About The Cadillac Coupe de Ville
A masterwork of mid-century car design, the 1959 Cadillac DeVille is renowned for its luxurious proportions and dramatic tailfins,It encapsulated the essence of the jet age and solidified its status as one of Cadillac’s most opulent and significant designs.
In the early 1990s, our 1959 Cadillac DeVille was painstakingly repaired in Adelaide, South Africa. Shortly after the restoration was finished, the 1959 Cadillac was purchased by Ralph Plarre of Essendon, VIC. At the time, Ralph served as president of the Cadillac La Salle Car Club of Victoria.
Although Ralph’s 1959 Cadillac was not for sale, he unexpectedly mentioned that he might agree to sell it since he had plans for another Cadillac during a casual talk about the vehicle and how difficult it was to locate a top-condition Cadillac. Ralph later sold the 1959 Cadillac to Driver Classics in 1997.
With the introduction of the V8 in 1915, a V12, and even a V16 in 1929, Cadillac continued to produce automobiles that led the world; they were the first to offer air conditioning, automatic gearboxes, and electric self-starters. Inspired by the aircraft of the day, Cadillac added a small tail fin to its automobiles in the late 1940s. However, as the 1950s drew near, conservatism was no longer an option.
Source – driverclassics.com.au
The Design
The biggest tail fins on a production car in the world, combined with excessive and crazy style! The global space race and jet aircraft had a big impact on Cadillac’s design philosophy at the time. The tail light design, which depicts a jet’s exhaust, demonstrates this.
Even for its time, the Cadillac Coupe de Ville was a large car, measuring 18 feet 9 inches in length and weighing 4,750 pounds.
In 1959, Cadillac produced 129,923 vehicles, of which 21,924 were Coupe de Villes. The 1959 Cadillacs were notable for having air suspension, cruise control, and “Autronic Eye” automatic headlights—all of which were far ahead of their time.
source – driverclassics.com.au
Top Specification of Cadillac de Ville 1959
Displacement – about 6,384 cc
Power – 325 hp (gross) at ~4,800 rpm
Torque – 430 lb-ft (~583 Nm) at ~3,100 rpm
Transmission – 4-speed automatic (Hydra-Matic)
Top speed – about 121 mph (≈ 195 km/h)
Kerb weight – ~ 2,140 kg (4,720 lb for coupe)
Wheelbase – 130.0 in (3,302 mm)
Source – driverclassics.com.au
Interesting Facts
- The DeVille’s debut as a stand-alone model
The year 1959 marked the transition of “DeVille” from a trim level to a stand-alone series. One of Cadillac’s most well-known nameplates began with this.
- A Symbol of American Excess in Motion
With a length of nearly eighteen feet, it was among the most flamboyant and lengthy cars of its era. The style embraced the space-age ideal and postwar wealth.
- Luxurious and Technologically Advanced
Features that were state-of-the-art for 1959 included air suspension, power windows, power seats, and automatic headlamp dimming (Autronic Eye).
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