Front three-quarter on the street. Roof down, which is how it leaves the building.

1959

Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

The tallest fins ever fitted to a production car, on the most expensive American car of 1959.

What it costs

$520 per day · 100 miles included · fuel included

Collect

Return

Mileage

100 miles a dayIncluded in the rate— Add 150 miles a dayFor a long route or a two-state day$45/day

Damage cover

Standard$5,000 deposit held, released in 5 days— Reduced excessDeposit drops to $500$65/day

Collection

From the garage2461 Bellevue St, Detroit— DeliveredAnywhere inside Wayne County$120

Total for 2 days —

Refundable deposit of — held separately on the same card. Fuel is included — the car leaves full and comes back full at our expense, because we would rather fill it ourselves than argue about it.

Every figure we hold on this car.

Engine390 cu in Cadillac V8Original block, rebuilt in-house.

Output345 hpGross, as rated when new. Modern net figures would read lower.

Torque435 lb-ftWhich is what you actually feel.

TransmissionHydra-Matic 4-speed automatic

BrakesDrums, all four cornersRead the braking note before you drive it.

BodyTwo-door convertible

Seats5Lap belts only. No child seat anchor points.

Curb weight5,060 lb

0–60 mph10.7 secPeriod road-test figure, not ours.

FinishEbony over white leather

Daily rate$520100 miles a day included. Fuel included.

Deposit$5,000Refundable, released within five working days.

1959 is the peak and the end of the fin. Nothing before it went this far and nothing after it tried. The Biarritz was the convertible at the top of the Eldorado range, it cost more than a house in some states, and Cadillac built comparatively few of them.

It is eighteen and a half feet long. It does not fit in a modern parking space, it does not fit in most modern garages, and getting it out of our building takes two people. We tell you this before you book rather than when you arrive.

What it's like to drive

Nothing else drives like this. It floats, it leans, and it is completely unbothered by anything. Drive it slowly with the roof down along the lake and it is the best car here. Drive it in a hurry and it will not thank you.

The one thing that will surprise you

The roof is powered by hydraulics that are original. It takes about forty seconds and it must be done stationary. If it starts to rain, pull over — do not try to raise it while moving.

Take it somewhere worth going.

We keep five routes written up, with the distances, the surfaces and where to stop. The Woodward run is the obvious one. The lake road is the better one.

See the routes Back to the fleet