Cadillac Eldorado 1953
The 1950s brought post-war optimism and rising standards so Detroit responded with fresh models and more power. But nothing could match the highly exclusive Cadillac Eldorado in 1953. Based on the Series 62 convertible model, the Eldorado was the first actual “personal luxury” car and the most expensive Cadillac at the moment with a price of $2000 over the rest of the lineup.
The car’s main features included the advanced one-piece wrap-around windshield, an interesting belt line with a slight dip, and raised tail lights that were the announcement for chromed fins that were to arrive just a few years after. The power came from the same 5.4-liter V8 as the rest of Cadillac’s models from 1953. Cadillac only made 532 Eldorados that year. But despite its limited availability, the Eldorado became famous and stayed in Cadillac’s portfolio for 50 years (via Notorious Luxury).