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Image Left 1952 Series 62
 

1953 Cadillac Series 62 by Ghia news, pictures, and information

Coupe
Coachwork: Ghia
 
During the mid-1950s it was still possible to order a chassis from an automobile manufacturer and have it sent to a coachbuilder for a custom body to be built and fitted. This is such a car.

The world's wealthiest man at the time, Prince Aly Khan, gave this Cadillac with Ghia coachwork as a gift to actress Rita Hayworth, to whom he was married briefly.

The car was one of two built by Ghia and nicely combines the exotic looks of an Italian-bodied custom automobile with powerful and reliable Cadillac running gear.

Other coachbuilders that created special bodies for Cadillac during the 1940s and 1950s included Pinin Farina of Italy, Saoutchik of Paris, and Coachcraft of Hollywood.
Coupe
Coachwork: Ghia
 
This vehicle is one of only two Cadillac series 62 built with coachwork by Ghia of Torino, Italy. This flamboyant coupe on an American premier luxury car chassis was the epitome of auto design in the early 1950s.

Ghia coachworks established itself as one of the finest automotive designers in Torino, the hub of Italy's automotive industry. Giacinto Ghia did his apprenticeship in the earlier carriage building trade only to later come out on top as one of the best in auto design and construction. His philosophy of producing cars in limited numbers and to a very high quality is definitely shown in this work of art.
The Harley Earl designed Cadillac Series 62 De Ville was a very large vehicle that featured a large, 6,390 cc (390 cubic inch) V-8 engine. The back had large fins that did little for performance and handling but was all about the style of the vehicle. The design of the vehicle was inspired by the space program and the era of jet engines. The large, 4400 lb car was fitted with drum brakes. These often wore out quickly. If a U-turn needed to be made, the driver would need a parking lot. The turning radius was 24 feet.

The car was a luxury vehicle that could carry six individuals comfortably. The car was a convertible with the top being raised and lowered automatically. The interior had electrical gauges. The head lights would turn on at dusk and were also capable of switching from high beam to low beam when they sensed oncoming traffic. In total, there were eight lights on the front of the vehicle. The four on the top were the driving lights while the lights mounted on the bumper were the parking lamps. To add to the driving comfort, air suspension was used. This aided in providing a very soft ride but there was significant body roll when cornering. With the V8, it was capable of creeping to sixty in 11 seconds. This reinforced the notion that this Cadillac was built for comfort and not for speed. The drivers enjoyed the ride and they looked good cruising along, enjoying the large open road.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2011
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Cadillac Series 60
Cadillac Series 62
1953 Cadillac Concepts
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