1967 Cadillac Eldorado

The 1959 Cadillac is the zenith of American automotive excess — the highest tailfins ever fitted to a production car, the most chrome Cadillac would ever apply, the ultimate expression of postwar optimism before JFK and Vietnam changed the national mood. The Eldorado Biarritz convertible was the flagship: air suspension, power everything, and styling that defined an era. These are the cars in vintage photographs of Las Vegas, Miami, and Hollywood. Love them or hate them, the '59 Cadillac is America in sheet metal — confident, oversized, and completely unapologetic.

The mid-70s Coupe DeVille represents peak American excess — a two-door coupe the size of a small apartment, powered by the largest V8 GM ever built, and appointed like a rolling living room. This was the car for people who'd made it and wanted everyone to know. The emissions-strangled 500 V8 made embarrassing horsepower for its size, but torque was always adequate. These cars floated over roads, isolated their occupants from the outside world, and announced arrival in no uncertain terms.

The 1971-1978 Eldorado represents Cadillac at maximum displacement: the 500 cubic inch V8 remains the largest engine GM ever put in a production car. By 1975, emissions regulations had sapped the power, but the torque remained — these cars still moved with authority. The 1976 Eldorado convertible was marketed as 'the last American convertible,' creating a speculative frenzy that proved premature but made those cars collectible regardless. These are full-size personal luxury coupes at their most excessive — massive, comfortable, and completely unconcerned with efficiency.