Elvis Presley‘s 1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II will be on display at the April 4-7 Food Lion AutoFair
Photo – Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
In the 1950s, the world couldn’t help falling in love with Elvis Presley and now fans can view one of The King of Rock ‘N’ Roll’s personal vehicles, a 1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II, at the April 4-7 Food Lion AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“AutoFair has always had unique displays, but there has never been anything quite like this,” said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “Elvis is the world’s biggest music icon, and I know car lovers and Elvis fans alike are going to love seeing this rare automobile straight from Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis.”
In August of 1956, Elvis purchased the Continental Mark II in Miami with proceeds from his recent tour. He needed a new daily driver after fans had written all over his other Lincoln with lipstick. The new car quickly became one of Elvis’ favorites, and he even drove it to New Orleans for the filming of his popular movie, “King Creole.”
Elvis’ Mark II is one of only about 3,000 ever made during a production run that ended in 1957. The all-white Elvis car came with white wall tires and a hefty price tag of $10,000; equivalent to the cost of a Rolls Royce in 1956. Originally unveiled at the Paris Auto Show in 1955, the Mark II was only offered in one body style, a two-door hardtop coupe, and included every luxury automobile feature available at the time.
“Whenever artifacts leave Graceland in Memphis, the location for an artifact loan must have a natural connection. Deciding to partner with Charlotte Motor Speedway made perfect sense because of Elvis’ history of having filmed part of a movie at the track,” said Kevin Kern, director of public relations for Elvis Presley’s Graceland.
Elvis’ Mark II will be the centerpiece display in the showcase pavilion at AutoFair. Fans will also be able to view other items from Graceland, including artifacts from the 1968 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture, “Speedway,” parts of which were filmed at Charlotte Motor Speedway and starred Elvis as a race car driver. Artifacts include the original movie poster featuring Elvis and co-star Nancy Sinatra, the official script, the movie’s soundtrack album, a large illuminated sign that was used as a prop and Elvis’ navy suit from the movie.
The Food Lion AutoFair annually attracts more than 100,000 visitors, features nearly 50 car club displays and offers a surplus of automotive parts and memorabilia for sale or trade. There’s also a collector car auction conducted by Dealer Auctions Inc. and a car corral of 1,500 spaces filled with all makes and models for sale or trade that encircles the 1.5-mile superspeedway.
AutoFair is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Adult tickets are just $10 at the gate and kids 13 and under get in free.
For tickets or additional information about Food Lion AutoFair or other events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, call 1-800-455-FANS or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com
