Cadillac began using the Biarritz name on the high-zoot Eldorado in 1956, dropped it after 1964, then revived it for 1976 on an Eldo distinguished by its extra-squishy “Cabriolet” vinyl half-roof. The definitive Biarritz came a bit later, though, with the downsized 1979-1985 generation of Eldorados. Here’s one of those cars, found on the outskirts of my very favorite Colorado car graveyard.
Yes, parked next to a two-tone Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 Ford Econoline pickup, it’s the flashiest new GM personal luxury coupe (a lot of) money could buy in 1982.
What really made the 1979-1985 Eldorado Biarritz distinctive was this stainless-steel roof panel, inspired by the roof of the 1957 Eldorado Brougham.
