Featured Classic: 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

A most-polarising design

It might have become an enduring symbol of 1950s car culture, but when it went on sale in 1959 the Series 62 Cadillac was probably the most polarising design the brand had ever seen.

The result of a palace coup in which General Motors styling chief, Harley Earl, was blind-sided while he was away in Europe by design staff who thought Cadillac styling was going in the wrong direction, the monstrously be-finned 1959 range became a symbol of the American excesses of the time.

The soaring, razor-sharp fins of 1959 - the biggest the industry has ever seen - were symbolic of GMC's response to its ousting by Chrysler as the leader of North American car design. The resultant bold styling that was reflected across all GMC brands successfully reestablished the company in what it considered its rightful position.

But it also marked the beginning of the end of an era of remarkable ostentation. Subsequent Cadillacs became less outrageous, to the point that the once style-leading brand descended more or less into the mainstream.

It was also the twilight of the career of Harley Earl, the long-standing GMC design supremo who is still considered by some today to be the father of the modern automobile.

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A nostalgic resurgence

Before the two-box designs of the 1950s, most cars were little more than adaptations of old-school, separate-mudguard, tall-and-skinny designs that could be traced right back to the beginnings of the automobile [Ed: or even the horse and cart!].

Nobody at this time imagined the extremes to which US car design was headed. Yet today, after being reviled for many years after it left the marketplace, the 1959 Cadillac has had something of a nostalgic resurgence.

It might have been visually and literally over the top, but it was actually an eloquent expression of the mood of the times and, some would say, a true work of art.

Poignantly, in what may have been intended more as a celebration - but has been interpreted by many as a snub to the enthusiastic team that created it - the 1959 model's overly bold rear end was immortalised in 1974 at the now-famous Cadillac Ranch on Route 66 in Texas.

Here, it took pride of place among a number of discarded Caddys from numerous eras that were planted, rear end up, to track the evolution (devolution?) of the Cadillac tailfin since the first cheeky taillight bumps that were integrated into all Cadillac styling in 1948.
Brash elegance

Particularly in coupe form, the 1959 Cadillac had a brash elegance about it: The pillarless roof was as graceful, airy and beautiful as anything from any car-maker around the world and, perhaps in seeming contradiction, it balanced perfectly with the car's otherwise outlandish design.

From inside, it offered all-round visibility that no car in today's safety-conscious world is able to match, providing a panoramic view of the world outside. Ironically, despite the car's length and width, it was easier to position the pillarless models (two and four-door variants) in tight spots than you might imagine.

Not only could you see clearly around you, but the rear fins and the chromed protuberances on the upper front guards meant that you could also pinpoint all of its corners from the driver's seat.

The 1959 Cadillac might have represented some sort of aircraft-inspired idea of the future, but the mechanicals underneath it all were less adventurous.

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A cruiser, not a bruiser

The 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville featured here ran a cast-iron, pushrod V8, displacing 6.4 litres and producing 227kW, and driving through GM's own four-speed Hydra-Matic transmission.

It rode on a suspension that featured a simple live axle at the rear-end - the car's ride quality was contributed to not only by its weight, but also by its massive 3302mm wheelbase.

The braking was attended to by a power-assisted all-drum system, and not only was the Cadillac huge, it was also mighty heavy, equalling many contemporary full-size off-road 4WD wagons.

This car was a cruiser, not a bruiser. It was designed to offer a sublime ride and a level of interior silence you'd not find in an ordinary American car. Unlike Rolls-Royce, Cadillac was happy to announce the power outputs of its cars, but it the emphasis, like Rolls-Royce, was not on boastful claims, but on "adequacy".

Zero to 100km/h times of around 12sec were the norm - awfully slow by today's standards but more than enough in 1959.

That said, the 1959 Cadillac was handier on the road than earlier versions: Yes, the steering was light and slow, and the wheel was almost unnaturally large. But the car responded quite well to the driver's commands and was - relatively speaking - quite agile for a vehicle approaching six metres long and weighing as much as it did.

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Unrivalled luxury

Of course passengers lounged in what at the time was unrivalled luxury: Power steering, air-conditioning, power seats, self-dipping headlights, and even cruise control were no strangers to Cadillac - and the space was enormous, from the interiors to the elongated boot.

And the cars with the distinctive V symbol on the bonnet were put together with more attention than your regular production-line car. Cadillac reportedly didn't hold back in ensuring its cars represented the pinnacle of what America's car industry was capable. At something like twice the price of a family sedan of the day, you got not just the luxury, but also a car that was appropriate for your status in the community.

Yes, there was a time when a Cadillac was something to aspire to. Euro car-makers of the time may have scoffed at the excesses. Right from the beginnings of the brand in 1902, there was always something special about the cars that represented everything that was good, and some of the things that were bad, about the heyday of the US automotive industry.

Today, a 1959 Cadillac is a hard thing not to love.

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About the owner

Tony Ziino, the owner of our feature 1959 Cadillac, has owned his car for more than 20 years. His connections with this Coupe de Ville, and Cadillacs in general, run very deep…

The car came to his attention and was purchased with support from his father who, in many ways, set the cast for young Tony's future passions - although not via GMC products.

"My dad at one stage owned a Star model Ford Customline which I absolutely loved," explained Ziino.

Along with rock 'n' roll music which led to an enduring fascination with Elvis Presley, Tony gravitated towards Cadillacs as perhaps the most eloquent expression of US cars, especially in the 1950s.

Today he owns three Caddys: The beautiful 1959 Coupe de Ville featured here, an equally gorgeous white 1955 Coupe de Ville that is driven by his wife Tania, and a 1959 de Ville four-door that is currently a "work in progress."

Both Coupe de Villes are key to his hire car business Cadillac Style, which concentrates on weddings and social occasions, but can also turn its hand to other functions, including funerals!

Just to make things clear, Tony has no plans to ever say goodbye to his 1959 Coupe de Ville.

"I can never imagine selling it," he smiles.

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About the location

Graceland - the imposing and very appropriate backdrop for the '59 Cadillac belongs to Shane Warden, who kindly made it available for our photo shoot.

It's an impressive creation: An interpretation of Elvis Presley's famous Graceland mansion in Memphis Tennessee, it has been home to Shane and his family for 10 years or so. It is no stranger to photo shoots and has also hosted period American car shows.

Situated in an outer suburb of Melbourne, the impressive mansion was carefully designed to closely match the proportions of the original Graceland and even features an amazing life-size manikin of Elvis in the stately foyer.

What could have been a more perfect setting?