1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz: Dreamboat!
The Eldorado is probably the most famous Cadillac of them all, though the other nameplates aren’t exactly slouches either. But the Eldo was the belle of the ball, first as a Motorama special, then a limited production convertible in 1953 (President Eisenhower rode in one at his inauguration), and from then on a limited production convertible or two-door hardtop. And it lasted all the way to 2002. I remember seeing one of the bright red Collector Series coupes that year on the lot at Horst-Zimmerman in downtown Rock Island. It was the end of an era, and I knew it.
But let’s go back a few decades, when the Eldorado was still in its early years, and a clear sign of the high life in the Jet Age. Of course the 1959 model is the best remembered of them all, but the 1960 models have their own appeal, especially to your author.
Well, where could they go after the no-holds-barred opulence and flamboyance of the 1959 Cadillacs? The solution, perhaps influenced by Bill Mitchell, who preferred subtle elegance over wild chrome, was to just tone town the most over the top visuals of the ’59. In so doing, they arguably made a prettier car.
Of course, it was the same basic body as the 1959, but chrome was more restrained, the fins were lowered just a tad, and the afterburner taillights were replaced with smoother units recessed into the fins.
The front was smoother too, losing the ‘bomb bay’ front parking/fog lights and the massive chrome grill divider. It was still classy and clearly Cadillac. And only ‘toned down’ in relation to the ’59. It was still a distinctive profile amongst the Impalas, Fairlane 500s and Ramblers on the road at that time!
The Cadillac lineup itself was essentially the same as the prior year, with Series 62s, de Villes, Eldorados and Fleetwood Sixty Specials and Series 75 limousines all in the mix. The 390-cubic inch V-8 was standard in all models, and in ’60 it produced 325 hp breathing through a Carter 2 BBL carburetor.
But Eldorados, the Biarritz convertible, Seville two-door hardtop, and uber rare and expensive Eldorado Brougham four door received the 345 hp engine, which was accomplished via triple Rochester two-barrel carbs. This ‘Eldorado engine’ was optionally available on all other 1960 Cadillacs.
Both the Eldorado Biarritz and Seville were the same price, $7401. I would think the convertible would be a better deal, but I’ve always loved the Eldorado Sevilles too. And I think if I actually got one, the coupe would be more enjoyable day-to-day than a convertible. And I like the padded vinyl roofs the coupes had.
One thing folks today might not understand is how rare the Eldorados were during these years. It wasn’t like the ’70s when maybe 30K coupes and 10K convertibles came off the line at the Clark Street Cadillac plant like clockwork every year.
No sir, the Eldorados were much more scarce during this time. In 1960, 1,285 Biarritz convertibles and 1,075 Seville two-door hardtops were built. When you factor in how many Cadillac dealers were in the U.S. back then, it’s likely many dealers likely never got one in stock at all.
And these were big cars. The ’60 Biarritz and Seville had a 130 inch wheelbase, and an overall length of 225 inches. To put that in perspective, a 2024 Rolls-Royce Phantom is 227″. Yep, pretty good sized!
Cadillac was the gold standard for luxury cars in 1960. Sure, Lincoln and Imperial had some gorgeous conveyances as well, but for sheer production and popularity, Cadillac was king. And GM knew it.
As the 1960 brochure confided, “The motor car that will represent Cadillac on the highways of the world during the year of 1960, advances the Cadillac tradition of excellence to an extraordinary degree.
“A classic new profile…a restrained use of adornment…and a grille of such elegance that it might have been crafted by a master jeweler—these mark the 1960 Standard of the World as a dramatic step forward in contemporary motor car design.”
As for today’s gorgeous example, it was spotted by frequent photo contributor and friend Jayson Coombes at the CLC Grand National held last summer in Albuquerque. While the combination of Platinum Gray with white bucket seat interior was perhaps not as wild as some of the available colors seen on Eldorados in 1960, it was still gorgeous and elegant!
What a study in excess, the worst in practicality, and likely in the top 10 of guzzlers – I love it! 😁
I was wondering where you were going with that. Size, fins and chrome in abundance. It looks good!
Yes- a “What- me worry” car!
Agree that the ’60 is prettier than the ’59…amazing to see such detailing in a car as compared to the look-alike pods on the road now!
Our family had a black Sedan DeVille with all the options. The last of the classy Cadillacs.
iirc, our version had a 4 barrel carb.
Before this one, we owned a 57 Cadillac which I loved as a kid.
Is this the same car being auctioned next month by Mecum in Dallas?
While I can’t guarantee it is, I’d say it is based on the CLC club badge being mounted in the same place on the grille and the same green Texas inspection sticker in the window.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/1126834/1960-cadillac-eldorado-biarritz-convertible/
Great piece
This is a great way to find the perfect vehicle model,
Fisher Body introduced design and was combined with Cadillac Motor Division In which,merged with General Motors there was no General Motors,they stop including Fisher Body designs.All Cadillac were Series cars.They became named later after marriage, widows had the possession with the names remaining as proof of previous owners.
1960 by far, much better design than 1959. A few changes made a vast improvement.
I worked at my uncle’s Cadillac store from 1955 to 1965. The base motor had carburetor had a 4bbl not a 2 bbl.
Yes the 1960 is a much more elegant design. The Eldo engine did not do much for performance.
Our family had a black Sedan DeVille with all the options. The last of the classy Cadillacs.
iirc, our version had a 4 barrel carb.
Before this one, we owned a 57 Cadillac which I loved as a kid.
Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I prefer the maximum excess of the 59 to the somewhat neutered look of the 60. If you’re going to go large, go all the way!
I have long liked these better than the 1959’s.
While there were cars named “Eldorado” back then, I don’t really consider the Eldo to have been truly special, until the 1967 model. More like a very special trim package.
GM toned down all their over-the-top big fin designs (Chev-Pontiac-Olds-Buick-Caddy) from1959 in the 1960 model year. I was a sophomore in college in 1960 when my dad traded his chrome laden 1958 Buick on a white Buick Electra 225 4-door hardtop convertible. For those of you who don’t remember the term “hardtop convertible”, these were 2-door & 4-door coups and sedans without the B pillar. The 225 in the Electra 225 name referred to its length which was actually 225.8 inches, 8/10’” longer than the largest Caddys. I concur, the 1960 designs were stunning cars.
Beautiful car -I don’t think it would fit in my garage!!
The 1948 P-38 Lightning tail fins were the best! Once, Cadillac dropped those, the cars just got uglier and uglier, and they never made a good looking vehicle since!
A friend of mine in high school whose dad owned the Cadillac dealership drove a ‘60 convertible. Red with a white leather interior. This was in the 1966-67 school year. Nice car. He and another guy had too much to drink one night and took out 50 yards of barbed wire fence with it . The fence belonged to the other guy’s dad. The dad had the two of them fixing the fence the next morning with some pretty bad hangovers. To bad about the car.
1960 CADILLAC IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!
THE NEXT BIG CHANGE CAME IN 1965
Hi I have a 1977 caddy that needs some body parts and a 1964 Buick wildcat 4-door that needs a front rap with grill and bumper can any one help me please (Ross) hemming.tow@gmail.com