It is hard to imagine an American automaker today building a four-door sedan that would be priced higher than a new Ferrari or Rolls-Royce. In the 1950s, it was a different time. Glitter was good, bigger was better, and too many accessories was just right in the age of neon. Ford had upped the ante with the introduction of its Continental Mark II, a two-door coupe so elite that the Blue Oval did not even bother calling it a Lincoln. It was an era ripe for the ultimate Cadillac: a car heaped with everything that General Motors’ engineering and styling gurus could throw at it.

Harley Earl’s styling team contributed multiple new ideas, including four-door hardtop sedan bodywork, with side windows that disappeared completely, frames and all; rear-hinged rear doors, a throwback to the 1930s; and a broad expanse of sparkling brushed stainless steel roof. Quad headlights were exclusive to the model—and still illegal in most states. The engineering staff worked out a litany of power accessories, so numerous that “power everything” was not just a convenient phrase, it was a reality. The trunk lid and rear doors not only opened with the push of a button, but they closed with one too, and the doors would lock automatically when the transmission was put in gear. A memory front seat was a first for a production car, as were the forged aluminum wheels. Naturally, there was air conditioning.

The car was so fully equipped that the glove box even came filled. Cadillac thoughtfully provided a lady’s vanity case with compact, powder puff, comb and holder, lipstick, and coin holders, as well as six drink tumblers, a tissue dispenser, and a cigarette case. The rear seat armrest opened to reveal a notepad and pencil, a mirror, and a perfume atomizer, which came with a complimentary ounce of Arpège by Lanvin.

All of this high living came at a cost of $13,974, which was twice the cost of the Eldorado Biarritz Convertible. In fact, one had to look long and hard to find a production car anywhere in the world that was as expensive as an Eldorado Brougham. Cadillac reportedly lost $10,000 on every car built, which was why the original “Eldo Bro” lasted for only two years and 704 examples.

The example offered here, the 107th Eldorado Brougham built by body number, was originally delivered in New York State. In the early 1990s it was discovered alongside no fewer than four other Eldorado Broughams in an enthusiast’s estate in Xenia, Ohio, and shortly purchased by Robert Werner. Mr. Werner had been, quite literally, born into the Cadillac world; his father, Calvin Werner, had a 46-year career at General Motors, concluding as General Manager of Cadillac.

In its new ownership, the Eldorado Brougham was meticulously fully restored by Bob Morris of Morris Auto Restoration in Bellbrook, Ohio. In a detailed feature article on the car in the August 2005 issue of Hemmings Classic Car magazine, Mr. Werner noted that it had been “complete, except for a quarter-sized area of rust in the lower front corner of the driver’s door” and a handful of trim pieces, all of which were able to be acquired. The restoration process reportedly took three years to complete due to the complexity of the automobile and the numerous unique and very rare trim and mechanical components involved. Like many Eldorado Broughams it had been converted from its original air suspension to conventional coil springs, but the equipment for the former was left in place under the hood to ensure a correct appearance.

Mr. Werner chose to have the car, originally Deauville Beige, refinished in the year-correct 1957 Cadillac color of Dakota Red—not ordered new on any Eldorado Brougham, and the more is the pity! He was able to build a full set of the original vanities—no small achievement—save only for the almost unobtainable compact and powder puff, for which a suitable, very close replacement was found.

After completion, the Werner Eldorado Brougham was, for some years, “the one to beat” in national competition. It received top honors in the Eldorado Brougham class at the 2002 Cadillac & LaSalle Club Grand National, Best in Class at the Meadow Brook Concours in 2003, Most Outstanding GM Car at the 2004 Amelia Island Concours, and Best of Show, Enclosed Car, at the 2007 CCCA Museum Grand Experience. In fact, the car accumulated no fewer than 15 First or Best in Class honors during its 21-year show history in Mr. Werner’s care, in addition to numerous other prizes.

Acquired by the present collection from Mr. Werner, this exceptional Eldorado Brougham has continued to be well-cared-for and is presented today in excellent, show-ready condition as one of the finest of its kind. It is a machine worthy of the laurels it has received, and that honors the model’s ethos: to be the best that money can acquire.