Wet Nellie
 Wet Nellie | |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Wet Nellie |
| Namesake: | Little Nellie |
| Owner: | Elon Musk |
| Ordered: | 1976 |
| Builder: | Perry Oceanographic |
| Cost: | $100,000 |
| Laid down: | 1976 |
| Launched: | 1976 |
| Sponsored by: | Eon Productions |
| Completed: | 1976 |
| Acquired: | 2013 |
| Commissioned: | 1976 |
| Maiden voyage: | 1976 |
| In service: | 1976 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | customized Lotus Esprit |
| Type: | wet sub |
| Length: | 14 feet (4.3 m) |
| Beam: | 6 feet (1.8 m) |
| Height: | 4 feet (1.2 m) |
| Propulsion: | 4 electric motors |
| Capacity: | 2 |
| Crew: | 2 |
Wet Nellie[1] is a custom-built submarine created for the 1977 James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me", in the shape of a Lotus Esprit S1 sportscar.[2] The Esprit was chosen to give James Bond a glamorous car to drive. "Wet Nellie" is named in reference to Little Nellie, a gyrocopter featured in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice.[3] Little Nellie itself is named after Nellie Wallace.[4]
Construction
The submarine is a "wet sub" for SCUBA divers, not having a dry environment, requiring occupants to don scuba gear.[5] It was built by Perry Oceanographic, of Riviera Beach, Florida, USA,[6] specifically for the film, using a Lotus Esprit S1 bodyshell, for about $100,000 at the time.[7] The wedge shape of the Esprit is designed to provide downforce, so would force the submarine to dive, so was compensated for by fins placed where the wheels would be in a conventional Esprit. The sub would require a crew of two to operate. It has four electric motors that allowed forward motion only.[2] The interior bears no resemblance to that of a car, being just a platform for the scuba divers, and the equipment used to operate, drive, and power, the sub.[3]
Filming
During filming of "The Spy Who Loved Me", the sub was piloted by ex-US Navy SEAL Don Griffin.[7] The fictional history of the car in the film, was that it was developed by Q-Branch. In filming, they used 6 Esprits (tagged "PPW 306R"), several specially modified for water duty, though only one submarine.[2]
Post-film life
After filming completed, the sub went on a promotional tour.[3] Afterwards the sub was shipped to Long Island, New York, USA and placed in storage. The storage unit was prepaid for 10 years. At the end of the lease, no one claimed the contents, so the storage locker was placed on auction. The buyer paid less than $100 for the unit.[3][7] The buyers did not know the contents when they bought it, and through the years from 1989 through 2013, have occasionally exhibited the car/sub.[7] The then owner, also owner of a tool rental shop, had the exterior restored.[3] It was put up for auction as a Bond Car in 2013.[7] In September 2013, the sub sold at auction for £550,000,[8] or about $1,000,000, at RM Auctions in Battersea, South-West London, England, UK.[5] Elon Musk bought the sub, and plans to convert it into reality, being a car that transforms into a sub and vice versa, making film fiction into reality.[9] Musk plans to use Tesla Motors' electric drive train, in making his conversion a reality.[10]
See also
References
- ↑ The Telegraph (India), "Bond’s 'Wet Nellie' car sold", Reuters, 10 September 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Auto Evolution (ae), "Wet Nellie: The Second Most Famous Bond Car", Alex Oagana, 9 May 2011 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 The Telegraph (London), "Inside James Bond's Lotus supersub", Leo Wilkinson, 12 August 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ Places & Faces, "The Name's Wallis" (accessed 2013-12-12)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 THM Magazine, "James Bond’s “Wet Nellie” Hits Nearly $1 Million at Auction", Matt Gergeni, 10 September 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ The Telegraph (London), "Billionaire Elon Musk admits he bought James Bond's submarine car", Chris Irvine, 18 October 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 autoblog, "James Bond Lotus Esprit submarine car headed to auction [w/video"], John Neff, 28 June 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ London24, "Bond submarine car ‘Wet Nellie’ goes for £550,000 at Battersea auction house", 10 September 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ USA Today, "Tesla's Elon Musk buys 007's sub to make it real", Chris Woodyard, 18 October 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
- ↑ CNBC, "Tesla's Elon Musk wants to make sub car a reality", Paul A. Eisenstein, 18 October 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
Further reading
- RM Auctions, "007 Lotus Esprit 'Submarine Car'" (lot 243) 9 September 2013 auction
- The Telegraph (London), "Inside James Bond's Lotus supersub", Leo Wilkinson, 12 August 2013
- CNBC, "Tesla's Elon Musk wants to make sub car a reality", Paul A. Eisenstein, 18 October 2013
External links
- MSN Cars, The most memorable Bond vehicles: Lotus Esprit ‘Wet Nellie’ (accessed 2013-11-13)
- CNN Money, Elon Musk to make James Bond submarine car a reality, Peter Valdes-Dapena, 18 October 2013 (accessed 2013-11-13)
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