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

In our previous installment, Cadillac introduced the tenth generation Eldorado coupe of 1979. The new car was smaller in all dimensions, 900 pounds lighter, and wore very different styling to its predecessor. The changeup was necessary, as Eldorado ventured into a PLC market fundamentally different to the one the enormous and boaty ninth-gen Eldorado occupied between 1971 and 1978. For the second time in its history Eldorado was a clean break design, and attempted to return to the sharp angles and simple lines it wore in 1967.

(Note: The 1978 Eldorado is two-tone brown, and a Custom Biarritz Classic. The 1979 in black is a standard model with Cabriolet vinyl, while the light gray example is a basic trim. The white one is a Biarritz.)

Modernization was the most prevalent insistence of the new design. Gone were the heavy square egg crate texture from the grille, the chunky chrome bezels for the headlamp surrounds, and the amber turning indicators. In their place was a finer grille texture with horizontally oriented egg crate, simply framed quad rectangular headlamps, and Euro-style clear indicator lamps.

The grille itself was much narrower than the prior year, as the car was several inches narrower and had less real estate to offer. Eldorado block lettering was removed, as the grille was ensconced in chrome trim with a Cadillac script logo at top right. The bumper was a simpler looking design than the prior year and got away with two vertical bumper guards at either side of the license plate, instead of six separate guards in 1978.

Front fenders were still tall and creased, but protruded less from the body than they did in 1978, both in overall height and in forward reach. The shield decorations from the front corners were mercifully eliminated in 1979, as were the grandiose faux extensions in length given by the front clip. The line for the front clip assembly was still visible and wore individualized styling to differentiate the Eldorado from the Toronado.

The fenders were no longer tapered at the top to form a supplemental character line but fell off almost vertically down the side and left a smooth surface. The corner marker lamp and indicator were moved further forward ahead of the wheel. The wheel arch itself now wore a lip and was no longer a flat surface. Arches cut down closer around the wheel and left much less empty space behind each tire.

Block lettering that vanished from the Eldorado’s flank in 1977 returned as an Eldorado script in 1979, with a badge advertising the electronic fuel injection (a badge Cadillac maintained into the 1990s). Side mirrors were the same shape as before but mounted on a much shorter stalk that also contained an optional exterior thermometer. Above was a more relaxed A-pillar, as the Eldorado leaned into fuel economy and modern aero styling and shed its upright formal 1970s look.

Also less formal was the side window arrangement, where frameless glass met with a rear side window just behind the door shut line. That window did not roll down, which meant the Eldorado was not a true pillarless hardtop. Few customers missed the thickly padded opera window, and if they did the Continental Mark V was still there for them in their time of need.

The flanks of the Eldorado reflected minimal decoration. The chrome trim spear was gone, replaced with nothing. As with past Eldorados, there was a strip of chrome along the rocker panels and fender bottoms that served to length the car visually. Three wheel choices were offered for Eldorado: a base chromed wheel disc (rare), a finned alloy that looked sportier (fairly rare), or chromed faux wire wheels (most common).

Aft of the rear side window was a thick B-pillar that ended at an upright notchback roof. It cut off sharply at the sloped rear deck, and the Eldorado no longer featured its trademark upward kick behind the door. The look was sleek when finished in metal. However, there were vinyl roof coverings available in the “Cabriolet” option package, and it was standard on the Biarritz.

Other exterior changes with Biarritz were a script badge on the B-pillar that replaced the Cadillac logo, along with an opera lamp on either side. Following the lead set by the 1977 Biarritz trim, a chrome spear began at the front of the fender. It got thicker and more substantial until it covered the lower portion of the windowsill entirely, and headed upward across the B-pillar in a more substantial way than regular Eldorados. This feature was a callback to the 1955 Eldorado’s window treatment.

Biarritz continued with the visual glitz. It included as standard a stainless steel roof panel exclusive to the trim. Unpainted, the stainless had a brushed finish and was trimmed at either end by a thick piece of chrome. The Biarritz most often featured some contrast pinstriping to add to the overall effect.

Past the vinyl (or not) roof treatment was a simplified rear end that removed most of the excess of the 1978 Eldorado. The trunk lid had a simple crease down the middle where it met with the Cadillac logo, and all curvaceous bloat was gone. The trunk was no longer tiered, but cut down sharply in line with the rear tailfins that were smaller than ever. Fenders were simple and clean and no longer wore a red reflector.

Lamps were simplified too and no longer had chunky chrome tailfin housing. Simple red vertical spears were thin and delicate looking and no longer sheltered by chrome caves. Lower rear bumper spears were gone altogether, replaced with a curved chrome bumper that mimicked the design at the front. Simple badging at the back said Eldorado on standard models, and included a block letter Diesel badge underneath if the car was cursed with that engine. Biarritz examples said so on the back, to let onlookers know it was the special trim package.

Overall, the Eldorado wore its looks very well in 1979. It was a new era of Eldorado design which coincided with a leadership change at GM styling. One of the last great designs to slip through the net, the changeup was orchestrated by the board at GM and would lead to one of the worst product eras in the company’s history. We’ll delve into that context and the plush new interior of the Eldorado next time. 

[Images: seller, seller, seller, seller]

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