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

When the 1961 Cadillac Eldorado debuted in its newly diminished state, it wore the company’s more restrained and less finned new styling, and fewer exterior indicators of its special top-of-the-line nature than any previous Eldorado. In our last installment we reviewed the ‘61’s exterior styling, and noted there were only a couple of indicators (badges) that a customer sprung for the Eldorado Biarritz over a standard Sixty-Two. Today we’ll swing open a huge door and see how the Biarritz interior was modernized for the model’s fifth generation. 

(Note: The 1960 Eldorado has a fire engine red interior, while the 1961 is brown and tan.)

There were notable visual updates for the 1961 Eldorado which were likely immediately apparent even to a casual observer of vehicular interiors. The large steering wheel got a new spoke design, as its dual spokes were thickened and received individual twin-spoke design elements. The spokes were also angled downward slightly; in 1960 wheel spokes were horizontal. In the center of the wheel a revised logo appeared that was less recessed than the prior year. 

In a nod to safety, both the brake and accelerator pedals got larger in 1961. Pedals were rectangular in shape, and lost their sculpted design elements in favor of a larger surface area. There was thicker rubber stripping too, to reduce slippage. The parking brake lever at far left remained the same size as in 1960, but was mounted a bit lower for easier visibility and foot reach.

The general design of the dashboard gained a more cohesive horizontal look for 1961. Gone were the driver-oriented pods which separated and concealed most of the controls from the front passenger. All was laid out in clear view, in a move toward simplification and streamlined appearances. 

The speedometer retained its signature horizontal look for 1961, though numbers were larger than the prior year. Ringed more simply in a squared off chrome bezel, the speedo was newly flanked by vertical temperature (left) and fuel (right) indicators. The revised placement of these auxiliary gauges meant they were viewed more easily than when they were smaller and placed under the speedo.

Air conditioning and defrost controls remained in their place underneath the speedo in 1961, with simpler slider bars. Previous vertical switches for things like fan speed became horizontal instead. The ignition was moved lower on the dash in 1961, and was much less prominently placed. The change meant keys were not jingling and hanging high up and close to the driver’s hands.

In the middle of the dash beneath the radio was a new Cadillac plaque, finished in black with silver block lettering. There was no crest on the dashboard in 1961, and there was another notable deletion: An Eldorado plaque that for several years resided in front of the passenger.

Analog clockwork was also relocated in 1961, and moved to the right of the radio. The clock gained larger markings and some Mid-century design elements to its needles. With the current time in easier view of all passengers, all had access to the stereo controls as well. 

The stereo was previously walled off from view of the driver by the clock and ignition pod, but said pod was removed for ‘61. The stereo itself was relocated more centrally, and closer to the driver. Stereo buttons were also updated, with presets altered from a “push in” type to a push down arrangement, like found on an old tape recorder.

Dashboard trim remained the same horizontal ribbed metal design, but there was much less of it in 1961: The dash focused more on control ergonomics and less on design. Ventilation outlets remained in the same place as 1960, but were surrounded by a new lower horizontal design element on the dash. This was most visible in the glove box lid, which adopted a curved shape for 1961.

At the A-pillar there was a less dramatic door shut line and dash shape, as the pillar lost its wraparound design and became more upright. There was no longer room for a power vent window switch at the pillar, so it moved down onto the door panel. Door switch assemblies moved upward slightly in 1961, while the interior door handle received its own cut-out and was separated from the switches.

The door panel’s design was subject to some smaller changes, and included a new metal trim strip. The door pull was relocated from the arm rest and placed within the new chrome trim detail. Red safety lamps at the end of the door panels in 1960 disappeared for 1961. Finally, carpet at the lower third of the door panels was more concealed in 1961 by a revised and thicker chrome strip.

Eldorado’s wide ribbed upholstery with button and strap detailing of 1960 was simplified to smaller vertical ribbing in 1961. The interior looked a bit smoother and more cohesive in 1961. Across all Cadillacs, leather was marketed as “Florentine” that year.

Somewhere between the thick ribbed upholstery of the 1960 Eldorado and the very thin ribbing of the ‘61 was the 1961 Sixty-Two convertible’s interior. Its ribbing was horizontal instead of vertical, and larger than Eldorado Biarritz. It also used some vertical luggage strap detailing.

Unfortunately, that was the only interior difference between the Sixty-Two and much more expensive Eldorado: ribbed detailing measurements on the seats. Unless someone were a very keen reader of the Cadillac brochure, they wouldn’t notice the car that conveyed them was an Eldorado Biarritz.

And that lack of attention to detail on a very expensive product set the tone for the fifth generation Eldorado. In our next installment we’ll take a look at the refresh that happened for its second and final year in fifth-gen guise. After that, we’ll talk pricing and sales figures as we close out the largely forgotten generation. 

[Images: dealer, dealer, dealer, GM]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.