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Fancy

We’ve always though of the concept car as a vessel by which an automaker can demonstrate its futuristic vision and design prowess (like this, this, or this), so it’s funny to realize that even way back in the past, marques like Cadillac were showing fantastical concept vehicles. Now, the American heritage marque’s 20th-century interpretations of the future will once again be show, this time at Florida’s Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance.

In attendance at the 17th-annual auto aficionado fest, alongside myriad vintage Porsches and Ferraris, will be three old-school Caddy concepts: the 1949 Fleetwood Coupe deVille prototype; the 1959 Cyclone Concept; and the 1961 El Dorado Chicago Auto Show car. The Cyclone Concept, with its conical blacked-out headlamps and torpedo side panels, looks built for an odd future by people who died long before Odd Future.

As a point of related context, Motor Trend provided an interesting detail about Cadillac’s slogan, “the standard of the world.” Writes Edward Sanchez:

Cadillac has long used the motto “standard of the world” but few people are aware of the term’s origins. The term was bestowed on the brand in 1909 by the Royal Automobile Club when three cars won the RAC’s Dewer Trophy. The cars were driven from London to the Brooklands race track, disassembled, re-assembled, and driven for 500 miles without incident. The exercise was a demonstration of the engineering excellence of the cars.

Check out Cadillac‘s 2013 offerings here to compare where the company’s vision actually led them.

via Motor Trend