1969 Cadillac Coupe Deville (LHD)

Description

Cadillac has represented the pinnacle of American luxury motoring for the past century and their products have always reflected the mood of the nation - witness, for example, the rise of the fins and other styling excesses in the booming 1950s and the more sober, restrained elegance of the early 1960s as the Cold War era began in earnest. Cadillac's DeVille nameplate remained in use from 1949 until 2005 (indeed it lives on today as the DTS) and generally referred to the mid-range model sitting between the base Series 62 (later Calais) and more upmarket Eldorados. The 1965-1970 generation DeVilles were based on a perimeter frame platform with a massive 129-inch wheelbase and a choice of bodystyles including both two-door (hardtop and convertible) and four-door (hardtop and sedan) versions. Styled under the direction of Bill Mitchell, these late 1960s Cadillacs saw the appearance of curved side glass and vinyl roofs, while the tail fin was finally consigned to the history books. Initially powered by a 429-cid V8, an even bigger unit displacing 472-cid (at 7.7-litres this was the largest in the industry) was fitted from 1968, rated at 375 horsepower. In 1969 the DeVille was restyled in the same vein as the Eldorado, losing the stacked headlamps and the vent windows were replaced by rear quarter glass, while the roofline was more squared off. The all-new grille had a stronger horizontal theme, with dual headlamps and the overall length increased slightly, by 2.5-inches. Front and rear armrests became standard, as did an all-new ventilation system. These giant American luxury cars are now a wonderful anachronism, from a different time when size really mattered. Unloved for many years, they are now appreciated by new generations of car enthusiasts and increasingly popular on cruise nights around the country.