Elvis Presley was known for loving the finer things—a tour of his Graceland estate in Memphis is the biggest proof—and his cars were no exception. Known to be one of his favourites was a Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood limousine, which, thanks to 24-karat gold plate highlights and trim, many people referred to as Presley’s “Solid Gold” car. Customized by North Hollywood’s Baris Kustom City for a reported $65,000, the car is covered in 40 coats of paint, called “diamond dust pearl,” that is made of crushed diamonds and fish scales. All that meticulous care and attention resulted in a car that really does seem to sparkle, and can be viewed in all its pristine glory at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere—it had to be airlifted into the building.
The inside of the vehicle features gold lamé drapes, a record player with an automatic changer, a gold-plated television, and a golden amenity case with hairbrush, clipper, and razor. There is a white mouton fur carpet, and an intercom for communicating with the driver. Besides, the limousine was not meant for Presley to get behind the wheel of—he spent so much time outfitting the coach portion so that he would be comfortable as he got chauffeured around. Like seemingly everything else Presley touched, the Cadillac turned to gold.
