Elvis’ final Cadillac could now be yours

In the King’s wheeltracks

This 1977 Cadillac Seville by Fisher is understood to be the last car that Elvis Presley bought for himself – indeed, he passed away on 16 August 1977, at the age of just 42.

It is now being sold by Bonhams|Cars Online via sealed bid, in a sale that runs from 4-25 November.

Let’s find out more about it.

Suspicious minds?

As you might expect, the auction house is keen to underline this car’s authenticity.

It was bought from the Graceland Auction on 14 August 2014, and it came with a certificate verifying its history, and a copy of the title with Elvis’ name and signature on it.

Picture this

Bonhams|Cars also has photos of Elvis in the car, behind the wheel.

This steering wheel.

The auction house’s listing puts it neatly when it says this Cadillac’s grey-leather interior is: ‘rather tired-looking but by no means beyond redemption’.

Back in the day

Elvis owned, it is believed, somewhere in the region of 200 Cadillacs, many of which he gave to friends, family or others as gifts.

This ’77 Cadillac Seville, with custom bodywork by Fisher, has a 5.7-litre V8 and a striking colour scheme chosen by Elvis.

It was also fitted with a CB radio to communicate with Graceland’s guard house and kitchen.

Take a seat

And here he is. Elvis Presley sat in the driving seat of this car, that’s being offered for sale via sealed bid online between 4-25 November.

Elvis was driving this car the day before he died, on 16 August 1977, and it is understood this photo was taken the day before.

Heartbreak hotel

He’d been due to marry his fiancée, Ginger Alden, on Christmas Day 1977.

Instead, nine days after his death, Elvis’ father, Vernon, transferred ownership of this car to her.

Moving on

Ginger retained Elvis’ last Cadillac from 1977 until 1982, at which point she sold it to Jimmy Velvet.

He claimed to be the keeper of the biggest collection of authentic Elvis memorabilia in the world, plus he was the owner and founder of the Elvis Presley Museum.

Viva Las Vegas

Jimmy’s son, Scott, sold this Cadillac, via auction in Las Vegas in 1994, to Greg Page, who paid $101,500 for this slice of music history.

Then, 20 years later, it was consigned to an auction once more, at Elvis’ Graceland home, where it was bought by its current custodians.

They loaned it to the National Motor Museum, in Beaulieu, in the UK, where it was on public display.

Stuck on you

Whoever the next owner of this Cadillac is will have a thin line to tread, between preservation and restoration, given its personal links to Elvis are, for many, key to its appeal.

Bonhams hasn’t tried to run its V8, indeed of the 57,998 miles this classic car has covered in its life, it’s done just four of them in the past decade, so will require some mechanical attention and recommissioning before being returned to the road.

Getting inside

As we’ve said, the grey-leather interior with faux-wood veneers would benefit from some care to revitalise it.

But, given those are the seats Elvis sat in and the steering wheel he held, fans will likely be careful about how much they do.

Stand back

The body looks passable from a distance, but, as the auction house details, the paintwork shows its age, with wear and tear, and rust is evident.

The ELVIS 1 numberplate is not included in this sale.

A lot to take in

This classic Cadillac’s wire wheels need rechroming, too.

Plus, the panels under the tail-lights have broken off, some of these parts now found in the car’s glovebox.

All in order

As you’d expect, this Cadillac Seville comes with a stack of paperwork, too.

Certificates, authentication, letters and photographs from across this classic car’s life are proof that this is the last Cadillac Elvis bought for personal use – and the car he drove the day before he died.

A piece of history

The King of Rock and Roll’s last Cadillac, this 1977 Fisher-bodied Seville, is being sold by Bonhams|Cars Online via a sealed bid between 4-25 November 2024.

It may not be a perfect example of this model, but anything with a link to Elvis Presley attracts attention.

To see more photos of the car and find out how to bid, please click here.

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