First 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz brings $649K

[Bruce Nunnally]

One may indeed be the loneliest number, but being number one certainly has its advantages – up to half a million of them, if this past weekend’s sale of the very first 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz at $649,000 is any indication.

Assigned engine #000001, which makes it VIN #000001, the Biarritz also wears body #000001, painted a shade of green that Cadillac reportedly applied to the first production Cadillac of the year during the 1950s. Jim Remlinger, who consigned the Biarritz with the Hollywood Wheels Palm Beach Auction, said that he verified the combination of VIN and body number through Cadillac Historical Services, which provided a copy of the build sheet and the original title showing all three numbers.

Read more : http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/03/29/first-1957-cadillac-eldorado-biarritz-sells-for-649000/

[Cadillac Jim]

The 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brogham has a 365 cid 325 hp V8 that uses dual four-barrel carburetors. It was built only as a hardtop but probably sold in the dealerships as both a convertible and hardtop via coachbuilder conversions, as GM has done with other makes over the years. I think of that car as one of the landmark originals, like the 1953-1955 Corvette.