Cadillac 62 Series Cabriolet - 1950

Launched in 1940 as Cadillac’s accessible luxury line, the Series 62 quickly became the brand’s volume star and a rolling showcase of GM styling and technology. Conceived under Harley Earl with input from a young Bill Mitchell, the pre‑war cars wore the sleek “Torpedo” C‑body and could be had as fastbacks, sedans and convertibles. War paused production, but the post‑1945 return kept the smooth 346 cu in flathead V8 and—crucially—the Hydra‑Matic automatic that Cadillac had begun offering in 1941, setting a new standard for effortless motoring.

Then came 1948–49: fins appeared (inspired by the Lockheed P‑38’s tailplane), and Cadillac’s new 331 cu in overhead‑valve V8 arrived—lighter, more powerful and more efficient than the old L‑head. The 1949 Cadillacs, including the Series 62, took Motor Trend’s inaugural Car of the Year and helped crystalise Cadillac’s “Standard of the World” reputation. The pillarless Coupe de Ville also debuted as a glamorous Series 62 sub‑series, joining the convertible to give Cadillac the boulevardier image enthusiasts still adore.

Through the early ’50s, power steering, power brakes, power windows and ever‑more plush interiors pushed the luxury envelope. Air‑conditioning returned in the early ’50s and grew increasingly integrated; by 1964 Cadillac offered Comfort Control, the first fully automatic, thermostat‑regulated climate system in the industry. The 1954 restyle brought the wraparound windshield and lower, longer proportions; the 1956 model year introduced the 365 cu in V8 with 300‑ish horses. Underneath, a new X‑frame chassis arrived for 1957, dropping the floor for a lower stance while keeping Cadillac’s buttery ride.

Styling climaxed in 1959: the Series 62 (by then also referenced as “6200 series”) wore the tallest, most theatrical fins of the era and a new 390 cu in V8. Period reviewers praised the silken V8 and near‑telepathic Hydra‑Matic—if also noting soft, floaty handling at the limit. Competition came from Lincoln’s Capri/Continental, Packard’s senior cars and, later, Chrysler’s Imperial, yet the Series 62 consistently outsold rivals, shaping America’s luxury‑car template.

Curios and culture? Cadillac’s photo‑electric Autronic Eye headlamp dimmer (early ’50s) previewed modern driver aids; countless film and TV productions lean on Series 62s—especially 1959–60 convertibles—to telegraph ’50s excess or coastal cool. The exclusive 1953 Eldorado show car grew out of a Series 62 convertible and set the tone for Cadillac glamour. Celebrities of the day were rarely far from a Cadillac key fob, cementing the brand’s star power even when their cars weren’t strictly Series 62s. By 1961–64, the fins had slimmed, the 390 V8 was smoother than ever, and the Series 62 signed off in 1964 with a new 429 V8 and Turbo‑Hydramatic option. The name retired for 1965, replaced by Calais and DeVille, but the Series 62’s mix of style, innovation and easy speed remains quintessential Cadillac.