It was 1957. Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House. Sputnik was in the sky. Elvis Presley was on the Ed Sullivan Show for what would be the third and last time. He would also own a new Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, the car that marked the reachable pinnacle of automobile ownership for many Americans. At over $7,000, it was achievable for the man or woman of great personal success—someone who, like Presley, had climbed their way up and desired to reward themselves with the best that money could buy. It spoke to that success with vast quantities of chrome, impressive highway-cruising performance, and styling that only Harley Earl’s studio could have dreamt up.

The 1957 Cadillac sported a new X-framed chassis, which did away with side rails and provided added structural strength; this chassis contributed to an even quieter, smoother ride and allowed for a lower body placement, reducing the overall height. The resulting car virtually hugged the road, and with its apparent acres of rounded sheet metal, which was crowned with knife-edged tailfins, the vast Biarritz Convertible seemed to drift down the highway. Naturally, the upgraded interior came with all imaginable power accessories and creature comforts.

This beautiful Dakota Red example is one of just 1,800 Eldorado Biarritz Convertibles produced in 1957, and it is being offered from its owner of the last two decades. It is equipped with factory air conditioning, a remote trunk open/close function, an Autronic Eye automatic headlamp dimmer, a Wonderbar radio, a fiberglass parade boot cover for the folded convertible top, and chromed sabre wheels shod in wide whitewall tires. The car presents extremely well, with period-correct red upholstery and carpeting and chrome and stainless trim that still appears quite fresh. It is reported to run nicely.

The buyer seeking traditional American luxury, as only Cadillac of the 1950s could present, need look no further.