Aston Martin that inspired 'Goldfinger' goes up for bid

This Saturday, July 12, the 1954 Aston Martin DB 2/5 Mk I that inspired Ian Fleming when writing his James Bond novel "Goldfinger" will be auctioned by Coys of Kensington at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, England.

The model going under the hammer belonged to a certain Lord Phillip Ingram Cunliffe-Lister, son of Lord Swinton, who once headed up the British Security Service (MI5) and was on close terms with Winston Churchill. The vehicle's owner, who was also Ian Fleming's boss, often visited Ian Fleming's next-door neighbors in Kent.

Coys notes that the car is equipped with reinforced steel bumpers, secret hiding places, an anti-interference ignition system and a two-way radio -- exactly like the model described in "Goldfinger." Long abandoned, the Aston Martin in question has now been thoroughly restored. Somewhat surprisingly, the official catalog does not list the estimated value of this unique vehicle.

It is worth noting that the 1964 film adaptation of "Goldfinger" actually placed Sean Connery at the wheel of an Aston Martin DB5.

The model is one of over 90 collector cars going under the hammer this Saturday, including several Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Mercedes, Jaguars and even a 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Series I Ventoux. The latter model is expected to fetch between £275,000 and £320,000 ($470,600-$547,500).