top of page

1959 Cadillac Starlight by Pininfarina

In the same year, 1959, an interesting joint development of Cadillac and another Italian coachbuilder, Pininfarina, was shown. At the Paris Salon, the public saw the Cadillac Starlight - another example of the Italian vision of the aero-style concept. Cadillac Jaqueline did not differ much from its predecessor - the plastic solution of its body had nothing to do with aviation style. The two-door hardtop completely broke the established ideas about the corporate identity of the Cadillac brand. It was no longer an American Cadillac. The result of the last such experiment was demonstrated at the Paris Salon in 1961.


Between 1958 and 1961, the Italian coachbuilder Pinin Farina - whose company name was changed to Pininfarina (in one word) in 1961 - drew great inspiration from the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham project. During that time, they designed and built four exclusive, custom bodies.



This car had an interesting Plexiglas top with an ingenious "headliner" consisting of four articulated metal panels which, when not in use, could be stored, singly or all together, behind the parcel shelf. According to a Pininfarina spokesperson in 1976, the Starlight coupe was first shown at the Paris Salon in October 1959.


Source: www.car-nection.com; Ivan Rozhnov, MOTOR magazine, 8-1998

Images: Pininfarina; www.shorey.net



Explore by Year, Make or Designer
bottom of page