Ultimatecarpage.com update (04-11-07)

[Wouter Melissen]

Dear Ultimatecarpage.com visitor,

Americans have always loved their cars and that adoration reached a peak in the 1950s when many of the great production and concept cars were introduced. It was the jet age and the big three all tried to incorporate as many airplane derived features on their lavish cars with the huge fins as the best example. Cadillac took an altogether different approach for their super luxury Eldorado Brougham, which was first introduced fifty years ago. Combining an elegant exterior with extremely advanced technology, it has gone into history as one of the very best cars ever constructed. The many technical innovations fitted included the first ever use of air-suspension and twin headlights. At the time the Brougham was launched twin headlights were still illegal in some states, but within a few years there was not a luxury car without them. Cadillac first debuted the twin-headlight setup in 1953 on the Le Mans 'dream car'. This two-seater convertible was named in honour of the Cadillac successes on the legendary track in 1950 and sported a fiberglass body. What further set the Brougham apart from its competition was the seemingly endless list of equipment fitted standard, many of which took decades to become common place on other cars like power seats, central locking, a signal seeking radio and a full set of cups hidden in the dashboard. Priced at just over $13,000, it was twice as expensive as any other Cadillac model. It was not the biggest hit in the salesroom even though 700 of the exclusive Caddillacs found an owner in the first two years. Even though the Brougham was only produced as a separate model for four years, it greatly helped Cadillac get the edge over Ford's Lincoln, which cancelled their Continental II within a few months after the Brougham was launched.

Cadillac Le Mans Concept
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame...hp&carnum=3200

Cadillac Series 70 Eldorado Brougham
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame...hp&carnum=3199

Regards,
Wouter Melissen

[Revo]

I have question about 1953 Cadillac Le Mans show car.

I've always thought it was sort of preview car of production Eldorado, look official GM photographs from here.

Le Mans show car you have posted looks completely different to this. You say four examples were constructed, did the desing of Le Mans show car really evolve this much? Or, is this case of GM historians showing utter incompetence?

[Wouter Melissen]

Well the car we feature has 'Le Mans' in the grill and on the sign next to it, it was described as the show car. Maybe they later made changes.

[Revo]

Hmm, similar "Le Mans" badge is on the grille of other Le Mans show car.

Apparently there are two variants of the same car.

[Wouter Melissen]

Hmm, similar "Le Mans" badge is on the grille of other Le Mans show car.

Apparently there are two variants of the same car.

It sure looks like it. My knowledge of these cars is pretty slim, so I am open to suggestions from others.

[Dickrich]

America's motoring culture reached a peak in the 1950s?

Maybe, if you exclude the 1939 Futurama, GT40 and Mustang. America was outproducing any other country by the 1910s. Besides, the whole idea of culture peaking is ridiculous.

[cmcpokey]

those are two very hot caddies

[drakkie]

One slight correction on the twin headlights. A few of the Citroën Traction Avant V8 versions had twin headlights too. They never went into production, but from what is still known about them, a few had prototype twin headlamps built into the fender ! I can't remember where I read this, it probably was in one of the numerous Citroën magazines / books we have lying around the house..