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1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Concept

Considered the 'Cadillac of all Cadillacs', the Brougham edition of the Eldorado was perhaps the most notable and memorable design ever to be produced by General Motors.

The Eldorado had started out in 1953 as a special-bodied car that was meant to be a low-production model of the 1952 El Dorado 'Golden Anniversary' concept car. Drawing its name from the fabled city of riches that inspired many European explorers, the 'Eldorado' would have a nameplate of gold and would be a limited edition convertible amongst Cadillac's top-of-the-line.

When the Eldorado made its first appearance in 1953 it came with a wraparound windshield and a price tag nearly twice as much as the 62 Series, which shared the same engine as the Eldorado. The 1953 Eldorado would end up being truly unique and a very limited edition Cadillac as the 1954 model would lose its unique sheet metal shape.

In an effort to reduce the cost of the car, and thereby, increase production and sales the sheet metal body would be dropped in favor of a shell similar to that of other Cadillacs. Very little would differentiate the Eldorado from other Cadillac models except for its trim features.

The 1955 edition of the Eldorado would again share a good deal of similarity with many of Cadillac's other models. However, besides the trim, the 1955 edition of the Eldorado would be much more easily recognized with its ingenious rear end. High, pointed, and slender tailfins would give the car a striking rear end and would be a rather sensuous departure from the more normal thick fins that adorned so many other models of cars during the time. The car continued to be a leader in Cadillac's line of automobiles as the 1956 model would include an option for a two-door hardtop coupe. This particular model would be known as the Eldorado Seville.

1956 would also see the introduction of what would sometimes be called Cadillac's answer to the Ford Continental Mark II. At the 1956 Motorama, the world would be introduced to perhaps one of the most memorable designs ever to be produced by GM. Styled by Ed Glowacke, Cadillac's Chief Designer, with the help of Bob Scheelk, a new concept would be introduced. The car would be known as the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham.

The Eldorado Brougham name had initially been introduced at the Waldorf Astoria the year before. Under the direction of Harley Earl, the new concept featured such luxurious amenities as a brushed stainless steel roof, four-door pillarless hardtop and panoramic windshields, quad headlights, Autronic Eye, swivel seats, and air conditioning.

When the car was introduced the following year, fully intent on production, the Eldorado Brougham would have such unforgettable design features as the Dagmar bumpers, compound curved panoramic windshield, suicide doors, stainless steel roof, and swept-back fins.

The Eldorado Brougham was to reflect nothing but luxury and a glance throughout the interior of the car would expose the luxurious elements that would make the Brougham second to none. The glove compartment had areas for tissues, a cigarette case, stainless steel tumblers, an Evans Carryall that contained ladies' powder, lipstick, a comb, and a nickel holder. The luxuries continued with a beveled mirror in the armrest and an ounce bottle of Arpege Extrait de Lanvin perfume.

Seduced with such luxury it would be easy to overlook the fact there were actually two cars that made their debut in 1956. While the Eldorado Brougham was already luxurious enough in and of itself, Cadillac would also introduce a Town Car concept. Making its debut at the New York Motorama, the Town Car was a league unto itself.

Constructed of fiberglass, the car had a half-roof over the passenger compartment which would be covered in nothing less than black leather. The chauffeur's compartment would sport an open roof and would have a different roofline. Gold trimmed, the passenger compartment would be lavishly finished in beige leather. The chauffeur would also find himself amongst luxury driving a car surrounded by black Moroccan leather and chrome.

The car would tell a story in two parts. The front of the car, up to the passenger compartment, would be a story of simplicity and understated luxury. However, the passenger compartment and the last half of the story would be that of supple appointments and trimmings that certainly would have attracted attention to whoever it was that was to step out of the car. Almost a story of Jekyll and Hyde, the front was very simple and straightforward while the rear of the car was much more attention-getting and wild.

Appearing at this year's RM Auction in Arizona would be the one Town Car Concept that would be produced and debuted at the New York Motorama and Paris Salon. Chassis number S02491 was almost something of a very distant memory as it would be saved from destruction and hidden away until the 1980s. But at this year's RM Auction, bidders would have the opportunity to own a truly rare and luxurious Cadillac, perhaps the most elite of the Brougham Eldorados ever produced.

Called the 'Highway of Tomorrow', the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car Concept would provide attendees of the New York Motorama an apparent glimpse into an extravagant future. Much praise would be lauded to the car when it appeared at the Paris Salon in October of 1956. However, after much praise, the Town Car model would be lost in the background as production of the Eldorado Brougham kicked into gear.

The Town Car Concept would be ordered to the Warhoops salvage yard to be destroyed. However, the staff at Warhoops could not bring themselves to destroy the car and would hide it away under a tarpaulin until it came to be discovered by the renowned Joe Bortz in 1989. Bortz would take the car and would not restore it, but instead, would sell it to Roy Warshawsky of J.C. Whitney.

After Warshawsky's passing, Dick Baruk would come to own the car and would send the car to RM Auto Restoration to complete the car's restoration. By the time the car's restoration would be completed, it would be mated to a 1956 365-cubic inch V-8 engine and would sport such trimmings as gold-plated valve covers and dual four-barrel carburetors. Interestingly, since the car began its life as a concept and would be brought to working order through the restoration the car would not be road legal but would be the perfect automobile to unload at a show.

Though not the Town Car Concept, the Eldorado Brougham would still command kingly sums. Often twice the price of other Eldorado, and even more than the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud of the same year, the Eldorado Brougham was considered the pinnacle. Equipped with air suspension and power seats, the Eldorado Brougham ride in the car was sheer luxury and comfort. The car rode as high over the bumps as its stratospheric price.

While the Eldorado Brougham would be considered one of the most priceless jewels in Cadillac's crown, the Town Car Concept would have to be considered the rarest of the priceless jewels. And it almost had been lost forever. Instead, the non-road legal Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car Concept was expected to shine once more and garner between $300,000 and $500,000.

Sources:

Durmisevich, Glen. '1957 & 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham', (http://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/1957_%26_58_Cadillac_Eldorado_Brougham). Heritage Center: Generations of GM History. http://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/1957_%26_58_Cadillac_Eldorado_Brougham. Retrieved 3 January 2012.

'Cadillac Eldorado: Cadillac Eldorado Information', (http://cadillacforums.com/cadillac-models/cadillac-eldorado.html. CadillacOwners.com. http://cadillacforums.com/cadillac-models/cadillac-eldorado.html. Retrieved 3 January 2012.

'Feature Lots: Lot No. 115: 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car Concept', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ12&CarID=r166). RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ12&CarID=r166. Retrieved 3 January 2012.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Cadillac Eldorado', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 1 January 2012, 09:18 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cadillac_Eldorado&oldid=468909857 accessed 3 January 2012

by Jeremy McMullen

Brougham Town Car
Chassis number: S02491

This one-of-a-kind 1956 El Dorado Brougham Town Car is one of the rarest concept cars. Known as XP-48 it was featured in the General Motors 1956 Motorama 'Highway of Tomorrow' and later that year was featured in the Paris, France Auto Show.

It is made of fiberglass and stands 55.5 inches tall with a 129.5-inch wheelbase. The rear compartment is done in beige leather with all appointments in gold. The chauffeurs' area is done in black Moroccan leather.

Initial plans called for the Eldorado Brougham, which used a different body than the rest of the Cadillac line, to go into limited production in 1956. It would take another year to come about, so instead, another Brougham dream car made the show circuit, the Town Car. Unlike the 1955 Eldorado Brougham and the 1957 production car, it used fiberglass body construction. It featured an open compartment in black Moroccan leather for the driver and an enclosed beige-themed passenger abode.

Among the features awaiting the driver were radio-telephone, air conditioning controls, women's vanity, cigar humidor, thermos bottle, and glassware.

An electronic locking system both secured the doors when the vehicle was in motion and opened the center-opening doors when needed. Larger than the 1955 Brougham, it was 219.9 inches long and 55.8 inches high. Wheelbase was 129.5 inches. Save for the construction and roof design, the 1956 Town Car pretty well illustrated what was the come in 1957.

It was ordered destroyed but the salvage yard owner could not bring himself to destroy the car and covered it with a tarp where it remained until 1989.