Coachwork by Fleetwood

Chassis no. 702054

Body Style 4155-S

Body no. 2

Series 452. 175-hp, 452-cid overhead valve V-16 engine with three-speed manual transmission, solid front axle and live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel vacuum-assisted mechanical drum brakes. Wheelbase: 148-inches

On January 4, 1930, New Yorkers were treated to an engineering tour de force. At the opening of the National Automobile Show at the Grand Central Palace, Cadillac unveiled the world’s first production V-16 automobile engine. The late historian Griffith Borgeson explained it eloquently: “It really made history and it made Cadillac, beyond all discussion, the absolute world leader in motoring magnificence…It was the super engine that set the whole exercise apart.”

Aesthetically it was a work of art, said to be the first powerplant that was truly styled. All wiring and hoses were concealed to the extent possible, hidden behind covers or in raceways. Viewed from outside, the engine compartment showed no clutter whatsoever.

There was a plethora of bodies from which to choose, 54 in the catalog, roadster to town car, all from Fleetwood. Some were built in Fleetwood’s original facility in Pennsylvania, others from the new Detroit plant.

Hardly ever used by the Cadillac Motor Company, the sobriquet “Madame X” refers to sedan-type V-16 cars with an 18-degree slanted windshield. These include body styles 4130, 4155, 4161 and 4175, in all their basic and suffix S, C and SC variations. The characteristic is readily apparent in this 4155-S Sedan Cabriolet.

Prior to joining the Ewing Collection, this example was previously in the Sterling McCall collection. Additional information shows it was owned by Wayne Merriman during the 1950s. Cadillac records show that it was shipped to Don Lee, Inc, the Los Angeles dealer, on March 31, 1930. Tastefully painted dark green with black fenders, it is subtly accented with a red pin stripe. The roof, with blind rear quarters, is covered in black leather. All of these, plus the tan cloth interior, are in very good condition, although the paint shows some age cracks. The passenger compartment is furnished with dual smoking sets, one on each side, and the left one includes a clock. Above the smoking sets are dual vanity cabinets, and the rear window is provided with a shade.

The car has dual sidemount spares with tan canvas covers, leaving room at the rear for a trunk rack and full-size Cadillac accessory trunk with matching cover. The engine compartment and undercarriage are clean and sound, but have not been recently detailed.

All Madame X Cadillacs are rare. With no more than six of this style built, Body No. 2 is surely one of the most coveted. Don Lee was the dealer to the stars. We can only imagine which star – or starlet – was its first owner.