Don’t be Cruella, de Ville.

Yesterday was the 69th anniversary of the one-millionth Cadillac rolling off of the assembly line in Detroit, Michigan. The Series 62 Coupe de Ville is unarguably Cadillac’s most iconic vehicle. The model that marked the landmark production in 1949 was the original C-body that was also the basis for the Buick Roadmaster, the Pontiac Torpedo, and the Oldsmobile Series 90. At the time, it was Cadillac’s - and America’s - most advanced vehicle design, having first entered the market in 1936 and enduring until 1984.

The 1949 Series 62 Coupe de Ville utilized the frame in a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive design with a brand new 160hp 5.7L OHV V8. Though the previous two generations of de Ville featured two-door models, this was the first time that the “Coupe de Ville” moniker was used. A hardtop coupe with removable top and a convertible were both produced, in addition to the already wildly successful third-generation Sedan de Ville that had just released the previous year. The Coupe de Ville was also the most bespoke vehicle Cadillac had ever released, with power windows, leather upholstery, and chrome ribs on the hardtop to mimic the convertible design.

The C-body Series 62 Coupe de Ville proved so popular that it would last for four more generations until 1964. The C-body continued production through 1984 and was the basis for many Cadillac sedans and coupes as well as other GM models. Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” and Clint Eastwood’sPink Cadillac both featured C-body coupes, and the Coupe de Ville was the very first Mary Kay pink Cadillac in 1968. Considering the historic success of the model and its place in American popular culture, it wouldn’t seem too far-fetched to imagine a pink electric Cadillac convertible coming our way some time in the near future.

-Trey Fennell