St. Mark's Caddy

The evening light was just perfect on that long, sculpted bodyside.Spotted on St. Mark's Place in the East Village.

Faded Glory - Red Hook Cadillac

In 1958, this Caddy was pretty much the most luxurious thing on wheels, at least on this side of the pond.  Now, it's just another cast-away toy, rotting in a vacant lot in Red Hook...

Cadillac's Beast in the Wilds of Brooklyn

Brooklyn's Red Hook waterfront neighborhood is populated largely by warehouses, piers, and a storage depot for Chinatown buses. So it took me by surprise last night to find GM's latest fire breathing monster at the side of the road as I went for my evening constitutional. The cel-phone shot is grainy, but you can see a rather fetching Anthracite Grey example of the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon, which bore Michigan plates. It's the first one I've seen in the flesh and I have to say it's pretty sensational in person. It has just the right stance, and a clean, mean, "all business" tautness that is more teutonic than almost anything being done by the Germans these days.  I actually think it's nicer than the upcoming CTS coupe, plus it has plenty of space for the hounds, who will have to be peeled off the tailgate after a romp through the twisties in this 556bhp beast. It seriously looks better in person than in any photo I have seen.  I'll have to start saving now, because these wagons come in at about 63 G's.  But when you consider they are faster around the 'ring than any kraut-wagen (like the $86K M5), that seems like a more sensible price.

GM Styling sketches from the Mitchell Era

Olds Toronado

Buick Riviera

Cadillac Eldorado

I've seen a heck of a lot of styling sketches in my life, but these really knocked my socks off.  Not only are they eye catching designs from Bill Mitchell's crisp "London Tailored" period, but the use of line weight, shading, and forced perspective is just masterful.