A jewel and gold-encrusted Mercedes-Benz owned by legendary boxer Muhammad Ali is to auction with a $1.5m high estimate later this year - with the proceeds from the sale to go to charity.
The 1959 Golden Angel Wing is covered with precious stone and features a mink-lined interior, with various dials and switches (including the accelerator pedal and bumper) made from 23 karat gold.
|
The extraordinary piece was presented to Ali in the 1980s by a member of a Middle Eastern royal family, and is emblazoned with handwritten calligraphy.
Currently the car is being stored in a Ford dealership in Manteca, California before it is consigned to auction.
Phil Waterford, who owns the dealership, commented to Fox40: "It is meant to glorify god. It has all of the earth tones - from the sand to the oceans to the trees and even all the complexions of the human race."
Ali is one of the greatest boxers of all time, renowned for his technical ability and incredible showmanship, in addition to his involvement in the civil rights and anti-Vietnam war movements.
He remains the only man ever to win the World Heavyweight Championship three times, and achieved a fight record of 56 wins to five losses over the course of his career.
In recent years he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
We have this signed photograph of Ali with the Beatles, taken during training for his famous 1964 bout with Sonny Liston - whom he beat by technical knockout.
Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest on memorabilia and other collectibles.