Ratty, isn’t it? Also, the wrong colour and missing an engine and gearbox, this BMW 507 has emerged after nearly 50 years, stuck in a shed, awaiting its moment in the sun. Its previous owner? One Elvis Aaron Presley.

BMW has finally tracked down The King’s very own BMW, used while he was a GI stationed in Germany. And over the course of two years, it has meticulously restored this gorgeous classic back to its full original health, ready for a public display on 18 August at Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, California.

The story behind it however, is quite fascinating, as is the restoration. 

Let’s start at the beginning. It rolled out of the factory gates on 13 September 1957, and just a few days later was displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The very next month, a certain Mr Hans Stuck presented the car at the London Motor Show, and then drove it to Belgium - where he presented it to King Baudouin - before finally heading off to the Turin Motor Show.

In the summer of 1958, Stuck’s BMW 507 won a beauty competition for cars in Wiesbaden, before having a role in the film Hula-Hopp Conny.

Later in 1958, it ended up at a dealer in Frankfurt - after an engine upgrade and a new gearbox was fitted - where it caught the attention of a 23-year old US soldier. Said soldier took it for a test drive, fell in love, and bought it immediately.

So, the registered keeper of BMW 507 chassis number 70079 was Elvis Aaron Presley.