| What's New
Unusual X-frame
with tubular backbone . . . Body styling patterned after Eldorado
Brougham show car ... Fenderless, finned rear deck for regular
Eldorados . . . Instead of sedans, four-door, fourwindow hardtops
... Spherical joint front suspension . . . Top of 325 horsepower.
Your Choice
Cadillac produces cars for pocketbooks
-ranging from fat to mink-lined. Actually, there are many
models of theoretically cheaper cars like Chrysler New Yorker
and Buick Roadmaster, not to mention T-Bird and Corvette,
that can cost you more than a basic Series 62 coupe.
These come in plain and de Ville
form, as do the Series 62 four-door hardtops. The difference
lies mostly in luxury of interior trim. Next in the price
line is the elongated (by nearly nine inches overall) Series
60 Special sedan, newly converted to hardtop form and distinguishable
by masses of chrome on the lower reaches of the rear fender.
In addition to the $12,500 Eldorado
Brougham, described separately on page 58, there are two versions
of what must now be called "standard" Eldorados.
Considerably cheaper, relatively speaking, production is limited
but there should be enough to go around. Cars are easily recognized
by totally different rear end styling where the deck is flush
with the quarter panels and fins are inset in a manner reminiscent
of GM's Firebird 11 turbine car. At approximately the same
price, you have a choice of the Biarritz convertible or Seville
cloth-covered hardtop.
Cadillac Power
Cadillac's under-hood contents
cube out to about the same displacement as Buick, considerably
less than the top Chryslers. A 15-horse jump in power (to
300) is derived mainly from redesigned combustion chambers;
a slight increase (to 10 to 1) in compression ratio; a new,
I lower carburetor with larger secondary bores and wider bore
spread; and larger intake valves.
Optional on Eldorados (and actually,
in practice, on other models too) is a twin four-barrel carburetor
and manifold set-up that raises horsepower to 325, equal to
the industry's top for regular production cars. However, torque,
the real performance favor, does not seem to benefit from
the changes, remaining the same as last year's 400 pounds-feet
at 2800 rpm (3300 rpm for the optional engine). Therefore,
although performance will be adequate, do not expect your
new Cadillac to show its taillights to '56 models.
Hydra-Matic, standard on all
models, is left. almost as was, since its big revamping happened
last year. This is the one With the second fluid coupling
and two sprag cluthes replacing the former friction clutch
and bands. Gear changes blend into an almost continuous flow
of power, but imperceptibly less smoothly than either Dynaflow
or Chevrolet's new Turboglide mainly because these do not
change gears as such. Big Hydra-Matic advantage is minimum
power loss.
Lowered Cadillac silhouette required
a switch to a two-piece driveshaft, but still of the Hotchkiss
type. A 3.07 ratio gearset is standard, but specify the 3.36
option if you want best performance at a slight cost in economy.
Cadillac on the Road
Most remarkable Cadillac advance
is the new -X" frame with tubular center. The body is
mounted on outriggers instead of the usual side rails. Advantages
can be shown by using an extreme example: The 150-incb wheelbase
version for the Series 75 limousine weighs 31/2 per cent less,
yet has 18 per cent more resistance to twist and is 16 per
cent stiffer. Actually, biggest advantage stems from beefing
up hardtops and convertibles.
Disadvantage is weakened body-side,
more vulnerable to damage in a mid-ship collision, despite
strengthened rocker panels.
Already excellent Cadillac handling
is further improved by adoption of spherical joint (same as
ball joint) front suspension, offering better geometry while
cornering as well as greatly reduced maintenance requirements.
As in other GM makes, much successful attention is paid to
the elimination -of broke dive.
Further road stabilitv comes
from spread-but rear leaf springs mounted parallel to the
centerline of the car plus equalized treads (61 inch) fore
and aft. Power steering and brakes, 15-inch tires are standard
on all models.
Inside Your Cadillac
It is hopeless to try and describe
the almost infinite number of interior designs available,
not to mention the 500 exterior color combinations possible.
Suffice to say, they are all tops in glamour if not in practicality.
Instrument panel is more readable
especially because there is not a single item not marked by
a lighted placard. Crash safety requirements are newly acknowledged
by recessed knobs, standard panel padding, dished steering
wheel, floor-mounted parking brake, and left-of-center glove
box. A thoughtful feature is thick padding on the rear facing
of the front seats.
Your new Cadillac will seem more
lithe, easier to drive although the reasons are inexplicable
since dimensions, inside and outside, are about the same except
for overall height. Maybe it's that lean Brougham styling.
Why Buy?
Prestige, as measured by low
depreciation, at top . . Fine quality control during manufacture
. . . Most silent car inside . . . Excellent for both handling
and driving ease ... Close to top performance. |
