Rare Rides Icons: The Cadillac Eldorado, Distinctly Luxurious (Part LXI)

In our last installment, we wrapped up the ninth generation Eldorado’s run in 1978. With expanded Custom Biarritz and Custom Biarritz Classic trims turning the coupe into a celebration of festoonery, change was in the wind at Cadillac. Let’s take a look at Cadillac’s impressive sales figures and model pricing between 1971 and 1978.

As Cadillac turned the page to the Seventies, it had a slow year. Down from a record high of 238,744 sales in 1970, the brand faltered to 188,537 sales in 1971. The lineup was new that year, and featured some gawky looking front ends with quad headlamps separated by Cadillac shield emblems.

At the base of the lineup was the Calais, available as a two-door hardtop for $5,934 ($47,928 adj.), or a four-door hardtop sedan that asked $6,110 ($49,350 adj.). Stepping up to the better trimmed two-door Coupe DeVille cost $6,299 ($50,877 adj.), and the Sedan DeVille asked $6,533 ($52,767 adj.). 

Fleetwood models began with the Eldorado coupe, which asked $7,416 ($59,899 adj.), while the convertible was notably more expensive at $7,884 ($63,679 adj.). The Sixty Special, now confined to its more expensive Brougham trim cost $7,821 ($63,170 adj.). Finally, Fleetwood Seventy-Five was offered as a Sedan for $11,955 ($96,560 adj.), or as partitioned Limousine for $12,094 ($97,683 adj.).

Calais continued to be the least popular entry in the Cadillac lineup, and in 1971 just 3,360 coupes and 3,569 sedans were sold. The brand’s bread and butter remained the DeVille, which was accessible to more people than Fleetwood models and within the budget of most who might have considered a Calais. The Coupe DeVille managed 66,081 sales that year, while the Sedan DeVille was even more popular with 69,345 sales.

The Eldorado experienced its best sales ever in 1971 as 20,568 coupes and 6,800 convertibles were sold, besting 1970’s total of 23,842 cars. The Fleetwood Sixty Special saw a serious decline in demand at this time, falling from a sales total in 1970 of 18,651 to just 6,800 in 1971. Credit was perhaps due to the changing tastes of consumers, and the lesser desirability of the long-wheelbase formal sedan. Seventy-Five sales remained steady, with 848 Limousines and 752 Sedans sold in 1971.

Cadillac’s lineup was a carryover with minor edits from 1972 to 1976 so we’ll summarize only annual sales and Eldorado figures for brevity. Cadillac rebounded in 1972 to smash its sales record once more, with 267,787 sales. Of that figure, 40,074 were Fleetwood Eldorados with a base asking price of $7,360 ($57,566 adj.). 

Sales soared to over 300,000 cars for the first time in 1973. The Eldorado (no longer a Fleetwood) was as popular as it had ever been too, racking up 51,451 sales. Eldorado coupe sales totaled 42,316 examples, while the convertible sold 9,315 times. The asking price that year started at $7,358 ($55,524 adj.).

As the lineup aged, sales fell in 1974 to a lesser 242,300 cars. The Eldorado was somewhat less popular, with 40,412 sales. Of that figure, 32,812 were coupes and 7,600 were convertibles. The asking price jumped notably in 1974, to $9,115 ($62,878 adj.).

Sales improved in 1975, though would not reach the 1973 high mark: 264,372. The Eldorado increased its sales to a total of 44,752. That year there were 35,802 coupes produced, and 8,950 convertibles. Eldorado’s asking price was $9,933 ($61,288 adj.).

In 1976, a last-of moment for much of Cadillac’s historical nomenclature, sales reached a new record of 309,139 cars. As Cadillac announced the convertible Eldorado was going extinct, it drove sales among speculators and collectors alike, who purchased an impressive 14,000 that year. The coupe’s sales were also improved, at 35,184 cars. Eldorado’s price crested the $10k mark for the first time, at $10,590 ($61,228 adj.).

It was a new model name world in 1977, as Cadillac removed traditional names, trimmed less successful models, and downsized its lineup. The Calais entry-level line was no more. It was replaced by the now entry-level C-body DeVille, and supplemented by the midsize flagship Seville for those who wanted a smaller vehicle.

Shifting away from its quality focus, Cadillac narrowed the Fleetwood designation of vehicles in 1977. The Sixty Special Brougham was replaced by the downsized Fleetwood Brougham. For reference, the Fleetwood Brougham had a foot shorter wheelbase than the Sixty Special, and was a foot shorter (221.2”) and over four inches narrower (75.3”). In 1972 Cadillac began shifting the focus from the Sixty Special name and transitioned to "Fleetwood Brougham" in 1973.

Fleetwood Brougham measurements matched those of the DeVille in 1977, as the Sixty Special’s replacement was no longer a stretched, larger full-size sedan. For this reason Fleetwood Brougham sales are lumped in with DeVille sales during this period, and it’s usually considered a trim of the DeVille. DeVille was available as two-door coupe or four-door sedan, while the Fleetwood Brougham was a four-door only until 1980. The hardtop period of Cadillac design was officially over. 

Similarly downsized were new limousine models which were no longer called Seventy-Five. The long-wheelbase sedan was called Fleetwood Limousine, while the partitioned version intended for a chauffeur was the Fleetwood Formal Limousine. This smaller D-body Limousine would be the last rear-drive factory limousine produced by General Motors when it was eliminated after 1984. The only Cadillac not downsized was the Eldorado. As mentioned last time, the Eldorado soldiered on for two more years in 1977 and 1978. 

Cadillac was rewarded for its downsizing to suit the times, with record breaking sales of 358,488 vehicles in 1977. DeVille and Fleetwood Brougham production made up the vast majority of Cadillac’s sales that year, as a total of 234,171 were produced. Coupe examples (138,750) handily outsold the sedans (95,421) in 1977. DeVille prices started at $9,650 ($53,027 adj.).

The Eldorado in its pre-downsized format experienced its best sales year yet in 1977, when 47,344 rolled out of showrooms. Its price had grown to $11,185 ($61,463 adj.) that year. No longer the halo vehicle it once was, the Eldorado was eclipsed in price by the Seville. A total of 45,060 Sevilles were sold in 1977, and each asked a high $13,360 ($73,414 adj.).

Limousine pricing is not available, however the math would work out to a total of 31,913 limo sales. Perhaps this figure was boosted by the lessening availability of domestic factory limousines, commercial sales, and coach firms that bought them to create stretch limos. The new Limousine was only 10 inches longer than the departed Sixty Special, so some of its former customers may have selected it as well.

Cadillac sales were slightly lower in 1978, but still reached 349,684. The Eldorado went strong as customers snapped up the coupe in its final full-size year, and 46,816 were sold. The coupe’s base price of $11,920 ($61,309 adj.) was often notably higher if equipped with a vinyl roof (Cabriolet) or fitted with either of the very expensive Biarritz trim packages.

The most expensive Cadillac in 1978 was the limited edition Gucci Seville, which was made into a fashion accessory complete with five-piece monogram luggage and gold interlocking G exterior emblems. Aldo Gucci himself said the special Seville gave “...the few fortunate owners a rare possession of distinction, beauty, and ultimate luxury.” It asked $19,900, or $102,354 today.

After a very successful disco run, the traditional full-size party was finished for Eldorado. The coupe would be reborn in 1979 as a much smaller vehicle with more modern amenities and some other tech features that had no problems whatsoever. We’ll pick up the tenth generation car next time.

[Images: General Motors]

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