CLASSIC CAR COLLECTOR TO SELL BATMOBILE AT AUCTION

AVID CAR COLLECTOR MARK PERKINS HAS HOARDED THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION OF MUST-HAVE MOVIE RELATED AUTOS, INCLUDING THE BATMOBILE, JAMES BOND'S ASTON MARTIN AND THE GHOSTBUSTERS 'ECTOMOBILE'. HIS AMAZING COLLECTION OF ICONIC SCREEN CARS IS UNMATCHED ANYWHERE, AND ALSO INCLUDES STARSKY AND HUTCH'S FORD TORINO, MR BEAN'S MINI AND EVEN DEL BOY'S RELIANT REGAL. HE HAS SPENT THE LAST 25 YEARS AMASSING A RANGE OF CARS THAT HAVE STARRED IN SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FILMS AND TELEVISION SERIES FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS AND HAS INSURED THE HOARD FOR £500,000. CLASSIC CARS CURRENTLY STORED IN THE BASEMENT OF HIS HOME IN ASCOT, BERKSHIRE, INCLUDE ORIGINALS OF THE FLINTSTONES CAR, BATMAN'S BATCYCLE, MR BEAN'S MINI, 007's ASTON MARTIN FROM THE FILM GOLDFINGER, AND DEL BOY'S RELIANT REGAL VAN. AND ALONGSIDE THE IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION ARE EXACT REPLICAS OF THE BATMOBILE, GHOSTBUSTERS' CADILLAC STYLE LIMO AND NODDY'S TOYLAND CAR. PERKINS HAS BUILT UP HIS COLLECTION OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, SCOURING THE WORLD TO FIND THE DISTINCTIVE FILM CARS. HE FOUND THE BATMOBILE IN INDIANA, THE FLINTSTONES CAR IN FLORIDA AND HAS JUST SECURED A 1967 PONTIAC GTO IN NEW YORK, WHICH IS MORE COMMONLY RECOGNIZED FROM THE MONKEYS. THE PROPERTY DEVELOPER SAID: 'IT IS A NICE SIDELINE HOBBY. WE LOOK ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR THEM. I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS NOW AND HAVE GOT A NICE COLLECTION OF VEHICLES WHICH I STORE IN MY BASEMENT, BUT I AM STARTING TO RUN OUT OF ROOM. IT'S ALL RIGHT TO HAVE A FERRARI OR A BENTLEY BUT IT'S NOT MY CUP OF TEA. CLASSIC CARS FROM FILMS AND UNUSUAL THINGS ARE MY HOBBY.' PERKINS HAS MADE THE TOUGH DECISION TO PART WITH HIS PRIZED BATMOBILE, WHICH HE BOUGHT IN 1988 AND CUSTOMIZED WITH THE HELP OF RENOWNED CUSTOM COACH BUILDER, BILL CHAPMAN. IT IS BASED ON A LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CHASSIS AND WAS BUILT TO A SIMILAR SPECIFICATION AS THE ORIGINAL CAR IN THE SIXTIES. IT IS GOING UNDER THE HAMMER IN AN AUCTION ON 2.JUNE IN SURREY AND IS EXPECTED TO FETCH IN THE REGION OF £40,000. 'IT IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE COLLECTING DUST. I DON'T REALLY WANT TO SELL IT, IT HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING', HE SAID. 'BUT CLASSIC CARS, AND THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, SHOULD BE DRIVEN TO BE ENJOYED, AND I'VE LOVED TAKING IT ON THE ROAD OVER THE YEARS. HOWEVER, I WILL HAVE LITTLE TIME TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE, AND SO SADLY IT'S TIME SOMEONE ELSE DERIVED PLEASURE OF OWNERSHIP.'