# @benzinga on TikTok

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.tiktok.com/@benzinga/video/7424558064008760619
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/23939092-benzinga-tiktok
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/legacy-do/85440efe1e5b4c48607fa8b8a2e8a7ef022766d930ffc5f3e2c4d0a9f50cd4e8.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-10-11T16:37:19.000+00:00

## Caption

In 1989, a couple from Long Island took a chance on an unclaimed storage unit for just $100. They didn’t expect to find a piece of movie history tucked away under some old blankets – a 1976 Lotus Esprit, used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. The couple, who had no clue what they stumbled upon, initially planned to fix the car’s roof and do some minor work. But while hauling it home, truckers on the road started radioing them, letting them know they had something much more valuable – a James Bond car. After hearing this, the husband rented the movie and realized they were sitting on a treasure. Years later, after some cosmetic touch-ups, they auctioned the car in 2013. That’s when Elon Musk entered the picture, paying nearly $1 million for the Lotus – $997,000. Musk, who grew up watching the Bond movie, said, “It was amazing as a little kid to watch James Bond drive the Lotus Esprit off a pier and have it transform into a submarine.” Musk’s fascination with the Lotus Esprit didn’t end at its purchase. He stated that the car significantly shaped the futuristic design of Tesla’s Cybertruck, unveiled in 2019.

## Stats

- **Views:** 11,300
- **Likes:** 80
- **Shares:** 1
- **Comments:** 1

## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Benzinga | News That Moves | @benzinga | https://gondola.cc/benzinga | Brand |
| Jacob Shipley | @okcmayor | https://gondola.cc/okcmayor | Director of Social Media |

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