1940 Cadillac Series 60 Special Sedan (more photos 👇)
William Mitchell’s first complete automotive design for General Motors introduced a revolutionary concept in American luxury automobiles. The Series 60 Special targeted owner-drivers rather than chauffeur-driven clients, featuring styling innovations that would influence design for decades.
Hidden running boards, an integrated coupe-like trunk, and streamlined pontoon fenders created a sleek profile distinct from traditional formal sedans.
Convertible-style doors with bright metal window frames combined with a steeply raked windshield and four-window canopy roofline to maximize glass area, giving the car a lighter, more modern appearance than anything else in Cadillac showrooms.
Riding a 127-inch wheelbase, the Series 60 Special received power from a 346-cubic-inch L-head V8 producing 135 horsepower. The three-speed selective synchromesh transmission used a floor-mounted shifter, emphasizing the model’s driver-focused character.
Independent front suspension with coil springs and hydraulic brakes provided refined handling characteristics for a full-size luxury sedan.
The 1938 debut models carried Fleetwood coachwork, while 1939-1940 examples were built by Fisher to Fleetwood designs. This Streamline Moderne masterpiece captured industrial Art Deco aesthetics through curved, aerodynamic lines.
Production for the 1940 model year totaled just under 4,000 cars, reinforcing the Series 60 Special’s exclusive status.
Source
