Elvis Presley, also known as the “King of Rock and Roll,” was a big car enthusiast and owned quite a few cars. His garage included a Rolls-Royce Phantom V, a BMW 507, and even a DeTomaso Pantera. But none was as flashy as his 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood finished in bright pink. On display at the Graceland museum, you won’t find another one like it. But if you want to ride like the King, here’s a 1959 DeVille finished in metallic pink.
An early example of the first-generation Series 62, which became famous for its imposing size and massive, sharp tailfins, this drop-top is finished in Wood Rose Metallic, a hue that Cadillac had introduced in 1959. While not as bright as Presley’s flamboyant 1955 Caddy, it’s a color that would definitely get the King’s approval. And it’s more than fitting for the 1959 DeVille’s flamboyant design.
The Cadillac looks absolutely pristine on the outside, which is downright impressive given that it’s all-original. The almost six-meter-long convertible has spent most of its life as a garage queen, so it’s not that surprising that it looks like a concours-winning car more than 60 years since it rolled off the assembly line.
The leather-upholstered interior looks just as good, with no signs of wear on the seats or cracks on the dashboard. But the really cool thing about it is that most of the leather matches the color of the exterior. However, just like the outer paint, the color shifts from light pink to some sort of washed brown, depending on the lighting.
It’s also a fully loaded car, featuring air conditioning, power windows, a two-way power front bench, push-button AM radio, and a power top. Yes, it might not seem like much in 2021, but that’s what a luxury car was about back in the late 1950s.
Powering this pink whale of a car is an equally big 6.4-liter V8 engine. The original, numbers-matching unit packed a whopping 325 horsepower when it left the factory back in 1959. It was the only engine Cadillac offered in the Series 62 back then, and it came with a four-speed automatic transmission. It won’t help you cover the quarter-mile as quickly as in a muscle car, but it’s powerful enough to go fast on the highway.
If you’re a fan of late 1950s land yachts and want to ride in style like the “King of Rock and Roll” did back in the day, this Caddy is up for auction as we speak. Offered by eBay seller “1964lac,” it has attracted more than 100 bids, and the hammer currently sits at $95,101 with a “reserve not met” status.
Yup, it will probably end up costing more than a modern Cadillac, but it’s the perfect car to cruise around in while cranking up the volume on “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock.”