Fueled by the space race, designers channeled their passion for aerodynamics in everything from trains to pencil sharpeners. The 1953 Cadillac Le Mans is no different. With expressive fins, chrome plated grill and famous Daomar front bumpers, the Le Mans served as a preview for upcoming production Cadillac’s and a favorite on the Motorama show circuit.
Sold to actress Marie McDonnald, The first Le Mans show car was immediately redesigned to feature 24 karat gold plated trim, thirty coats of platinum dust to the body panels, as well as adding a radio-telephone and cocktail bar to the reupholstered red leather interior. Destroyed in a fire in 1985, only a handful of parts remain of the original LeMans showcar.
GM Press Release
Le Mans is the name of a French provincial town located some 60 miles west of Paris. It is renowned for its annual 24-hour road race. Two Cadillacs were entered in that race in 1950: an almost stock Series 61 coupe and a racing barquette nicknamed Le Monstre; both cars fared very well, placing 10th and 11th overall (in 3rd place was a Cadillac-powered Allard J2X roadster).
Three years later, Cadillac used the name Le Mans for this sporty, 2-seater dream car. The motoring press were not enthused. Road & Track called Le Mans "that thing". Following a test drive of the car at the GM Proving Grounds, Motor Trend drivers acknowledged the car’s surprising performance and road-holding ability, but found it nonetheless much too heavy and spongy for any kind of competition.
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