JAMES BOND'S ASTON MARTIN TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION

THE ASTON MARTIN CAR THAT WAS FEATURED IN THE JAMES BOND FILM 'GOLDFINGER' IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR £4 MILLION AT AUCTION. IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE DB5 SPORTS CAR SEAN CONNERY DROVE IN THE HIT MOVIE HAS EVER COME ON THE OPEN MARKET. THE SILVER MOTOR COMES COMPLETE WITH THE FULL COMPLEMENT OF 'Q BRANCH' GADGETS INCLUDING MACHINE GUNS, BULLET-PROOF SHIELD, REVOLVING NUMBER PLATES, SMOKE SCREEN AND OIL SLICK. THESE SECRET DEVICES WERE DEPLOYED BY 007 WHEN HE WAS BEING PURSUED BY GOLDFINGER'S HENCHMEN IN THE 1964 FILM. ALL OF THE GADGETS ARE STILL IN FULL WORKING ORDER, ALTHOUGH THE MACHINE GUNS DO NOT FIRE FOR SAFETY REASONS. IT IS THE SAME CAR BOND ARRIVED IN AT AN ENGLISH GOLF COURSE TO PLAY HIS FAMOUS ROUND OF GOLF WITH GOLDFINGER. THE CAR, WHICH WAS ALSO FEATURED IN 1965s THUNDERBALL, WAS BOUGHT FROM ASTON MARTIN IN 1969 BY AMERICAN RADIO DJ JERRY LEE FOR $12,000. LEE, NOW A PHILANTHROPIST USED TO DRIVE IT AROUND IN THE 1970s BUT IT HAS BEEN HELD IN STORAGE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS. HE IS NOW SELLING IT AT AUCTION IN LONDON, WITH THE PROCEEDS GOING TO THE JERRY LEE FOUNDATION. THE CAR, WHICH HAS THE NUMBER PLATE FMP 7B, IS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND HAS ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON THE CLOCK. PETER HAYNES, OF RM AUCTIONS, WHICH IS SELLING THE ASTON MARTIN, SAID: 'AFTER THE CAR WAS USED IN THUNDERBALL, ASTON MARTIN SOLD IT TO LEE WHO HAS OWNED IT EVER SINCE. THE AUCTION TAKES PLACE ON 7.OCTOBER AND HAYNES SAID THEY ARE EXPECTING HUGE INTEREST IN IT FROM AROUND THE WORLD.