Licence to thrill: Bond’s speedboat could be yours

JAMES BOND’S speedboat could soon be seen tearing down the Thames, as 007’s gadgets go under the hammer for the first time.

The vessel is seen with Pierce Brosnan at the helm in The World is Not

Enough, but after filming for the 1999 release, the boat was packed away and has remained in storage for 20 years.

It could be clipping down the Thames again if a fan secures the craft, which is going up for auction in a sale of Bond treasures.

Any future owner would have to contend with a problem unknown to Britain’s super spy, however, and secure insurance for the £30,000 stunt boat.

Adrian Hume-Sayer, head of sale and director of iconic collections at Christie’s, explained: “It was essentially taken out of the Thames after filming, and has been in storage ever since. It hasn’t been used.

“It is complete, with an engine and so on. It is a stunt boat, but, in theory, it would still run.

“Of course, there would have to be various safety tests and modifications to make sure it was ‘seaworthy’. But if money is no object, a fan could take it out on the water.”

He added: “This really is a stunning sale and a dream for die hard Bond fans. Every lot is special.”

Christie’s 60 Years of Bond sale sees garnet and gadgets coming to auction for the first time after being kept in storage by spy franchise producers Eon, including a Fabergéstyle egg that is coveted and bugged in Octopussy, and Blofeld’s bionic eye from No Time To Die.

The sale, estimated to be worth around £5million, also offers fans of the franchise a chance to buy and wear a £7,000 set of bow ties sported by Daniel Craig during his time as 007, or the £10,000 tuxedo donned by Timothy Dalton in A Licence To Kill.

Bond fans can also get their hands on the cars that appeared in the franchise, including Die Another’s Day’s silver Aston Martin DB5 stunt car with “Q Branch modifications”, which is expected to fetch around £2million.

The online sale runs from Sept 15 until James Bond Day on Oct 5.