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The 1959–60 Cadillac Eldorado Continues to Push Forward
Changes were afoot in the world of premium-priced vehicles in the late 1950s, as excessive ornamentation shared the stage with longer, lower, and sleeker bodies. It started with Virgil Exner and his Forward Look for 1957 Chrysler vehicles, as his designs ultimately bridged the gap between postwar decadence and an upcoming embrace of mid-century modernism.
While Exner and Chrysler set the tone for late 50s luxury, they sadly did not reap the benefits on the showroom floor. That’s because General Motors’ luxury vehicle lineup outsold that of Chrysler, and Cadillac’s interpretation of The Forward Look became a cultural touchstone thanks to a pair of especially outrageous tail fins affixed to those long and low lines.
But not all 1959 Cadillacs are created equal, as they came with several names fitted with unique body styles. There could only be one name at the top, and it went by the name of Eldorado. Actually there were three different Eldorados, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
And this trim level, named after the fictional South American city of gold, was a dream come true, rising above the DeVille series, which itself was an improvement over Cadillac’s baseline Series 62. Just about everything was standard in an Eldorado, including a triple-carbureted induction system, air suspension, and a bevy of power assists within its decadent interior fabrics.
Many of those enhancements were available on cheaper Cadillacs, but the trim differences were significant. Only the Eldorado had chrome ornamentation that accentuated the fuselage-shaped quarter panels. And only one Cadillac was worthy of the word “Eldorado” spelled across its front fenders.
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This was also the trim level that forged countless die-cast duplications. Owning the best of the best has its merits, and for those who could afford the Eldorado’s elevated asking price, the only question was which body style fit their lifestyle.
1959-60 Eldorado body styles wore unique names that stood the test of time. The Brougham sedan became a staple of American luxury in the 1980s, while the Seville coupe became the face of successful downsizing. The Biarritz convertible remained unique to the Eldorado, signifying a stainless steel roof toward the end of its useful life with Cadillac. Most unique are the 1959 Brougham sedans, as these Eldorados wore subtle tail fins like the 1960 Cadillacs. This is because of the unique coachwork crafted and constructed by Pininfarina in Italy for the Brougham. Hmm, did we ever see that partnership again?
Clearly there is much to love about the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado and the restrained posterior of its 1960 brother, because time has been kind to all examples. From 2015 to 2025, all body styles have increased significantly in value. Hagerty Price Guide values for Seville coupes in #2 (excellent) condition has seen an impressive 62 percent (1959) or a slightly more modest 30 percent (1960) rise in value. That means a 1959 Eldorado Seville in #2 condition checks in at a whopping $97,800 in 2025. The Brougham increased 31 percent (1959) and 22 percent (1960), or $165,000 for the Italian crafted sedan from 1959.
The Biarritz increased 54 percent (1959) and 44 percent (1960) over this same time period, so buying a 1959 model will set you back $278,000 this year. The more modestly styled 1960 is significantly cheaper at $154,000, while the optional bucket seats adds 10 percent to any Biarritz in any condition.
The added allure of owning a vintage Cadillac without a front bench seat is unexpected, but Generation X’s interest in 1959-60 Eldorados is downright noteworthy. Indeed, Gen X makes up 31 percent of the market as a whole, and is responsible for 36 percent of insurance quotes for Eldorados to Hagerty. Boomers are technically ahead with 31.8 of the market as a whole, but behind on Eldorado interest with 34 percent of quotes. Pre-boomers are four percent of the market as a whole, while Millennials are 23 percent and Gen Z is 11 percent. Millennials are going strong with quotes for their Eldorados, with 15 percent of inquiries coming from them. Preboomers are at 12 percent, while Gen Z is at four percent.
Both years of 1959-60 Cadillac Eldorado are winners with Americans of every age, but there’s clearly one year that excels in terms of cash value. In #2 condition, a 1960 Eldorado Biarritz is 45 percent cheaper than the 1959 model with its iconic tail fins. The Seville is similar, with a 28 percent decrease in value for 1960 models. The Italian-designed Brougham is an interesting outlier: The 1960 models are 36 percent less valuable, even though the 1959 Eldorado Brougham lacked the spirited tail fins of other 1959 Cadillacs. Perhaps not every 1959 Cadillac buyer cares about having a unique set of fins?
No matter what a buyer’s intentions may be, the 1959-60 Cadillac Eldorado is more than just a lovely set of appendages. There’s an elevated sense of purpose in owning a flagship Cadillac, one that delights in details that are hard or even impossible to find on a “mere” Series 62 model. But perhaps a rising tide lifts all boats, as Hagerty contributor and Cadillac fanatic April Chadwick has an interesting counterpoint:
“I don’t think the 1959-60 Eldorado was considered that special when it was fresh off the showroom floor. (I know, a hot take indeed!) As you mentioned, the body is shared with the $2000 cheaper Series 62 and DeVille series cars. While I do love the fuselage tracing style of the Eldorado’s exterior trim, in certain pictures it makes the sleek fuselage look bloated.”
Chadwick is a longtime owner of a 1959 Series 62 convertible with Tri-power carburetion, and notes any Cadillac from this year was perceived as an “outrageous example of late ‘fifties Cadillac styling and American excess” from the moment it rolled off the showroom floor and as it lost value in the coming decades. She believes that restorers like the Eldorados more because of their limited production and the unique items that make them a flagship Cadillac. As the values for 1959-60 Eldorados in 2025 show, they will continue to be some of the most appealing cars of the tail fin era.
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I’m not really a luxo-barge guy but the side view of the ’59 top-down Biarritz stirs something within me that I didn’t know was there. I imagine it inciting chants of “USA! USA!” everywhere it goes.
“…the side view of the ’59 top-down Biarritz stirs something within me that I didn’t know was there”
Couldn’t have said it any better!
They’ll start excavating Cadillac Ranch soon.
Those ’59 -’60 Cadillacs were enormous in size ! They are probably the most valuable and famous models on the market .
I agree with April. At the time, Cads were considered top of the line as far as cars were considered. So,obviously if you wanted to flaunt your lifestyle, you bought a Cad. Didn’t matter about anything else, just so it was a Cad. Much the same as the age old Chevy vs. Ford argument. “I ain’t gonna run no damn Ford”. The tri 5 Fords had styling just as nice as the tri 5 Chevys, but they said Ford on the front.
My grandfather drove Cadillacs from the late 1930s until he passed away in 1975. He bought a ’59 4-door in ermine white. I remember wishing he would have waited another year and had gotten one of the truly stunning 1960s instead of the cartoonish ’59.
Peak fin styling to me. They are just long and stylish.
I’m often on the fence between the much sleeker 60′ versus the bodacious 59′. Two very similar cars giving off two very different emotions in my opinion