Cadillac's Big Step Backwards - 1971 Eldorado

Howdy do! :D
At the beginning of the 1970s, Cadillac ruled the American luxury car market with a substantial lead, thanks largely to innovative and spectacular models like the 1967 Eldorado that married performance with styling and technology to create a trend-leader for the emerging Personal Luxury Car. This was until their rivals at Lincoln struck back with the equally successful Mark III, and as the ground was laid for what automotive onlookers were predicting to be a long and decisive battle between two of America's most affluent car brands, Cadillac took a huge step backward when they foolishly believed that beating Lincoln would be done by simply just adding more exuberant luxuries and expanding the new model to such bizarre proportions, that the resulting machine no longer appealed to the forward-thinking new money of American business, but instead would cement the Cadillac brand as the ponderous, water-bed suspension barges of the middle-aged and elderly, a reputation it has struggled to shake off even over 50 years after the launch of the car that started it all, the 1971 Cadillac Eldorado.
Chapters:
0:00 - Preamble
0:45 - Cadillac's Golden Era - 1955 to 1959
2:16 - A Strategic Withdrawal
3:44 - Lincoln's Darkest Hour - 1956 to 1961
5:31 - The Rise of the Personal Luxury Car
7:38 - 1967 Eldorado - Rewriting the Book
11:05 - The Mark III - Lincoln Strikes Back
12:46 - 1971 Eldorado - A Look to the Past
16:58 - Old Designs and Oil Crises
18:26 - GM Relies too much on the Eldorado
20:58 - Losing the Race to Lincoln
22:38 - Smearing the Image
24:42 - 1979 Eldorado - Emergency Downsizing
26:21 - The Last Strand of a Long Dead Era
27:20 - Conclusion
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References:
- The Marquis (and their respective sources)
- Curbside Classic (and their respective sources)
- Indie Auto (and their respective sources)
- Wikipedia (and its respective references)

[@gastonave]

The 70's El Dorado somehow managed to combine an absurd length with a cramped back seat.

[@DaveSCameron]

Only because the room was necessary for those bodies in the trunks

[@billolsen4360]

@@DaveSCameron Ya mean, Benny, Louis Two-Fingers, Carmine an' Bugsy?

[@jwalster9412]

​@@billolsen4360yes

[@BrainFuck10]

The Lincoln Continentals were like that as well that’s why I prefer the Coupe Deville

[@user-kw5qv6zl5e]

Something to do with the bonnet length ?

[@saxongreen78]

The Toronado was the same story...went from a ground breaking stunner of a design to a gaudy tank within a few years.

[@arnepianocanada]

So true. All GM large & medium cars bulked up piggishly (h'mm, insulting pigs!) The '77 full-size shrinks were planned prior to '73 oil embargo. Enough was too much.

[@wurly164]

My first car was my grandfather's 65 Cadillac. First year without fins. The dash was a work of art. Also used in 66, after that the dashes were bland. Later I bought a 76 Fleetwoo, the last year of the big Cadillac. On a 133 inch wheelbase with a detuned 500 ci engine. Rode like a cloud and more room than a small apartment.

[@deltavee2]

There were a couple of Eldorados in the family over two generations, my father--in-law being a firmly devoted Cadillac man as was his son. My taste ran to the '69 Mark III which remains my favourite American car to date, beautiful lines, all black inside and out and a top end that went off the speedometer crossing the Canadian Prairies. Caddy made some beautiful machines, one of which was the '49 model. Beauty....

[@marko7843]

We had a '49 Coupe de Ville when I was growing up. Twas a pity that my dad didn't have time to fix it up, because it had every option available... Hydraulic windows and seat, vacuum antenna and windshield washers, combination parking lights/fog lights, automatic temperature control heaters, push-button radio, rear seat speaker with fader, a trunk light and, of course, three ashtrays & lighters!

[@unclefester6501]

49 club coupe/sedanette

[@tyler2610]

While the 1970s saw cuts in quality at Cadillac (and most other marks) I would definitely not say Cadillac’s decline beginning in the early 80s was due to models like the 71 Eldorado which sold in record numbers for Cadillac. I would say it was much more likely things like the V 8-6-4 engine, putting a Diesel engine as standard power plant in the ‘80 Seville, the ‘82 Cimmaron, and ever down-sized models with blander and blander styling in the mid-80s.

[@maxrockatanskytheroadwarrior]

I personally think he is wrong too, every single american automobile brand declined during the malaise era, but the 1971 Cadillac Eldorado is still a collectible to this day, Cadillac's declines really started to show in the mid 80s to 90s

[@ChrisACiufo]

The EPA regulations didn’t help: 300+ HP in the late 1960s out of the 471 and 500…down to maybe 150? Of course, during that period output was first rated at the crank then at the wheels-so the drop looked worse. Still, driving the car you could FEEL a notable and drastic reduction in power. Why buy a land yacht that accelerated like a motor boat?

[@tyler2610]

@@ChrisACiufo These cars were definitely all about comfort over anything else so going fast especially with their handling wasn’t the greatest idea anyway. When the car can’t get out of its own way though, that does become a problem.

[@maxrockatanskytheroadwarrior]

@@ChrisACiufo Still, those land yachts did make up for it by having a ton of torque, so much that people used to attach trailers to them, and they were still incredibly comfortable, with large interiors, that made you feel like you rode on your living room couch.

[@ChrisACiufo]

@@maxrockatanskytheroadwarrior Good point. When was the last time you saw a travel trailer hitched up to something besides a pick-up truck? Been a while for me.

[@jetsgardner5490]

By the 8 minute mark, I was convinced that you were bound and determined to show every and any car other than the subject of this video, i e the 71 Eldorado, and came very close to clicking out.

[@jeremyramirez9150]

24:32 Him saying Pimpmobile was the highlight of this video🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@pcno2832]

19:15 The Mark IV had the advantage of free advertising every week on the show Cannon, while the Eldorado enjoyed the mixed blessing of being portrayed as the ultimate pimpmobile in the movie Superfly. The '71 was not quite the step back that it might have seemed; it did have a better ride and had almost identical dimensions as the '70, though it looked much bigger to many eyes. I think the changes made for 1975, with the switch to angular lines, trapezoidal opera windows and huge chrome bumper caps, trashed up the Eldorado's image well beyond what the '71 had done. And, for its part, the '72 Mark IV and later Mark V were steps back in some ways, with much added overhang that brought its length up to a gigantic 228" (increasing to 230" for 1977) and only a mid-sized interior which looked too similar to that of the related, but modestly priced Torino. But somehow, both brands seemed to be holding up well with Cadillac breaking sales records every year from '76 to '79 and Lincoln selling plenty of cars as well. Part of this might have been a buying panic by those who wanted one last taste of luxury before being forced into the small cars our government was promising to force on us. But, by the end of the decade, after growing older and older while paying smaller and smaller premiums over other brands, traditional Cadillac and Lincoln buyers were simply dying off, forcing a transition to a new brand identity on both brands.

[@Scottocaster6668]

230" that's what, 19 feet long?? Good God man 😲

[@dbh6668]

The WW2 generation passionately embraced Cadillac - it was the thing you aspired to. You started with a few Chevys, maybe a Pontiac, then in your 30's you could afford an Olds or even a Buick if you were a white collar sort, and then when the kids were grown and you had really made it you could finally get that Cadillac. My grandpa thought that way and he worked his way up the ladder. I think GM just assumed that their kids (my dad) would feel the exact same way and were a bit baffled when in the 70's and 80's, the boomers wanted Imports. Now my dad is a grandpa and we drives a Tacoma.

[@eddstarr2185]

The 1967 Eldorado benefited from a youthful, almost sporting appearance with its flared wheel openings, "razor-edged" fenders and extremely long hood. The 1967 Eldorado had that unique "athlete in a tuxedo" design, but Cadillac management mourned the loss of the Eldorado convertible determined to bring it back with the 1971 redesign. Unfortunately, the 1971 Eldorado adopted the styling cues of the original 1953 Eldorado with bulbous, ungainly proportions, and fender skirts. Enter the Continental Mark IV.

[@rugosetexture2716]

I well remember the Eldorado when I was a small kid. It really was a beautiful car. Thanks for this!

[@heirofaniu]

My grandmother had a '73 El Dorado for the longest time. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a "good" car, but it was definitely comfortable to ride in.

[@rustybearden1800]

I grew up with my mother's 1973 Cadillac Eldorado, fully optioned (no sun roof) and I can attest to the opulence of these cars - bank vault solid, quiet, powerful, surprisingly quick and stable and enormous. I took my drivers license test and parallel parked in it and drove it almost daily. My best friend's parents had his and hers Designer Series Lincolns - Gucci and Bill Blass Editions that were just as good! But Eldos are fantastic!

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Anyone remember the TV detective Cannon and his Lincoln Continental? What a boat! Nice blue colour though.

[@pcno2832]

I always though of Cannon as being like Ironside with the biggest wheelchair in the world. But he somehow managed to win every fight. Sadly, the real William Conrad, whose voice had narrated many shows before Cannon, only lived a few years after the show went off the air.

[@russcattell955i]

I was getting the theme tune in my head. Remembering Frank stop, get out and cross the road, the Lincoln still bouncing on it's springs.

[@ErikDB6]

@@pcno2832 A few years? How about 20.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@pcno2832 Conrad narrated 'Rocky and Bullwinkle'.

[@96lscpower18]

​@@pcno2832 Bull he lived years after Cannon went off the sir

[@zerocool5395]

As a car guy, I love cool cars from any country, brand etc. But there's something about American cars from the 60's that I just love. The 67' Eldorado, 66' GTO, 65' Riviera, 63' Vette, 66' Continental, etc.

[@nobodyyouknow4319]

you forgot the '66 Toronado

[@kirtreeves7777]

The 1960's were a time of American manufacturing exuberance. A, "we can do anything", decade with the Apollo missions, etc. Odd since the same decade also had a huge amount of turmoil, war, race riots, protests, etc.

[@dwayneroth100]

@@kirtreeves7777 Just like today 🤭

[@christinecrawford]

While I prefer the '65, you had me at GTO! 😍

[@ivarmarkusson382]

about a decade ago i randomly saw a 73 eldo at a used car lot, i live outside of america so thats not exactly what you expect to see there, let alone it 2013, just for the fun of it i actually ended up buying the thing. it was a non restored, kinda low milage, kinda shabby but still all there, west coast car so not rusted, but literally baked. red with red interior and white vinyl. fully loaded with options. i ended up owning that car for a few years, and actually used it, drove it to work, went on a holiday in it, drove it in snow, rain all kind of conditions, and man i loved that old boat.. it was dead on reliable, literally drank fuel, literally raised and havoc everywhere i went. probably my favorite car the biggest surprise to me was the front wheel drive, like every car nut i dislike fwd in general, but after thousunds of miles in the old eldo it won me over, it suits the manners of a boat like this to be pulled rather than pushed. in comparison to other land yachts i found the fwd to be superior in many ways

[@errorsofmodernism7331]

I think the '71 Superfly Cadillac pimpmobile was the apogee of the art

[@smithwilliam6837]

I had a lot of cars looking back my 71 Eldorado was one hell of a car

[@johanbrand8601]

I'm in love with the 1971 Cadillac lineup! Thanks for sharing!

[@DiRF]

*keeps talking about a "second-gen" Thunderbird whilst showing tons of footage of a first-gen. Then mentions the third-gen Thunderbird, showing footage of a fourth-gen* I can't quash the pedantic part of my brain when I see stuff like that.

[@trudygreer2491]

I completely agree.. some incorrect facts too.. if one is going to go to all the effort of producing a video at least get the research done right! (and leave the judgments to the viewer.. )

[@allenwayne2033]

Yep, I noticed that too.

[@JohannesSebastian]

This is an underrated channel

[@hornetbrown]

Created by those that don't know American cars. A travesty on video.

[@HoaxKAMEPA]

@@hornetbrown Truly. These foreign losers talk down about American cars and the Space race, and it nauseates me.

[@alxa4739]

What a crazy car, 8.2L, 3 speed, front wheel drive. Just a turbo hydramatic with a giant chain drive to make output face forwards. They literally built trucks with less beef than these. Np wonder c.a.f.e. killed the whole thing

[@zopEnglandzip]

Ended up being a popular drivetrain with winibago for obvious reasons. If you haven't seen it check out Rudy Grubb's work, he built an airstream style RV around one with fly bridge and spiral staircase.

[@alxa4739]

Yeah, that was an amazing attempt at a new product category for them

[@lindaeasley5606]

A relative of mine purchased a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria ( Ford's Luxury car) last year with 135, 000 miles on it and it runs like a dream .

[@stupot1093]

Beautiful cars iconic styling. Miss these

[@rexracernj7696]

It's funny, a lot of Lincoln owner forums complain that the Mark IV was a big step-down in quality & finish from the Mark III.

[@Quad8track]

So true. Fact is, that drop in interior finish was across the board in all car manufactures.

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

I remember going to see the Mark IV when it first came out and thought the overall appearance of the interior -especially the dash - looked cheap and "Ford-ish" compared to the outgoing Mark III

[@marcodmagnifico2737]

16:47 Cost per barrel of oil at $2.00 translated to about $0.25 or less per gallon of gasoline (or about $0.07 per liter of petrol for you huddled masses back in the old world ) meant my Dad's 1969 Ford LTD Country Squire (received on Halloween 1968) was able to make the round trip in 1970 loaded with a family of 5 from Chicago to Cancun and making a stop over in Mexico City to pickup another family of 5 for a total of 10 souls on board (as they say in the airline industry) for total cost of around $600 in fuel (that's $60 per person!). All that in air conditioned comfort at 75mph (outside of city traffic), oh and that LTD could seat 11, so we had room for one more. Small wonder my Dad decided to drive instead of flying- even with his United Airlines employee discount. Besides long distance vacations this was my Dad's daily driver from downtown Chicago to O'Hare Airport a round trip of 40 miles daily meant about 103,000 miles on the clock by the time he traded in for an even more awesome 1974 LTD Country Squire (went with Dad to pick it up on April 1 1973 aka April Fool's Day ).

[@dewiz9596]

Watching this makes me wonder if I’ve set my TV’s aspect ratio incorrectly. . .

[@stevie-ray2020]

Can't imagine trying to park one of these barges anywhere near where I live!

[@nonelost1]

One does not "park" these steamships. They must be moored.

[@stevie-ray2020]

@@nonelost1 So true!

[@user-rg4sn9by7w]

@@nonelost1 and when you sit in it a personal parrot will say "Captain on deck!"

[@marko7843]

Yes they take up space, but they actually maneuvered pretty well. As I moved from RWD, to longitudinal-engine FWD, to transverse-engine FWD, I kept seeing my cars getting smaller but my turning circles getting larger...

[@-oiiio-3993]

I had a '62 Caddy while living up a one lane 'road' on steep hillside with tight switchbacks among Coastal Redwoods in Ben Lomond, Ca.

[@lilibethdoherty295]

The Super Fly 71 Eldorado was a Smashing Success Due to the TV Show. There will never be a car that outrageous ever again !

[@baronvonjo1929]

As a twenty something year old, I find the idea of coupes and especially these giant coupes being popular just crazy. I do wonder if maybe, as less and less folks have children will coupes make a comeback as people don't need all the space and it's just two at most. You honestly never know. Imagine telling people from the 1960s that several decades from now the most popular cars wouldn't be the low slung sedans and coupes they know, but in fact a body style that is closer to what their grandparents grew up with in the early 20th century. A two box deisgn lifted up. Maybe sedans and such as we knew them were the fad all along. Going back to the roots of the automotive industry.

[@evanbarr9270]

I had a 69 that was In good shape overall .These cars handled more like a sporty mid size .flat in the corners .,and they didn't jitter over little pot holes or road imperfections.the way even high $ euro sedans did.. had great acceleration considering the gearing and weight.and highway acceleration and cruising effortlessly at over 100 where incredible.if you punched it at 60 it would kick down to 2nd and blast up to 90 then hit 3rd and right up to over 120 .

[@michaeloreilly657]

Nice to see your own work included again in the video.

[@Hirthirthirt]

"water bed-soft suspension" THATS MY SHIT......cars should be built like that!!!!

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Crazy huge cars.

[@TW1257]

From the front, the first cars in the video look a lot like our 1972 Impala.

[@jamesrecknor6752]

72 Impala, beautiful.

[@ninerdoublezero]

Thank you for a very thorough, albeit meandering history of the Eldorado. To my aesthetic, the 8th generation was the supreme styling pinnacle of the brand.

[@beachboy0505]

Brilliant video 📹 Pimpmobile : 😆 lol 😆 MAGNUM FORCE

[@briangil2163]

Great, substantial information here. Also, sorry but hearing an Englishman talk so properly about pimps - you got me in stitches.

[@Pisti846]

I don't think an Englishman can understand the American love of big cars which has continued to this day, although now people drive giant pickups and SUV.

[@tjm3900]

True, they tend to think big and flashy = tacky.

[@baronvonjo1929]

@TJ M Then why did they make Rolls Royce, Range Rover, and Bently. Those can get giant

[@tjm3900]

@@baronvonjo1929 Rolls and Bentley were never something that the average Brit would aspire to and for many years the Bentley was offered along side Roll as something equally good, but less pretentious. Range Rover was initially VERY utilitarian. Only overtime did it become the vehicle of choice for yuppy scum.

[@baronvonjo1929]

@TJ M Still big cars deisgned by Brits

[@tjm3900]

@@baronvonjo1929 For the 1%

[@paulaaron9419]

This car feels like riding a cloud, and you have a small chance of death if in a car accident and you also look pretty sharp.

[@bradparris99]

In the mid 70s I had my grandfather's 71 Eldorado to drive. You are absolutely right about these cars being safe in an accident. One night a drunk driver in a Chevrolet Suburban hit me head on. Because of the size and quality of the car along with the fact that I was that rare teenager that buckled up both the lap and shoulder belts when I drove that car, I walked away with only minor cuts, scratches and bruises from the belts.

[@shawnbroyles8274]

I picked up a 71 Eldorado convertible a few years ago the dash board is lack luster compared to others but like my 90 year old grandfather said "boy when they made them they really made them"

[@marvwatkins7029]

"1959 being the high watermark of the American car industry". Really?

[@DJunclepaul2nd]

Thank you for this content

[@macjim]

The modern Cadillac’s are very different than these barges… lighter, smaller but with a design ethos mimicking that which Ford had with the first generation Focus… almost like a stealth fighter. The new electric Cadillac is an interesting car and a bold move too… hopefully it’ll do well.

[@rogersmith7396]

They still have stupid egg crate grills.

[@macjim]

@@rogersmith7396 so too, does Audi

[@tjm3900]

But it seems to me they are still burdened with the Cadillac (Old fart) stigma

[@DavidPysnik]

@@tjm3900 I wish that were true. New Cadillacs are nothing like the “old fart” cars of yore, but that is the problem. Those old cars were spacious, quiet, effortless, large, and comfortable cruisers that rode like a cloud. Their new cars aren’t, and the low sales reflect that. If you want a tiny “sporty” stiff-riding car to tailgate people with loaded with tons of technology you won’t use, you can definitely get one from Cadillac, but you can also go to many different manufacturers that will do this kind of car better. What you can’t get is what Cadillac used to do better, the “old fart” car, and hence why Cadillac has fallen apart. The closest thing they’ve got to their heritage now is the Escalade, of all things, and it’s actually what’s helped keep them alive over the last decade or two as opposed to their supposed edgy brand-saving, German-fighting sedans.

[@baronvonjo1929]

@@rogersmith7396 The grills look pretty common. Genesis, Audi, MB, Cadillac, Ford. All are kinda different but have the same basic idea of a shape.

[@Thomas63r2]

This is so much more of a video than I expected - if you relabeled it as a history of luxury brand personal luxury cars.

[@yambo59]

FYI - the 500" Cadillac V8 was technically a 502", I used to maintain my friends dads Eldorado and the engine tag listed its engine on the tune up info as a 502" -----

[@missingremote4388]

I had one of those in my first car. Good engine and transmission 76 coupe Deville (1984)

[@yambo59]

@@missingremote4388 Yes, actually they were about the best and most reliable Cadillac engines ever made -- the 472" and 502", same engines different displacements. Ran smooth as glass at idle when tuned properly, excellent highway cruisers if you could afford the gas-lol I also had a '64 coupe deville cream paint with red leather interior, awesome highway car as well. Im 63 and I greatly miss those big highway cruisers, in fact after my uncle passed I was left his '63 buick Lesabre with one of the wildcat engines and we drove it nonstop but for gas from tennesse to illinois and we werent even tired when we got home. Drove that car for a few years, think of my uncle and that car often as I rode in it most of my early childhood.

[@JenniferinIllinois]

I was not expecting to hear 'pimpmobile' on this channel. 🤣🤣🤣

[@marvwatkins7029]

Correction: Mark III was introduced in 1968. We owned one.

[@vizmortlock]

Very well researched and presented.

[@HoaxKAMEPA]

Sorry, no.

[@cellpat2686]

Very good analysis and a fantastic narration helps make the point very clear. Thank you.

[@villiamo3861]

A very good video indeed. Thank you.

[@eyesofisabelofficial]

I enjoyed this very much.

[@desertmodern7638]

Negativity alert. The amount of footage wasted on the pink convertible with its nonstandard paint inside and out, tacky exhaust extension, aftermarket chrome valve covers of incorrect shape, and exterior panel fitment befitting a junkyard, is unfortunate. The 1971 and later series was an enormous letdown compared to the sublime 1967-1970 models, but one can make the point without extended focus on such a hideously unrepresentative example.

[@kesando84]

I like this narrator. Well presented 👌🏽

[@desertbob6835]

'71 saw a cheapening of the entire Cadillac range, to fit in the GM's new "less car for more money" mantra for that year that eventually tanked the company.

[@randyblu25]

GOD DAMN! I cant believe people like / liked to drive these ocean-freighter-size cars today you wouldn't be able to fit one in some of the tight parking garages, and the narrow streets (and that's without a major snowfall. Also, when he said "pimp" i thought it was amazing, so classy and monotone. i couldn't help but laugh.....

[@baronvonjo1929]

Cadillac makes bigger cars than this today. Aka the Escalde

[@tombrown1898]

What was wrong with the hood on that hot pink Eldo convertible? They were sloppily put together, but not THAT sloppy!

[@nomebear]

These were extremely reliable cars, they never gave us any trouble. y partner's first was the 1970 model and the styling was the best of the best (however, the curved back seat was murder on a long trip) After that, the Eldorado grew to be a much larger machine, the last of the big we owned was a '75 convertible. Both my stepfather and my partner each owned four of the larger '70s vintage Eldorados. The last one owned was a 1985 Biarritz, white with red interior, and a class act.

[@rogersmith7396]

The best one.

[@eddiestanley135]

You can almost hear that pink 73 crying 😭😊

[@whatsup1396]

You are a god damn legend

[@learn_with_gern]

Hearing Rudy say "Pimpmobile" completely dryly is making me think of doing a KZbin Poop of these videos.

[@tandemcompound2]

Motoring in luxury from one Arab-Israeli war to another. I grew up looking at these beasts, like the Lincoln, and scratched my head how anyone would conceive of such a thing let alone buy one.

[@braddietzmusic2429]

At 23:21 you bring up a largely ignored point: Diminishing the brand and the product by allowing it to be featured and given away at game shows. All that hard-won impression exclusivity and gravitas as a marque, thrown away at game shows. I often think how the rental car industry too created a perception of the cheapening and commoditization of the American manufacturers products. Instead of making American consumers more open to buying American cars through their experience of them in a rental market, the opposite happened. You rented a car when you needed a car, and American manufacturers allowed their vehicles to be needs-based and value propositions rather than aspirational. Increasingly common was the person with the Mercedes, BMW, Toyota or Honda in their driveway, while when they were off on a business trip in a faraway city, they rented all manner of domestic vehicles to get around on a need basis. The upshot: the perception that you drive a domestic vehicle when you had to, and you would save your better car that you bought, for other purposes. Sure, the American manufactures sold lots of vehicles to rental agencies and it bolstered their sales, but at what cost to their reputation and perception. To my recollection, you couldn’t rent any import vehicles in the 1970s and for some of the 1980s. There was a reason for that.

[@davidsauls9542]

13:16 "Until they had been made....hulking...." This is the best description of what was happening, Excellent, and Thank You sir. My 1971 Mark III Lincoln was wonderful. It got 17 miles per gallon, handled beautifully, yet a butter soft ride. The fit and finish was better than any car I have owned. Next was a 1973 Eldorado, Oh dear, oh dear!! It was like bull riding a big fat Walrus, fit and finish was very poor from panel fit to the electronics, to fasteners, horrible. Then I went German and the large BMW's were fun but austere. The electronics were also as terrible as General Motors. The down sized Eldorado's (drove but dared not buy) were a vast improvement over my 1983 in every way, economy, quality of metal fit, panel smoothness, plastics, reliability, everything. However their ride was never good. You felt every pothole, even tiny ones. Things are better now for all makes. The 2005 Jaguar had 367,000. carefree miles, a 4Runner and a 2012 Ford E350 van with that many easy miles. Now I drive about 3K miles a year rather than 50-60 thousand. I rather miss it, getting to know vehicles. Thank you again for another wonderful video.

[@paulbedford9816]

Pity you can't get your facts right. The '57 and '58 Eldorado Broughams were mostly handbuilt in Detroit, partly at the Fleetwood plant that built all Cadillac bodies and partly at Plant 21, a lesser known plant that hand built the Fleetwood 75 Limousines and Sedans. The '59 and '60 Eldorado Broughams were designed in the Cadillac Studio but had their bodies built by Pininfarina in Turin. Then as you discuss these cars you show the 'director' a one-off custom concept car? Worse though the Eldorado dates back to 1953 when again they were mostly hand-built, you then miss out the '54 Eldorado, the '55 Biarritz and hard-top Eldorado Seville, two versions that ran until 1960? Some of the most glamorous and famous Cadillacs ever made? Oh and tail fins ended in 1964? Have you heard of the energy cris of the early 1970s? Have you heard about Federal regulations? The cars' performance was indeed lack-lustre, but not chosen to be so, they were because of these two factors? Why do you insist of showing that pink '73 Eldorado with a selection of front-end badges through to 1978? You just don't really know what you're talking about do you? Then you go on to explain the new style '71 Eldorado by showing this pink '73 Eldorado? During the Oil Crisis Cadillac sales did not collapse, in fact they were very good. Check the figures. Then combining the Mafia, crime and Pimp Mobiles into Cadillac sales history reasserts why unrestricted publishing needs to end. Outrageous rubbish. You introduce the 1979 Eldorado and refer to GM's ever dwindling capital? Have you any idea how wealthy GM was then? Finally we get to the end, but then you attribute Cadillac and GM's fall from grace to the 1971 Eldorado? You must be crazy. You are most certainly wrong. When you discuss history it is critical that you understand and know the facts You do neither.

[@SCR-ce2fs]

Excellent video. Fully researched and with good insights. How about another, say on Ford and the Iacocca era cars

[@gregharvie3896]

Hi from Sydney, Australia. I have watched most of your videos. However, some of your production figures seem in error, and you seem to have missed the point as to why the 2 luxury brands why they did not do almost annual model changes and/or updates. I have each year of Lincolns FULL Deluxe brochures from 1958 through to 2011. When the new 1961 "compact" uni body Lincoln was introduced, Ford decided to tell the buyers that there would be maybe gentle progressive mechanical and reliability improvements, but there was not going to be any more of the massive total different look tactics of the past. That the car was to be seen as an item of quality that would not need an annual design change, making the car more of a longer-term purchase even an investment. So when Ford listened to clients' complaints the new 1964 Lincoln looked IDENTICAL to the outgoing 1963 car , however it was near a foot longer and half a foot wider, with less tumblehome, a wider roof as well. Ford designers & product planners had gone to great lengths to make the cars appearance seem the same, however NOTHING is, with exception to hubcaps, badging, the look & style of chrome work. They did not wish to alienate a client that just spent $10,000 the year before and make their expensive car look obsolescent, taking a look at Jaguar with their mk10, and Rolls/Bentley with their standard steel saloon. When Ford finally introduced the mid-decade Lincoln update, it was nothing more than a clever reskin in 1966 of the new for 1964 car, unscrew a door, bonnet or bootlid and it will fit like a hand in a glove. They did the same at Cadillac with the 1971 to '78 Eldo's, and the last 2 years there was only the steel roofed coupe and it sold staggeringly more than in the earlier '70' even though it was an 8-year-old design, and for 1978 less than 10,000 under the near 80,000 Lincoln Mk5 Coupes which were only int their 2nd year of production. Consider this , Lincoln sales of Sedans, Mark series Coupes & the small Versailles were never more than 150,000, however Cadillac sold near or above 300,000 per annum in the same years with 2 exceptions 1971 and 1974 one because of a short year due to a strike for one third of the year , and 1974 for it being the year of the oil crisis, and by fluke the year of the federal mandated 15" above ground for all bumpers on cars , plus 5mph damage free bumpers front & rear. The cost of reinforcing many cars structures was huge, and there was a huge price increase over a 1973 model car. AND it was also by fluke the year of the C>A>F>E rules, corporate average fuel economy, cars and/or companies that failed the CAFE rules were penalized, owners by a 12% tax on each & everything to do with the car, purchase, finance, insurance, sales tax, and registration. Through the 1970's Cadillac division had intended to follow Lincoln's path and make small upgrades to their vehicles, not radical annual change, so in a years' time, your expensive luxury car did not look out of date. Other outside & foreign issues caused this to be the case with most brands. Fact , Ford received Lincoln mk3 owner complaints re the roof height, rear seat entry, and rear seat legroom for a supposed personal luxury coupe when compared to GM's Caddy Eldorado. As the Conti' mk3 was a clever exterior panel re-skin of the 1967-'71 2 door T'bird coupe, which intern was based on the 117" wheelbase 1965 Ford Galaxie 2 door coupe chassis and all the Fords had a narrower car, the Galaxie being 77" wide exterior. Cadillac had used the chassis that Riviera's & Toronado's but tweaked it to suit, it had a 120" wheelbase & was 80" wide and had a wider wheel track as well with wheels pushed out to the extremities of the wheel wells. Realizing they had made a mistake here, for the new 1972 MK4 and T'bird Ford engineers & product planners used the new body on frame non-unibody Torino/Ranchero chassis which gave it the required minimum 120" wheelbase and an 80" exterior, however the Torino chassis still had Ford's narrow track design, where the wheels kind of looked like they were in hiding in the wheel wells. However, Ford were out of touch again as when Cadillac division released the new 1971 Eldorado it had a 126.5" wheelbase & 82" wide giving it a spacious interior in which to travel. Reality , I own 4 of these cars, 2 Lincolns, a 1973 Mk4 Coupe, a 1979 Collectors Series Town Car, and 2 Cadillacs, a 1972 Fleetwood Brougham, and a 1974 Fleetwood Broughan -TALISMAN-. All 4 were constructed here in Sydney. As they had to be built as right-hand drive cars to be registered, and by sending them as CKD kit cars (completely knocked down) there was zero import tax as their construction was giving an Aussie a job. The 2 Lincoln's are merely "gussied" up Fords, with no unique premium engineering or quality. Now , the 2 Cadillac's are their own unique engineering within GM, their own engines, steering, braking, electrics & the list just goes on. Because at that time they were selling on or close to 300,000 Cadillac's annually they could afford to use unique to brand componentry, not something watered down and shared by the rest of GM, that was their point of difference, and their clients knew it. I also own a 1965 Galaxie, put it & the 1979 Lincoln on a hoist, and it looks like virtually 2 of the same thing except the wheelbase is 10" shorter on the Galaxie, the front brake discs and rear drums are identical, the front steering & suspension componentry are the same etc. However, when you put the 1972 & the 1974 Fleetwood Broughams on a hoist next to one another, there are major differences in the mechanical layout with just 2 years apart, e.g. one braking system will not fit the other one, nor will the steering box swap/fit, the electrical system is different. Whereas the 14-year newer Lincoln shares near all with its 14-year older poverty/base level car. BUYERS KNEW THIS, buy a Cadillac & you are getting a Cadillac. Buy a Lincoln and you are getting a Ford Galaxie with some kool looking metal body panels that are different, otherwise you are still getting a Ford. What you missed . Lincoln's are badge engineered Fords at this point, Cadillac division created their own cars that also allowed other divisions of GM to use the Cadillac designed & engineered 400 turbo-hydramatic automatic transmission, however the Cadillac division one is packed with "goodies" that the stripped out built to a $ price versions used by other divisions of GM do not receive. Otherwise, the Cadillac's of this era operated almost like a separate entity. 2 notable exceptions are the internal body structure & glazing in 2 & 4 door Calais & de Ville's. All the other Cadillac's use their own components, try fitting one to any other GM vehicle and it will not fit.

[@johnwolffe8473]

Rudy gets some of the facts straight- not bad for a Brit.

[@rickden8362]

Land yacht...you mean Land Battleship! I loved the shot of the 8 track tape.

[@indigohammer5732]

I’m in the U.K. and as a nipper, I used to have the “Observer Book of Cars”. I remember the 1972 copy had some American car that was twenty one feet long!!!! It’s astonishing that they made something so enormous.

[@kennixox262]

The United States is a large country by physical size; large homes with garage space and most important big wide roads. Many cities were built for the automobile.

[@imp81]

the 72 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 was 20.7 feet long but it was a chauffer driven limousine

[@natehill8069]

I cant help but think that big pink '71 needs a set of longhorns mounted on the hood.

[@Quad8track]

I wish he didn't keep showing that pink Eldorado in this video. Wasn't even a factory option. This is after-market crap.

[@natehill8069]

@@Quad8track I assumed it was a Mary Kay

[@Quad8track]

@@natehill8069 ...which is after-market crap!

[@UberLummox]

I think you missed mentioning that a big reason for the lack of the Eldo's exclusivity & quality downgrade was by '71 it ended up on the DeVille platform. Same thing with the Toronado. Last year for Cadillac fins was '64, not '63. '65, if you count limos.

[@morgandollar7146]

Good review. But why did you feature that gaudy non-stock pink Eldo?

[@cindyeisenberg3273]

We had a 1972 Eldorado white with black half top and white leather interior. I loved riding in that car and was such a snob. Because, in my day, people that drove Cadillacs had money. The car was way too big for my mom. She didn’t like driving it. Also, it broke down a lot. My father got tired of this and traded the car in for a 1976 Oldsmobile Cutless Supreme Boghm. (Sorry about the spelling). I loved that car, as well. Even though the hurst T tops leaked. After that car, our family only drove Japanese cars. I had 2 Toyotas. But, when the American cars got better, I had 2 Pontiacs and 2 Chevroles, which I kept forever. I have had my Malibu since 2009, and still love it, as old as it is. I become too attached to my cars.

[@Mark1405Leeds]

Can't help but admire the pure excess! Lincoln Continental had far more class!

[@popefang]

Is there a way to refer a video fault back to Ruairidh? Audio clipping losing the last sybillant or consonant. The audio software is too brutal

[@Quad8track]

I'm a pimp and I do like the lines and angles on the 9th generation Eldorado - the 1976 convertible being my favorite. I drive it to the Player's Ball an when I'm monitoring my ladies on the streets. As my daily driver, I prefer my Lincoln Continental Town Car because it's rear-wheel drive and more reliable. The Lincoln also has a larger trunk which come in handy when I have to handle business down at the docks...

[@johnmcmullen456]

Quad8track, thank you for your service.

[@ostrich67]

Bad, bad Leroy Brown

[@harryhack6870]

'All the girls would turn the colour of a juicy avocado as he drove past in his Eldorado' David Bowie song, Pablo Picasso.

[@johnray7311]

My first car was a burgundy ‘72 Eldorado Convertible. Bought in ‘79 for $1K. An aircraft carrier on wheels.

[@alexkautz5766]

A truly fabulous video on an iconic automobile. I just wish that you had shown a 1971 Eldorado rather than a pink 73 while speaking on the topic of the 1971.

[@Razielchan666]

Judging by the credits, I'm starting to think that the library of congress is 3/4ths car footage. Which would check out for the US, I guess.

[@roberthoffhines5419]

Had the '67 Eldorado been a low-volume halo car with the originally planned for V12 instead of the mad attempt at high-volume personal luxury the entire marque may have been saved. The Cimmaron, Caterra and HT 4100 and the insult (imho) of a gussied up GMC truck in the lineup has buried Cadillac. We had a '72 Brougham, and yes, it's cheapness compared to our '68 was noticeable even to my 7 year-old eyes.

[@AndrewG1989]

My grandad use to ride that car when he used to live in the USA for few years. And is also used by Pimps on the West Coast of the USA.

[@MatryBigwave]

I really don't think that 1971 was bad design, because overall, the Lincoln Continental was of similar design. Even the Rolls-Royce Corniche had commenced production in 1971. Though the biggest deterioration of Cadillac design and downsizing was progressively obvious throughout the Nineties. But the Cimarron was definitely a step in the wrong direction, even though it may have suited some people, it was simply a ladies shopping trolley. Overall Cadillacs were downsized enough by 1985, and were still holding their impressive stately looks. And as many people understand; the Cadillac had majestic presence about them. 🌏 "The world rests its case"

[@jrbeeler4626]

At that time, in the Washington-Baltimore area at least, Black drivers bought a large share of the Cadillacs sold, and were the target of much of the marketing. In the 80s, successful Blacks tended to switch to Mercedes.

[@arnepianocanada]

'71 stylists had planned a smaller chassis, then were forced to use full-size. Beside Ford Marks, sales were not great; but they still did okay right through the end of this mammoth era.

[@O1Richard]

Cadillac tried selling cars in the uk from the late 1990’s till around 2008, they were no match for the European competitors.

[@DessieTots]

Always surprised by the lack of interior space especially the rear legroom.

[@bobbung6941]

I have a 72 eldorado love it

[@defcon1526]

Convertible or hardtop

[@bobbung6941]

@@defcon1526 convertible

[@waynejohnson1304]

Make no mistake about it. What killed the personal luxury cars after 1974 was the gas crisis. Styling had nothing to do with why Lincoln's Mark series sold better than the Eldorado. Eldorado was percieved to be more of a performance car by those who purchased them. In reality though, after 1971, it was no longer such a car. Lincoln, on the other hand, pushed total luxury on its Mark series. Performance was not one of its strong suits. I have a 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham currently. I would not part with it for the world. There is no car being built today that can equal it in terms of ride comfort. It literally floats down the road. It is sublime. I have newer Cadillacs too but, whenever I go away on vacation, I take the 1976.

[@johnd8892]

Featured in the opening scenes of a landmark highly watched film of the time, driven by the films star. So I believe.

[@rogersmith7396]

Clint in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. It signified success and he had made it while Jeff Bridges dies in the passenger seat.

[@mikeneff3491]

Proof that taste, and opinions, are subjective.

[@SMichaelDeHart]

Imho, the Oldsmobile brand was much better than the Cady. But, I'm a little biased...worked for an Olds Dealer in the Service Department while in college getting my degree(s). Cadillac are okay, but nothing beats a Rocket 88. Here's a question...did Disney name Cruella after the DeVille or did Cadillac name the DeVille after Crulla??? Answer me that, please??

[@SMichaelDeHart]

@@dazaspc it is, actually...I was being facetious, lol. It's early and I'm tired!!

[@rogersmith7396]

Its just French for the town.

[@SMichaelDeHart]

@@rogersmith7396 but didn't the movie take place in the UK? Geez, it's been so long ago since I've seen either the animated or regular moves, I honestly don't recall.

[@rogersmith7396]

@@SMichaelDeHart Cadilac was a French explorer. Its all French. Don't know anything about the movies.

[@SMichaelDeHart]

@@rogersmith7396 lmao...I think we ALL got confused. I had to 😃 😀 😄 My original comment was about Disney, 100 & 1 Dalmatians and evil character Cruella DeVille. I referring to the 'DeVille' name, NOT Cadillac. It was my bad attempt to make a poor joke...sorry.

[@kyleclark4449]

It's such a shame that the Toronado died. I can certainly understand why it eventually died, but the 60s models are thing of beauty. The '67 Toro is a Corvette on steroids, with front drive. I love it. It's a damned shame that Oldsmobile turned it into just another box on a box.

[@arnepianocanada]

1959 a high mark? Not as you say in sales, US exiting the Eisenhower recession. '58: 4.6M sold; '59: 5.9M; '60: 7.1M. Shifting to new design era via 'longer, lower, wider'; high points in mid-'60s.

[@markotrieste]

What is that box at 16:02 in the radio? Doesn't look like a normal cassette.

[@stewy62]

8-track tape, good spot !

[@MJTAUTOMOTIVE]

That is a 8 track. A large tape cassette that could hold up to 70-80 minutes of music. They were the thing until the compact cassette became more popular latter in the 70's/

[@alexanderdeburdegala4609]

I want a 71 or 72 BAD, my father had a 73 that I loved. I was so annoyed when he sold it. I've never seen anyone quite like it again. The wood used in it was really intricate. It wasn't just panels, it was carved blocks that were in a spanish mission style.

[@-oiiio-3993]

What 'wood'? That was gaudy plastic.

[@imp81]

that was molded plastic not wood. thats why they call it "wood grain"

[@mattryan4816]

Don't worry folks. These machines are alive and well today here in the USA. Except they now take form in hideous or whatever fancy bloated pickup truck-car and school bus SUV tings. Plenty of flash glittery and electronic gadgetry to please the most conspicuous consumption consumers. Love the 1960s versions the best.

[@STARDRIVE]

Wasn´t that step backwards a result of the other full size cars closing the gap? After the late 60´s luxury, innovation and quality weren´t exclusive anymore to these high end brands. All drivetrains and underpinnings were decent now, quirks were ironed out, and any full size car was available with the same options. The only thing Cadillac had to distinguish itself were its name & price tag, so in came the bean counters.

[@user-kw5qv6zl5e]

Did any have a "Disabled Parking" tag ?