The massive tail fin on a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz is a thing of beauty. Those fins, adorned with twin bullet taillights, arrived just in time for a country obsessed with space travel.
The 1959 Cadillac was a road rocket. And the convertible Biarritz version was the most beloved in the fleet.
Two spectacular examples of the period—from the Newport Autosport collection—are now available on eBay. The 1959 Biarritz and 1960 model on eBay are impeccable California cars with comprehensive frame-off restorations.
Here’s a gallery of the 1959 car:
Tail end of 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz
Taken as a pair, the 1959 and 1960 cars are drop-dead gorgeous bookends. The duo share the same black exterior and red leather interior colors. They both come with the coveted bucket seat option.
The 1959 Cadillac Biarritz Won the Fin Fight
Chrysler started Detroit’s battle of the tail fins in 1957. Chrysler’s Virgil Exner is considered the father of the tail fin. When he joined Chrysler, the company’s vehicles were styled by engineers—not designers.
Exner quickly put Chrysler in the vanguard of auto design by introducing long hoods, lower rooflines, and those aggressive aerodynamic tail fins.
General Motors’s legendary design chief Harley Earl replied with the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado.
The fin on the 1960 Biarritz is not quite as big. And there’s no red bullet light.
But the battle of excess was short-lived. Earl retired late that year, and Bill Mitchell stepped into his role. Mitchell took a more conservative approach. The toned-down style is evident in the 1960 Biarritz. Tail fins had peaked and now started their descent from their most immense proportions.
1959 and 1960 Biarritz Bookend Beauties
The Eldorado “Seville” is the hardtop version of the Eldorado, while “Biarritz” designates the convertible.
Soak in the beauty of these two Biarritz examples for auction on eBay. The tail fins may be the first thing to catch your attention. But it’s the intricate, jewel-like grille and tail-end details that sustain your gaze.
Tail end of 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz
The pair of classic Caddies on eBay exhibit an attention to detail deserving of the cars’ heritage. They are Concours-level restorations.
The 1960 Biarritz
It takes ample thrust to launch a nearly 19-foot, 5,060-pound luxury land-rocket. Both the 1959 and 1960 Biarritz cars feature 390 cubic-inch V-8 engines rated at 345 horsepower.
Tri-Power carburetors complete the setup. The Eldorado’s trio of two-barrel carbs increased output by 20 horsepower over the standard four-barrel Cadillac engine.
Long Live the Fin
The convertible Biarritz carried the highest price among Cadillacs. Sales represented just a small slice of the pie. Nonetheless, the Biarritz was a halo car that drew customers into Cadillac showrooms.
A scant 1,320 Biarritz models rolled off the 1959 production line. The starting MSRP was $7,401—pricey for the day. Production slipped to 1,285 in 1960.
Six decades later, these magnificent, winged chariots are just as impressive. Thankfully, auto enthusiasts continue to celebrate their designs with meticulous restorations. The two befinned Cadillac on eBay are extraordinary. They remain halo cars among the nearly 100 Eldorados for sale on eBay.
The seller of the two primo Biarritz cars is a life-long Southern California Cadillac enthusiast. He told us that his father bought a brand-new Cadillac convertible every year. He shared a memory of riding shotgun with his dad back in the day.
As they were cruising SoCal, his dad posed this question:
Do you feel that ride? It’s like we’re floating on a cloud. That’s what makes it a Cadillac.
See 1959 Cadillac Cars & Trucks for sale on eBay.
