Production of V-16-powered Cadillacs dropped dramatically for 1932, as the Great Depression endured its worst year. In 1930–1931, some 4,000 Sixteens had been produced. In 1932, that number dropped to only 300 cars, which boasted new, modern styling with streamlined fenders, radiator shell, and headlights, on the same imposing, massively overbuilt 143- or 149-inch-wheelbase chassis.

The example offered here is the sole survivor of seven produced in this style, the seven-passenger limousine brougham, a traditional open-drive town car by Fleetwood. Originally intended for Red Bank, New Jersey, the car was subsequently delivered instead through the Newark sales branch to Hubert K. Dalton, a successful engineer who had sold his tool and die company to General Motors at a tidy profit. It was likely kept at Willowbrook, his palatial Georgian Revival home in the suburb of Rumson.

The Cadillac has been in collector hands since the 1970s, including time in several prominent East Coast collections, most recently with the late Robert Blakeman, who acquired it in 2006. It is offered today as a very well-presented older restoration in dark blue and black, with complementary black leather upholstery to the driver’s seat and beautifully crafted button-tufted cloth to the rear compartment. Beautiful brightwork and solid wood trim can be found everywhere, and the overall impression is lush and comfortable. Inspection shows that the car retains its original engine, as noted on the build sheet, a copy of which accompanies it today.

Formal V-16s are rare indeed, and this car, the only known survivor of its style from the incredibly scarce 1932 models, is a one-of-a-kind opportunity.