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1954 Cadillac Series 62 Pinin Farina Concept

Norman Granz, a Beverly Hills concert promoter and record producer, had a new Cadillac Series 62 shipped from Detroit to Italy to receive custom coachwork by Pinin Farina (later, simply Pininfarina). The design was similar to the Pinin Farina 200 displayed at the Geneva Exhibit.

The two-door, two-seater roadster had design similarities to its Series 62 siblings and the Lancia Aurelia PF200 Concept. In the front were rounded headlights, similar to the Series 62 (and PF200), and a similar chrome bumper with Dagmars. The round chrome grille was completely different from the Series 62, although Pininfarina retained the Cadillac 'V' positioned within its radiator grille to remind onlookers of its Cadillac heritage. The rear end had similar tail fins to the series 62, a chrome bumper that stretched from side-to-side, dagmars, and a slight boattail trunk. The rear-tail fins and full-length bumper were similar to the PF200, as were the round grille, raked windshield, and similar hood shape. The unique PF200 roadster was the first of a short run of similarly styled cars that Pinin Farina constructed over the next four years, with only the prototype featuring the circular nose, and no two PF200s being identical.

The wheelbase measured 126 inches and the 331 cubic-inch V8 with overhead valves produced 210 horsepower at 4,150 RPM. It was backed by an automatic transmission with column shift controls, braking was handled by power-assisted drums, and the suspension was independent in the front with coil springs. The back featured a live axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs.

Pinin Farina's entry into the United States market had occurred a few years earlier, with high-volume production and collaboration on the Nash-Healey sports car. In 1959 and 1960, Pinin Farina built bodies for the limited-series Cadillac Eldorado Brougham for General Motors. A similar arrangement re-appeared in the late 1980s with the Cadillac Allante.

A pair of unique customs were built by Pininfarina in 1961 in hopes of landing another contract with Cadillac. The two-door and four-door versions were intended replacements for the Eldorado Brougham. The name 'Jacqueline' was chosen in honor of the newly elected President John F. Kennedy's wife. She was glamorous, had a gracious demeanor, a sense of fashion, and was well-liked by the public. Pininfarina hoped that its concept would have similar qualities as the First Lady.

Pinin Farina displayed the Series 62 Cadillac Concept at the 1954 Paris Auto Show.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible by Pininfarina

In 1953, a new Cadillac Series 62 was shipped to Italy where Pinin Farina built this one-off for Norman Granz, a Beverly Hills concert promoter and record producer. It was patterned after the PF 200 Granz had seen at the Geneva Exhibit in 1952. The price was the cost of materials and a complete collection of the Norman Granz record productions.

This 2-door, 2-seat roadster was originally painted silver. When the Turin coachbuilder completed the car, there were very few Cadillac elements left on the vehicle. The iconic Cadillac bumpers and a Cadillac 'V' positioned inside its radiator grille reminded onlookers of its Cadillac roots.

The car was on the Pinin Farina stand at the 1954 Paris Auto Show.

The Harley Earl designed Cadillac Series 62 was a very large vehicle that featured a large, 6,390 cc (390 cubic inches) 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 name 'DeVille' would first be used in 1949 on the Coupe De Ville, and later on the 1956 Sedan DeVille. The 1942, 1946, and 1947 versions were similar; they were completely different from the 1941 body styles.

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 headlights would turn on at dusk and were 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 Dan Vaughan