1959 Cadillac Series 60 Special Fleetwood Hardtop (RHD)

No automobile better symbolises the styling excesses of the chrome age than Cadillac's range for 1959. Under the influence of Bill Mitchell, GM's head of styling, the new Cadillac line was generally cleaned up but all interest was in those gigantic rear fins, the tallest of any production car and each bisected by twin bullet taillights. Under the outlandish skin, the 1959 Cadillac was powered by a new, vastly improved 390-cid V8 with the option of 345hp (if the standard 325hp wasn't considered sufficiently powerful to haul the nearly 5,000 pounds around) plus new power steering and shock absorbers to improve the ride. The Fleetwood was Cadillac's top of the range luxury model for 1959 (apart from the limited production Brougham) and was offered with two wheelbase lengths (130-inches or 150-inches plus a 156-inch option for the likes of hearses, ambulances etc.). The Fleetwood featured unique styling touches, in particular the bullet-shaped panel extending from the rear doors to the rear bumper along with additional chrome and badging. The six-passenger model, based on the Series 60 platform, was available only in four-door hardtop guise and cost $6,233 when new. With only 12,250 made (from a production total of 142,272 for Cadillac for 1959), the Fleetwood was a select and very upmarket model. The Fleetwood also came with several interior appointments, like air conditioning, as standard equipment. With the wildest fins of any production car, the '59 Cadillac Fleetwood is an automotive icon and the jewel in any collection of Americana or - as the sales brochure subtly put it - "?represents an entirely new realm of motoring majesty".