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{{Infobox Automobile| image = | name = Cadillac Eldorado| manufacturer = Cadillac| production = 1953–2002| class = [Full-size
personal luxury car-->The
Eldorado model was part of the Cadillac line from 1953 to 2002. The Cadillac Eldorado was the longest running American personal luxury car as it was the only one sold after the 1998 model year. Its main competitors included the
Lincoln Mark Series and the lower-priced
Buick Riviera.
Although cars bearing the name varied considerably in bodystyle and mechanical layout during this long period, the Eldorado models were always near the top of the Cadillac line. Nevertheless, and except for the
Eldorado Brougham models of 1957–1960, the most expensive models were always the opulent, long wheel-based
Cadillac Series 75 sedans and limousines, not the Eldorado.
The Name "Eldorado"
The name was proposed for a special show car built in 1952 to mark
Cadillac's Golden anniversary; it was the result of an in-house competition won by Mary-Ann Zukosky (married name = Marini), a secretary in the company's merchandising department. Another source,
Palm Springs Life magazine, attributes the name to a resort destination in California's Coachella Valley that was a favorite of General Motors executives, the Eldorado Country Club. In any case, the name was adopted by the company for a new, limited-edition convertible that was added to the line in 1953.
The name Eldorado was derived from the
Spanish language words "el dorado", the "gilded one" or the "golden one"; the name was given originally to the legendary chief or "cacique" of a South American Indian tribe. Legend has it that his followers would sprinkle his body with gold dust on ceremonial occasions and he would wash it off again by diving into a lake. The name more frequently refers to a legendary city of fabulous riches, somewhere in South America, that inspired many European expeditions, including one to the Orinoco by England's Sir Walter Raleigh.
The 1950s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = First generation| image = | production = 1953-1954| assembly =
Detroit, Michigan| length = 220.8 in (1953)
223.4 in (1954)| body_style = 2-door [coupe2-door
convertible-->
The 1953 Eldorado was a special-bodied, low-production convertible (532 units in total). It was the production version of the 1952 El Dorado "Golden Anniversary" [concept car. Available in four unique colors (Aztec Red, Alpine White, Azure Blue and Artisan Ochre — the latter is a yellow hue, although it was shown erroneously as black in the color folder issued on this rare model). Convertible tops were available in either black or white Orlon. There was no special badging on the car, other than the "Eldorado" nameplate, in "gold", in the center of the dash. A hard tonneau cover, flush with the rear deck, hid the top in the open car version. Although it was based on the regular Cadillac Series 62 convertible and shared its engine, it was nearly twice as expensive at
USD7,750. This car was 221 inches long and 79 inches wide.
This first Eldorado had a wraparound windshield and a cut-down beltline, the latter signifying a dip in the sheetmetal at the bottom of the side windows. These two touches were especially beloved by
General Motors Styling Chief
Harley Earl and subsequently were widely copied by other marques. In fact, throughout the 1950's, Eldorado was General Motors' styling leader, and since GM led the industry, where the Eldorado went, everyone else would tend to follow.
In 1954, Eldorado lost its unique sheet metal, sharing its basic body shell with standard Cadillacs. Distinguished now mainly by trim pieces, this allowed GM to lower the price and they were rewarded with a substantial jump in sales.
1955
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Second generation| image = | production = 1955-1958| assembly = Detroit, Michigan| length = 223.4 in (1958 LWB)
216.3 in (1957-58 SWB)
222.1 in (1957 LWB)
222.2 in (1956)
223.2 in (1955)| body_style = 2-door [coupe
2-door
convertible
331 ci 270 hp [V8-->For 1955, the Eldorado's body gained its own rear end styling with high, slender, pointed
tailfins. These contrasted with the rather thick, bulbous fins which were common at the time and were an example of Eldorado once again pointing the way forward.
For 1956, a two-door hardtop
coupe version appeared, called the
Eldorado Seville.
1957
1957 saw the Eldorado (both the Biarritz convertible and the Seville hardtop) once again present an innovative rear-end design, a low, downswept fenderline capped by a pointed, in-board fin. The rear fenders were commonly referred to as "chipmunk cheeks". This concept was used for two years, but did not spawn any imitators.
1957 was chiefly notable, though, for the introduction of one of GM's most memorable designs, the
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. This four-door hardtop with rear-opening rear doors was an ultra-luxury car that cost an astonishing $13,000+, more than the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud of the same year. It featured a stainless steel roof, air suspension, the first dual headlights, the first memory power seats, and every possible kind of appearance and convenience feature that GM's most inventive minds could devise. This design ran for two years and of course sold in very small quantities (704 units in total) owing to the price. It has been estimated that GM lost $10,000 on every one, but these virtually hand-assembled cars are today among the rarest and most collectible of all postwar American models.
The Brougham was the car that sank
Packard, a long time rival of Cadillac, and one of the few other Depression survivors. Before 1929, America had scores of hand-made luxury cars. After WWII, only Cadillac (GM), Lincoln (Ford), Chrysler (sorta) and Packard remained. Packard declined postwar and finally conglomerated with Studebaker. Packard did not survive past 1958.
1959
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Third generation| image = | production = 1959-1966| assembly =
Detroit, Michigan| length = 224.5 in (1966)
224 in (1965)
223.5 in (1964)
223 in (1963)
222 in (1961-62)
225 in (1959-60)| body_style = 2-door [coupe2-door
convertible-->A different Eldorado Brougham was sold for 1959 and 1960. These cars were not quite so extravagantly styled but were very unusual pieces in themselves. Priced at $13,075, they cost $1 more, each, than their older siblings. The design was 100% Cadillac but the company contracted out the assembly to [Pininfarina of Italy, with whom the division has had a long-running relationship, and these Eldorados were essentially hand-built in Italy. Their discreet, narrow taillights, nicely integrated into modest tailfins, contrasted sharply with the "rocketship" taillights and massive fins of the standard 1959 Cadillacs and were an indication of where Caddy styling would go in the next few years. However, build quality was not nearly to the standard of the Detroit hand-built 1957–1958s, and the 1959–1960 Broughams are less desirable, it seems, than the 1st generation Broughams, although their value and collectibility remain high.
The last
Eldorado Seville was built in 1960. After that, the Eldorado convertible became essentially a trim version of the standard Cadillac convertible. With the end of the importation of the Italian-built Eldorados in 1960, the name entered something of a fallow period.
The 1960s
An Eldorado convertible would remain in the Cadillac line through 1966, but its differences from the rest of the line were generally modest. In 1964, probably the most distinctive year during this period, the main visual cue indicating an Eldorado was simply the lack of
fender skirts.
1967
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Fourth generation| image = | production = 1967-1970| assembly = Detroit, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| length = 221 in| body_style = 2-door
coupe| related = [Oldsmobile Toronado-->
The Eldorado was radically redesigned for 1967. Intended for the burgeoning [personal luxury car market, it was a "personal" Cadillac sharing the GM E platform with the
Buick Riviera and
Oldsmobile Toronado that had been introduced the previous year. Cadillac adopted the Toronado's unique
Unified Powerplant Package and front-wheel drive. The Eldorado used a standard
Cadillac V8 engine with a modified Turbo-Hydramatic (THM425, based on the
Turbo-Hydramatic 400) with the
torque converter mounted next to the epicyclic gearing, driving it through a metal chain.
Despite sharing a body shell with the Toronado and Riviera, the Eldorado's crisp styling, initiated by GM styling chief Bill Mitchell, was distinctive and unique, with
hidden headlights and a long-hood, short-deck look. Performance was 0–60 mph (0–96 km/h) in less than nine seconds and a top speed of 120 mph (192 km/h). Roadability and handling were highly praised by contemporary reviews.
Disc brakes were optional in 1967 and standard starting in 1968. Sales were excellent despite high list prices.
For 1968 the Eldorado gained slight exterior changes to comply with new federal safety and emissions legislation, and as with the rest of the Cadillac lineup, a new 472 cu in (7.7 L) V8 engine rated at 375 hp (280 kW) (SAE gross). In 1969 it lost its hidden headlamps and picked up as options a halo
vinyl roof and later in the model year a power sunroof option. For the 1970 model year, this body style Eldorado introduced the new 500 in³ (8.2 L) V8 engine, the largest-ever production V8 SAE gross 400 hp
(298 kW) / 550 ft
· lbf (746
N · m) in 1970 that would be an Eldorado exclusive until it became standard on all full size Caddies for model year 1975.
The 1970s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Fifth generation| image = | production = 1971-1978| assembly =
Linden, New JerseyDetroit, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 79.8 in| length = 224 in (1977-78)
224.1 in (1974-76)
223 in (1971-73)| height = 54.2 in| body_style = 2-door coupe
2-door
convertible (1971-76)
7L V8 (1977-78)| related = [Oldsmobile Toronado Buick Riviera (1971-76)]-->
1971
When GM's full-size cars were redesigned for 1971, the Eldorado regained both a convertible model and its
fender skirts. The 126.3 inch wheelbase version of the Eldorado would run through 1978, receiving facelifts in 1973 and 1975.
The Cadillac Eldorado was chosen as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 1973. All in all, Cadillac produced 566 of these special pace car convertibles. 33 were used at the track during the race week and the remaining 513 cars were distributed to the U.S. Cadillac dealers (one for each dealership), which were then sold to the general public.
In 1976, when all other domestic convertibles had vanished, GM heavily promoted the American industry's only remaining convertible as "the last American convertible". 14,000 would be sold, many purchased as investments. In 1983, when GM reintroduced convertibles, 1976 Eldorado owners launched an unsuccessful class action lawsuit who felt they had been deceived.
For 1977, the Eldorado received a new grille with a finer crosshatch pattern. The convertible was canceled, and in its place, a new top-line Eldorado Biarritz, which featured plusher appointments, brushed aluminum side trim, coach lights, and 50/50 pillow-topped upholstery. This was the first time the Biarritz name had been in the Eldorado line since 1960. The 8.2L V8 of 1970-76 gave way to a new 7L V8 with 180bhp. Minor changes followed in 1978.
This generation of Eldorados produced between 1971 and 1978 were sometimes customized (as stereotyped "
pimpmobiles") (bro cars) and seen in blaxploitation films like Superfly,
The Mack, and
Willie Dynamite (the pimped-out Eldorado seen in Willie Dynamite is similar to the one seen in Magnum Force). An Eldorado was also used in Rob Zombie's second film, The Devil's Rejects as the car that the character Charlie, also a pimp, drove. Customizers such as Les Dunham Coachworks have modified brand-new Eldorados with headlight covers (commonly known as Superfly headlights), grille caps, a 1941 goddess hood ornament, lake pipes, and thick-padded vinyl tops, usually with circular porthole windows.
Image:1971eldofront.jpg|1971 Cadillac Eldorado ConvertibleImage:1971eldorear.jpg|1971 Cadillac Eldorado ConvertibleImage:74 Eldo Convert.jpg|1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertibleImage:73_eldorado.jpg|1973 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
The 1980s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Sixth generation| image = | production = 1979-1985| assembly = Linden, New Jersey
Detroit, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 71.4 in (1979-1981)
71.5 in (1982-83)
70.6 in (1984-85)| length = 204.5 in (1982-85)
204 in (1979-1981)| height = 54.3 in (1982-85)
54.2 in (1979-1981)| body_style = 2-door coupe
2-door
convertible
4.1L [V65.7L [V8
[Oldsmobile Toronado-->
1979
For 1979, a new, trimmer Eldorado was introduced, and for the first time the car shared its chassis with the
Buick Riviera as well as the Toronado. Smaller 350 and 368 in³ (5.7 and 6.0 L) V8's replaced the 500 and 425 in³ (8.2 and 7.0 L) of the preceding model, giving better fuel efficiency. For 1979, it was offered only with the Oldsmobile 350 as standard,i have 79 cadillac 350 then in 1980 this was replaced with the Cadillac 368 (see below for this engine's origins). For California only, the Olds 350 was retained for 1980. In both the 1980 Seville and Eldorado (which shared their frames), the 368s in 1980 came with DEFI, whereas for the larger RWD Cadillacs, the 368 only came with a 4-barrel Quadrjet carburetor. independent suspension was adopted, helping retain rear-seat and trunk room in the smaller body. The most notable styling touch was an extreme notchback roofline, making the rear window almost vertical. The Eldorado
Biarritz model resurrected the stainless-steel roof concept from the first Brougham. Although downsized, these Eldorados were still substantial-sized cars with good room and power.
An unfortunate interlude occurred in 1981, when Cadillac's disastrous
Cadillac V8 engine#L62 V8-6-4 variable displacement engine was installed. This powerplant, controlled by a new and elaborate electronic monitoring system, was supposed to deactivate some cylinders when full power was not needed, helping meet GM's obligations under the
Corporate Average Fuel Economy. Unfortunately it did not work as planned, and sometimes it did not work at all. It was a reduced bore version of the 1968 model-year 472, sharing that engine's stroke and also that of the model-year 1977-1979 425 (note: the new small 1979 Eldorado did not use the 425, only the Oldsmobile-sourced 350). The engine itself was extremely rugged and durable, but the complex electronics were the source of customer complaints. Nevertheless, the Eldorado's reputation was not permanently hurt, and sales rose to unprecedented heights, nearly 100,000 units by 1984, an astonishing volume for one of the most expensive models available.
Another disastrous engine option was the 350 in³ (5.7 L) Oldsmobile Diesel V6 engine, first offered in 1979. Designed as a specific block, rather than a sleeved gasoline conversion, the engine was
Oldsmobile V8 engine#Oldsmobile Diesel problems - drivers were unfamiliar with diesel vehicles (e.g. not waiting for glow plug warmup), and the head bolts were inadequate for the 22:1 compression design, leading to frequent head gasket failures. Subsequent revisions to the block and heads improved things, and the engine was de-rated from 120 hp (89 kW) to 105 hp (78 kW) by 1981. The history of these multiple failures frequently resulted in dealer-provided gasoline-conversions of those vehicles, and the option was dropped by 1985.
In 1984, Cadillac also introduced a convertible version of Eldorado Biarritz. It was 200 pounds (91 kg) heavier, but featured same interior of other Biarritz versions. (Some 1984s were optioned with Cragar Star Wire 30-spoke rims, known in the hip-hop slang as Swangas; these rims have been reproduced by Texan Wire Wheels since 2006.) The model year of 1985 was the last year the factory-made Eldorado convertible was ever produced. Because of its limited edition (around 1000 total), the convertible models are now highly sought after by numerous collectors.
Of all Eldorados, this generation can claim to be the best suited to the market and the times.
1986
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Seventh generation| image = | production = 1986-1991| assembly = Hamtramck, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 72.4 in (1989-1991)
71.7 in (1986-88)| height = 53.2 in (1989-1991)
53.7 in (1986-88)| body_style = 2-door
coupe| related = [Buick RivieraOldsmobile Toronado-->For 1986, yet another downsizing occurred, and it was fairly extreme. In fact, the costly Eldorado was now the same size that GM's own compact cars had been only a few years earlier, and much smaller than Lincoln's competing [Lincoln Mark VII. Its styling seemed stubby, and in a final unfortunate flourish, for the first time the Eldorado abandoned its hardtop heritage and had sedan frames around its windows. News reports later indicated that GM had been led astray by a consultant's prediction that gasoline would be at $3 per US gallon in the U.S. by 1986 and that very small luxury cars would be in demand. In fact, gasoline prices were less than half that and the market reacted with horror. Seldom has any model experienced a more precipitous fall. Sales were only about a fifth of what they had been two years earlier. Despite some frantic facelifting and a slight sales recovery, this Eldorado never engaged the esteem of buyers or critics and is now generally regarded as a mistake. It staggered on through 1991.
The chassis and engine of this generation were adapted for use with the Cadillac Allanté roadster, another project created with
Pininfarina.
The prediction of the price of
Oil price increases of 2004-2006 per gallon in the U.S. (and subsequently well above in
California and occasions) ultimately came to be true in September, 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Later hikes to such a level short-term appeared to be of :Image:Gas Prices Short Term.png.
The 1990s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Eighth generation| image = | production = 1992-2002| assembly =
Hamtramck, MichiganLansing, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 75.5 in (1992-94, 2000-02)
75.4 in (1995-99)| height = 54 in (1992-94, 1998-99)
53.6 in (1995-97, 2000-02)| body_style = 2-door
coupe (1995-2002)
4.6L 300 hp [V8 (1995-2002)
4.9L 200 hp V8 (1992-94)]
Buick RivieraCadillac Seville[Oldsmobile Aurora-->
1992
For 1992, a new Eldorado appeared. It was in fact only slightly bigger than its predecessor, but it was so much more adroitly styled that it seemed greatly so. Window glass was once again frameless, and shortly after introduction Cadillac's new Cadillac Northstar engine V8 became available. The combination of sleek styling and increased power seemed more like the great Eldorados of the past, and reviews were generally good. Sales were up, though never again at record heights. Buyers were seemingly turning against two-door bodies, as illustrated by the fact that the Eldorado's very similar four-door relative, the
Cadillac Seville, consistently outsold it.
The Eldorado continued for the rest of the decade with incremental changes and gradually tapering sales. In the wake of declining sales, circulating reports that the Eldorado would get a redesign for 1999 - similar to that which its Seville platform mate underwent for 1998 - would prove false as the car soldiered on largely unchanged into the new millennium.
The 2000s
Having lost its only remaining 2-door platform mate — the Buick Riviera — after the 1999 model year, rumors of the Eldorado's imminent demise began to circulate. GM showed a lowered, customized Eldorado-based concept at the 2000 North American International Auto Show, which was called
EldoRODo, to little media or public interest.
Not long after, GM announced that the Eldorado's 50th model year, 2002, would be its last.To mark the end of the historic name, a limited production run 1,596 of cars in red or white - the colors available on the original 1953 convertible - were produced in three batches of 532, signifying the Eldorado's first year of production. The last cars had exhausts that were specially tuned to imitate the note of their illustrious forerunners from a half-century earlier and dash-mounted placques indicating each car's sequence in production. Production ended on April 22, 2002 retooling the Lansing Craft Centre to build the
Chevrolet SSR.
References
External links
- Official website — certified pre-owned vehicles
Product information on:
- 2002,
- 2001 and
- 2000 models.
{{Infobox Automobile| image = | name = Cadillac Eldorado| manufacturer = Cadillac| production = 1953–2002| class = [Full-size
personal luxury car-->The
Eldorado model was part of the Cadillac line from 1953 to 2002. The Cadillac Eldorado was the longest running American personal luxury car as it was the only one sold after the 1998 model year. Its main competitors included the
Lincoln Mark Series and the lower-priced Buick Riviera.
Although cars bearing the name varied considerably in bodystyle and mechanical layout during this long period, the Eldorado models were always near the top of the Cadillac line. Nevertheless, and except for the
Eldorado Brougham models of 1957–1960, the most expensive models were always the opulent, long wheel-based Cadillac Series 75 sedans and limousines, not the Eldorado.
The Name "Eldorado"
The name was proposed for a special show car built in 1952 to mark
Cadillac's
Golden anniversary; it was the result of an in-house competition won by Mary-Ann Zukosky (married name = Marini), a secretary in the company's merchandising department. Another source,
Palm Springs Life magazine, attributes the name to a resort destination in California's Coachella Valley that was a favorite of
General Motors executives, the Eldorado Country Club. In any case, the name was adopted by the company for a new, limited-edition convertible that was added to the line in 1953.
The name Eldorado was derived from the
Spanish language words "el dorado", the "gilded one" or the "golden one"; the name was given originally to the legendary chief or "cacique" of a South American Indian tribe. Legend has it that his followers would sprinkle his body with gold dust on ceremonial occasions and he would wash it off again by diving into a lake. The name more frequently refers to a legendary city of fabulous riches, somewhere in South America, that inspired many European expeditions, including one to the Orinoco by England's
Sir Walter Raleigh.
The 1950s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = First generation| image = | production = 1953-1954| assembly =
Detroit, Michigan| length = 220.8 in (1953)
223.4 in (1954)| body_style = 2-door [coupe2-door convertible-->
The 1953 Eldorado was a special-bodied, low-production convertible (532 units in total). It was the production version of the 1952 El Dorado "Golden Anniversary" [concept car. Available in four unique colors (Aztec Red, Alpine White, Azure Blue and Artisan Ochre — the latter is a yellow hue, although it was shown erroneously as black in the color folder issued on this rare model). Convertible tops were available in either black or white Orlon. There was no special badging on the car, other than the "Eldorado" nameplate, in "gold", in the center of the dash. A hard tonneau cover, flush with the rear deck, hid the top in the open car version. Although it was based on the regular
Cadillac Series 62 convertible and shared its engine, it was nearly twice as expensive at
USD7,750. This car was 221 inches long and 79 inches wide.
This first Eldorado had a wraparound windshield and a cut-down beltline, the latter signifying a dip in the sheetmetal at the bottom of the side windows. These two touches were especially beloved by
General Motors Styling Chief
Harley Earl and subsequently were widely copied by other marques. In fact, throughout the 1950's, Eldorado was General Motors' styling leader, and since GM led the industry, where the Eldorado went, everyone else would tend to follow.
In 1954, Eldorado lost its unique sheet metal, sharing its basic body shell with standard Cadillacs. Distinguished now mainly by trim pieces, this allowed GM to lower the price and they were rewarded with a substantial jump in sales.
1955
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Second generation| image = | production = 1955-1958| assembly = Detroit, Michigan| length = 223.4 in (1958 LWB)
216.3 in (1957-58 SWB)
222.1 in (1957 LWB)
222.2 in (1956)
223.2 in (1955)| body_style = 2-door [coupe
2-door convertible
331 ci 270 hp [V8-->For 1955, the Eldorado's body gained its own rear end styling with high, slender, pointed tailfins. These contrasted with the rather thick, bulbous fins which were common at the time and were an example of Eldorado once again pointing the way forward.
For 1956, a two-door hardtop coupe version appeared, called the
Eldorado Seville.
1957
1957 saw the Eldorado (both the Biarritz convertible and the Seville hardtop) once again present an innovative rear-end design, a low, downswept fenderline capped by a pointed, in-board fin. The rear fenders were commonly referred to as "chipmunk cheeks". This concept was used for two years, but did not spawn any imitators.
1957 was chiefly notable, though, for the introduction of one of GM's most memorable designs, the
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. This four-door hardtop with rear-opening rear doors was an ultra-luxury car that cost an astonishing $13,000+, more than the
Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud of the same year. It featured a stainless steel roof,
air suspension, the first dual headlights, the first memory
power seats, and every possible kind of appearance and convenience feature that GM's most inventive minds could devise. This design ran for two years and of course sold in very small quantities (704 units in total) owing to the price. It has been estimated that GM lost $10,000 on every one, but these virtually hand-assembled cars are today among the rarest and most collectible of all postwar American models.
The Brougham was the car that sank
Packard, a long time rival of Cadillac, and one of the few other Depression survivors. Before 1929, America had scores of hand-made luxury cars. After WWII, only Cadillac (GM), Lincoln (Ford), Chrysler (sorta) and Packard remained. Packard declined postwar and finally conglomerated with Studebaker. Packard did not survive past 1958.
1959
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Third generation| image = | production = 1959-1966| assembly = Detroit, Michigan| length = 224.5 in (1966)
224 in (1965)
223.5 in (1964)
223 in (1963)
222 in (1961-62)
225 in (1959-60)| body_style = 2-door [coupe
2-door
convertible-->A different Eldorado Brougham was sold for 1959 and 1960. These cars were not quite so extravagantly styled but were very unusual pieces in themselves. Priced at $13,075, they cost $1 more, each, than their older siblings. The design was 100% Cadillac but the company contracted out the assembly to [Pininfarina of Italy, with whom the division has had a long-running relationship, and these Eldorados were essentially hand-built in Italy. Their discreet, narrow taillights, nicely integrated into modest tailfins, contrasted sharply with the "rocketship" taillights and massive fins of the standard 1959 Cadillacs and were an indication of where Caddy styling would go in the next few years. However, build quality was not nearly to the standard of the Detroit hand-built 1957–1958s, and the 1959–1960 Broughams are less desirable, it seems, than the 1st generation Broughams, although their value and collectibility remain high.
The last
Eldorado Seville was built in 1960. After that, the Eldorado convertible became essentially a trim version of the standard Cadillac convertible. With the end of the importation of the Italian-built Eldorados in 1960, the name entered something of a fallow period.
The 1960s
An Eldorado convertible would remain in the Cadillac line through 1966, but its differences from the rest of the line were generally modest. In 1964, probably the most distinctive year during this period, the main visual cue indicating an Eldorado was simply the lack of
fender skirts.
1967
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Fourth generation| image = | production = 1967-1970| assembly =
Detroit, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| length = 221 in| body_style = 2-door
coupe| related = [Oldsmobile Toronado-->
The Eldorado was radically redesigned for 1967. Intended for the burgeoning [personal luxury car market, it was a "personal" Cadillac sharing the GM E platform with the Buick Riviera and
Oldsmobile Toronado that had been introduced the previous year. Cadillac adopted the Toronado's unique
Unified Powerplant Package and front-wheel drive. The Eldorado used a standard
Cadillac V8 engine with a modified
Turbo-Hydramatic (THM425, based on the
Turbo-Hydramatic 400) with the
torque converter mounted next to the
epicyclic gearing, driving it through a metal chain.
Despite sharing a body shell with the Toronado and Riviera, the Eldorado's crisp styling, initiated by GM styling chief
Bill Mitchell, was distinctive and unique, with hidden headlights and a long-hood, short-deck look. Performance was 0–60 mph (0–96 km/h) in less than nine seconds and a top speed of 120 mph (192 km/h). Roadability and handling were highly praised by contemporary reviews. Disc brakes were optional in 1967 and standard starting in 1968. Sales were excellent despite high list prices.
For 1968 the Eldorado gained slight exterior changes to comply with new federal safety and emissions legislation, and as with the rest of the Cadillac lineup, a new 472 cu in (7.7 L) V8 engine rated at 375 hp (280 kW) (SAE gross). In 1969 it lost its hidden headlamps and picked up as options a halo
vinyl roof and later in the model year a power sunroof option. For the 1970 model year, this body style Eldorado introduced the new 500 in³ (8.2 L) V8 engine, the largest-ever production V8 SAE gross 400 hp
(298 kW) / 550 ft
· lbf (746
N · m) in 1970 that would be an Eldorado exclusive until it became standard on all full size Caddies for model year 1975.
The 1970s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Fifth generation| image = | production = 1971-1978| assembly =
Linden, New JerseyDetroit, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 79.8 in| length = 224 in (1977-78)
224.1 in (1974-76)
223 in (1971-73)| height = 54.2 in| body_style = 2-door
coupe2-door
convertible (1971-76)
7L V8 (1977-78)| related = [Oldsmobile Toronado Buick Riviera (1971-76)]-->
1971
When GM's full-size cars were redesigned for 1971, the Eldorado regained both a convertible model and its fender skirts. The 126.3 inch wheelbase version of the Eldorado would run through 1978, receiving facelifts in 1973 and 1975.
The Cadillac Eldorado was chosen as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 1973. All in all, Cadillac produced 566 of these special pace car convertibles. 33 were used at the track during the race week and the remaining 513 cars were distributed to the U.S. Cadillac dealers (one for each dealership), which were then sold to the general public.
In 1976, when all other domestic convertibles had vanished, GM heavily promoted the American industry's only remaining convertible as "the last American convertible". 14,000 would be sold, many purchased as investments. In 1983, when GM reintroduced convertibles, 1976 Eldorado owners launched an unsuccessful class action lawsuit who felt they had been deceived.
For 1977, the Eldorado received a new grille with a finer crosshatch pattern. The convertible was canceled, and in its place, a new top-line Eldorado Biarritz, which featured plusher appointments, brushed aluminum side trim, coach lights, and 50/50 pillow-topped upholstery. This was the first time the Biarritz name had been in the Eldorado line since 1960. The 8.2L V8 of 1970-76 gave way to a new 7L V8 with 180bhp. Minor changes followed in 1978.
This generation of Eldorados produced between 1971 and 1978 were sometimes customized (as stereotyped "
pimpmobiles") (bro cars) and seen in blaxploitation films like
Superfly,
The Mack, and
Willie Dynamite (the pimped-out Eldorado seen in Willie Dynamite is similar to the one seen in Magnum Force). An Eldorado was also used in Rob Zombie's second film,
The Devil's Rejects as the car that the character Charlie, also a pimp, drove. Customizers such as Les Dunham Coachworks have modified brand-new Eldorados with headlight covers (commonly known as Superfly headlights), grille caps, a 1941 goddess hood ornament, lake pipes, and thick-padded vinyl tops, usually with circular porthole windows.
Image:1971eldofront.jpg|1971 Cadillac Eldorado ConvertibleImage:1971eldorear.jpg|1971 Cadillac Eldorado ConvertibleImage:74 Eldo Convert.jpg|1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertibleImage:73_eldorado.jpg|1973 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
The 1980s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Sixth generation| image = | production = 1979-1985| assembly = Linden, New Jersey
Detroit, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 71.4 in (1979-1981)
71.5 in (1982-83)
70.6 in (1984-85)| length = 204.5 in (1982-85)
204 in (1979-1981)| height = 54.3 in (1982-85)
54.2 in (1979-1981)| body_style = 2-door
coupe2-door
convertible
4.1L [V65.7L [V8
[Oldsmobile Toronado-->
1979
For 1979, a new, trimmer Eldorado was introduced, and for the first time the car shared its chassis with the
Buick Riviera as well as the Toronado. Smaller 350 and 368 in³ (5.7 and 6.0 L) V8's replaced the 500 and 425 in³ (8.2 and 7.0 L) of the preceding model, giving better fuel efficiency. For 1979, it was offered only with the Oldsmobile 350 as standard,i have 79 cadillac 350 then in 1980 this was replaced with the Cadillac 368 (see below for this engine's origins). For California only, the Olds 350 was retained for 1980. In both the 1980 Seville and Eldorado (which shared their frames), the 368s in 1980 came with DEFI, whereas for the larger RWD Cadillacs, the 368 only came with a 4-barrel Quadrjet carburetor. independent suspension was adopted, helping retain rear-seat and trunk room in the smaller body. The most notable styling touch was an extreme notchback roofline, making the rear window almost vertical. The Eldorado
Biarritz model resurrected the stainless-steel roof concept from the first Brougham. Although downsized, these Eldorados were still substantial-sized cars with good room and power.
An unfortunate interlude occurred in 1981, when Cadillac's disastrous Cadillac V8 engine#L62 V8-6-4
variable displacement engine was installed. This powerplant, controlled by a new and elaborate electronic monitoring system, was supposed to deactivate some cylinders when full power was not needed, helping meet GM's obligations under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy. Unfortunately it did not work as planned, and sometimes it did not work at all. It was a reduced bore version of the 1968 model-year 472, sharing that engine's stroke and also that of the model-year 1977-1979 425 (note: the new small 1979 Eldorado did not use the 425, only the Oldsmobile-sourced 350). The engine itself was extremely rugged and durable, but the complex electronics were the source of customer complaints. Nevertheless, the Eldorado's reputation was not permanently hurt, and sales rose to unprecedented heights, nearly 100,000 units by 1984, an astonishing volume for one of the most expensive models available.
Another disastrous engine option was the 350 in³ (5.7 L)
Oldsmobile Diesel V6 engine, first offered in 1979. Designed as a specific block, rather than a sleeved gasoline conversion, the engine was Oldsmobile V8 engine#Oldsmobile Diesel problems - drivers were unfamiliar with diesel vehicles (e.g. not waiting for glow plug warmup), and the head bolts were inadequate for the 22:1 compression design, leading to frequent head gasket failures. Subsequent revisions to the block and heads improved things, and the engine was de-rated from 120 hp (89 kW) to 105 hp (78 kW) by 1981. The history of these multiple failures frequently resulted in dealer-provided gasoline-conversions of those vehicles, and the option was dropped by 1985.
In 1984, Cadillac also introduced a convertible version of Eldorado Biarritz. It was 200 pounds (91 kg) heavier, but featured same interior of other Biarritz versions. (Some 1984s were optioned with Cragar Star Wire 30-spoke rims, known in the hip-hop slang as Swangas; these rims have been reproduced by Texan Wire Wheels since 2006.) The model year of 1985 was the last year the factory-made Eldorado convertible was ever produced. Because of its limited edition (around 1000 total), the convertible models are now highly sought after by numerous collectors.
Of all Eldorados, this generation can claim to be the best suited to the market and the times.
1986
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Seventh generation| image = | production = 1986-1991| assembly =
Hamtramck, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 72.4 in (1989-1991)
71.7 in (1986-88)| height = 53.2 in (1989-1991)
53.7 in (1986-88)| body_style = 2-door
coupe| related = [Buick RivieraOldsmobile Toronado-->For 1986, yet another downsizing occurred, and it was fairly extreme. In fact, the costly Eldorado was now the same size that GM's own compact cars had been only a few years earlier, and much smaller than Lincoln's competing [Lincoln Mark VII. Its styling seemed stubby, and in a final unfortunate flourish, for the first time the Eldorado abandoned its hardtop heritage and had sedan frames around its windows. News reports later indicated that GM had been led astray by a consultant's prediction that gasoline would be at $3 per US gallon in the U.S. by 1986 and that very small luxury cars would be in demand. In fact, gasoline prices were less than half that and the market reacted with horror. Seldom has any model experienced a more precipitous fall. Sales were only about a fifth of what they had been two years earlier. Despite some frantic facelifting and a slight sales recovery, this Eldorado never engaged the esteem of buyers or critics and is now generally regarded as a mistake. It staggered on through 1991.
The chassis and engine of this generation were adapted for use with the Cadillac Allanté roadster, another project created with
Pininfarina.
The prediction of the price of
Oil price increases of 2004-2006 per gallon in the U.S. (and subsequently well above in California and occasions) ultimately came to be true in September, 2005, in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina. Later hikes to such a level short-term appeared to be of :Image:Gas Prices Short Term.png.
The 1990s
{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Eighth generation| image = | production = 1992-2002| assembly = Hamtramck, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan| platform = [GM E platform| width = 75.5 in (1992-94, 2000-02)
75.4 in (1995-99)| height = 54 in (1992-94, 1998-99)
53.6 in (1995-97, 2000-02)| body_style = 2-door
coupe (1995-2002)
4.6L 300 hp [V8 (1995-2002)
4.9L 200 hp V8 (1992-94)]
Buick Riviera
Cadillac Seville[Oldsmobile Aurora-->
1992
For 1992, a new Eldorado appeared. It was in fact only slightly bigger than its predecessor, but it was so much more adroitly styled that it seemed greatly so. Window glass was once again frameless, and shortly after introduction Cadillac's new Cadillac Northstar engine V8 became available. The combination of sleek styling and increased power seemed more like the great Eldorados of the past, and reviews were generally good. Sales were up, though never again at record heights. Buyers were seemingly turning against two-door bodies, as illustrated by the fact that the Eldorado's very similar four-door relative, the Cadillac Seville, consistently outsold it.
The Eldorado continued for the rest of the decade with incremental changes and gradually tapering sales. In the wake of declining sales, circulating reports that the Eldorado would get a redesign for 1999 - similar to that which its Seville platform mate underwent for 1998 - would prove false as the car soldiered on largely unchanged into the new millennium.
The 2000s
Having lost its only remaining 2-door platform mate — the Buick Riviera — after the 1999 model year, rumors of the Eldorado's imminent demise began to circulate. GM showed a lowered, customized Eldorado-based concept at the 2000 North American International Auto Show, which was called
EldoRODo, to little media or public interest.
Not long after, GM announced that the Eldorado's 50th model year, 2002, would be its last.To mark the end of the historic name, a limited production run 1,596 of cars in red or white - the colors available on the original 1953 convertible - were produced in three batches of 532, signifying the Eldorado's first year of production. The last cars had exhausts that were specially tuned to imitate the note of their illustrious forerunners from a half-century earlier and dash-mounted placques indicating each car's sequence in production. Production ended on April 22, 2002 retooling the Lansing Craft Centre to build the
Chevrolet SSR.
References
External links
- Official website — certified pre-owned vehicles
Product information on:
- 2002,
- 2001 and
- 2000 models.
