1932 Cadillac V16 Sports Phaeton
The Thirties was a period of extremes, with a bottomless gulf between the exceedingly rich and the unbelievably poor. Following the 1929 Wall Street Crash, those who had retained their riches became increasingly out of touch with those on the breadline. The fortunes they spent on luxury cars, for example, beggars belief. Cadillac catered for these well-heeled patrons and developed fabulous automobiles that only the so-called ‘old money’ and film stars could afford. Their V16 was the top of the line in luxury and power. With its unique engine, basically two inline eight-cylinder motors sharing a common 45-degree crankshaft, each half with a dedicated fuel supply and exhaust, the Sports Phaeton cost around $6500 when the minimum wage was 25 cents an hour. That’s in excess of $110,000 in today’s money. During the V16’s production from 1930 to 1940 only 4076 examples were created, all custom built.
This fabulous 1:18 scale die-cast replica of the 1932 Sports Phaeton from Auto World is painted two-tone silver blue and dark blue with black fenders. It has an impressive engine, steerable front wheels, a detailed chassis, opening doors and bonnet.
As you’ll appreciate there’s a lot of chrome, from the large headlights and hefty bumpers to the polished wire wheels and the ventilation flaps on the bonnet sides. The engine also has a lot of brightwork, as befitted a luxury automobile. The dual cowl bodies were popular at the time, distancing the passengers from the chauffeur, whose seat was often upholstered differently.
This required double screens, with movable ‘wind wings’, to deflect the draughts. You’ll notice the rear cowl covers half of the rear doors and extends into the passenger compartment, thereby protecting the occupants from the rain. This hinged out of the way to access the rear. The lengthy convertible top could be fitted with side screens. Twin side-mounted spare wheels were popular, though evidence of poor roads and weak tyres as much as style. Various versions of this impressive model are available, with the inevitable price differences. McLaren Models lists it for £99. See advertisement for contact details.