A MISSING Aston Martin driven by Sean Connery’s James Bond in the film Goldfinger has reportedly been found 25 years after it was stolen.
The 1963 Aston Martin DB5 used in the 1964 film had been bought by a collector during the 1980s, but was stolen from a secure Florida airport hangar in 1997.
Ever since, the vehicle’s status has been unknown – but mystery-loving Bond fans have long speculated over its whereabouts, even suggesting that the car had been dropped into the ocean to never be seen again.
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The Aston Martin is now thought to be worth more than 25 million dollars, particularly because it is no standard vintage motor. It’s a Bond car through and through, with gadget props installed by the production team including pop-out machine guns, water sprayers and tire shredders.
According to Yahoo, an expert has found the car and verified it using its serial number. It is said to now be located in the Middle East, with countries like Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Bahrain described as being of particular interest.
Christopher Marinello, the chief executive of Art Recovery International, told the Telegraph he is hopeful that the car’s current owner will “come forward voluntarily”.
“It’s my policy to give possessors of stolen and looted objects every opportunity to do the right thing,” he said.
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“I don’t believe the current possessor knew the car was stolen when he or she acquired it. Now they do know, I think they should make every effort to have a discreet confidential discussion about how we clear the title to this iconic vehicle.”
Anthony Pugliese, a car collector and original owner of the vehicle, who originally paid 275,000 dollars for the Aston Martin at auction in 1986, is likely to be thrilled that it has reportedly been located.
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