The Sixty-Special Cadillac
Between the years of 1938 and 1941, a car emerged that would set a new benchmark for how a luxury automobile should look. Unfortunately, the Sixty-Special Cadillac had a short-lived existence primarily due to its manufacturing during one of the most challenging times in American history. The “Sixty-Special” moniker referred to the extended wheelbase of the Series 60, Cadillac’s maiden voyage in the seas of the luxury automobile market.
The car was presented as a four door sedan and the year of its debut, over 3700 Sixty-Specials were delivered. With a base cost of $2,090 each, the car was a success by all accounts. It outsold every other version of Cadillac in its first year and accounted for 39% of Cadillac’s market share.
In 1938, a coupe and an impressive four-door convertible model were added to the Sixty-Special line.
Though the car was stunning and well received, sales could not keep pace with the challenge faced by so many Americans of the era.
A Classic Car Made Throughout a Difficult Time
Founded in 1908 in Flint, Michigan, General Motors branched into several different interests in the 1930s ranging from aircraft design and manufacturing to diesel-powered locomotives to streetcars. In 1934, the company was at an impasse. The Great Depression had decimated the luxury automotive market and almost all who could afford it. As a result, Cadillacs were not selling.
That year, production had dropped by 80% which was highly unexpected due to the fact the company had a record-setting year only six years prior. From 1928 to 1934, the company had consistently lost money. To make matters worse, the companion of the Sixty-Special, the LaSalle, was not faring any better even with its lower price tag.
Luckily, Cadillac did have some protection from the demanding 1930s because its parent company was quite large and strong financially. But in order to return to its previous level of prosperity, Cadillac would have to change.
Changes Crucial to Cadillac’s Survival
Nicholas Dreystadt, originally born in Germany in 1890, is credited for saving the Cadillac brand by creating a new market segment for the automobile. Initially, he worked as an auto mechanic for Mercedes. He then moved to the United States and attained a job at General Motors working in middle management.
At the time, the Cadillac division was on the brink of collapse due to immense financial losses. To help stave off losses, the company reduced the number of parts specific to each line of cars. Dreystadt knew that Cadillac could not stay on its trajectory of spending, yet he wanted to maintain the signature quality and engineering excellence of the brand.
A monobloc V-8, called this due to the cylinder head being cast as an integral part of the block, was expected to be less expensive to build than the existing 353 cubic inch V-8, 368 cubic inch V-12, and the 453 cubic inch V-16 that Cadillac used at the time. The monobloc V-8 was also expected to provide a ride that was quieter and have better performance.
To stay competitive during a financial crisis, Cadillac offered a low-end vehicle using the new engine. In 1936, it was designated the Series 60.
