Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, 1959
Chassis No.: 59E093086 $286,000 | Sold • Odometer: 1,548 miles • Engine: V-8 • Transmission: Automatic • Exterior: Desert Rose • Interior: White/Rose • Body: Convertible • 1 of 1,320 produced for the 1959 model year • Harley Earl design • 390 CI V-8 engine • Three 2-barrel carburetors • Gold air cleaner • Automatic transmission • Power-operated convertible top • Body-color fiberglass parade boot • White leather interior • Brushed aluminum trim • Optional bucket seats • 6-way power seat • Factory air conditioning • Fog lamps • Air suspension • AM radio • Power windows and locks • Automatic trunk release • Autronic-Eye automatic headlight dimmer • Hallmark large tailfins • 130-inch wheelbase • 225-inch overall length There were Cadillacs, and then there was the Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. Standing as the premier personal-ownership flagship, the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz here showcases everything great about the “Standard of the World” at the end of the 1950s. The Harley Earl-designed Biarritz, of which 1,320 were produced for this model year, was the convertible format of the Eldorado at this time, riding on a 130-inch wheelbase beneath its incredible 225-inch overall length and fitted with the massive body panels and the high fins that were the trademark of this era. The car’s Q-series 390 CI V-8 engine came with three 2-barrel carburetors beneath a large gold-tone air cleaner, marine blue engine paint and some of the most advanced accessories offered at that time. This is backed by an automatic transmission and a 2.94 final gear ratio. Air suspension was employed as well. The body is covered in gorgeous coral-tone Desert Rose paint, with its power-operated convertible top stored beneath the body-color fiberglass parade boot. The interior here is truly deluxe, as leather was standard fare on the Biarritz line. The factory appointments called for white Cardiff grain leather with Florentine bolsters and trim, and here it is accented with brushed aluminum trim. The packaging includes the optional front bucket seats that include the six-way power seat, power windows and locks, the two-tone steering wheel, a centered electric clock, an AM radio and factory air conditioning. There is also the automatic trunk release and special Autronic-Eye automatic headlight dimmer. The car’s hallmark large tailfins are well-noted as the highest ever for this brand, while the redesigned grille and matching tail panel with jewel-like cast multi-points, the quad headlamps and massive bumpers are also part of the singular 1959 heritage. Blended to the bumpers front and rear, even the side chrome and rocker detailing seem to exude excess. Final touches include the fog lamps, fender skirts, steel wheels with fluted wheel covers, and whitewall tires. These top-of-the-line vehicles retain a strong following in the car hobby, to many representing the quintessential moment in postwar Cadillac design. This Biarritz remains a timeless example of this storied era of automotive luxury. https://www.mecum.com/lots/1151388/1959-cadillac-eldorado-biarritz/
