1963 Cadillac Series 62

Designed by Harley Earl, the 1963 Cadillac Series 62 was built as a very large luxury vehicle and has become a ubiquitous staple among the most sought-after 1960's Cadillac models. Earl was the son of a coachbuilder who went on to become a legend in American automobile circles and served as the first vice president of design for General Motors; the car features tail fins, which were first introduced to automotive styling under the late Earl’s tutelage. As the story goes, Earl authorized the Frank Hershey design for the 1948 Cadillac. The design incorporated the first automotive tail fins, which were inspired by the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a World War II aircraft. The styling captivated Detroit automotive designers and eventually led to a competitive dynamic between Earl and Virgil Exner, another designer of note, over the size and complexity of the tail fins ultimately producing the world-renowned 1959 Cadillac.

This 4,400-pound automobile has a limited turning radius of 24 feet and was designed with elegance and comfort in mind. The result is very sleek. In this spirit, the car easily accommodates six passengers and looks stylish cruising along the freeway. The car featured all of the luxury amenities of the time, such as air conditioning, power steering, electric windows and power seats, as well as an automatic convertible top that can be raised and lowered at the mere touch of a button. It also featured GuideMatic, an automatic device that turned headlamps on at dusk and were capable of turning from high beam to low beam when sensing oncoming traffic. The shiny, all-black leather interior guarantees you won't go unnoticed on a summer night while the white convertible top makes it perfectly respectable for Sunday drives.

This car is not the most practical in terms of fuel efficiency or body size, but at a time when American cars have lost so much of their design heritage to homogeneous efficiency, this beauty is a moving piece of American history; great design and you'll look good in it.

- Victor Vargas