The Pink Cadillac will arrive at Elvis at The O2 Exhibition in time to celebrate its 60th anniversary year and marks the first time that the car will be on display outside of Graceland. Bought by Elvis on July 7, 1955, the car was originally blue with a black roof, but Elvis had the body work re-painted pink to replace the first pink Cadillac, which had been destroyed after brake lining had caught fire and set the car alight while Elvis was driving back from a gig on June 5, 1955. The car kept its black roof until an accident in September 1955. It was then that Elvis had the upholstery replaced, the body work retouched and the roof painted white.
"The Pink Cadillac meant so much to Elvis and his mother Gladys, and became one of the most famous cars in history," said Priscilla Presley, who opened the exhibition at a star-studded gala last year. "It’s indeed exciting to bring this iconic car to the Elvis At The O2 Exhibition and have it on display for the first time outside of Graceland, as we mark its 60th anniversary year. The response to The O2 Exhibition has been extraordinary, so my daughter Lisa and I are very pleased that we can extend its run, to ensure that everyone gets a chance to see all of the treasured items from Graceland up close, and experience the man and artist in such a memorable way.”
Elvis Presley’s Pink Cadillac has been on permanent display at Graceland for over 30 years, formerly under a carport adjacent to the mansion before being placed in the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum at Graceland. The car was once again brought to the front drive entrance of Graceland in June 2006, during a visit of President George W Bush and the Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi.
The exhibition organizers are pleased to announce that the exhibition, the largest Elvis retrospective ever mounted in Europe, will now be extended until January 10, 2016, instead of closing as planned at the end of August 2015, to ensure that fans of Elvis can celebrate his birthday on January 8. Since opening in December last year, the exhibition has received rave reviews from fans and the media alike, and has been one of the most popular music and pop culture exhibitions ever to open in the United Kingdom.
With over 300 artifacts direct from the Presley’s treasured Graceland Archives, the incredible collection includes automobiles, personal items, historical documents, iconic stage costumes, guitars, photography, as well as gold and platinum records. In addition to dazzling audio and video presentations, even the famous pool table Elvis played on with The Beatles is on display. The Pink Cadillac will be displayed at the exhibition alongside the 1956 Lincoln Continental in the main hub of the exhibition for several months, before it returns to Graceland in Memphis.
(Source: EPE)