Lot 304: 1971 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

The Eldorado, part of the Cadillac line from 1953 to 2002, was the longest running American personal luxury car and the only one sold after the 1998 model year. Its main competitors included the Lincoln Mark Series and the lower-priced Buick Riviera. Although cars bearing the name varied considerably in body style and mechanical layout during this long period, the Eldorado models were always near the top of the Cadillac line. An Eldorado convertible would remain in the Cadillac range through 1966, but its differences from the rest of the line were generally modest. In 1964, probably the most distinctive year during this period, the main visual cue indicating an Eldorado was simply the lack of fender skirts. Radically redesigned for 1967, the Eldorado was intended for the burgeoning personal luxury car market, a 'personal' Cadillac sharing the E-body with the Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado that had been introduced the previous year. Cadillac adopted the Toronado's unique Unified Powerplant Package and front-wheel drive. When General Motors' full-size cars were redesigned for 1971, the Eldorado regained both a convertible model and its fender skirts. The 3,210mm wheelbase version of the Eldorado would run through 1978, receiving facelifts in 1973 and 1975. In 1976, when all other domestic convertibles had vanished, GM heavily promoted the American industry's only remaining convertible as 'the last American convertible'. Originally purchased by the vendor in 1999 from an advertisement in a California-based national newspaper, it was shipped over to Great Britain with all taxes paid at the port of entry. It was then registered with the DVLA and used on a daily basis by the owner. These are specialist cars and require a certain amount of marque knowledge to keep them running. To that end, this imposing example has been maintained by a local London Cadillac specialist with the electric hood still working perfectly and a full year's MoT test certificate attesting to the reliability of the mechanical components. A good-looking classic '70s piece of Americana.