Rare Rides Icons: The Cadillac Eldorado, Distinctly Luxurious (Part LX)

The ninth generation Eldorado was the subject of continual revisions and additional trim during its eight-year tenure from 1971 to 1978. We began with the first edits through 1973 and then explored 1974 through 1976 when the Eldorado shed its round headlamps and its convertible variant. It was the last domestic convertible at a time when consumer interest in them was at a low point, but Cadillac’s marketing people made quite a hubbub about its departure. The following year was a new era across the line at Cadillac, except for the elderly Eldorado.

Downsizing arrived in a big way at GM in 1977. In light of fuel prices, foreign competition that was smaller and more efficient, and a consumer base that was trending away from land yachts, GM downsized its full-size cars. Cadillac had already bowed to consumer demand when it brought back the Seville name (formerly the Eldorado coupe’s trim) on the midsize Seville sedan in 1975. The Chevrolet Nova based car was the first-ever midsize Cadillac, and it sold like hotcakes. 

The rest of the lineup was revised and slimmed in 1977, as Cadillac stepped away from its naming lineage for the first (but far from the last) time. Historical nameplates went by the wayside, replaced with other names Cadillac liked better. At the bottom end the Calais was eliminated and DeVille became the entry-level full-size car. 

The Sixty Special name was eliminated as well as its Brougham variant and indeed the idea of a Fleetwood lineup. Sixty Special was renamed Fleetwood Brougham. Finally, the historical Fleetwood Seventy-Five name was dropped in favor of “Limousine.” OEM-produced smaller limousines that were usually privately owned and chauffeured were on their way out, to be replaced by stretch limos that were usually owned by businesses or livery companies. 

Left standing in its full-size and broughamed glory was the Eldorado, which received further updates in 1977. At the front end, the grille was streamlined into vertical thin vanes instead of chunky egg crate. The chrome trim around the headlamps grew thicker, and once again wore visible screws. (Note: The teal Eldorado is a 1976, the light blue is a 1977.)

At either corner the chromed Cadillac crest was swapped back to a heraldic shield design, and put on a black background to make it more visible. At the front of the hood there was new Eldorado block lettering, which replaced the smaller Cadillac script previously located on the driver’s side. Once again the wheel covers were updated in color only, as black painted centers were swapped for body colored ones.

At the rear there were lighting changes, as Cadillac figured out how to cope with regulation. Rear side lamps were added to the fender in red with Eldorado badging across them. Tail lamps returned to their traditional vertical orientation, but were not as tall as previous iterations of the design. Lenses were about half the height as one might expect, with their lower portion acting as an impact point for the 5-mile-per-hour regulation. Versions with a vinyl roof were now sold as the “Cabriolet” trim level.

Underneath, there was a notable mechanical change for 1977: the engine. Over the years the 500 (8.2L) had decreased from its 400 gross horsepower down to 365 in 1971, 235 net in 1972, and strangled further to 205 in 1974. It ended its run in 1976 at just 190 horsepower. 

As emissions strangled excessive cubic inches and demands for better fuel economy came to the forefront, the 500 V8 was discontinued. It was replaced by a slightly smaller 425 (7L) V8 that coped with its emissions better and weighed 100 pounds less. It managed 180 horsepower.

The big news in 1977 was the new ultra plush Eldorado, however. Cadillac brought back the Biarritz name from the grave, last seen in 1964 on the Eldorado convertible. It was applied to the ultimate Eldorado, with the most disco-ready, leisure-style trim anyone had ever seen. Technically introduced late in 1976, the ‘76 Biarritz examples did not receive the interior features of the 1977 and 1978. The following year the trim was renamed Custom Biarritz.

For the Eldorado’s final two years (77-78), Cadillac offered the Custom Biarritz package. The Custom Biarritz asked $1,865 ($8,777 adj.) on top of the regular Eldorado’s ask of $11,920 ($56,103 adj.), and granted an available two-tone paint scheme with upgraded seating, also available in two-tone. The price increased to $2,946 ($13,865 adj.) with a glass Astroroof, and was $2,746 ($12,924 adj.) with a metal sunroof.

Chrome spears began at either side of the hood, and thickened as they headed rearward. They culminated in a kick upward at the door line. This served to make the “hips” at the rear of the car look more substantial, an effect added to by the very thickly padded vinyl roof.

The vinyl area also featured an opera lamp at either side, and a Biarritz script logo. At the rear, the Eldorado script was replaced by a Biarritz one. There was another Biarritz script on the dash. The Biarritz interior of ‘77 and ‘78 also featured deeply button tufted leather seats that were very padded. Many colorful cows of questionable quality gave up their skins for the Biarritz interior.

In 1978 Cadillac went further with the Custom Biarritz Classic. Classic was available only in two-tone Arizona beige and demitasse brown. A limited edition option package, it asked an eye watering $2,466 ($11,606 adj.), or $3,547 ($16,694 adj.) with Astroroof. The sunroof version was in the middle at $3,347 ($15,753 adj.). A total of 2,000 were built, and the rarest are the 25 with sunroofs. GM was experimenting with electric T-tops at the time, and built one example with that roof.

After its ridiculously trimmed going away party, the downsizing would come for Eldorado the following year. Very much of its time, the Eldorado racked up respectable sales figures in its ninth generation. We’ll review those in our next installment.

[Images: GM, seller, seller, seller, seller]

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