To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Auburn
Fall event, 3 - 5 September 2020.
Estimate:
$45,000 - $55,000
- Offered from The Duane Sell Collection
- Cadillac's flagship convertible offering for 1962
- One of just 1,450 produced
- 325 hp, 390 cu. in. V-8; four-speed Hydra-Matic
transmission
- Red over black interior; black top
- Power-operated convertible top
- Cadillac and LaSalle Club 2002 Grand National third-place
award-winner
- Offered with owner's manuals, including convertible operation
guide
Introduced in 1956, the Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz was the
convertible counterpart to the Eldorado Seville two-door hardtop.
Extravagant in both style and luxury, the Biarritz's name recalled
a French coastal resort town-never mind that this truly massive,
unabashedly American luxury convertible would have been a
surprising sight anywhere on the Continent.
By the Eldorado's fifth generation, introduced for 1961, the
flamboyant fins of the 1950s had-under the guidance of GM styling
head Bill Mitchell-evolved into sleek Jet Age blades. Brightwork
still abounded, however, with a full-width chrome grille
(incorporating quad headlights) dominating the car's front end; the
grille's horizontal emphasis carries over to the stylish
mid-century dashboard. A 325 horsepower, 390 cubic-inch V-8 mated
to a four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission provided ample
motivation for this long, low, and wide convertible.
Originally finished in Victorian Gold, this 1962 Eldorado Biarritz
now wears a striking red exterior over a black interior, nicely
complimented by a black power-operated convertible top. Offered
from the Duane Sell Collection, the car earned third place at the
Cadillac and LaSalle Club 2002 Grand National-a testament to both
the enduring appeal of the Eldorado Biarritz and the quality of
this example in particular.
An ideal addition to any Cadillac collection, this grand
convertible is also eminently suitable for those who appreciate
American luxury at its most confident. The car is offered with
partial invoices dating from 1964 to 1997, which provide invaluable
insight in this car's early life, as well as owner's manuals. To
view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/af20.