A 1973 Aston Martin V8 is expected to sell for U.S. $1.4–1.8 million when it crops up on Monterey auction in mid-August. The car prominently starred in the 1987 James Bond movie ‘The Living Daylights’ and comes loaded with all the spy equipment.
Although it was shot in the late eighties, the motion picture largely starred much older automotive classics: apparently, Aston Martin was too busy at the moment to produce custom vehicles for the shoot, so the crew had to source their own material. They ended up with several used V8 models and brushed them up a bit to look modern.
Most of the vehicles appearing in the stunt scenes are simple mock-ups. Only four actually drivable cars were used, including this one. It took part in the chase scene on the frozen-over surface of a lake and the ramp jump scene where the car landed on a snowy slope. The movie depicted the car with a pair of extendable snow sleds and a jet thruster: both gimmicks are still available and will be given to the highest bidder. A roll cage is also included.
The script required that the car have a hard landing, so it was sent flying from the ramp without its engine. 35 years later, it was purchased by a private car enthusiast who repaired its bodywork and restored all systems to peak condition. He also returned the authentic Aston Martin V8 into the engine bay, hooking it up with the stock five-speed MT. Last but not least, he modded the jet thruster to actually spit flame when activated.