Elizabeth Taylor Made This 1960 Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe Stunning (And Twice As Valuable)

Elizabeth Taylor, one of Hollywood's most legendary stars, was famous for her iconic films, her beauty, and her many marriages. Most of Taylor's marriages were short-lived, with her longest coming in at 10 years, but one of them has had a lasting impact in the automotive world. To celebrate her wedding to singer and actor Eddie Fisher, Taylor bought a custom 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Drophead Coupe, a car whose fame and beauty has continued to increase its value.

A typical Silver Cloud II Drophead Coupe isn't exactly cheap, with average auction prices between about $150,000 to $320,000. However, when Taylor's sold for the second time in 2019, its current owner spent a whopping $520,000. Of course, celebrity ownership makes cars more valuable, especially when that celebrity is one of the most iconic American actresses of all time. However, Taylor's Rolls wasn't just a celebrity-owned car. It was unique to her and a specific time in her life. 

The series II Silver Cloud Drophead Coupe was a gorgeous car to begin with, thanks to the design of British coachbuilding company H.J. Mulliner, which penned many Rolls-Royce and Bentley vehicles of the time. But Taylor's was especially beautiful, certainly more beautiful than some other green Rollers. Its "Green Goddess" nickname came from its custom color, a special green to match the dress Taylor wore in her wedding to Fisher. Its custom "Smoke Green" paint, matching green interior, and wood trim gave it effortless class. It still has star power of its own, even if you forget Taylor's. Combine the two, though, and you get desirability that's endured decades.

Another layer of the Rolls' fame (or perhaps infamy) came from an affair. Following her marriage to Fisher in 1959, and their subsequent purchase of the custom Roller in 1960, Taylor brought the car to Rome with her to film "Cleopatra" with film icon Richard Burton. It was there that Taylor's affair with Burton, and their long on/off relationship began. And the car gained infamy soon after, as Burton was spotted driving it while Taylor and Fisher were still married.

Even though Fisher was named the original owner of the car at the time of purchase, Taylor kept the Rolls long after their marriage ended. In fact, the Green Goddess outlasted even her relationship with Burton. After she divorced Fisher in 1963, she married Burton for the first time in 1964. That lasted until 1974, when they divorced and took a break for a year, before remarrying in 1975. They were divorced again in 1976. Why is that important? Taylor didn't sell the Rolls until 1978, making it by far her longest relationship, at 18 years.

The car's second owner, Karl Kardel, owned Taylor's Rolls for over four decades, more than double the time that she did. Kardel's hands were good ones for the Rolls, as the San Francisco-based restoration contractor took meticulous care of it. Over his 41 years of ownership, Kardel completely restored the Drophead Coupe, which included an engine rebuild, an interior refurbish, and even reviving the custom paint. Kardel wrote in SFGate that matching the original green was an incredibly difficult task, but it seems he nailed it.

However, when it came time to find a third owner in 2019, you can guess whose name was attached to it. It wasn't Kardel's, despite it living with him far longer than anyone else. With its custom color, linked to Taylor's wedding dress, and scandalous history, this Rolls will always be known as Elizabeth Taylor's car. The third owner chose to remain anonymous. 

Looking back, this half-million-dollar sale actually seems like a bargain. That's about what you'll pay for a pretty basic-spec brand-new Rolls-Royce Phantom right now, without any bespoke options, and a new Rolls has no such star power, rarity, or history, even with fancy flower petal wheels. Elizabeth Taylor's own style and history with the car elevated the value of her Rolls, not just her ownership.