Cadillac Cyclone

The Cadillac Cyclone is a concept car built in 1959 by Cadillac. The Cyclone was never mass-produced as a production model.

Overview

One of the last cars designed by the legendary Harley Earl, the Cyclone was a testbed for futuristic styling and technology. Built on a 104" wheelbase chassis, it featured a front-mounted 390in³ engine, rear-mounted automatic transaxle, and an all-wheel independent suspension. Uniquely, the Cyclone's engine exhaust was ported out just ahead of the front wheels. It also featured a radar operated crash avoidance system, with the radar sensors mounted in twin "nose-cones" on the front of the car.^[1]

Of the Cyclone's stylistic features, the bubble top canopy was the most prominent. Silver coated for UV protection, the canopy automatically opened along with the sliding electrically operated doors. The canopy could also be stowed in the rear compartment, where it rested on a special air-bag base.

The Cyclone's design was heavily inspired by the aviation and rocket designs of the 1950s.

References

• General Motors press release describing the Cyclone
• "1950-59 Cadillacs" by the Editors of Consumer Guide
• The (new) Cadillac Database: 1959 Cadillac Cyclone page at the Wayback Machine (archived November 30, 2011)
• 1959 Cadillac Cyclone XP-74