Ananova:

Austin Powers' Volkswagen Beetle and a prototype of the futuristic Mach 5 car from the 1960s cartoon Speed Racer were among a list of celebrity motors sold at auction in the US.

Other cars which went under the hammer at the 30th annual Kruse International Auto Auction in Auburn, Indiana, included a 1990 Chevrolet Lumina driven by Tom Cruise in the film Days of Thunder, a bulletproof Chevrolet Suburban built for Rocky star Sylvester Stallone, and a 1939 Lincoln limousine which belonged to Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland Sanders.

The Beetle, used in the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and the Mach 5 Speed Racer prototype, which was built last year and included swinging saw-blade cutters for chopping down obstacles, were bought for a total of US$225,000 (£155,000) by former publishing magnate Robert E Petersen, 72, the founder of a Los Angeles motoring museum.

Mr Petersen said: "The Mach 5 car is sure to bring back childhood memories for those who watched the show as well as pique the curiosity of younger automobile enthusiasts."

The US$45,000 (£31,000) raised by the sale of the Mach 5 will go to the Child Safety Network charity.