If you want to see some of the rarest vehicles in the world, you need to head underground.
Deep inside the Petersen Automotive Museum vault in L.A., a subterranean collection houses an array of vehicles with highly unusual backstories.
Among the pristine classics is a sleek black convertible featuring a striking red interior.
This particular beauty was recently donated to the institution by actor Sylvester Stallone. But the vault holds much more than celebrity donations—it preserves some truly wild automotive oddities.
The sports car Elvis shot
One of the most infamous vehicles on display is a bright yellow sports car that bears the physical scars of a rock star’s frustration. It originally belonged to Elvis Presley.
According to the museum, Elvis got into a fight with his girlfriend, Linda Thompson.
He stormed out and attempted to start the vehicle to drive away. When the engine refused to turn over, an enraged Presley pulled out a weapon and fired into the car three times.
Visitors taking the vault tour can still see the resulting bullet holes piercing the glass and steering column today.
A fragile $86,000 gold DeLorean
Nearby sits an incredibly rare, solid 24-karat gold-plated DeLorean. The vehicle was originally offered in the 1981 American Express Christmas catalog for a staggering $86,000.
That was more than three times the price of a standard DeLorean at the time.
Despite its luxurious finish, the car is entirely impractical for the road. If a driver turns it on and takes it for a spin, the intense heat radiating from the engine will actually warp the vehicle’s gold plating.
Cinematic scene-stealers and extreme racers
Beyond celebrity-owned curiosities, the collection features familiar cinematic props.
One major highlight is the yellow and white 1979 Volkswagen Type 2 bus used in the hit movie ‘Little Miss Sunshine’.
While the actual van boasts a top speed of about 69 miles per hour, its on-screen storyline famously required the cast to push the vehicle down the street just to get the engine started.
The facility also preserves high-stakes racing history with a specialized, blue and white dragster.
Built specifically to cover a quarter-mile stretch at extreme speeds, the car features a massive, exposed engine sitting directly in front of the driver’s seat.
Driving the machine requires navigating the very real risk that the overstressed engine could blow up directly in the driver’s face during a run.
