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Elvis Presley's 1971 Stutz Blackhawk Finally Found a New Home

Elvis Presley managed to rise to fame with ease after his music slowly conquered the U.S. and – with no pause whatsoever – the entire world. Embedded in history as the “King of Rock and Roll,” the man discovered the finest pleasures life had to offer back then. These, of course, included cars. Now, one of his most iconic rides is going to a new owner.
1971 Stutz Blackhawk 7 photos
Photo: Mecum Auctions
Elvis Presley's 1971 Stutz BlackhawkElvis Presley's 1971 Stutz BlackhawkElvis Presley's 1971 Stutz BlackhawkElvis Presley's 1971 Stutz BlackhawkElvis Presley's 1971 Stutz BlackhawkElvis Presley's 1971 Stutz Blackhawk
Many music experts, historians, and fans agree in one way or another that Elvis Presley transformed the relationship people had with rock and roll, but also folk, blues, pop, country, and even gospel. The man’s natural talent and magnificent wittiness quickly turned him into a sensation. Almost everybody loved his music, and many rushed to see him perform live at least once. His wish to popularize live performances attracted many and changed how concerts were done across the U.S. Today, Elvis Presley remains in our collective memory as one of the greatest Americans to have ever lived.

But besides being a fantastic artist, Elvis Presley was also a person that liked to experience the finer things life had to offer back then. Even though during that decade the U.S. was going through a crisis that changed the country, the early 1970s are regarded as the period when the artist truly shined. And thanks to all that success, many plush things were becoming accessible. So, as any other person with the same level of success might have done, he started buying things. And some of those things had an engine in them!

One of the many cars owned by Elvis Presley is this good-looking 1971 Stutz Blackhawk. In that year, only 26 units were made. That’s not very surprising, considering the two-door V8-powered was fitted with the best materials available at the time and tried to combine Italian design with American wish for excess. Moreover, the automaker was doing business for just three years in 1971. The original company went bust in 1930 but was brought back into action by a New York banker in 1968.

A very pretty Stutz for a very famous man

It did not take long for the Stutz Blackhawk to become a symbol among those who performed or were part of the crème de la crème. But this happened mostly thanks to Elvis Presley. He was the company’s first customer and bought the second prototype! Initially, Frank Sinatra was invited to get it, but he refused to do a public delivery. The “King of Rock and Roll” accepted and paid $26,500 for the car in 1970. The sum amounts to roughly $203,500 in today’s money.

Elvis Presley's 1971 Stutz Blackhawk
Photo: Mecum Auctions
According to the Elvis Presley Fan Club of Australia, this vehicle ended up being wrecked by a driver and was put into storage by the artist. It was restored after his death and is available at the Graceland Museum.

But Elvis Presley liked what the revived Stutz did with the Blackhawk, so he went on and bought two other units in 1971. One was for him, and another one was eventually gifted to his doctor.

With a steel body made in Italy at Carrozzeria Padane, the Blackhawk could reach 62 mph (100 kph) in 8.4 seconds and kept accelerating until it hit the top speed of 130 mph (210 kph) thanks to Pontiac underpinnings. Aside from the performance, the car also had a lavish interior adorned with 24-carat gold plated bits and pieces. Expensive wood was used extensively, and other materials like wool gave the Stutz a fantastic vibe that showed Italian craftsmanship blended well with the American idea of automotive luxury.

This 1971 Stutz Blackhawk had a different fate

The car that was gifted to his doctor has a plate on the glove box that says “Elias Ghanem, A True Friend, Elvis Presley.” Some claim that the artist wanted to do this after he battled pneumonia and received great care from Ghanem. The doctor died in 2001.

Elvis Presley's 1971 Stutz Blackhawk
Photo: Mecum Auctions
Back in 2015, the Stutz resurfaced and was sent off to Julien’s Auctions. Experts estimated it could sell for a minimum of $400,000. Unfortunately, nobody submitted a bid that high. Fast forward seven years, and the vehicle managed to find a new owner through Mecum Auctions. It got away for $297,000.

If the money paid for this car feels like it’s not enough, then you should know that other Stutz Blackhawks that had no connection with celebrities barely managed to reach a top offer of $50,000 - $55,000 on well-known platforms like Sotheby’s or Bring a Trailer. So, the Elvis Presley connection helped tremendously.

Finally, a Stutz Blackhawk was also the last car that Elvis Presley publicly drove, according to the Graceland Museum. It was a 1973 model year unit, and it showed those interested in cars that the “King of Rock and Roll” truly liked to ride as royalty.

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About the author: Florin Amariei
Florin Amariei profile photo

Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one.
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