CADILLAC ELDORADO...50 YEARS OF SHEER ELEGANCE

The Eldorado was a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Cadillac for over ten generations. Competitors included the Lincoln Mark, Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado and the Chrysler Imperial Crown. The original 1953 Eldorado convertible and the Eldorado Brougham models of 1957–1960 were the most expensive models Cadillac ever made. The name Eldorado was first proposed by Mary-Ann Marini, a secretary in Cadillac's merchandising department, then chosen for a limited-edition convertible for 1953.

Cadillac began using “Eldorado Seville” and “Eldorado Biarritz” to distinguish between the hardtop & convertible models from 1956 - 1960. The “Seville” name was dropped in 1961, but the Biarritz name continued through 1964. In 1965, it became the “Fleetwood Eldorado”. The name “Biarritz” returned again in 1977 but as an upscale trim package instead of an actual model series.

The Series 62 Eldorado was a top-of-the-line, limited-production specialty convertible only available in Aztec Red, Alpine White, Azure Blue and Artisan Ochre, with a convertible top in either black or white Orlon fabric. The car carried no special badging other than a gold-colored "Eldorado” badge in the center of the dash. A hard tonneau cover, flush with the trunk lid hid the convertible top. Priced at $7,750 it came with windshield washers, signal seeking radio, power windows, and a heater; A/C and wire wheels were the only options.

1954:

Basic body shell now shared with standard Cadillacs. 

1955:

Gained its own rear end styling with high, slender, pointed tailfins.  The sport convertible featured wide chrome moldings and twin round taillights halfway up the fenders.

1956:

The 2-door hardtop version was called the Eldorado Seville and the convertible became the Eldorado Biarritz. An "Eldorado" badge finally appeared along with a twin hood ornament. Biarritz models had ribbed chrome moldings extending from the windshield to the rear window pillar.

1957:

Biarritz and Seville both had a low rear fender capped by a pointed fin otherwise more commonly known as "chipmunk cheeks". Eldorados were further distinguished by the model name above a V-shaped ornament on the trunk lid and front fenders. Rear fenders and the trunk lid featured broad, sculptured stainless steel panels as well as "shark" style fins pointing towards the back of the car. A three section built in front bumper was another exclusive trait of the Eldorado.

In March 1957, the hand built Eldorado Brougham was created based off of the Park Avenue and Orleans auto show cars. It featured quad headlamps, wide ribbed lower rear quarter panels extending along the rocker sills and a sculptured body side "cove" highlighted by five horizontal wind splits on the rear doors. The four-door hardtop only body style featured “suicide” doors and was THE ultra-luxury car. Priced at an astonishing $13,000, it was twice the price of any other 1957 Cadillac and more expensive than a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. It came with a stainless steel roof, self leveling air suspension, automatic 2-position "memory" power seats, dual 4-barrel V-8, low-profile tires with thin white-walls, automatic trunk opener, cruise control, high-pressure cooling, polarized sun visors, electric antenna, automatic parking brake release, electric door locks, dual heating, silver magnetized glove box, drink tumblers, cigarette and tissue dispensers, lipstick and cologne, ladies' compact powder puff, mirror and matching leather notebook, comb and mirror, Arpège atomizer with Lanvin perfume, automatic starter with restart function, Autronic Eye, electric clock, power windows, aluminum wheels and air conditioning. There were 44 leather interior and trim combos with items such as Mouton, Karakul or Lambskin carpeting. The only major downside to this ultra luxurious beast was the self leveling air suspension. Some owners found it cheaper to replace it with conventional coil springs. Only 400 Eldorado Broughams were sold in 1957.

1958:

GM was promoting their 50th year of production, and introduced 50^th Anniversary models for each brand; Cadillac Eldorado Seville, Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Oldsmobile Holiday 88, Pontiac Bonneville Catalina, and the all-new Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala. Major changes on Eldorado Brougham included leather upper door panel trim, New wheel covers, and 15 special paint colors. 304 Eldorado Broughams were sold in 1958. It was the last year for domestic production of the hand built Brougham at Cadillac's Detroit factory as manufacturing had been transferred to Pininfarina of Turin, Italy.

1959 =

Remembered for its huge tailfins with dual bullet tail lights, two distinctive rooflines, new jewel-like grilles and matching trunk lid panels. 2-door Eldorados were moved to their own series the 6400 & shared the same wheelbase as the DeVille. Output was 345 hp from the 390 V8. Standard equipment included power brakes, power steering, automatic, back-up lamps, 2-speed windshield wipers, wheel covers, rear view mirror, vanity mirror, power windows, 6-way power seats, heater, fog lamps, remote control trunk release, radio w/ rear speaker and antenna, power vent windows, air suspension, electric door locks and license plate frames. Brougham also came with air conditioning, automatic dimming headlamps, and cruise control.

1961 =

     Eldorado Biarritz was reclassified as a subseries of the DeVille from 1961-1964. Standard equipment included power brakes, power steering, automatic, dual back up lights, windshield washer, dual speed windshield wipers, wheel covers, fender skirts, rear view mirror, vanity mirror, power windows, 6-way power bench or bucket seats, power vent windows, whitewall tires, and remote control trunk lock.

1962 =

Mild facelift characterized the styling trends. Standard equipment included all of last year’s equipment plus remote control rearview mirror, heater/defroster and cornering lamps. 

1963 =

Eldorado Biarritz joined the Fleetwood 60 Special and the Fleetwood 75 as the only Cadillac models made with Fleetwood bodies and immediately acquired Fleetwood crests on its rear quarter panels and Fleetwood rocker panel moldings. 143 options including bucket seats with wool, leather or nylon, and dash, door panel and seatback wood veneer trim. Standard equipment was the same but the engine was an all new 390 V8 w/ 325 hp

1964 =

Minor facelift plus removal of fender skirts. New 429 V8 with 340 hp and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission shared with the DeVille and 60 Special.

1965 =

Model name changed to Fleetwood Eldorado and the last generation for the rear wheel drive chassis. Redesign for 1965 included dual vertically stacked headlamps. New standard features included trunk and glove compartment lights, and front and rear safety belts. Power was still supplied by the 340 hp 429 V8. 

1966 =

New radiator grille insert, variable ratio power steering and optional carbon cloth heating pads built into the front seat cushions and seatbacks. Comfort and convenience innovations were headrests, reclining seats, and AM/FM stereo. Automatic level control was optional.

1967 =

Radically redesigned to capitalize on the luxury coupe market. Promoted as a "personal" Cadillac, it now shared the E-body with the Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. It was also the only production Cadillac to be equipped with concealed headlights behind vacuum operated doors. To enhance its distinctiveness, it adopted Toronados front-wheel drive Unified Powerplant; a 429 V8 matched to a 425 Turbo-Hydramatic automatic. Disc brakes were optional, and new standard safety equipment included an energy absorbing steering column and heavily padded instrument panel. The Unified Powerplant was also used on the 1972 GMC Motorhome.

  

1968 =

New 375 hp 472 V8 plus standard power disc brakes. Cosmetically, the parking lamps were moved to the leading edges of the front fenders.

1969 =

Hidden headlamps discontinued. New options were Halo vinyl top & power sunroof.

1970 =

New 400 hp 500 V8 which became standard on all full size Cadillacs in 1975

1971 =

Substantial redesign made even more ponderous by the return of standard fender skirts. New "opera window" in the widened "C" pillar. Convertible body style added to the line-up. This version ran through 1978, receiving facelifts in 1973 and 1975.

1973 =

Re-established as its own series receiving a facelift with new front and rear bumpers, egg-crate grille, trunk, rear fenders and taillamps. It was the official pace car for the 1973 Indy 500 race. 566 special pace car convertibles were built. 33 were used during the race & the rest were distributed to U.S. Cadillac dealers at 1 per dealership.

1974 =

Redesigned rear bumper, horizontal taillamps, fine mesh grille and instrument panel now all shared with the Calais, DeVille and 60 Special.

1975 =

New rectangular headlamps, no rear fender skirts, and crisper body lines resulted in a much sleeker appearance.

1976 =

GM heavily promoted the convertibles as "the last American convertible". 14,000 were sold and the final 200 designated as "Bicentennial Edition" for America's 200th birthday. They were white with a dual-color red/blue pinstripe. Mid-1977 saw the Biarritz package which featured brushed stainless steel and heavily padded landau vinyl top accented with large "opera" lights. Interiors were pillow style, "tufted" velour or leather with contrast piping.

1977 =

New fine crosshatch grille pattern plus a 7.0L V8 with 180 hp and front-wheel drive. Convertible body style was no more.

1978 =

Biarritz packages consisted of the Custom Biarritz ($1875 - $2950) and Custom Biarritz Classic ($2475 - $3550). 2,000 Custom Biarritz Classics were produced in Duo-Tone Arizona Beige/Brown. 9 are known to have been retrofitted by the American Sunroof Company. Biarritz lasted up until 1991. Some original styling cues vanished after 1985 such as the brushed stainless steel tops and interior seat designs.

1979 =  

New smaller Eldorado now shared chassis with both the Riviera and Toronado. Standard and more fuel efficient 350 or 368 V8 or an optional Oldsmobile supplied diesel 350 V8.

1980 =

350 V8 replaced by the 368 V8 except in California, where the Oldsmobile 350 was used. Most notable styling touch was the extreme notchback roofline. Biarritz model resurrected the stainless-steel roof and the rear quarter windows were again fixed. 

1981 =

V8-6-4 variant of the 368 V8 designed to deactivate some cylinders when full power was not needed. It was extremely rugged and durable, but its complex electronics rendered it a complete disaster among customers. Also first year for "digital" instrumentation.

1982 =

Another new engine; the 4.1L V8 was an in-house design which also quickly developed a bad reputation & were replaced under warranty.

1982 - 1985 =  

New Touring Coupe trim level had heavy duty suspension, alloy wheels, minimal badging, limited paint colors, bucket seats and a center console.

1984 =

New Biarritz convertible and last year for the ASC aftermarket conversion convertible.

Late 1985 =

New Commemorative Edition had gold colored script and taillamp badges, sail panel badges, gold center caps, and a "Commemorative Edition" badge on the steering wheel. Dark Blue or White Leather, or a two-tone Dark Blue/White leather was included with Dark Blue dash and carpet. Exterior colors were Cotillion White or Commodore Blue.

1986 =

Downsized again. Convertible body style discontinued yet again. Like previous generations, it shared chassis with the Toronado, Riviera, and Seville. However, Buick and Oldsmobile both utilized Buick's 3.8L V6, while Cadillac continued to use the 4.1L V8. The $24,000 Eldorado was now considerably smaller than Lincoln's Mark VII.

1987 =

New 5 year/50,000 mile warranty + a price drop, to $23,500. New cashmere cloth with leather seat combo. Formal cabriolet roof featured a padded covering over the rear half of the roof, and turned the rear side glass into smaller opera windows. The most expensive option was the Motorola cellular telephone mounted inside the locking center armrest.

1988 =

Extensive restyle not including the wheelbase, doors, roof, and glass. New body panels gave it a more identifiable "Eldorado" appearance. Now available in only 17 colors. Underneath the restyled hood was Cadillac's new 150 hp 4.5L V8. Anti-lock braking was optional. 14" alloy wheels were standard, while an optional 15" snowflake-pattern alloy wheel came with the Touring Suspension. The interior had wider front seat headrests and swing-away door pull handles. New upholstery for base and Biarritz, with the latter bringing back the tufted-button design from the 1985 Biarritz. A new vinyl top featured a band of body color above the side door and windows. Pricing went up to $25,000. This restyle was the last one until it was replaced by an all-new model in 1992.

1989 =

Not much new. The optional automatic rearview mirror was now of the electrochromic style. New White Diamond color, the 15” "snowflake" alloy wheel was now standard for the base model. CD player on the Delco Bose Gold Series audio, was a new option as was reversible floor mats, and gold badges. Standard equipment included cassette audio with graphic equalizer, remote fuel door release, and brushed chrome lower body accent molding. New high-gloss Birdseye Maple trim on the instrument panel and console was standard on Biarritz, but optional on the base model. Pricing increased again to $26,500.

Late 1990 =

New Touring Coupe trim level. Driver's side airbag was standard and as a result, the telescopic steering column was discontinued. Cruise control buttons were moved to the turn signal stalk. New multi-point fuel injection, and 180 hp. New alloy wheel design was optional on the base model. Seating enhancements, included new molded trim panels, additional lateral and lumbar support, French seams, and revised front headrests. Full leather was standard on the Biarritz, and the base model lost the seat-back map pockets. The cellular telephone option was discontinued and the vinyl center armrest revamped. The optional leather package on the base model now included a power reclining passenger seat. New standard equipment included rear window defogger, heated mirrors, and bodyside accent stripes. New options included a central-unlocking automatic door locks, revised trunk lid engine badge and a chrome trunk lid handle above the license plate opening. Pricing was $29,000 for the base model & Biarritz was $32,000.

1991 =

Last year for body style, but first year for Cadillac's new 4.9L V-8 with port fuel injection and electronically controlled 4-speed automatic. Computer Command Ride was standard on Eldorado. Heated windshield was new to the option list as was the "Security Package" which included remote keyless entry, automatic door locks with central unlocking, and the theft-deterrent. Bosch II anti-lock braking was standard. Base price was $31,000 and This would be the last year for the Biarritz.

1992 =

Significantly larger and substantially heavier. Cadillac's new Northstar V8 was available with either 270 or 295 hp.

1993 =

Passenger side airbag now standard. 

1995 =

Updated front and rear bumpers, lower bodyside cladding, and grille. 

1996 =

New upholstery, larger gauge cluster, relocated climate control, & updated stereo

1997 =

Integrated Chassis Control now standard. 

1999 =

Model name changed to ETC and ESC.

2002 =

50th model year would be its last. To mark the end of the nameplate, a limited production run of 1,596 cars in red or white produced in three batches of 532, signifying the Eldorado's first year of production. They featured specially tuned exhaust imitating their forerunners, and a dash-mounted badge indicating each car's sequence in production.