GM Once Tried To Scrap This Cadillac 'Dream Car' That Just Sold For $494,500

Hindsight truly is 20/20, and this story is the perfect example of that. Today, the thought of scrapping a truly unique or well-received concept seems ludicrous, but decades ago, that was somewhat normal. This one-off Cadillac is an example of that, as it was destined for the junkyard in the sky before the scrapyard's owner fell in love with it. What was supposed to be its final trip turned into decades of ownership by collectors. Now, nearly 70 years later, it just sold for nearly half a million bucks.

Known internally as the XP-48, this Eldorado Brougham Town Car came to life as a "Dream Car" for GM's 1956 Motorama. Robert Cumberford designed it when he was just 19 years old. Herb Cadeau and GM design boss Harley Earl also had a hand in bringing the car to life. Based on the 1955 Eldorado Brougham Concept, this Caddy was far more extravagant.

The front features an open chauffeur's compartment, and the back offers a completely enclosed passenger space with a glass partition. The cabin includes black and beige leather upholstery, Wilton wool carpeting, gold-finished hardware, and air conditioning. There was even an intercom for communicating with the driver, a cigar humidor, and drinking glasses. The car appeared at Motorama and then went to the Paris Salon later the same year.

In 1958, GM shipped the Town Car to Warhoops Used Auto & Truck Parts in Warren, Michigan, alongside two 1955 LaSalle II concepts and a 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne. The expectation was that these cars would be dismantled and destroyed. However, junkyard owner Harry Warholak Sr. wasn't particularly interested in following those instructions.

While he did partially dismantle the other concepts, he kept the Cadillac concept vehicle hidden away. Initially, he stored it in a trailer, and according to his son, it was all because he wanted to use the car for his daughter's wedding. While that didn't take place, the move to keep the vehicle undercover ended up saving a unique piece of automotive history. In fact, decades later, when collector Joe Bortz bought the car, he purchased the other partially dismantled concepts as well. Only the Cadillac was largely intact, and its cabin was almost entirely preserved.

In the early 1990s, the car passed to Roy Warshawsky, owner of J.C. Whitney, who kicked off a restoration. Following Warshawsky's declining health, the car was sold to Cadillac enthusiast Dick Baruk in 1996, who completed the work. There was one fairly significant challenge, though. The original concept car wasn't a fully functional automobile in any real way.

Sure, it was on a production GM chassis, and yes, the doors, hood, and trunk all worked normally. But there wasn't a powertrain in the car. Instead, Cadillac opted to simply add some weight to the front end. There wasn't even a functional electrical system or brakes for that matter. That's where the restoration comes into play.

Baruk saw to it that a period-correct engine and transmission went into the car, complete with dual four-barrel carburetors and, of course, gold-plated valve covers. After restoration, the car won Best in Class at the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Today, it remains a very special piece of GM's Motorama era, and it just sold for $494,500 at RM Sotheby's Hershey, Pennsylvania auction.