Eldorado Cadillac History 1957

Cadillac’scompletely restyled 1957 offerings borrowed heavily from the lines of the Park Avenue, a hardtop sedan “idea” car shown at the 1954 Motorama. A new X-member chassis contributed to structural rigidity as well as to a profile nearly 75mm lower than before. Of course, the lack of side rails meant that the new frame afforded virtually no lateral impact protection, but Detroit wasn’t particularly safety-conscious in those days.

Once more the Eldorado Biarritz and Seville had their own rear-end configuration. The work of Ron Hill, a talented 23-year-old design newcomer, it featured a sloped deck flanked by rounded fenders sprouting sharply pointed fins. Rear wheel openings were again skinless, and the lower rear fenders were liberally garnished with chrome. The hood ornament was eliminated, contributing to a smoother frontal appearance. Overall, the ’57 was more readily distinguishable from other Cadillacs than any Eldorado since the original. Oddly enough, the dual four-barrel carburetion was dropped this year, and standard horsepower backed off slightly to 300 despite an increase in compression ratio. The all-out performance buff could still get the twin pots and 325 horses, but they now cost extra.

But the Biarritz and the Seville were no more than a warm-up for 1957s main event: the new Eldorado Brougham.