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1953 Cadillac Le Mans concept

Harley Earl’s revolutionary Cadillac Le Mans concept was a look into the future of automotive design

The 1953 Cadillac Le Mans concept convertible

The 1953 Cadillac Le Mans concept, named for the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France, never went into production, but the design was an exercise using fiberglass and two-seater design. (GM Archives)

BY MARK MAYNARD

The 1953 Cadillac Le Mans was a star dream car at the 1953 General Motors Motorama. The big Caddy’s futuristic design and powerful performance impressed the public and the automotive press, and it helped to set the stage for the next generation of Cadillac cars.

Designed by GM’s legendary design chief, Harley Earl, the Le Mans concept was named for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France, in which Cadillac competed in 1950.

Earl uses the concept car to showcase Cadillac’s vision for the future of automotive design. The Le Mans concept was a two-seat, fiberglass-bodied roadster with a low profile and a long, sleek body. Innovative design elements included a wraparound windshield, hidden headlights, and a tailfin design that would become a signature feature of Cadillac cars in the 1950s.

The Le Mans concept’s sporty styling closely resembled the 1954 Eldorado limited production convertible, according to a report at SuperCars.net  Compared to a standard Cadillac convertible, the Le Mans was nearly eight inches lower and its fiberglass body and 115-inch wheelbase made it 400 pounds lighter.

While the 1953 Le Mans concept was never put into production, four versions of the Le Mans concept were built, of which three are accounted for today. One is in the GM Heritage Center in Detroit. But there is some mystery as to the whereabouts of the fourth car, explained in a 2013 AutoWeek story by Wallace Wyss.

1953 Cadillac Le Mans Specifications

Body style: 2-seat roadster; fiberglass body on steel ladder frame

Engine: 6.4-liter, 331-cubic-inch 250-horsepower Cadillac V-8

Transmission: 4-speed Hydramatic

Wheelbase/Length: 116/196 inches

Width/height: 74/51 inches

Curb weight: 4,405 pounds

 

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