Lotus Esprit James Bond car up for auction

The Lotus Esprit Submarine (pictured) from the James Bond 007 film is up for auction James Bond and cars go together like bacon and eggs and, with the exception of the 007 Aston Martin DB5, the Lotus Esprit ‘Submarine’ car from the Spy Who Loved Me is probably the most iconic Bond car to have hit the big screen. Piloted in the film by Roger Moore – with Mrs Ringo Starr, Barbara Bach, at his side – the underwater version of the Esprit, one of six used in the film, was affectionately know to the crew as ‘Wet Nellie’ and actually piloted for the underwater scenes by former SEAL Don Griffin, who worked as a test pilot for the creators of the Esprit Submarine - Perry Oceanographic. After filming ended it was sent of to a storage unit in Long Island, ten years rent was paid upfront but, when the 10 year rent period ended, no one stepped forward to claim the contents at they were sold off for a song to a local couple.

Mini Cooper Countryman gets New York freshening

The Mini Countryman has undergone a subtle midlife facelift for the New York auto show, four years after it was launched in North America. The lightly reworked range-topping Mini Countryman model is expected to go on sale in July at prices company officials suggest will remain largely unchanged here in the U.S. As this first batch of official photographs reveals, there is very little to distinguish the refreshed Countryman from the existing model.

Four Daihatsu concepts for Tokyo 2013 debut

If you thought the old Daihatsu Copen roadster was a bit feminine for a ‘sports’ car, you’ll be pleased with this: Daihatsu’s new, butched-up, small two-seater roadster, the 2014 RMZ Kopen concept. The aggressive-looking mini cabriolet will make its world debut at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show later this month alongside another, rather interesting version of Daihatsu’s didi prototype – the off-road-inspired XMZ Kopen concept. Please click on the image above to read more on the Daihatsu concept cars for Tokyo 2013…