Evita's Cadillac destined for Salon Privé

| 24 Jul 2014

A 1951 Cadillac Limousine that once ferried Juan and Eva Peron around Argentina is due to go under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions' Salon Privé sale, taking place on 4 September.

The car will make a long-overdue return to the limelight when it rolls onto the Syon House concours lawn this September following a number of years on display at the Museo Evita in Buenos Aires. Its current owner has decided to part with the car after a long spell in his stewardship. As well as the Cadillac, the buyer will become the custodian of a number of images showing the famous couple arriving at functions in the car.

Evita's Cadillac

Evita – as she affectionately became known – was a champion of women and the working class in Argentina during her husband's time in office, and she died at the age of 33 before she had the chance to fully realise her own political potential. Her funeral drew more than 3million people into the streets of Buenos Aires, proving her popularity, and her story later inspired a Andrew Lloyd Webber to write the musical Evita. Evita's legend grew further in 1996, when Madonna played the character opposite Antonio Banderas in a film of the same name.

Evita's Cadillac

Managing director of Silverstone Auctions, Nick Whale, said: "We're honoured to be able to offer this historically significant car in our new sale at Salon Privé. It's rare that a car with connections to some of the most important figures in history is offered on the market. It's a privilege for us to offer it for sale."