CADILLAC ELDORADO BROUGHAM 1957

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Model number: 4008

This fine model of one of the most desired Cadillac of all time, are here produced by the famous die-cast manufacture from SUN STAR in China in scale 1:18.

The model comes now in several colors, and mine here is in Amethyst (purple- metallic) witch is a bold color for a car in this price range those days - over 13.000 $ in 1957. -Equivalent in today's money as a high-end supercar.

Luckily the price for the model is more affordably for a 1:18 scale collector. A list price of 75.00 Euros here in Europe, and sometimes even cheaper in sales on some web-shops.

Sun Star have released this model in the U.S.A. Collectibles as the mid price range, just under the Platinum series with a higher level of details for approx. 40 Euros more.

So is this model the price worth, do the level of details and proportions live up to the price? - In my book yes! We see here a rather high level of details and fine craftsmanship from Sun Star. There are models out there with more details and better finish - but they have a price 3 to 4 times the Sun Star.

Some Sun Star models of mine have been with a poor quality control (surprisingly more of the Platinum series) than this series. When this model was unboxed none flaws in paint or assembly what so ever!

What I don't like in this model is: A rather poor fit between door panels and body, seen on many die cast models..... The best way to disguise this as a collector: try to go for the darker color schemes such as black or dark blue etc. This model has a fine interior for this price range too. But the glass in the model is in some places just as looking trough a bottle. Okay I'm a bit harsh here..... But take a look yourself.

Anyway I'm glad of this big car model and overall Sun Star has done a fine job.

I will give this model 4 out of 6 stars  ******

Below here are pictures of the model, historical description, old brochures, technical data and a little movie clip for the real car. So please enjoy!

One of the finest car ever produced

Hand build luxury icon

The Cadillac Eldorado is a personal luxury car that was manufactured and marketed by Cadillac from 1953 to 2002 over ten generations. Competitors and similar vehicles included the Lincoln Mark series, Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado and Chrysler's Imperial Coupe.

The Eldorado was at or near the top of the Cadillac line during early model years. The original 1953 Eldorado convertible and the Eldorado Brougham models of 1957–1960 were the most expensive models that Cadillac offered those years, and the Eldorado was never less than second in price after the Cadillac Series 75 until 1966. Eldorados carried the Fleetwood designation from 1965 through 1972, and was a modern revival of the pre-war Cadillac V-12 and Cadillac V16 roadsters and convertibles.

1957 saw the Eldorado (in both convertible and Seville hardtop body styles) with a revised rear-end design featuring a low, down swept fender line capped by a pointed, in-board fin. The rear fenders were commonly referred to as "chipmunk cheeks". This concept was used for two years, but did not spawn any imitators. Series 62 Eldorado's (as distinct from the Series 70 Eldorado Brougham) were further distinguished by the model name above a V-shaped rear deck ornament and on the front fenders. The rear fender and deck contour was trimmed with broad, sculptured stainless steel beauty panels. Also seen were "shark" style fins pointing towards the back of the cars. A three section built in front bumper was another exclusive trait of the Series 62 Eldorado's, which came with a long list of standard features. Four specially-built 4-door hardtop Eldorado Sedan Seville's were also built in 1957.

1957 was chiefly notable for the introduction of one of GM's most memorable designs, the Series 70 Eldorado Brougham. Announced in December 1956 and released around March 1957, the Eldorado Brougham was a hand-built, limited car derived from the Park Avenue and Orleans show cars of 1953–54. Designed by Ed Glowacke, it featured the first appearance of quad headlights and totally unique trim. The exterior ornamentation included wide, ribbed lower rear quarter beauty panels extending along the rocker sills and rectangular sculptured side body "cove" highlighted with five horizontal wind splits on the rear doors. Tail styling treatments followed the Eldorado pattern. This four-door hardtop with rear-hinged rear doors was an ultra-luxury car that cost an astonishing $13,074—twice the price of any other 1957 Eldorado and more than the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud of the same year. It featured a stainless steel roof, self leveling air suspension, the first automatic two-position "memory" power seats, a dual four-barrel V-8, low-profile tires with thin white-walls, automatic trunk opener, cruise control, high-pressure cooling system, polarized sun visors, electric antenna, automatic-release parking brake, electric door locks, dual heating system, silver magnetized glove box, drink tumblers, cigarette and tissue dispensers, lipstick and cologne, ladies' compact with powder puff, mirror and matching leather notebook, comb and mirror, Arpège atomizer with Lnvain perfume, automatic starter with restart function, Autronic Eye, drum-type electric clock, power windows, forged aluminum wheels and air conditioning. Buyers of Broughams had a choice of 44 full-leather interior and trim combinations and could select such items as Mouton, Karakul or lambskin carpeting.

There were serious difficulties with the air suspension, which proved troublesome in practice. Some owners found it cheaper to have it replaced with conventional coil springs.

The 1957 Eldorado Brougham joined the Sixty Special and the Series 75 as the only Cadillac models with Fleetwood bodies although Fleetwood script or crests did not appear anywhere on the exterior of the car, and so this would also mark the first time in 20 years that a Fleetwood-bodied car was paired with the Brougham name. The 1957-58 Eldorado Brougham also marked the return of the Cadillac Series 70, if only briefly. Only 400 Eldorado Broughams were sold in 1957.

An all-transistor signal-seeking car radio was produced by GM's Delco Radio and was first available for the 1957 Eldorado Brougham models, which was standard equipment and used 13 transistors in its circuitry.

For 1958, GM was promoting their fiftieth year of production, and introduced Anniversary models for each brand; Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. The 1958 models shared a common appearance on the top models for each brand; Cadillac Eldorado Seville, Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Oldsmobile Holiday 88, Pontiac Bonneville Catalina, and the all-new Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala.

On 1958 2-door Eldorado's, a V-shaped ornament and model identification script were mounted to the deck lid. Two-door Eldorado's also had ten vertical chevron slashes ahead of the open rear wheel housings and crest medallions on the flank of the tailfins. Broad, sculptured beauty panels decorated the lower rear quarters on all Series 62 Eldorado's and extended around the wheel opening to stretch along the body sills. All-new was a special-order Series 62 Eldorado Seville, of which only one was actually built.

The major changes to the Eldorado Brougham in 1958 were seen inside the car. The interior upper door panels were finished in leather instead of the metal finish used in 1957. New wheel covers also appeared. Forty-four trim combinations were available, along with 15 special monotone paint colors. A total of 304 Eldorado Broughams were sold in 1958. 1958 was the last year for the domestic production of the hand built Brougham at Cadillac's Detroit factory, as future manufacturing of the special bodies was transferred to Pininfarina of Turin, Italy.

Technical specification:

Old brochures of the car CADILLAC 1957

Video of the real car from Youtube

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