The Name Was Proposed for a Special Show Car Built in 1952 to Mark Cadillac's Golden Anniversary; It Was the Result of In-House Competition Won by Mary-Ann Marini, a Secretary in the Company's Merchandising Department. Another Source, Palm Springs Life Magazine, Attributes the Name to a Resort Destination in California's Coachella Valley That Was a Favorite of General Motors Executives. However, The Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells, California Was Not Founded Until 1957 - Five Years After Cadillac's Naming Competition. In Any Case, The Name Was Adopted by the Company for a New, Limited-Edition Convertible That Was Added to The Line in 1953.
The Name Eldorado Was Derived From the Spanish Words "El Dorado", "The Gilded One" or "The Golden One"; The Name Was Given Originally to the Legendary Chief or "Cacique" of a South American Indian Tribe. Legend Has it That His Followers Would Sprinkle His Body With Gold Dust on Ceremonial Occasions and He Would Wash it Off Again By Diving Into a Lake. The Name More Frequently Refers to a Legendary City of Fabulous Riches, Somewhere in South America, That Inspired Many European Expeditions, Including One to the Orinoco by England's Sir Walter Raleigh.
Cadillac is Currently the Second Oldest American Automobile Manufacturer Behind Buick and Among The Oldest Automobile Brands in the World. Depending On How One Chooses to Measure, Cadillac is Arguably Older Than Buick; However, Upon the Demise of Oldsmobile, Buick is Generally Accepted to Currently be the Oldest American Make Still in Production.
Cadillac Was Born in 1902, at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century. Its Founder, Henry Leland, a Master Mechanic and Entrepreneur, Named the Company After His Ancestor, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, The Founder of Detroit. It Was Purchased in 1909 by General Motors and Within Six Years, Cadillac Laid the Foundation for the Modern Mass Production of Automobiles by Demonstrating the Complete Interchangeability of its' Precision Parts, Also Establishing Itself as America's Premier Luxury Car. This is Also the Inspiration for the Company’s Crest, Which is Based on the Cadillac Family’s Historic Coat of Arms. Cadillac Pioneered Many Accessories in Automobiles, Including Full Electrical Systems, the Clash-Less Manual Transmission and The Steel Roof. The Brand Developed Three Engines, One of Which (The V8 Engine) Set The Standard for the American Automotive Industry. As a Result, Cadillac is the First American Car to Win the Prestigious Dewar Trophy From the Royal Automobile Club of England and Adopt the Slogan “Standard of the World”.