Stories have been circulating for more than a few days that one of the four Aston Martin DB5s used in the James Bond films Goldfinger and Thunderball was stolen and eventually dumped into the sea in American Florida.
No trace
That rumor flow started in 1997 when one of the most famous (movie) cars in the world evaporated without trace in his home in Florida. Wide black rubber tracks were visible on the path. Perhaps the Aston Martin had struggled? The fact is that for almost 20 years no glimpse or trace of the silver-gray car has been seen or found. This seems to confirm that the car was indeed dumped in the sea. The Aston Martins were sold after use, whereby every owner now knows for sure that his is the car that can be classified as a 'star car'.
DB5 prototype
The real 'star car', however, was the prototype of the DB5 (chassis number DP / 216 / 1) and was actually a modified DB4. It now seems to be wonderfully rusting away in lukewarm salt water on the bottom of the ocean. The car in question was sold in 1986 via an auction for $ 250.000 to a certain Anthony V. Pugliese III. The man saw this investment as a profit packer and so he had the car towed to the States in order to increase the value. In June 1997 the tour came to an end and the car - after appraisal - insured for an amount of 4,2 Million dollars. The Aston Martin was stored away. Shortly thereafter, the car was stolen overnight. It appears that tire tracks were found at a nearby airport which should show that the Aston Martin was loaded on an airplane.
Insurance
Research also taught that in the wider area no aircraft would have existed that could have had such a heavy car as a load. Aircraft that were able to do that all had a balanced alibi. Anyway, the car was gone and Pugliese reported to insurance companies and saw his profit approaching. After several in-depth investigations, lengthy lawsuits, the insurers had no choice but to pay the full amount of the claim. The suspicion now exists that the Aston Martin has never been dumped into the sea at all, but is parked somewhere in an extremely secret location. Interesting detail, on 26 August 2015, Pugliese has been charged with organized crime and property fraud. He can face a prison sentence from 18 months to 10 years ... The waiting is for DP / 216 / 1 to return because it is hard to imagine that the Aston Martin was actually dumped in the sea ...
