Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

In late-1950s America, the car celebrated prosperity, speed and the conquest of space. The luxury convertible of the Cadillac range, the 1959 Eldorado Biarritz took this spirit to its height.

More than 5.70 metres long, it sported the tallest tail fins ever seen on a production car. Each was adorned with twin bullet-shaped tail lights, like a rocket nozzle. Its chrome grille, massive bumpers and wraparound windscreen completed this spectacular show. Under the bonnet, a 6.4-litre V8 of around 345 horsepower gave smooth driving, with power steering and brakes, and electric seats and hood.

With around 1,300 built, the 1959 Eldorado Biarritz marked both the peak and the end of the tail-fin era: from the following year, they began to shrink. It remains the most dazzling image of the American dream on four wheels.