1952 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible

Long before the Cadillac became known as the softly sprung, luxuriously appointed land yacht we recognise from the 1960s and 1970s, it had fought a fierce battle to be considered a serious sports car among its American contemporaries during the late 1940s. The few pre-war designed European sportscars that found their way Stateside barely tempted the domestic market who adored the swooping, if rather rotund, flanks, the acres of chrome, refinements like electric windows and all powered by a gruffling V8. They made European sports cars seem somewhat flimsy and it must have been therefore a bewildering sight to see Briggs Cunningham at the wheel of a new, outwardly standard 1950 Cadillac Coupe alongside the Ferraris, Aston Martins and Jaguars on the grid of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Finishing tenth overall, the Cadillac averaged 81.5mph for the entire 24-hour event with top speeds of around 120mph achieved on the Mulsanne Straight.

Domestically, 1950 was a significant year for Cadillac too, as they finally surpassed Packard in sales and would go on to dominate the American luxury market for several generations. Along with styling, elegance, and luxury, the performance aspect of Cadillac was taken to new heights with the launch of the 62 Series and these models are regarded as the most typical examples of 1950s styling with swooping lines and acres of chrome. Naturally, a luxuriously appointed convertible was the car of choice for the successful and remains the indelible image of the era’s 'American Dream'.

Built in 1952, this fabulous Cadillac was restored before arriving in the UK and subsequently registered here on 1st September 2013 to the first of just two keepers. The 1952 cars were powered by an all-new 331ci (5.4-litres) OHV V8 featuring wedge-shaped combustion chambers, 'slipper' pistons and hydraulic valve lifters, and now offered a respectable 160bhp. Well presented in ivory with a glorious bright red interior, it has been well maintained by our vendor since his purchase in 2016 as the invoices on file testify. Offered from the eclectic collection of our well-regarded vendor, an auction regular of many years standing who is downsizing due to advancing years, it's accompanied by the aforementioned maintenance receipts and Swansea V5C.

This third-generation Series 62 Cadillac is a piece of classic Americana and we think that it's a seriously tempting proposition given the realistic guide price and sheer scale of this impressive American icon.