Eldorado Biarritz or Series 62 convertible?

During Auction Week in Scottsdale 2023 both Barrett-Jackson and RM Sotheby’s had an example each of the iconic 1959 Cadillac for sale. If you’re any kind of car-aficionado you’ll definitely be able to conjure up the image of a 1959 Cadillac in your head. If not, you’re bound to have seen them in movies and on TV shows, on posters, t-shirts, greeting cards, neon signs and even USPS stamps! The design, especially of the rear end tail-fins with their bullet taillamps, characterized the height of flamboyant space age design and came to represent the epitome of 1950’s Americana pop culture.

Due to this, and the fact that the 1959 Cadillac was considered to be “the last of its kind”, it has become a very popular collector car, with well restored examples, preferably convertibles, fetching top dollar at auctions both in the United States and abroad.

In 1959 Cadillac offered no less than twelve different models to choose from, two of these were convertibles – the top of the line Eldorado Biarritz, and the more basic Series 62. RM Sotheby’s had an Eldorado Biarritz for sale and Barrett-Jackson had a Series 62 for sale. Funnily, these cars ended up both fetching $200,000 on the hammer (the buyer’s premium is added to that price), irrespective of the difference in options and design. So how does a Series 62 differ from an Eldorado Biarritz?

Firstly, the Elorado Biarritz is a much rarer car. Only 1320 cars were built in 1959 compared to the 11,130 Series 62 convertibles built. The factory price for an Eldorado Biarritz was $7401, while a Series 62 convertible would set you back $5455. Have in mind that the average annual wage in 1959 was $4,965…

Both cars are built on GM’s C-body and have a 390ci 6,4l V8 engine and 4-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, but the Eldorado Biarritz came with “Tri-Power”, i.e. three two-barrel carburetors producing a factory rating of 345hp, whereas the Series 62 had a four-barrel carburetor and had 325hp.

If you ordered a Cadillac convertible in 1959 you’d have fifteen colors to choose from, all with tantalizing names such as “Gotham Gold” and “Vegas Turquoise Metallic”. If you ordered an Eldorado Biarritz or an Eldorado Seville (the 2-door hardtop version of the Eldorado) you would have another 5 colors to choose from, amongst them “Hampton Green

Metallic”, which is the color of the Eldorado Biarritz sold at RM Sotheby’s.

The Series 62 convertible sold by Barrett-Jackson was a custom “Elvis Presley Pink Cadillac”-pink which was not an original color offered in 1959.

The Eldorado Biarritz also offered substantially more elaborate trim on both the exterior and the interior. On the exterior intricate chrome highlights curve over the rear fender and back along the upper beltline, below the trunk there is a 3-decked rear grille insert with the same bejeweled look as the front grille, and chrome V-emblems in the main taillight assemblies. An “Eldorado” script is also featured on the front fenders and as lettering on the trunk bar, along with a “Biarritz”logo on the chrome bar that crosses the car’s beltline. The interior

featured various chrome and brushed aluminum accents such as Eldorado-specific moldings in the door panels and chrome details on the parking brake, gas pedal and brake pedal. A fiberglass “parade boot” covered the convertible top when it was folded down.

Standard features for the Eldorado were all of the options available for the lower line cars, such as fog-lamps, heater, AM-radio with rear-mounted speaker, power windows, power brakes, power steering, electric door locks, a 6-way power seat, automatic trunk release, rear fender skirts and white wall tires. The wheel covers were exclusive to only the Eldorado and Fleetwood lines.

The Eldorado Biarritz also had air suspension as a standard feature, although this often proved to be troublesome. The car sold at RM Sotheby’s had the original air suspension removed and replaced with a new, improved air-suspension system for better reliability, although the original air suspension was supplied with the car in case the buyer would want to make the unwise decision of once again installing it.

As packed with equipment as the Eldorado Biarritz was, there were only four options available for it – the Autronic Eye automatic headlight dimming device, air-conditioning, cruise control and bucket seats.

The Series 62 convertible, on the other hand, did not come with an equally impressive list of standard features. Apart from the power steering, power brakes and power windows it shares with the Eldorado Biarritz, it offered reverse lamps, windshield wipers, two-speed wiper motor, external rearview motor, interior vanity mirror, oil filter and a two-way power driver’s seat. Although this list might seem pretty dire in comparison, Cadillac including these features as standard equipment was still more than what most car manufacturers did. Just imagine heading down the highway and getting caught in an unexpected rainstorm without windshield wipers! Or trying to navigate a car that size without exterior rearview mirrors!

An attempt to methodically list all of the differences between these cars is not being made here, but with all things considered here, which car would you choose for $200,000? The opulent Eldorado Biarritz or the less luxurious Series 62 convertible? I know which one I’d go for!

Although it should be mentioned that while comparing cars like this there are obviously other things to take into consideration than the model, such as condition, originality (both of these cars have been restored), restoration quality, matching numbers, options, mileage etc.

But if you’re about to buy a 1959 Cadillac convertible, make sure to bring your XL wallet! In 2018 Bring a Trailer sold a 1959 Eldorado Biarritz for a record breaking price of $410,000!