1959 Cadillac Series 62 De Ville Convertible
Chassis no. 59FO11939

"No single automotive design better characterises the industry's late 1950s flamboyance than the 1959 Cadillac, which incorporated totally new styling." – Standard Catalogue of Cadillac, Ed. James T Lenzke.
Representing the zenith of Cadillac's outrageous 'tail fins' era, this stunning 1959 Series 62 De Ville Convertible formerly belonged to the famous French cartoonist Albert Uderzo, illustrator of the immensely popular 'Asterix the Gaul' cartoon series. Recognised as one of the 20th Century's greatest cartoonists, Uderzo and his collaborator René Goscinny launched Asterix in 1959 in the comic magazine Pilote. That launch date is significant, for Uderezo was looking for a car from the same year as Asterix's debut when he found this Cadillac Convertible.
An automobile enthusiast possessing an extensive mainly Ferrari collection for both road and track, Uderzo bought the car on 27th January 1988 from a Belgian dealer for the sum of 585,000 Belgian francs (copy bill of sale on file). Some four years later, Uderzo commissioned the renowned Carrosserie Lecoq to undertake an extensive restoration assisted by American-car specialist Bernard Afchain. The restoration ended up costing Uderzo more than 440,000 francs, a colossal sum at the time. He later immortalised the Cadillac as a sculpture. The current vendor acquired Uderzo's Cadillac at a French auction in 2017, the seller having purchased it directly from Uderzo, since when it has been regularly serviced and kept in very nice condition.
Founded by Henry Leland and Robert Faulconer, the Cadillac Automobile Company of Detroit, Michigan completed its first car in October 1902, the firm's superior precision manufacturing technology soon establishing it as the foremost builder of quality cars in the USA. Cadillac was among the pioneers of the V8 engine, and introduced the first synchromesh gearbox on its 1929 range. Always innovators in automobile technology, the company continues to produce cars recognised everywhere as symbols of wealth and prestige.
A new X-braced chassis frame had enabled the 1957 Cadillacs to feature longer, lower bodies - 13 styles in total - all of which sported dual rear lights and tail fins larger than before. General Motors' chief stylist Harley Earl had introduced tail fins on the 1948 Cadillacs, and the device would reach its ultimate expression in 1959 before fading away. Automatic transmission, power steering and power-assisted brakes would continue to be standard on all models.
After the big mechanical changes for '57, Cadillac confined itself to facelifts the following year before stunning the world with its '59 range. Quite apart from its outlandish styling, as controversial today as it was back then, the '59 line-up marked the introduction of a new 390ci (6.4-litre) 325bhp V8 engine. Now widely recognised as one of Cadillac's best, the new power plant was almost completely overshadowed by the coachwork it propelled; with their pillar-less profile, huge tail fins, glitzy chrome, colour-matched interiors and 'jukebox' dashboards, the 1959 Cadillacs are peerless icons of a bygone age and today are among the most highly prized of all post-war American automobiles.
Finished in sky blue with contrasting red interior, this glorious monument to automotive excess is offered with copies of the following: numerous sundry invoices including those for restoration, a copy of the French Carte Grise in Uderzo's name, and a colour photograph of him with the car at a party he hosted at his home.