Introduction
On August 4, 1956, in the blazing heat of Miami, the King of Rock and Roll did something no one expected. Elvis Presley, already on the brink of global superstardom, walked into a Lincoln dealership and left with a car that would become almost as legendary as he was — a white Lincoln Continental Mark II, custom-ordered in a way no other car in history had ever been.
According to records, Elvis arrived at Miami Lincoln Mercury, 100 SW 13th St., behind the wheel of his lavender Lincoln, with none other than his sharp-eyed manager, “Colonel” Tom Parker, by his side. What happened next was history in the making. Presley traded his old set of wheels for a Dealer Special Order Mark II, the only one ever built with a leather-trimmed roof.
And when Elvis slid behind the wheel, witnesses say his face lit up with pure pride.
“You could see it in his eyes — Elvis wasn’t just buying a car. He was claiming his throne,” recalled auto historian James Monroe, who has studied Presley’s rare vehicles for decades. “That white Continental wasn’t just transportation. It was a statement to the world that the poor boy from Tupelo had arrived.”
The deal itself was set in motion by Lade Conlee, Vice President and General Manager of Lincoln Mercury, who happened to be in Miami the same weekend. Conlee was staying at the luxurious Robert Clay Hotel, just blocks from the Olympia Theater where Elvis was performing to packed crowds of screaming fans.
Conlee reportedly made sure the Mark II was ready and waiting — a move many now believe was as much a publicity stunt as it was a sale.
“This was 1956. Elvis was the hottest name in America, and Lincoln knew it,” said Carla Hayes, a former dealership employee who later spoke in interviews. “When he drove off in that white Mark II, every camera in Miami wanted a shot. The company couldn’t have asked for better advertising.”
Elvis wasn’t shy about showing it off either. He used the Mark II during his whirlwind rise through the late 1950s and early 1960s, often arriving at concerts and special events with the car gleaming under the spotlight. Fans would crowd the streets just to catch a glimpse of him rolling down in the striking Continental, its unique leather roof setting it apart from every other vehicle on the road.
Even more shocking is that Elvis kept the car until 1976, just one year before his tragic death. For two decades, through the chaos of superstardom, movie premieres, Las Vegas residencies, and world tours, the white Lincoln stayed with him like a faithful companion.
Some close to Presley believe the car symbolized something deeply personal. “Elvis never forgot what it felt like to have nothing,” Monroe added. “Owning the most luxurious American car of its day was proof — to himself, to his family, to the whole world — that he had climbed out of poverty. That car was his victory lap.”
Today, the story of the white Continental continues to fuel fan fascination. Automotive experts call it one of the most significant celebrity car purchases of the 20th century. Elvis devotees still gather around grainy photos of him standing proudly next to it, pointing out every detail — the chrome, the shine, the grin on his face.
The King may have left the stage, but the memory of that white Lincoln Mark II lingers like a spotlight frozen in time. And the question remains: how many other secrets are still hiding in the garages and archives of Elvis Presley’s extraordinary life?