The One-of-a-Kind Lotus Esprit Wet Nellie Worth $1 Million Now Belongs to Elon Musk

Elon Musk, known for his audacious ambitions and futuristic vision, raised eyebrows in 2013 when he dropped nearly $1 million on the Lotus Esprit “Wet Nellie,” a one-of-a-kind car-submarine hybrid featured in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. While this 1976 vehicle might seem like a collector’s dream, one can’t help but wonder: is this car truly worth its staggering price tag, or is it just another overpriced movie prop riding the coattails of nostalgia?

A Price Tag Only a Billionaire Could Justify

At a jaw-dropping $997,000, “Wet Nellie” represents the kind of spending that only someone with Elon Musk’s fortune could indulge in. For context, this is more than most people will earn in a lifetime. But what exactly justifies this astronomical cost? The car itself doesn’t even drive like a traditional Lotus Esprit—it was stripped of its engine and modified to function underwater for the film.

Sure, the idea of a car doubling as a submarine sounds cool, but it’s hardly practical. Musk himself admitted after buying it that he planned to add a Tesla powertrain to make it functional. But that raises a question: if the car requires extensive modifications to even meet its original promise, is it really worth the hype? Or is it simply a flashy toy that’s more about status than substance?

A Unique but Odd Appearance

There’s no denying that “Wet Nellie” has a striking design. The sleek, angular lines of the original Lotus Esprit were ahead of their time, and the transformation into an underwater vehicle for Bond only added to its allure. The car’s fiberglass body and wedge-shaped silhouette evoke the space-age optimism of the 1970s, making it a visually captivating piece of cinema history.

However, outside the context of the James Bond franchise, the car’s look feels outdated and impractical. Its functionality is limited, and its “bathtub with fins” aesthetic doesn’t exactly scream modern luxury. Musk’s decision to include it in his collection might make sense as a nod to his love for innovation and sci-fi, but for the average observer, it’s hard not to see it as more style than substance.

Is It a Trophy or a Vanity Project?

Musk’s purchase of “Wet Nellie” seems more like a statement than a genuine addition to a car collection. As a billionaire known for his flair for the dramatic, buying one of the most iconic vehicles in film history was likely a calculated move to reinforce his image as a real-life Tony Stark. But is that enough to justify the cost?

Critics argue that this purchase is emblematic of the excesses of wealth. While Musk touts his ambitions to save humanity with electric vehicles and space exploration, spending nearly $1 million on a car that doesn’t even drive feels hypocritical. It’s a vanity project, plain and simple, designed to make headlines and bolster his persona rather than contribute anything meaningful to automotive or cinematic history.

Overhyped and Overpriced

Lotus Esprit “Wet Nellie” is undeniably a unique piece of cinematic and automotive lore, but its value seems inflated by its association with Elon Musk and the James Bond franchise. For $1 million, one could buy multiple high-performance, fully functional vehicles—or invest in something with real-world impact.

While it’s easy to be dazzled by the car’s story and design, the reality is that it’s little more than a glorified movie prop with limited appeal beyond its novelty.

Elon Musk’s purchase of “Wet Nellie” might reflect his love for innovation and daring, but to many, it comes across as another example of billionaires spending absurd amounts on items that are impressive only to themselves. At the end of the day, “Wet Nellie” is a fun but frivolous addition to Musk’s collection, more suited for a museum than a billionaire’s garage.