I have a list of 28 cars I would buy, given the money and the chance. These three are on that list. For everything GM has done wrong over the last 40 years, we must remember all that was gloriously right over the last 106.
Pictured above is a lineup of some of the most breathtaking designs of 1960s America, including the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado, the 1966 Buick Riviera GS, and the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. All three share a platform, all three express a unique style, and all three are beautiful. Which one would you prefer?
I love the ’66-67 Toronado, but the ’66-67 Riviera is the prettiest. The 67-68 Eldo just looks too severe and a bit unresolved at the back. Things changed after ’67, where the Toro and Riv turned into Michael Jackson- becoming ever more grotesque after each facelift, while the more subtle facelifting of the Eldo suited it better.
Severe? Yeah, severely awesome. Hideaway headlights FTW.
A beauty! That’s the best vintage for the Eldo. Same for the Toro. Riviera, for me, is the 63-65.
Couldn’t say it any better, Brain.
I love the ’66 Toro except the fastback, but still ’66 Toro would be my choice. A few years ago, I even photoshopped to give it a different tail, basically using a shorten front as tail/trunk.
They did play around with the idea of a shorty Toronado, sort of like a big FWD AMX? A personal luxury Corvette? A proto Reatta?
Tornado & Riviera sharing their clay!
Cool shot.
+1
I’ll take a ’71 ‘Cuda… oh wait, wrong E-bodies. 🙂
Was the 1st gen Riviera considered an E-body as well? If so, I’d take a ’65 Riv. If not, then a ’67 Toronado.
That’s where I was coming from too, 1970 Challenger RT-SE, 383 4-barrel 4-speed. I’ve had no experience with any of the three GM vehicles but the Toronado with its front-drive and its unique wheels I think intrigues me the most.
Riviera was the first ‘E’ body car, had the platform to itself from 1963-66, still using a cruciform X chassis (through 1970) not FWD till 1979 – Tornado & Eldo were always FWD, well after 1967 for Eldorado as the name was used on other Cadillacs earlier (in various forms). Riviera nameplate had been used by Buick since 1949. Quite frankly it needs to come back into the lineup at Buick ASAP! IMHO.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Riviera
No delemma here Rivi by a mile, I wouldn’t turn down the Eldo though, while the Toro wouldn’t even get a second glance.
My feelings about these three cars exactly match yours.
Me too
Me three
Great shot! The Eldo looks the most distinctive; you could cut a finger on it.
When the Eldorado came out, another manufacturer bought one and was convinced that there was no way GM could stamp the rear quarters from one piece of sheet metal. Fisher Body did so much work to make the dies for those extremely sharp fenders. They had constant issues with sheet metal tearing in the stamping process.
Thanks for the interesting factoid. I’m certainly glad they stuck with it.
It must have been Ford since Chrysler had experience with similar stamping problems of the expansive concave body panels, fenders, and doors on most of their ’65-68 products (mainly the full-size Chryslers).
Come to think of it, I can’t recall any ‘radical’ sheet-metal stampings or creases on any Ford products, which surely lent itself to the notion that Ford was generally behind GM and Chrysler when it came to intricate body panels. Of course, it also meant much lower costs on developing the stamping dies, as well.
The stampings on the 57 Fords were considered pretty radical at the time. There was a lot of sculpting stamped into those front fenders.
This one without the front fender chrome shows this the best.
I’ve read that, by the 1960s, Ford was very strict in the type of stampings it allowed on its cars, because of concerns about both quality control and cost. GM and Chrysler were much more adventurous by the mid-1960s in this area.
Chrysler stylist Elwood Engel was eager to use the concave stampings on the 1967-68 Chryslers because Ford would not let that type of stamping be used on its cars. Chrysler did have problems with ripples in the metal around the rear wheel opening, which was particularly noticeable on black cars.
That is quite interesting and something I’d never have considered; thanks.
Ford went for restriction on the stampings because the 1957 models had pretty high rejection rate, which ate into profits on their volume lines.
Not what you need when haemoraging money on Continental and Edsel divisions.
Count me in for the Buick.
The Caddy and Olds certainly have plenty of things going for them. But I can’t resist the combination of classy, understated, over-motored, and (especially, given this lineup) RWD.
The GS badges might take away from the ‘understated’ factor a bit, but I’m sure I could find a way to live with that 🙂
Eldorado – Every freaking time.
For reference see –
Reno Bound – Southern Pacific
Crime of Passion – Ricky Van Shelton
Pink Cadillac – Springsteen
The Cadillac WITHOUT vinyl works for me… though the Buick is a very strong strong second with rear drive (and WITHOUT vinyl).
I’d take them exactly as they are lined up. That Eldo is stunning, followed by the Riv, never mind the Toro. This trifecta reminds me of a collector acquaintance of mine in the northern California area, at one time in the 90’s he had in his extensive collection a ’53 Eldorado, a ’53 Buick Skylark, and a ’53 Olds Fiesta, all of them convertibles, all impeccably restored. It was an equally stunning lineup, I believe he eventually sold them, perhaps as matched triplets, for a LOT of dough.
I love the original, eyebrowed ’66 Toronado. I agree about the Michael Jackson thing…the same body style just a few years later was much less appealing.
The Eldorado has some handsome lines and this color seem to show them off well.
Yup, the Eldo looks best in black.
The Eldorado for me, although the other two aren’t bad at all. For some reason a late 60’s Eldorado is not on my personal Powerball list; it might be time for an update.
None of them.
Give me either a 1968/69 Chevelle sports coupe w/bucket seats & console and V8 or a 1968/69 Olds Cutlass 4-4-2 sports coupe. Auto trannys for me. Also add A/C…
“Sports coupe” = pillarless hardtop.
I’d take the Toronado first, followed by the Eldorado and then the Riviera. But this is a case where even the third choice is a winner.
For 65; Riviera- Fancy Schmancy
66 Toronado-so new
67 ElDorado-Blade Runner
68 ElDorado-by a mile
ditto 69, 70
71 Toronado, by a nose
72 ElDorado Convertible
73 Riviera
74 ElDorago Cabriolet in Cerise
75 Riviera
76 The “Last” Convertible, bicentennial Edition
77 Toronado XSC
78 Riviera in Black and Silver
79 Eldorado Biarritz- Red , White Landau/SSteel
80Toronado XS
81 Riviera T-type
86 Toronado Brougham
88 ElDorado Biarittz
89 Toro Trofeo
Gotta vote for the Riv, personal reasons, a very rich, beautiful blonde in a ’63 baby blue with dark blue leather.
Hardly a large sample size yet, but so far the responses support why the ’66-’67 Toronado did not sell well.
But that’s the one for me! And a Maserati 3500GT to go along with it.
I’ll take the Toro (and the 3500GT, obviously)!
I read the recent comment on this post from the guy who was at this shoot and whose dad bought the car. Great stuff.
I’ll take the Toronado in the GM solid maroon color that was so popular in the sixties.
Riviera FTW. I wouldn’t even look at the Toro or the Eldo.
+1
Eldorado for me. Cadillacs from the 50s and 60s are my fantasy cars, and this Eldorado is a stunningly elegant take on this body. I love seeing a well-preserved or well-restored Cadillac from the 70s, but those happen in spite of the self-destructing tendencies of 70s GM cars. But those 60s Cadillacs: things of beauty, all of them.
As a 12 year old, I couldn’t wait for the Toronado to come out, and I visited the showroom when they debuted. There were 2 of them in the showroom, a light blue one and a maroon car which was optioned to the max. They were beautiful. The next day our neighbor across the street pulled into his driveway with a light blue Toro. Yep, right out of the showroom. I loved to ride in it, and it never grew old for me. So, I’d choose the Toronado, but you couldn’t go wrong with any of these 3.
My dad and his two brothers had pretty much the first 3 Toronados in the Toledo area. I remember going to the dealer and picking it up. I got a matching, color and everything 1/24th scale model that I had for about 3 years and then stupidly tossed out. My one uncle got a gold one, the other maroon, and my dad, in a huge mistake, got his in (I think it was called) Champagne, which was sort of an odd silver. Before a month went by, he was muttering that he had bought the wrong color. My uncle with the maroon one got busted on the Indiana Toll Road when he decided to see just how fast the Toro would top end at. He got written up for doing 75, but he was doing something like 125+. I guess the trooper who pulled him over was in love with the car, or cut him slack for being a 65 year old guy hauling ass in his nearly new car.
The Toros were pretty much trouble free, but like always, when it hit the two year old mark, my dad traded it for his ’68 Imperial, hopped up with a cam and modified exhaust. My friends loved to hear it start up and idle, that muscle car cam in it just didn’t fit the “Old man’s car” look of the Imp.
You mean I have to choose one? Damn….
Always loved the Eldo. But the Toro is an awesome look. But I love the Riv!
Aww come on Dad. Let me have ’em all!?!?!
Tough choices…
I like the first year Toronado, never liked any of the changes after that, the 1966-1967 Riviera is beautiful, the 1968-69’s are still pretty, but not as nice as the 66-67. 1966 was the last year for the legendary Buick Nailhead 425 and the availability of the dual quads on a Buick, so a 1966 Riviera GS with the 2 x 4bbl combo would be the performer of the bunch.
I love the Eldorado, its a fantastic dream machine, though in 1967, there are certain things that I don’t like, to me, the ultimate early Eldorado is actually the 1968, which got the illustrious 375hp/525lb-ft of torque all new 472cid V8, the standard front disc brakes, the hidden wipers and the parking lights to fill those semi-awkward “plugs” that the 1967’s had at the leading edge of the fenders. So if I had my choice of any pre-1970 E-body, I would go for a loaded 1968 Eldorado.
Out of the assembled selection, my choice would be the 1966 Riviera GS. 425 dual quad please, with buckets and console with the wood rimmed wheel. The 66 Riviera has some great touches too, the headlights that revolve down from under the leading edge of the hood and one of my favorite touches, the rotating drum speedometer, which is so cool its almost a distraction.
I concur.
Pretty much my thoughts as well, although I would probably skip the dual quads on the Riviera. They’re impressive to look at, but my impression was that they did around-town performance more harm than good.
There was an interesting Motor Trend test of two ’63 Wildcats with the single and dual-carb engines that found the dual-carb engine was actually slower until more than 60 mph. The testers also complained that the dual-carb engine was annoying to drive in town because cracking the throttle would momentarily lean out the mixture too much and concluded that it was overcarbureted for street use.
I’d be tempted by the ’67 Riviera because of the availability of front discs, but very few cars actually had them and the finned drums are close to adequate anyway.
Well said Carmine and I completely agree. Though I admit I’d happily take any of the cars in the picture (great shot by the way). I also agree that these cars are fine examples of things done right by GM, of which there were many (perhaps that’s why The General’s sins generate so much angst–we know they could have done SO much better).
The Eldo is perhaps the best pure design – it has the lightest appearance and the razor edges that are repeated throughout are perfect – a cohesive design that is both elegant and full of tension.
The Riv, though, is one of my all-time favorite designs. It is just so unique and sexy – curvy but in all the right places.
If the Eldo is Miranda Kerr, the Riv is Kate Upton.
I’ve never quite understood the attraction of the early Toronados (or any Toro, for that matter, except perhaps the final Trofeo). I find it to be dumpy, and i generally like Oldsmobiles from the era.
The Riv is good, but just not nearly as sharp as its magnificent predecessor, and I always loved the uniqueness of the early Toro, but the ’67 Eldo would be my first choice, no doubt. I loved it as a kid; I was awed by those sharp lines – the taillights, the fenders, the creased rear glass, the kink in the rear fender, and that gorgeous front end with the hidden headlights. And it still looks so good now, especially in black and without vinyl. That whole rear end, just so perfect, wow.
I could not decide between these. All three of them are gorgeous works of art inside and out. The particular colors on these work so well for me — the Toro color is my favorite. I’d love to have a shot of all three of these to blow up & hang on the wall.
I regret getting rid of my ’67 Toronado & ’67 Riviera and never had the pleasure of owning an Eldorado *sigh*.
It’s hard for me to understand how some can hate one design & love the others…preferences of course vary..but wow…got some real hate going on the Toronado.
I’m with JB on this one. I don’t think I have a clear favorite, but there is something about the original Toro that floats my boat. There is a muscular look about it that goes with the fabulous rumble coming out of that big Olds Rocket V8.
If someone made me take the Riv or the Eldo, though, I wouldn’t exactly start crying.
I think the Toro is a great design, it’s just that the 66/67 Riv is one of the best designs ever. The FWD thing is what ultimately turns me off both the Eldo and Toro, but the way I drive these days it shouldn’t make a difference.
I’ve got a promo 45 flexi vinyl for the release of the Toro somewhere. I’ll see if I can rip it and post it somehow.
In fairness, the the Unitized Power Package GM used for the original Toronado and the FWD Eldorado is not your run-of-the-mill transverse-engine subcompact layout and qualifies as fairly exotic even by modern FWD standards. You also get a flat floor, which is not all that useful in cars like these, but is a conversation piece.
The Riviera handles better, but none of these cars is what you’d call nimble, so I don’t know that it makes much difference realistically. And the Eldo and Toronado do have noticeably better traction in the wet.
I’ve heard good things about the ride and the drive of those two. One of the classic British mags gave the Toro thumbs up. Still, from this distance it seems more like an attempt to further differentiate brands than it was a genuine technological improvement.
Toro! Toro! Toro! Big, bad ass muscle car, classed up for country club duty.
Love that your list has 28 cars. Not a top 3 or top 5 or top 10. 28 cars you’d buy if you could. Beautiful.
I’ve never tried to make a list like that, but my guess is that my list would be about the same length, and the model years would all range from about 5 years before my birth until about my 15th birthday.
In my personal lexicon, a true Curbside Classic is a survivor from among the cars of my youth.
Two out of three of these would make my list of 28. The Buick is the odd man out. From among all the E-Body Rivieras, I’m partial to the boattails.
I stopped when I ran out of cars! I also set my alarm clock at 6:16 in the morning, not for any real reason; it’s just a good time for me to get up!
I own four of my personal 28, and I bought a fifth that’s actually not on the list (CC coming Monday). Many are unattainable (Turbine Car, Miura, Aurelia B20GT, Alfa Giulietta Sprint Speciale)…
I’m 6:18, no real reason why it’s not 6:15 or 6:20.
Of these three, I would go with the Riviera for its swoopy looks. From the rear 3/4 the Toronado looks plain and the Eldorado is unpleasantly angular.
I’m not a Caddy guy at all – I typically hate bling and ostentation – but I’ll still take the Eldo. Pretty much the perfect mid/late 60s design: unique and immediately identifiable, aggressive, but not too fiddly, and well integrated. I’d put the 2nd gen Mustang fastbacks and the 67 Cougar into a similar category.
If we’re limiting ourselves to 66-67’s, then it’s the Eldorado, followed closely by the Toronado, with the Riviera a good gap behind. That first generation styling of the FWD Eldorado always knocks me out.
However . . . . . . . . replace the sample Riviera with a 63 and it all starts getting too close to call again.
I quite like the Eldorado, I dont actually want one but they do look really cool I watched one on a trip one night going thru the famous Manawatu gorge a very twisty low speed limit piece of scenery where even cars are kept to 80kmh so a truck can stay with them, Theres a purple Eldo over here somewhere and it looks great even with white vinyl top, not a great corner carver but certainly something worth looking at.
“All three share a platform,”
The three cars shared the same E body shell, but wasn’t the Riv a different chassis than the FWD cars, for obvious reasons?
“Platform” to me, refers more to unibody chassis shared with car lines. Just my H. O.
I agree with you that they are all E bodies, the chassis, particularly the front suspension does have significant differences between the FWD and RWD versions for obvious reasons.
The E-body was a kind of mix and match body part set- I think cowl and windshield were common to all as were a lot of inner unseen body components like wheel well liners and door inner structure. The basic roof panel and rear window were common on the Riv and Toro, with the Eldo getting its own parts. The basic UPP drivetrain was shared by the Toro and Eldo, with the Riv getting one more like the Electra.
These cars pretty much mark the end of a an era for GM- the divisions until this point shared hidden body structure but went for different chassis and drive trains. For example in the early sixties Cadillac use X frames and Olds used perimeter frames.
From the seventies on development costs tended to kill such redundancies, and the slow slide to the cookie cutter cars of the 80s began.
The A-body shared more even before this.
True, but the A-body was two or three price classes down from these cars and was specifically designed to cut production costs, which had been an issue with the senior compacts they replaced. It’s one thing to design in a high level of commonality on intermediates designed to sell for as little as $2,300, but applying that logic to $7,000+ luxury specialty cars is something else…
It makes even more sense on expensive relatively low volume(for GM) cars, it like they are cribbed from a cheaper car or something, the E was shared, but it was MADE for expensive cars, and really, do the 67 Eldorado and the 66 Toronado look alike at all?
True that they are both FWD and use the same suspension and driveline, but not the same engines, interiors, dashes, any exterior panels at all, the Riviera was even more different, retaining RWD until 1978, whats the difference? Ford was already sharing the Thunderbird and Continental by 1961.
Everyone loves the 63-65 Rivs but I think the 66-67 Riviera had some of the nicest lines ever. It seems that a lot of other manufacturers copied it’s fast back design through the 60s and 70s.
Great discussion going on here!
My second favorite car is a ’63-’65 Riv, so that would be first, but it’s not on the list.
To be honest, the Toro and Riv here are tied, with the Eldo being just a bit behind, but I love them all.
In 66 thought the Riviera was beautiful and still do. Got a promotional model of it and still have it somewhere. Spent hours dreaming over that car. Of course I would not kick the Eldorado or Toronado out of my garage for dripping a little oil.
If I were to pick my favorite E-bodies by generation:
1966-1970:
1966 Riviera GS 2x4bbl
1968 Eldorado
1971-1978:
Early-
1972 Eldorado convertible
1972 Riviera GS
Late-
1978 Eldorado Biarritz Custom Classic
1979-1985:
1979 Eldorado Biarritz
1985 Riviera T-type
1986-1991-The lost generation
1986 Riviera T-type-I know it’s hated by many, but it’s gotten old enough to have some kitschy neat factor, it was the first car with a touchscreen interface, which is cool, I would take a clean T-type Riviera as an interesting artifact.
Interesting mention on the 1986 Riviera. While it is FAR from my favorite, it did have some unique high technology for the era, even if it didn’t work well (though not sure modern touchscreens are that much better). I was on a European trip in the early 1990s and was in Paris when I saw an ’86 or ’87 Riviera parked on the street near the Champs Elysee. It was white with no vinyl top and alloy wheels (versus wire wheel covers). In the context of the European hatches all around it (and not an N-body in sight) it actually looked remarkably good. I’d hated the car until then, but I literally saw it in a new light, which gave me an unexpected appreciation for its design. All about the context I guess, but I see why you’d put it on your list, and I’m glad someone would bother to think about this generation of the Riv.
The 66 Toronado, please. GM had the best looking cars, hands down in that year.
Interestingly, comments seem to be divided evenly between all three. While I personally prefer the Buick, it’s hard to disparage anyone who chose one of the other two. All three are great looking cars.
The sixties were the zenith of domestic auto design, with all of the Big 3 coming up with some of their best-looking cars, ever. It was much easier to get stunning cars without a lot of federal safety mandates. Of course, the cars weren’t even remotely as safe as they are today. But they sure looked a whole lot better than anything made since.
I wonder if GM used the same glass between the Riviera and Toronado. It looks like it in the pic.
Eldorado in black for me, please.
Appropriate.
Where is that from?
The Dark Half, a movie based on a Stephen King novel.
These are my dream cars. I will take them all. May i choose the color ?
– 1963 Riviera in silver.
– 1966 Toronado in gold.
– 1967 Eldorado in black.
Thank you.
Toronado 1966
Riviera 1963.
Luc, our tastes are identical, even down to the color. Well, I’d probably take my Eldo in dark blue, but black will do.
I’ll take the Toronado because I’ve always loved it. If I cannot have the Toronado, then it has to be the Eldorado. I suppose that, if I must, I’ll settle for the Riviera.
I never realized until now that the Eldorado had the sharply v’eed backlight. It also made me think how much better real names are for cars instead of random jumbles of initials.
Bill Mitchell’s 1977 Phantom concept sure does seem like the three of these fell into a blender:
My bad
I see what you mean, but somehow the three blended end up a Pontiac! I think this is an awesome concept, though.
I’m not sure why, but I’ve never been very attracted to Rivieras except for ’63 – ’65 and ’79 – ’85. Maybe because I consider the ’65 to be perfection and have owned one. The ’66 seems a little bloated to me.
So, that leaves the ’66 Toro and the ’67 Eldo. I love them both. I can’t pick one. It doesn’t help that the cars pictured are the perfect colors respectively. Eeny, meeny, miney …….
Definitely the Toronado. It was A Step Ahead! And continues to be, in my world. For ’66-67, the Eldo is a close second, and the Riviera is third.
As an automotive ass man, the Eldo wins hands down. That backlight with the center crease and the contours of the decklid are the most stunning formations of glass and sheetmetal ever devised to my eyes. This pic really captures it.
I’d say the Riv might win me over as a whole though, it being RWD definitely helps too.
This is a really hard decision. The Buick is cool but it is not nearly as cool as a ’63, so that would be the Riv for me, not a ’67, so it is out of the running. The Toronado is the fastest. I drove one years ago and it had prodigious torque off the 425. It even handled reasonably well. I just never liked the look of it.
That leaves the Eldorado. The ’67 looks great and the all black interior is a real knock-out. The car motors right along but it’s a Caddy, so it’s soft. The drum brake models are not adequate for today’s traffic and guys who drive them regularly have swapped them to factory disks. It just looks cool and really reeks “old money” like modern cars simply can’d do.
I don’t know about the Cadillac, but the aluminium drums on the Riviera actually work pretty good.
A very hard decision. But since I own a 67 Riviera I have to choose the Riv. I think the Riviera is the prettiest, Eldorado number two and Toronado no. 3. I would love to own a 67-70 Eldorado too.
The ride in the Riviera is a bit harsh though, it doesn’t absorbe the bumps as a Lincoln Mark IV og a 77-78 Eldorado. I have not drive a 67-70 Eldorado.
GM and the US at the peak of their engineering and design excellence……all three are absolutely fabulous cars.
The Cadillac is beautiful…..
The 66 Riviera is I think an under-appreciated design, very appealing…….
But the Toronado is just flat breath-taking – I can’t think of a car the had more of an impact on me in the 60s – I was just blown-away when I first saw one. Even if it didn’t pioneer large displacement front drive, and had a typical rear drive platform, the beauty of the design is just striking…….then and now……….
All three are beautiful and you coudm’t go wrong. But the black Edorado in this picture really grabs me — so understaed nad elegant. It’s too bad what happened to the Riviera and Toronado in 68/69 — very awkward. Those two were redeemed a bit for the 79 models, but the Eldorado looked great in all these years.
Interesting how the choices are split.
For me, it’d be the 1967 Eldorado.
Have always had a thing for that model. Just beautiful and elegant.
The 500ci from 1970 would be the cherry on top I feel.
Next up probably the Toronado as it too has always been a favourite of mine. There’s just something about the design that screams tank! The slotted wheels definitely add to it.
Just love the long hood/short everything else. It’s simple yet beautiful and muscular.
The Riviera is beautiful too. Muscular yet a bit understated.
Many have mentioned the 1963-1965 design though, a tough one to follow.
They are all awesome and beautiful but that’s the order I’d have them. All 3 would be the preferred choice though.
They’re all gorgeous. The Riv seems to have cheapened its interior over time.
The 1967 dash is bottom drawer, especially the cheezy rolling speedometer:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.aaca.org%2Fshowimage.php%3Fi%3D4443%26c%3D506&h=0&w=0&sz=1&tbnid=kBawlZzWHZygyM&tbnh=195&tbnw=258&zoom=1&docid=CHnchguaGinETM&ei=nZgRU4KKBead0QGroYHwCg&ved=0CAgQsCUoAg
Love them all. I’d take any one.
My God. The Bill Mitchell era at GM certainly produced some beautiful cars.
For me, the Toro is first by a slim margin, followed by the Eldo, then the Riv.
I grew up seeing these cars in the ’60s. At one time, this level of style was commonplace.
I just love all three of these cars.
Mitchell retired from GM in 1977, having supervised styling of the downsized Seville, Caprice, etc. The designs that followed showed how much GM style would miss him.