Michael Jackson's car has a new home nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains and will be displayed among legendary automobile icons like the Batmobile, Herbie and the Flintmobile. The 1985 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL will be displayed in the lobby along with one of Jackson's Suits of Light, one of his many costumes he wore performing on stage.
Hollywood Star Cars Museum owner Charlie Moore bought the car for $100,000 online at Julien's Auction, which was held at the Hard Rock Cafe at Times Square in New York City. Moore is sure the car was worth its hefty price tag. "I'm an old fan of him anyway," Moore said of the pop star, and his reasoning for buying the Mercedes was because of the "popularity of Michael Jackson. He is gonna be an Elvis of this generation," Moore explained. He should know, Moore's collection of more than 40 vehicles includes a 1975 Lincoln Town car that belonged to Elvis himself.
Moore sets the cars up in scenes that are reminiscent of the movies or shows in which they were featured. The 1982 Jeep pickup that starred in the movie "Twister" is set in a thunderstorm, while a dinosaur keeps watch over the "Jurassic Park" vehicle.
Of all the vehicles in his collection, the car from "The Beverly Hillbillies" was the hardest to get, he said. Some of the most popular attractions are the Bumblebee from the 2007 movie "Transformers." The yellow 1977 Chevrolet Camaro gets a lot of attention from kids. Women tend to like the 1969 Camaro SS Convertible from "Charlie's Angels," and the cars from " The Fast and the Furious" series, of which there are two, because of the actors that sat in them, Moore said. Herbie, the 1967 Volkswagen Beetle is also popular.
The Hollywood Star Cars Museum is open 7 days a week 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Admission is $11.99 for adults and $6.99 for children age 6-12. Children under 6 are free.
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