Limited serie of 75 pieces only

Cadillac 452A V16 Roadster Farina — 1931

Cadillac V16 — the Maharaja of Orchha's American dream

In January 1930, Cadillac unveiled the Series 452 V16, one of the most ambitious automobiles ever produced by the marque. Its imposing 7.4-litre sixteen-cylinder engine developed approximately 175 hp and delivered enormous torque. Cadillac had entered the very exclusive world of V16 automobiles.

Most Cadillac V16s received bodies built in the United States by Fleetwood or Fisher. A small number of chassis, however, were supplied as rolling chassis to foreign coachbuilders so that completely individual automobiles could be created. Only 21 chassis were entrusted to coachbuilders outside the United States.

The chassis for this particular automobile took a very unusual direction. In 1931, the Maharaja of Orchha, Vir Singh II, commissioned a Cadillac V16 and sent it to Italy, to the young coachbuilding company founded only one year earlier by Battista “Pinin” Farina.

The commission was particularly significant for Farina. It was one of his first projects on an American chassis and one of the early creations of his newly established company.

Farina designed a spectacular body, combining elements of a roadster and a Dual Cowl Phaeton. Its long, boat-shaped silhouette culminated in an elegant boat-tail rear section. Behind its refined appearance, however, was a very practical purpose.

The Maharaja was a passionate tiger hunter and wanted to use the automobile during hunting expeditions in the jungle. The rear section was therefore designed with a raised seat, giving its occupant an unobstructed 360-degree view. The car was also equipped with various compartments intended to carry firearms and equipment required during hunting expeditions.

The coachwork was completed in Turin during 1931, after which the Cadillac was shipped to India.

The car went on to lead a particularly eventful life. It remained with the Maharaja's family for several decades before being sold in the 1960s. It subsequently passed through several owners, including the Indian actor Sheikh Mukhtar, before eventually reaching the United States during the 1970s.

By the time the Cadillac was rediscovered in America, it had changed colour several times. It was subsequently comprehensively restored to its original cream and pale blue colour scheme and to the appearance originally conceived by Farina in 1931.

The car was later displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where its remarkable history and importance to the early years of Pinin Farina attracted considerable attention.

Today, this Cadillac is regarded as one of the oldest surviving Pinin Farina designs. It is a remarkable reminder of an era when wealthy clients could commission unique automobiles tailored in extraordinary detail to their personal lifestyles.

The Ilario 1:43 scale model

The IL098 model reproduces this exceptional Cadillac 452A V16 in its 1931 Farina Roadster configuration.

Particular attention has been paid to its long silhouette, boat-tail rear section, unusual raised rear seat and the many details that distinguish this unique creation.

Through this model, Ilario pays tribute to an automobile that brings together three worlds: Cadillac's American power, Farina's Italian craftsmanship and the splendour of an Indian princely court.