By 1957, Cadillac was on to a good thing with its top-of-the-line Eldorado. Sales had been nearly doubling each year since 1953, and it seemed that the company had produced the impossible: a hot-selling, yet upmarket car. Combining aggressive good looks with solid performance, it’s easy to see why buyers flocked to the Eldorado and particularly coveted its convertible version, the Biarritz.
Cadillac designers tweaked an already popular formula in 1957 to smooth the so-called “chipmunk cheek” rear fenders of the Eldorado Biarritz, making the sharklike fins more pointed and graceful. Broad, sculptured body panels and a three-section front bumper added to the car’s sleek styling.
More @ MECUM
Growing up in suburban Detroit in the 1950s-60s was an exciting time, especially in the fall when the new models came out- it seemed like every two or three years my parents would get another car with the "reason" being to support the workers and their jobs. We were by no means rich (dad was a millwright and mom a school teacher), but they did love their cars.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in grad school in the early '70s at U of Florida working on a MA in Geography (why oh why?), one of the guest instructors was a retiree from GM. He told us that we would never find a job that was actually recruiting for a geographer and that we would have to build our own niche in understanding the geographic implications of everyday life. One tidbit he told us that helped determine where to locate a Cadillac dealership had to do with the demographics of who bought those cars. At that time, 1 out of 3 Caddies were bought by rich black people. We were all shocked this being the early '70s. I wonder if that stat holds true to this day.
Thanks, very interesting and I hadn't head that. I'll check on today.
DeleteJust found this.
DeleteTen most purchased brands by African Americans:
Nissan 12.5%
Chevrolet 11.6%
Toyota 9.5%
Ford 9.2%
Chrysler 7.7%
Honda 5.3%
Dodge 4.4%
Hyundai 3.8%
Cadillac 3.3%
GMC 3.2%
http://www.strategicvision.com/auto_aaspecial.php
There are way more choices for everyone then there were back then. I never even saw a foreign car when I was growing up. Am I understanding the information correctly that of the sample of AA people who purchased cars, 3.3% bought Cadillacs? But of all the Cadillacs sold in 2013, what % were purchased by AA people? That's the number I still can't find. Knowing that only 3% of the sample bought Caddies, I would assume that it is no longer 1 in 3, due to all the additional choices.
ReplyDeleteI never even saw a foreign car when I was growing up.
DeleteNeither did I.
============
Am I understanding the information correctly that of the sample of AA people who purchased cars, 3.3% bought Cadillacs? But of all the Cadillacs sold in 2013, what % were purchased by AA people? That's the number I still can't find.
It's a full year survey from what I understand.
==========
Knowing that only 3% of the sample bought Caddies, I would assume that it is no longer 1 in 3, due to all the additional choices.
I believe so.