Lot 187

The Petersen Automotive Museum Auction

1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

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$324,000 USD | Sold

United States | Los Angeles, California

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Chassis No.
59E091727
  • Top-of-the-line model; one of 1,320 produced
  • Desirable presentation in black over red

By the late 1950s, Cadillac reigned supreme over the full-sized luxury car market in North America with exciting products that featured advanced engineering and the leading-edge styling of Harley Earl. While the 1959 Eldorado was controversial and misunderstood in its heyday, the collectors and critics of today agree that it possesses an unmatched combination of power, presence, and extravagance. In 1959, the Eldorado sub-series included the Seville hardtop and the Biarritz convertible, along with the Brougham four-door hardtop.

Standard Eldorado features included all the items available on the Series 62 DeVille line and beyond, including a heater, foglamps, air suspension, AM radio with rear-mounted speaker, power windows, a six-way power seat, electric door locks, automatic trunk release, steel wheels that display full “turbine vane” or “fluted” wheel covers, plus whitewall tires and rear fender skirts.

Only four options were available, and the exceptional Cadillac offered here has the optional Autronic-Eye automatic headlight-dimming device. The Eldorado also features the ultimate engine for 1959, the enlarged Q-code 390-cu. in. V-8, topped by three two-barrel Rochester carburetors. This powerplant produced 345 hp and was mated to a three-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission as standard equipment.

The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz being offered is richly presented in black; complemented by a white power-operated convertible top and a body-color fiberglass parade boot. This is highlighted by its lush red interior, which is supplemented by an abundance of brushed aluminum trim and prominent upholstery patterns.

No other car of the era, or since, can surpass the timeless style, beauty, and refinement of the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. This iconic convertible is the one to own, show, and drive. It is a design that will stop traffic wherever it goes. One hundred years from now, people will admire this car in a museum and know it was made for the crème de la crème.