[ last update: 01.26.2015 ]

The (new) Cadillac Database^©

Photo Pages
Cadillac

1957

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The easiest way to distinguish a 1957 Cadillac from a model of any other year is to look at the front clip and rear tail fins.  The 1957 Dagmars (those bullet-shaped bumper impact guards named after a buxom TV personality of the time) now wore a black rubber conical tip; the latter would be used again on the 1958 models.  The tail fins grew in both height and length; the scimitar fin was upon us; viewed from the side, the fins slanted forward on all models except the Eldorado Seville coupe, the Biarritz convertible and the bespoke Eldorado Brougham sedan.  Compared with subsequent years, up to 1964, the forward slant of the fins had the effect of optically diminishing the length of the car.  There was a movie commercial on the 1957 models which has been digitalized and posted on You Tube [unfortunately, I cannot guarantee it will always be there].

 

Front and rear clips of  "regular" 1957 Cadillac models

 

The Eldorado models (including the Brougham) had different tail-fin treatments.  The Brougham was a preview of things to come in 1958.  The Seville and Biarritz models, on the other hand, were totally different from any finned Cadillac to date ...or to come, for that matter.  Their rear-end treatment earned them the title of the Cadillac with the chipmunk cheeks owing to the bulbous shape of the car's rear quarters, below the inboard fins.

 

Additional information and photos of the 1957 models and the related sales literature may be found  in The (New) Cadillac Database© sections entitled "Descriptions and Specifications of Cadillac Cars 1956 - 1965",  "Cadillac and La Salle Sales Literature 1955 - 1959" as well as in the appropriate "Dream cars" section.  Further recommended reading includes:

(a)   "Automobile Heritage's Illustrated Guide to 1950 Through 1959 Cadillac" by Roy Schneider, © 1978,  published by Automobile Heritage Publishing Co., Post Office Box 7, Temple City, CA 91780 [ISBN #0-917104-02-1] and

(b) "Standard Catalog of Cadillac, 1903-2000" edited by James T. Lentzke, © 2000, published by Krause Publications, Inc., 700 E. State Street, Iola, WI 54990 [ISBN #0-87341-925-1, Library of Congress #91-61301].

The bulk of illustrations below are from the product catalog and folder for 1957.  The latter catalog is quite a rare piece of Cadillac literature whereas the large folder, which has essentially the same illustrations, is still relatively easy to find.

 

The Series 62

The Coupe
At a listed $4713 the Series 62 hardtop coupe and sedan, style 6237 and 6239, were the cheapest Cadillac offerings for 1957;  that is not to say they were mechanically inferior in any way; a total of 32,342 units were built	Interiors of the Series 62 cars was a mixture of cloth and Elascofab (a vinyl material)
The Sedan This is the Series 62 hardtop sedan, style 6239,   of which 32,342 were built for the home market and 384 for export; it cost $4713, like the coupe, above
The Coupe de Ville This is the Series 62 hardtop Coupe de Ville; in 1957 it found 23,813 buyers at $5048 each This artist's view is from a period ad [ Z. Taylor Vinson collection ]      Lombard Street in San Francisco ...   ... not the ideal street for negotiating bends in a Cadillac
Factory publicity shot of the Sedan de Ville
This is the Series 62 hardtop Sedan de Ville, style 6239DX,  of which 23,808 were built; listing for $5188 it cost slightly more than the Coupe de Ville (above)	De Ville interiors were finished in a mixture of cloth and leather
The Convertible
The splendid Series 62 convertible coupe topped that series with a $5225 price tag;  9,000 were built	Sumptuous convertible interiors were all-leather
Here are two different illustrations from period ads Here's a nice survivor.  It sold at auction in Miami, in March 2006 for $19,000 and again in Auburn IN, in May 2006, this time for $26,000; I suspect we shall see it go again for $50,000+ at a Barrett Jackson auction.  Some cars don't run, they just cross the block!
The Eldorado Seville
Into its second year of production, the Eldorado Seville coupe was the pinnacle of comfort and luxury in a closed 2-door car; the smell of  leather was everywhere; 2,100 units found buyers for $7286 each; a sparse four units were built in 4-door configuration; at least one has survive	Seville interiors were available in leather alone or in a mixture of rich  cloths and matching leather
Factory promotional photo
The Eldorado Biarritz
Also into its second year of production, the Eldorado Biarritz convertible turned a few heads in its day ...and still does today;  like the Seville it features the bulbous and much talked about chipmunk cheeks at the rear, with inboard scimitar tail fins; priced the same as the Seville ($7286) 1,800 units nonetheless found buyers

 

The Series Sixty Special
[ Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that links to You Tube videos will always be functional ]

 

The Series 75
[ sedan and limousine ]
[ Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that links to You Tube videos will always be functional ]

      
    The new Series 70
[ very limited production - only 400 units ]

New for 1957, the Eldorado Brougham was far and away the most expensive model in the range (it cost $13,074, compared to $7,586 for the sumptuous Series 75 limousine [ in this artists view, the car still has the "custom" wheels it wore at the introductory shows in Paris and New York ]	The Brougham was delivered with a complement of so-called vanity items; before delivery to buyers, these were placed in the glove compartment and in the rear seat armrest (that had a lid)
For more detailed information about Cadillac's bespoke Eldorado Brougham models, please click here

 

Details

This is Cadillac's completely new, tubular-center "X" frame which allowed the car and the floor inside it to be lowered

Gone was the "Goddess" hood mascot in 1957, replaced by these two small, vertical "wings" (left) single headlights (center) were used on all models except the new, luxurious Eldorado Brougham; The doors of the limousine offered exceptional headroom for comfortable entry and egress (right)

Chrome hood vent grille made stylish splash up front of the windshield (left); exhaust gas continued to be emitted through openings in the rear bumper, much to the detriment (over time) of said bumper extensions (center); Eldorados had cast aluminum-alloy so-called sabre-spoke wheels with removable center caps (right) All cars except the Series 60S (above, center) and Eldorado models had these tail-lights

 

I acquired in the sixties some interesting merchandising material for the 1957 Cadillac.  If you wish, you can tour the Clark Street assembly line by clicking here, or view some early 1957 sales training photos by clicking here.  These photos are converted from 35mm  slides and are reproduced for your pleasure and edification, courtesy of GM/Cadillac.

Space-permitting, some additional photos of surviving cars may be added here, later.  Meanwhile, I have selected from my collection a few factory photos and other miscellaneous  photos (below) for your enjoyment.

 

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or go back to the Cadillac photo index page to pick another year
or go to the  La Salle photo index page

© 1996, Yann Saunders and the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc.
[ Background image: 1957 front clip ]