Money galore as Westlife singer sells his 007 car

IN YET ANOTHER example of the fruits of the boom being off-loaded, Westlife’s Shane Filan sold his vintage sports car at auction…

IN YET ANOTHER example of the fruits of the boom being off-loaded, Westlife’s Shane Filan sold his vintage sports car at auction in England last weekend for £348,000 (€398,744).

The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 4.2 litre sports saloon comfortably exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £250,000-£300,000 (€286,300- €343,500) in Bonhams’ Motor Cars and Automobilia Sale at Goodwood in West Sussex.

As well as being a member of Westlife, Co Sligo native Filan (32), is a property developer and he bought the car as “a 30th birthday present to himself” and had it fully restored.

A spokesman for the fine art auctioneers said that “Shane is ‘car mad’ and bought the DB5 as it was something he always wanted”.

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He explained that as Filan “is away touring for the next year or so, it will not be used” and that was why he sold it.

Bonhams said "the DB5 was the first, and remains the most famous, of all the 'James Bond' Aston Martins, having appeared in no fewer than five movies of the series, beginning with Goldfingerin 1964".

Michael Parsons

Michael Parsons

Michael Parsons is a contributor to The Irish Times writing about fine art and antiques