The annual Concours d’Elegance held in Pebble Beach California is closing in and in case you're a gearhead and you have the possibility to attend, I reckon it would be a pretty excited Sunday afternoon for you. You'll get the chance to see today's latest super cars such as the brand new McLaren 12C Can Am Edition Racing Concept, but you'll also have the chance to gaze at some of the most iconic vehicles ever built, like the Cadillac Fleetwood Collection.
At this year's event two models of the Cadillac Fleetwood V-16 will be showcased by their manufacturers alongside the newest cars that are currently found in Cadillac's lineup. However, I reckon that the Fleetwood pair of vehicles will manage to draw more attention than the newer models.
These two particular cars were available for purchase during the Great Depression, but because of the pretty rough times these cars were never ordered by customers and remained unsold until this very day.
The pair consists in the rumbleseat Roadster model 5802 from 1934 and a Phaeton model 5859 from 1937. These two particular vehicles were part of Cadillac's made-to-order Fleetwood collection but unfortunately these two body styles were never sold. The good news is that Fran Roxas managed to build the Phaeton and the Roadster decades later from scratch, based on the original blueprints.
Both the Phateon 5859 and the Roadster were recently sold at auction at outstanding prices. The Phaeton sold for $962,500 whereas the Roadster managed to earn the price tag of $1,001,000. That's about the same price as 5 Bentley Continental GT 2013, so whoever bough these oldies but goldies must be one of the biggest car enthusiasts and a huge Cadillac fan.
Needless to say these two Cadillacs are somewhat of a legend and have managed to influence the design of newer concepts, such as the Cadillac Ciel Convertible that was first exhibited last year at Peter Hay Hill. The Ciel has been designed with the original drawings of the Phaeton and the Roadster in mind, so even decades after the Great Depression these two pieces of history manage to influence the automotive market.
If you would want to attend at this year's Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach you might want to consider buying the tickets in advance for $200. Buying them on spot will set you back $250. Enjoy if you attend!
