The car Elvis Presley hated so much, he shot it. Repeatedly. (2024)

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Some of us love our cars, whereas some of us shoot them. This is the story of Elvis Presley's bullet-riddled 1971 De Tomaso Pantera.

Picture this – we're in ever-optimistic 1970s America, and you have the budget equivalent of a small condominium to buy a car for your girlfriend.

Let's also add in the fact you're one of America's sweethearts – no less than Elvis Presley – so you can't literally let her roll in a Hyundai (even though they didn't exist in America back then).

Your only choice is a yellow 1971 De Tomaso Pantera, of course, which is exactly the car Elvis Presley forked out $2400 for, likely after gyrating his hips earlier that day.

As an Italian-designed and built Frankenstein sports car with partly British electronics and an American motor, what could go wrong? Finished in the beautiful hue of yellow and with a 5.7-litre Ford V8 producing 177kW/414Nm, it's still contemporary fast with a 0–100km/h time of around six seconds.

It was to be a gift for Presley's girlfriend at the time, Linda Thompson, however most first-hand accounts are of Elvis behind the wheel. George Klein – one of Elvis Presley's oldest childhood friends – recalls one tale of the ill-fated De Tomaso that received a bullet at the hands of The King, and more than once.

The first problem came when the car broke down and came to a stop with Elvis driving – not his girlfriend. Even after the vehicle was towed back to Graceland and Elvis himself ordered the equivalent of a 1970s Uber, it still failed to start.

It's understood that as this very same story was first being recounted by Elvis to his buddy George Klein for the first time, he reached for his gun and shot the car. Klein states the car started on the key shortly after, but we expect that's Hollywood doing its thing.

It wasn't the last time Elvis abused his De Tomaso. After ditching Linda Thompson – and keeping the car – one of Elvis's backup singers witnessed a similar event.

Sheila Ryan claims to have been driving with Elvis in the car around Memphis, yet again. Story goes that after a wicked joyride, Elvis pulled up outside Graceland, pulled his gun and shot the dashboard for "the car not running right that day".

If you're wondering what happened to the orphaned De Tomaso upon Elvis's death, it was bought by the Los Angeles-based Petersen Automotive Museum where it remains on display, bullet holes and all – proof of both first-hand accounts told by long-time friend George Klein and backup singer Sheila Ryan.

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