Being a famous movie car already gives the unique Lotus Esprit plenty of street cred, but there’s a lot more to this story. Another interesting facet of the car is how its previous owner came into possession of it.
After its filming duties, the car was kept in a storage unit in Long Island for around 10 years, hidden away under blankets. Once the storage contract expired, the unit was put up ‘blind’ for public auction and a local couple paid just $100 to take ownership not knowing what would be lying under all the blankets.
Now, the story of the Lotus Esprit submarine takes another unexpected turn. As first reported by Jalopnik, the latest buyer of the car just so happens to be Tesla CEO and co-founder Elon Musk. He has revealed that he fell in love with the car while watching The Spy Who Loved Me as a boy back in his native South Africa.
Disappointed that the car doesn’t really transform into a submarine like in the movie, Musk now wants to upgrade it with an electric powertrain and modify it so it can transform into an actual submarine.
Given the billions of dollars Musk has at his disposal, we’re positive this is one child’s dream that will come true. We’ll keep you updated as more details on the project seep out.
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