Following the release of the initial film adaptation of the comic book series, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, by 20th Century Fox, the public response was swift and intense: “What is this terrible film?” However, despite the backlash, there were redeeming qualities to the movie, primarily attributed to the exceptional performance by Sean Connery and the presence of an extraordinary, unique car that surpassed expectations.
Cue Captain Nemo’s car. This isn’t it, though. This, my friend, is a replica of the model. Christened the Spirit of Nemo, the doppelganger for Captain Nemo’s six-wheeled machine from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen measures 24 feet (7.3 meters) in length and it’s 102 inches (2.59 meters) wide. The big numbers don’t matter here because this thing tips the scales at more than 6,000 pounds (2,721 kilograms) and it is underpinned by two Cadillac Fleetwood limousines.
Built from carbon fiber and fiberglass and reinforced with aluminum and steel, this street-legal (yes, street-legal) replicar is far from the typical kit car thanks to the elbow grease and the attention to detail that went into the making of this thing. Its builder, Ken Freeman, linked the steering gear of both donor cars to create the quad-streer front end. Under the 10-foot (3-meter) long hood, you’ll find a full-on V8. Believe it or not, the engine bay of this monster is spacious enough for a man to stand up in it while working on the engine.
It’s rather clear, then, that this is one hell of a contraption, one that necessitated lots of green dollar bills to build, a mountain of mechanical prowess, and a tremendous passion for the arts. Just look at all those bits of sculptures and trim affixed to the exterior and cabin of the Spirit of Nemo, then ask yourself how many man-hours were needed for all the handiwork.
With two days to go until the virtual gavel strikes the sound block, the bidding on this replica stands at $165,000. Is this insane apparatus worthy of that or would you rather prefer a Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe instead?
