Elvis Presley had a life-long love affair with motor cars. Beginning in the '50s with Cadillacs, including the Pink Cadillac that he eventually gave to his mother - probably the most famous car in the world - to a second hand Volkswagen and two BMW 507s in Germany. In the '60s there where more Cadillacs, Ford Lincoln's and a Rolls Royce among many others. In the '70s, again Elvis purchased Cadillacs, a Mercedes-Benz 600, even a Ford T-Bird - but his most prized cars of the 1970s were his Stutz Blackhawk's. Elvis was the first person to own a Stutz Blackhawk, and there can be no doubt his favourite car of the 1970s was his 1973 Stutz Blackhawk III.
Elvis in his white BMW 507 in front Goethestraße 14, in Bad Nauheim - June 1959
The price seemed very reasonable - the equivalent of $3,750 USD, instead of $7,160 for a brand new one. Not understanding the contract written in German Elvis thought he was buying the car. But no, he later learned it was only on lease and had to be returned when he left Germany. In August 1959 Elvis swapped the white sports car at BMW Glöckler for a red 507 which he drove until October 1959.
Elvis and June Juanico flew to Houston to purchase this car on June 12, 1956 at a cost of $10,000. Originally white with a black interior, Elvis squashed a handful of grapes on the fender and told the customiser, Jimmy Sanders of Memphis (who also customised the pink '55 Fleetwood), that was the colour he wanted. The upholstery was changed to white roll and pleated leather, and the floor covered in mouton fur dyed purple. Elvis' initials 'EP' entwined with a guitar and two musical notes inscribed in leather adorned the floor mats and overhead. Elvis traded it.
Also in 1956, Elvis bought a 1956 wisteria-and-white Lincoln Premiere hardtop coupe and a white 1956 Continental Mark II. Elvis also bought a 1958 black Cadillac Limousine.
In January 1961, Elvis signed a 5 year contract with Hal Wallis. To celebrate he went out and bought a Rolls Royce Phantom V from a Beverly Hills dealer only to bring it home and have his mothers' chickens peck away at their reflections in the elegant finish. Most people would have just shot the birds but Elvis just chose to have the car repainted four or five times.
When Elvis saw that the spiffy wire wheels were missing and couldn't be replaced, he called Detroit and demanded to talk to 'Mr. Ford'. When Edsel Ford heard the story, he told Elvis to return the car to the nearest dealer and he'd get his money back. 'I was disappointed,' admits Barrasso, 'but after the problem with the wheels, Elvis was never comfortable with the car. I just wish I'd had the money to buy it back'.
Elvis admires the 1967 Lincoln Executive Limousine given to him by Colonel Tom Parker.
Elvis purchased this 1969 six-door Mercedes-Benz 600 on April 6, 1970.
The Mercedes-Benz 600 was a large luxury automobile, intended to represent the absolute pinnacle of automobile engineering. When introduced in September, 1963, it had few competitors, except Rolls-Royce and some US-made limousines. It was intended to be driven primarily by a chauffeur, not the owner, thus a power divider window separating the front seats from the rear bench seat was available.
Elvis' purchased this 1971 yellow De Tomaso Pantera sports car in 1974 for $2,400 as a gift to then-girlfriend Linda Thompson.
Elvis also owned a 1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, purchased second hand in October 1976 on a payment plan with one installment at $20,583. This car is currently on display at Graceland.
This 1977 Cadillac Seville, two-tone burgundy and silver with white leather interior was the last Cadillac that Elvis ever purchased. Today the car is owned by Greg Page.
Elvis in his white BMW 507 in front Goethestraße 14, in Bad Nauheim - June 1959
The price seemed very reasonable - the equivalent of $3,750 USD, instead of $7,160 for a brand new one. Not understanding the contract written in German Elvis thought he was buying the car. But no, he later learned it was only on lease and had to be returned when he left Germany. In August 1959 Elvis swapped the white sports car at BMW Glöckler for a red 507 which he drove until October 1959.
When Elvis saw that the spiffy wire wheels were missing and couldn't be replaced, he called Detroit and demanded to talk to 'Mr. Ford'. When Edsel Ford heard the story, he told Elvis to return the car to the nearest dealer and he'd get his money back. 'I was disappointed,' admits Barrasso, 'but after the problem with the wheels, Elvis was never comfortable with the car. I just wish I'd had the money to buy it back'.
Elvis purchased this 1969 six-door Mercedes-Benz 600 on April 6, 1970.
The Mercedes-Benz 600 was a large luxury automobile, intended to represent the absolute pinnacle of automobile engineering. When introduced in September, 1963, it had few competitors, except Rolls-Royce and some US-made limousines. It was intended to be driven primarily by a chauffeur, not the owner, thus a power divider window separating the front seats from the rear bench seat was available.
