Tag Archives: Cadillac

2015 Cadillac CTS Vsport Review

March 25, 2015 ndubs77 7 Comments

This is effectively an incognito BMW E39 M5, only even more well-rounded. It is the Cadillac CTS Vsport, not to be confused with the CTS-V, which is Cadillac’s full-throttle, “still hard as a rock after 4 hours” experience.

The CTS Vsport is very much its own thing, not just some “Diet CTS-V” with less calories. If the CTS-V is a big honking hamburger, then the CTS Vsport is grilled salmon filet. It is an entirely different flavor from the V, so get that comparison out of your head from the get-go.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1956 Cadillac Eldorado at the 2015 Boca Raton Concours

March 24, 2015 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

Elvis Presley might be one of America’s greatest icons–and he was a Cadillac man. So is Ralph Marano, the well-known and well-respected car collector based in Union County, NJ. He brought a few cars to the Boca Raton Concours this year–and while I’ve become familiar with his excellent collection of Packards (which were featured at Amelia Island last year), I wasn’t as aware of his taste in Cadillacs.

This 1956 Eldorado might be one of the best mid-Fifties Cadillacs I’ve ever laid eyes on, with a gorgeous, deep shine on all panels and an incredible reflection across the chrome. This pink Cadillac is 100% original–and has only 27K original miles. Thanks to the polish, it looks like it should share space on the showroom floor with any other new car, it’s just that stunning. Wayne Carini was more than happy to talk about it, and I found him doing a short feature on it just as I was taking my pictures. Enjoy the photos of this large and in-charge American classic. Continue reading 1956 Cadillac Eldorado at the 2015 Boca Raton Concours →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1968 Cadillac Eldorado at the Boca Raton Concours

March 12, 2015 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

I took extra time to take particular photos of some of the more interesting Cadillacs at the Boca Raton Concours this past winter, and the effort paid off. The first car I took a closer look at is sitting right here–it was in the back of the program, parked amongst its peers from the Fifties and Seventies. This ’68 Eldorado was the second year of the new-shaped model, an innovation machine on wheels of its time. Cadillac took their first stab at front-wheel-drive with these beasts, and laid on the swagger and chrome as if it was going out of style.

The late Sixties Eldorado is a snake charmer. It’s a massive car–the 120-inch wheelbase underpins a car that stretches out to 221 inches total–that’s less than 8 inches shorter than a new Rolls-Royce Phantom SWB. Despite being FWD, the engine is still laid out front-to-rear, a unique arrangement that Cadillac would use until 1985. Powering the beast is a 472 cubic-inch V8 hooked up to a Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission–but the real jewel of the Eldorado, especially this one, was its condition. Shining paint, and gorgeous interior appointments, are the norm at a Concours–however, the real prize was inside the interior. This one happens to have an 8-track player, a novelty in the late Sixties, and a telephone. Bluetooth not required, nor needed. Enjoy the photos of this luxurious beast. Continue reading 1968 Cadillac Eldorado at the Boca Raton Concours →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Highlights from the 2015 Boca Raton Concours

February 27, 2015 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

This past weekend, I found myself getting a small tan in sunny Florida, while my cohort in the Northeast froze like a Popsicle. 80 degrees, plenty of sun, and low wind make great bedfellows with classic cars on a golf course, and with palm trees abound, the 2015 Boca Raton Concours was a sure thing. This was the first time I’ve attended this show, and I was suitably impressed.

Now in its 9th season, this show is very close in terms of timing to Amelia Island, but takes place much further south, just 60 miles north of Miami. The show is held on the grounds of the Boca Raton Resort and Club, one of the best establishments in South Florida. The show was on the golf course and featured Cadillac products, as well as anything related to the Ford Mustang, to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Best of Show was a familiar face and a familiar car–the same car that won Best of Show at Greenwich last summer, a stunning Minerva owned by Joseph Cassini, won the prize at Boca this weekend. Please enjoy this gallery of fine automobiles–features will be coming very soon of a stunning Ferrari 275 GTB NART Spyder, as well as a few gorgeous old Mopar muscle cars. Enjoy, all! Continue reading Highlights from the 2015 Boca Raton Concours →

Auto Idolatry

Petrolicious Looks At The Cadillac Ghia

February 11, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

This is one of the most beautiful Cadillacs ever made, and it’s one of just two produced. The styling was penned by Italian design firm, Ghia. I’ll let Petrolicious tell the rest of the story in the video. Enjoy this stunning automobile.

-Nick

Opinions

The 2016 Cadillac CTS-V And The Identity Of New GM

December 24, 2014 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Christmas came a few days early for American car enthusiasts this year. On Monday, General Motors released the first details on the new Cadillac CTS-V, the latest part of a blatant assault on their foreign rivals. But the offensive is about far more than just “beating” the competition. What these efforts are really about is cementing a solid reputation for the new-era of General Motors.

What I’ve seen happen in the last few years is GM creating their own identity, their own unique flavor of automobile. This is especially so in the high performance sector. GM isn’t trying to build a carbon copy of the latest BMW, quite the contrary. If anything, BMW has strayed from their own ideology in recent years, and GM has chosen to pursue the path that BMW and others have left behind.

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Cars We've Seen

Classy, brashy 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz spotted in Pebble Beach, CA

December 18, 2014 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

The first day Nick and I were at Pebble Beach this year, we spent a lot of time relaxing at the Inn at Spanish Bay gawking at the cars coming in and the money rolling in. After walking around the RetroAuto collection (and grabbing a few golf balls for a co-worker), we left the Inn and headed for the auction tents. Right before getting in the car, I noticed an enormous American hunk of iron sitting next to it–this classy old Cadillac. The Eldorado Biarritz was the top-of-the-line Cadillac droptop in 1960 and stayed that way until 1964. This example is one of only 1,285 made in 1960 and one of only a few I’ve seen since we started this site. It’s a real treat to see someone driving a car as big, brash, and beautiful as this one, anywhere.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours

December 9, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

We’ve said this a few times here on Mind Over Motor that the 1959 Cadillac is an incredibly handsome machine, in so many words. Of course, we’re going to say more every time we see one. The convertible might be the best way to show off the ’59’s enormous features, such as the too-tall tailfins, ostentatious chrome, and sharp (both to the eye and to the skin) taillights. The Series 62, unlike the Eldorado Seville we featured a few months ago from Greenwich, is the base series of the Cadillac lineup for 1959 and continued in that role until 1965. This car has the tallest tailfins ever made, coupled with the perfect body style, a noticeable color combination, and a set of gorgeous wire wheels to go with the look. In 1959, no other car would do for an executive that wanted to buy American and get noticed at all times. A red Series 62 Convertible is not a car for those with low self-esteem, and that’s perfect for standing out at a Concours event. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible at the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours →

Automotive Lifestyle, Car Games

Our Picks, the $40,000 question

November 17, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

In today’s market, $40,000 marks a sort of barrier between “normal” cars and “luxury” cars. You can basically find any sort of car for under $40 grand, so it can be argued that nobody needs to spend more than that unless they’re interested in fluff. It is a realistic budget for many middle class Americans, and that is why we have chosen to kick off our new “Our Picks” segment with it.

We will give our picks for two $40,000 budget scenarios, one as an only car, and the other as a second car. We will also give our second choices for each. Keep in mind, this is how we would spend our own money, with our rather discerning tastes in cars, and not necessarily our recommendations for more average buyers.

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Car Shows

1971 Cadillac Sedan De Ville at the New Hope Car Show

August 26, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

When it comes to four-door hardtops, General Motors had a good set of candidates even as the era wound to a close. In 1971, GM redesigned their entire full-size lineup, from Buick’s Electra series to the big-dog Cadillac Fleetwood 75. Sitting near the top of the throne, although not at the top, was the Cadillac DeVille. Packing some smart styling to hide its hulking dimensions and high weight, these were the last of th truly “big” Cadillac sedans, and they went out with a bang. The ’71 packs a 472 cubic inch monster of a V8, with enough torque to tear the Death Star in two pieces. This particular gold example is all-original and has been in the same family since new. The owner inherited the car from a relative and has kept it in original working order. Although it was sitting near a gorgeous ’53 Eldorado convertible, it had a charm and an imposing figure all its own. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1971 Cadillac Sedan De Ville at the New Hope Car Show →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the 2014 Greenwich Concours

July 24, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

The year is 1959. Your boss has just reviewed your assessment on setting up a new development of suburban homes near a major interstate highway in small-town America. He’s very happy, closes his books, and gives you a 40% raise and promotes you to the head of your local developer office. As you walk outside to your four-year-old Buick sedan, you realize it’s time for a change. You’ve made it to the top of the heap in life, and you need a car to show your success. Only a Cadillac will do, and you’re determined to make a statement. So, you pick this one right off the showroom floor and show it to your wife and kids that night. Everyone is overjoyed at your success and they all love the new Coupe DeVille you’ve just bought.

Back in 1959, Cadillac was a true success symbol for most Americans. My great-grandfather had a few of them, and after my grandpa became a successful dentist in the 1970s, he bought one himself. The 1959 models are considered by many to be the most grandiose of the postwar Caddies, with the tallest fins ever fitted to an American car, stunning chrome and a set of colors some could only dream of seeing in the late Fifties. This particular 1959 model is a soft shade of pink with a white top, known as Persian Sand. This car is also equipped with an immaculate white interior and looked every single way of perfect. The ’59 always has been and always will be a crowd-pleaser car, and this one’s no different. Whether you fancy the chrome up front, the sky-high fins out back, or the hulking side profile, there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy on the 1959 Cadillac, and there’s certainly enough space inside to carry every single one of them. This car, as Jerry Seinfeld said on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee not long ago about the ’58 Eldorado Seville, is “as thrilled with itself as you are.” I couldn’t agree more. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the 2014 Greenwich Concours →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Highlights from the 2014 River Edge Car Show

July 15, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

On Sunday, I attended the River Edge Classic Car Show in River Edge, NJ thanks to a tip from my aunt, who happens to live there. I was expecting this show to be another small neighborhood car show in a small town in Bergen County. To say the very least, I was completely and utterly wrong. Despite the rain all over New Jersey and the threatening, humid air hovering over the city park, the show went on and was a runaway success. Admission was free, food was reasonably priced, and the atmosphere was friendly and full of good vibes. All sorts of cars were welcome, from a gorgeous early 1930s Chevrolet sedan all the way up to a restored 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda, among many other fantastic cars. There were muscle cars, hot rods, offbeat classics, Mustangs, and even a Lotus Esprit V8. I was incredibly impressed at the variety and the caliber of cars on display out on the street on Sunday afternoon. The weather held up, everyone had a great time, and I even saw a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 that I’d judged in 2007 (more on that car in a future post). A great day was had. Enjoy the photos, everyone!

Continue reading Highlights from the 2014 River Edge Car Show →