasses. (Boston.com reminds you to please drink while saving the world responsibly).
Buyers should also beware, it’s not really an Aston Martin Vanquish. While an Aston Martin was a good-looking skin, it was not the most practical option for Bond’s gadgets. Instead, the car uses the exterior of an Aston Martin over the body of a Ford.
According to the Boldride, the car was built for a group of private investors who wanted to create a collection of 50 limited edition “SpyCars’’ for James Bond’s 50th anniversary in 2012. This is the 44th of 50 cars in the collection.
The sale of the car is being handled by Axis Autobrokers. According to the seller’s listing, 45,000 hours of research and development were devoted to the Bond car collection with each car requiring 2,500 hours to manufacture.
The car officially goes on sale on Wednesday night at 8:23 p.m.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com