a model name) was the first Cadillac show car. It was created
under the direction of GM design legend Harley Earl for the 1933
Chicago Century of Progress Exposition, where it graced the
General Motors exhibit. The car’s 154-inch wheelbase, the longest
ever used on a Cadillac production car, made it quite big, especially
for a coupe. While it certainly doesn’t look particularly slippery by
today’s standards, the Aero-Dynamic did introduce the fastback
styling that would become commonplace in the 1940s. The coupe’s
designers also relocated the spare tire inside the trunk—unusual
in an era when spare tires were typically mounted outside vehicle
bodies. Other unique aesthetic touches are the twin fishtail-style
exhaust outlets located below the rear bumper, which were shaped
to enhance the V-16’s exhaust sound.
The V-16 engine itself was made to be visually appealing, with
hidden wires and plated fuel lines dressing up the massive lump;
a firewall concealed wiring and plumbing. Writers of the time
indicated that the car could idle along at 2 mph while in top gear
and then, with a tip of the throttle, quietly thrust away to high
speeds because of the flexibility of this remarkable engine.
After the World’s Fair the Aero-Dynamic was offered for sale.
Of 20 bodies built only 8 were known to have been equipped with
the V-16 through 1937, making this car very rare indeed.