Elvis Presley’s Messerschmitt KR200 was one of the strangest cars in existence

  • Elvis loved collecting rare and unique cars
  • His Messerschmitt KR200 was his weirdest one
  • It had three wheels and looked like an aircraft

Published on Dec 01, 2023 at 5:37 PM (UTC+4)
by Andie Reeves

Last updated on Dec 04, 2023 at 3:01 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Alessandro Renesis

Elvis was well-known for his extravagant taste in cars.

Besides filling his own garage, he also loved gifting cars to other people.

These gifts were usually Cadillacs, of which he was a huge fan.

But one car in his fleet was not your everyday celebrity car.

In fact, it barely looked like a car.

READ MORE: Man who bought Elvis Presley’s jet is rebuilding it in a new way

Elvis loved driving, and would often sneak out of Graceland at night, surprising people at his local gas station.

He also loved getting his hands on ultra-rare cars.

One of his favorites was a Stutz Blackhawk, which had 24k gold trimmings in the interior.

He also had a BMW 507 that he had painted in a custom shade of red to make the lipstick kisses often left on his car less noticeable.

But his most unusual purchase has to be the Messerschmitt KR200.

If you think it looks a bit like a helicopter, you’re not far off.

Also known as the ‘Kabinenroller’, this was designed by German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt in 1955.

The company was most known for its fighter jets but turned to producing cars after World War II.

Designed to cater to the rising fuel prices in the post-war economy, the KR200 was light on fuel.

It had a narrow body and two tandem seats.

The driver sat in the front while a passenger or cargo could be in the back, much like a small plane.

It was also made using aircraft-grade aluminium, making it super lightweight.

The KR200 had a distinct ‘bubble’ canopy: a transparent dome that gave the driver panoramic views of the surroundings.

It could reach speeds of 62mph, which was pretty decent for the time and given the size of its engine.

Powered by a 191 cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine, the KR200 produced 9.7 horsepower.

This car was notably agile and had just three wheels: two for steering at the front and one for propulsion at the rear.

Messerschmitt added aircraft stylings to the car, including wing-like fenders and a seating area that resembles a plane’s cockpit.

Elvis owned this for a few years, mostly driving it around his property.

After hearing that Bernard Lansky, his stylist, was a fan of the vehicle he decided to do a trade.

In exchange for a shopping spree in Lansky’s clothing store, Elvis gifted him the KR200.

Having refused multiple offers to sell, the car still belongs to Lanky’s estate.

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Andie is a content writer from South Africa with a background in broadcasting and journalism. Starting her career in the glossy pages of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, Andie has a broad portfolio, covering everything from sustainability solutions to celebrity car collections. When not at her laptop Andie can be found sewing, recording her podcast, taking board games too seriously or road-tripping in her bright green Kia.