Cadillac Cyclone Concept Car
This is another one of those wild, wacky, outrageous concept cars that was developed to allow us to reimagine what a car actually is, and how we see them. This Cadillac Concept Car had styling and features that were years ahead of its time, and helped redefine cars decades later. This Cadillac Cyclone Concept Car was one of the last cars designed by the legendary Harley Earl. This futuristic looking, Batman-style hot rod was WAY ahead of its time in many ways.
Futuristic Features
We have all heard the recent news about the major manufacturers touting their ‘advance crash warning systems’. Oddly enough, this Cadillac Cyclone Concept Car had such a feature – in 1959! The system used a radar-location device that was embeeded in the two front nose cones, which are black in the above photo. The device scanned the road ahead, and warned drivers of any obstacles in the cars path. This was very forward thinking in an era when cars did not even come equipped with seat belts! Unlike the modern systems, the radar system in this Cadillac did not tie into the brakes, or do anything else. It simply alerted the driver with a buzzing sound that something was in the path.
Futuristic Body Styling
The body of the 1959 Cadillac Cyclone Concept Car is also very unique. Like most cars of that era, the car was meant to look like a rocket, with space age inspiration fueling the designs. It featured a bubble top canopy that was silver coated for UV protection. This offered 360 degree panoramic views from inside the car, meaning there were no blind spots. The canopy automatically opened when the doors opened. The doors were eletrically operated, and slide alongside the car, as opposed to opening like the doors of other cars.
The canopy could be stored in the trunk, where it rested on a special base with air bags underneath it to prevent damage. This made the car a full convertible when desired. As was common in 1959, this car had tail fins that were obviously similar to the 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. For more information on that era of cars, I recommend this book on the subject, available on Amazon. I could see someone like Elvis driving this car around!
Technical Specs
The car had a long, 104 inch wheelbase, and featured a 325 horsepower 390 V8 up front under the hood. The mufflers and exhaust exited under the front wheels, and did not traverse the length of the car. No performance or fuel economy numbers are available, however. Other interesting features included 4 wheel independent suspension and a rear mounted transaxle.
Summary
Sadly, this amazing concept car never made it to production, but the ideas lived on for ages. This car really was a cool looking concept car, and I wish it had been made! I hope you enjoyed this look back at this Cadillac Cyclone Concept Car of 1959. Comment down below and let me know what you think!
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Someone needs to bring back tail fins!