The Lotus Esprit S1, Known as “Wet Nellie,” Was Featured in The James Bond Film “The Spy Who Loved Me,” and These Photographs Are Really Breathtaking

The Lotus Esprit S1 was used in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, where it was affectionately dubbed “Wet Nellie.” This “car-submarine” became an iconic Bond vehicle, with its ability to transform from a car into a working submarine capturing the public’s imagination.

h/t: vintag.es

Eight Esprit models were used in filming, with two being fully functional vehicles provided by Lotus. One of these was modified into a submersible for the underwater scenes, at a cost of around $100,000. Wet Nellie had various high-tech features, including cement dispensers, missile racks, and submarine capabilities.

After the film’s success, demand for the Esprit skyrocketed. Years later, Wet Nellie was rediscovered in a storage locker and sold for $100, before being auctioned off in 2013 for $997,000 to Elon Musk. Musk plans to upgrade the car with a Tesla powertrain and try to make it transform into a real-life submarine.