« Any place Is Paradise » sang Elvis in 1956. All those rare and exotic automobiles he owned and drove surely reflect that too. Among them were two Mercedes-Benz 600, one of which will be on display tomorrow for the media and prospective buyers to boast Bonhams’ traditional end of year auction of ‘Important Motor Cars and Fine Automobilia’. This event takes place on December 6, 2010, and for the first time at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey, UK.
The ‘King of Rock and Roll’ was one of many famous people who owned 600s. John Lennon, Hugh Hefner, Elizabeth Taylor and Aristotle Onassis had theirs. So did Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Kim Il-Sung, Mao Zedong and Leonid Brezhnev!
Sources say Elvis Presley purchased this silver short-wheelbase Mercedes 600 new in 1969 for $15,000 with a $5500 down payment, and financed the balance. Presley kept it for two years before giving it to a friend, James Leroy Robertson. In 2005, it was purchased by the vendor from Robertson Motors Memphis, and exported to the UK.
At one time, front doors of this car boasted Elvis’ famous TCB Lightning Bolt in gold leaf logo (for ‘Takin' Care of Business’). This was the TCB Band's logo, professional musicians who formed the core rhythm section of Presley’s band from 1969 to 1977.
Today, this car that has been restored to production model standards has attracted a pre-sale estimate of CAN$ 250,000-325,000.
The Bonhams December sale is traditionally its largest, by value and volume, and offers a wide variety of motorcars spanning all periods, types and marques. A Ferrari 550 GTZ, one of only five examples of the car bodied by the famous Italian Carrozeria Zagato and the only Right Hand Drive example, is expected to be another star of this event.
This will also be the first time Bonhams uses Mercedes-Benz World for this auction. Situated within the banking of Britain’s first ever purpose built racing circuit, the famous Brooklands Motor Course, near Weybridge, Mercedes-Benz World provides an exciting and fitting location for what is expected this year again to be an exciting sale.
The ‘King of Rock and Roll’ was one of many famous people who owned 600s. John Lennon, Hugh Hefner, Elizabeth Taylor and Aristotle Onassis had theirs. So did Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Kim Il-Sung, Mao Zedong and Leonid Brezhnev!
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| One of the two Mercedes-Benz 600 Elvis Presley owned will be shown tomorrow at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey, UK, to boast the up-coming end of year Bonhams auction. (photo: Bonhams & KabelEins/Presseportal) |
Sources say Elvis Presley purchased this silver short-wheelbase Mercedes 600 new in 1969 for $15,000 with a $5500 down payment, and financed the balance. Presley kept it for two years before giving it to a friend, James Leroy Robertson. In 2005, it was purchased by the vendor from Robertson Motors Memphis, and exported to the UK.
At one time, front doors of this car boasted Elvis’ famous TCB Lightning Bolt in gold leaf logo (for ‘Takin' Care of Business’). This was the TCB Band's logo, professional musicians who formed the core rhythm section of Presley’s band from 1969 to 1977.
Today, this car that has been restored to production model standards has attracted a pre-sale estimate of CAN$ 250,000-325,000.
The Bonhams December sale is traditionally its largest, by value and volume, and offers a wide variety of motorcars spanning all periods, types and marques. A Ferrari 550 GTZ, one of only five examples of the car bodied by the famous Italian Carrozeria Zagato and the only Right Hand Drive example, is expected to be another star of this event.
This will also be the first time Bonhams uses Mercedes-Benz World for this auction. Situated within the banking of Britain’s first ever purpose built racing circuit, the famous Brooklands Motor Course, near Weybridge, Mercedes-Benz World provides an exciting and fitting location for what is expected this year again to be an exciting sale.