Established in 1903, the Cadillac brand celebrated its fiftieth anniversary by introducing a new flagship model. A contest held to name the new car resulted in the Cadillac Eldorado, a contraction of the name of a mythical South American city of gold, El Dorado.
The Cadillac Eldorado had its own unique body with a lower beltline than others in the Cadillac lineup, a wraparound windshield, four unique colors (Aztec Red, Alpine White, Azure Blue, and Artisan Ochre), and optional air conditioning. The limited 1953 model year production totaled a mere 532 copies, and it’s little wonder as the Eldo was nearly double the cost of a Series 62 convertible.
For the 1954 model year, the Cadillac Eldorado lost some of its exclusivity when it adopted the bodywork of other Cadillac models, but this move also served to lower the Eldorado’s price. The Eldo still had unique trim, differentiating it from other Cadillacs. With a lower threshold to entry, 2,150 Eldorados made it into customer hands.
The 1954 Cadillac Eldorado had even more equipment standard and optional than the previous year, with power steering, power brakes, power windows, power convertible top, E-Z Eye Headlight Dimmer, electric front seat, Hydramatic automatic transmission, chrome wire wheels, and wide whitewall tires.
Our feature 1954 Cadillac Eldorado has been owned by the same family since 1984, and has been kept in a climate-controlled garage. The paint is an older refresh of the original Alpine White hue, but the interior has been recently redone in red and white leather. The Eldorado is powered by its original 331 cubic-inch V8 that made 230 horsepower when new. The 331 is backed by the four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission. The Eldorado is equipped with power steering, power brakes, power windows, power convertible top, fender skirts, chrome wire wheels, and wide whitewall tires.
Comments
Three quarters of a century back Cadillac knew how to make great cars. Now they make just plastic cans on wheels.
I found one also in Alpine White that sold for $143,000 in 2013. Wouldn’t be surprised if this beauty goes for over $200k.
Same year, but different model of one of Elvis’s pink Cadillacs.
A beautiful vintage land yacht.
No matter how hard they have tried, they have been unable to achieve that big car ride in smaller lighter cars.
I would love to go back in time to an era where Cadillac was king and the roads were filled with stylish, colorful cars and the pinnacle of motoring was a Cadillac Eldorado. I might not want to stay in that time but I’d love to go there and just experience it.
I’m not sure what happened to America to cause us to lose interest in the glamour and flamboyance of motoring but Cadillac once epitomized those qualities like no other.
The list of Cadillacs engineering firsts is lengthy.
One of its earliest was the invention and installation of electric starters in 1912.
The Cadillac Sollei is a fitting reinterpretation of the 50s era Eldorado convertibles although perhaps not with battery power. If it were ever built, I wonder how many people would be so bold as to drive one. I’d love to see Cadillac embracing their heritage with a product like that and everyone seems to love it but could it find buyers. Folks today, even luxury buyers, seem only interested in an anonymous silver box.
Sooo, there was actually a time Cadillac made a different color interior other than black.
Growing up in the 50s and 60s my next door neighbor drove a lovely 55 Cadillac sedan that was beautiful, quiet, and soft and luxurious inside. My art teacher drove a 54 light yellow Cadillac convertible with maybe a red leather interior. He pulled up at Jr. High School with the top down. Flamboyant outgoing well spoken gentleman with an automobile to match. My dad cut grass and did landscaping for a rich family in a mansion a couple blocks away. In their converted horse stable was parked his 58 black 4 door Cadillac hardtop. I think it had a stainless steel roof. I was invited to sit in and feel the ice cold air conditioning. I think I was 6 years old. Dad drove Plymouths. Every car projected a different personality. Today every vehicle is black, gray or white blobs with all black wheels, tires and black plastic trim. Yuck!
Cadillac was founded in 1902 not 1903