Vintage PR Shot: 1960 Cadillac Coupe DeVille – The Target Demographic
– Posted on August 9, 2022
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Big car, big house, big ego by the man of the house. 🙂
Toned down from ’59. And, of course, a lot more defensible styling-wise (but the ’59s bring the dough).
Take a look at the ’60 Eldorado Seville…same body and wheelbase, different trim. That is one sleek car…
Agree, those rocket packs on the rear of the’59 were too much. Much more tasteful tail lights on the ‘60. A design touch that was carried through for years after that in varying shapes.
Old estate money. Private schooling. Bespoken wardrobe. Married to a matron, but knocking boots with the office gal. Your business just contracted with NASA and now is the time for Cadillac.
If this is the top, then GN’s father’s 1989 DeVille (three posts down) is at or near the bottom.
I’ll let GN say the rest:
“In the span of 18 months that Sedan DeVille annihilated decades of goodwill toward Cadillac and was the final nail in the coffin that ended my family’s loyal and constant ownership of GM products—none of us have bought anything from The General since 1989.”.
I can’t add a thing to GN’s perfect sentence.
Should be painted on the office wall of every GM exec opposite their desk, in six-inch caps.
Understand, the contrast between the elegant parents, child, and house and the flashy 1960 Caddy, before you condemn the modern vestige. No amount of current class could divert the modern from their spreadsheet of utility. Even if the modern is elderly. their failed families and careers will not allow them to imagine what could have been back then.
The couple seem a bit old to have a son of that age. Of course older parents are common today but in 1960 I’m assuming those are supposed to be grandparents….. or perhaps grandad and somewhat- younger second wife.
Age difference – maybe they are grandparents – closer to target for Cadillac buyer
My guess too, although you see a lot of older men / younger women couples in car ads of this era. Kinda creepy, like the fuselage Imperial ads with the old man and a little girl.
Upon closer inspection of the photo, the wife doesn’t look that much younger than the husband. It was quite common for well-to-do older women to dye their hair to hide the gray in those days.
The boy looks as though he is dressed up for a trip to his grandparents’ house. In 1960, people dressed up to go shopping or out to eat…or visit relatives.
The gap between the headlights and bumper is even larger on the ’60 than the ’59. It’s like a missing front tooth, I can’t look away.
OTOH, when I imagine it with the grille brought forward at the sides, it looks even weirder–too heavy and ponderous.
Agree, the front could have used a better update as the rear received. That had to wait until ‘61.
This looks like another depiction of the Not Niedermeyers? Or maybe young Paul on the way to school, hoping that the old guy will quit wooing his lady friend and offer him a ride to school. 🙂
I am OK with the 60 – it is certainly better than the 59 – but it always looked to me like a 59 that someone left out in the hot sun until it started to melt.
Definitely Not My Family Either. Back then my parents were rolling around in a bare-bones ’60 Corvair with a suicide-beige interior. Young Paul does indeed seem to be saying “Gee willikers Mr. Rich Poshman! Your new Cadillac sure is keen!”
looks like its outside an English house. ” What does it do to the gallon and were did you nick it from Mister? “
If you’ve got it, why not flaunt it? A Cadillac was still a highly desirable car for most Americans at this time, and was an acceptable way to display your wealth. “Well established” families, ( read that as rich!) could buy any car that they wanted, as frequently as wanted. However, even blue collar Americans could accept almost anyone buying a Cadillac, however financed, for themselves as some kind of reward. These were great road trip cars as long as you stayed within their limitations. Perfect for the new highway system. Unfortunately, the late 1950’s was when Cadillac became even bigger and floatier and lost some of their road car cred.
big cars but the extra size is on the outside they arent all that big inside at least a friends 59 hard top isnt, Im guessing people were smaller back then.
The face of the child doesn’t match the proportions of the torso. Look how thin the legs are. I’ll sure the photo has been touched up.
Salvatore Romano at Sterling Cooper would have done a better job.
Shoulders look improbably hunched-up too. Maybe that’s his chiropractor’s car? 🙂