1974 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Pop quiz time! Now, we know that Detroit changed a lot between the 1960s and 1970s. The Great Brougham Epoch, ushered in with the 1965 Galaxie 500 LTD (or was it the 1964 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham?), changed the Big Three’s full-sized offerings for years to come. Now, there are no right or wrong answers here, so don’t be shy. What do you, the Curbside Cognoscenti, feel is the very best example of that automobile type known as the Brougham?
1975 AMC Matador Brougham
Keep in mind that ‘Brougham’ need not be in the title of your automotive choice. Lots of ’70s iron had Brougham down to a T, even if not wearing that top-trim designation, usually with lots of heraldic crests and curly script.
1964 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham
1975 Imperial LeBaron
While the Big Three produced the largest Brougham output of the 1970s, I am throwing open the gates to any car that clearly shows the Brougham treatment. That includes European and Japanese cars too! So, what say you? We’d love to hear about your favorite (or least favorite!) Brougham. The polls are now open…
1973 Mercury Marquis
Note: A blast from the past, this post originally published on April 25, 2012. The response was Brougham-tastic!
’74 Olds 98 Regency with tufted pillow crushed velour seats
I will tell you something sinful. I like the brougham treatment. Those cushioned seats were so comfortable. The etched fake wood in a coupe de ville was marvelous to look at. The creature comforts were amazing. When at ten I rode in my dads 1975 Cadillac Coupe De Ville D Elegance with the square headlights and the back windows that didn’t roll down and the landau vinyl roof, I felt like a movie star.
And I felt That way every time my friend’s Dad or Mom drove us somewhere in their DeVille d’Elegance’s… I felt I was” Down in The Back … diggin’ the scene in the gangster-lean”’ooo ooo” Not an uncommon car in Northern New Jersey at the time.
The Nissan President in all of its plastichromed glory.
http://ninjagarage.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/NISSAN?updated-max=2010-08-12T00:04:00%2B09:00&max-results=20&start=40&by-date=false
http://ninjagarage.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/NISSAN?updated-max=2010-08-12T00:04:00%2B09:00&max-results=20&start=40&by-date=false
With 111 comments I must chime in here. There has been only one true brougham on CC, the 1917 Detroit Electric Model 64. You see all this broughamification is based on the vague idea that a brougham is just some sort of luxurious conveyance. In fact it’s a specific body type.
A brougham was a light, four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage. It had an enclosed body with two doors, like the rear section of a coach; it sat two, sometimes with an extra pair of fold-away seats in the front corners. As you can see in this ad, the Detroit Electric Model 64 is a proper Brougham. Two sit in the forward-facing seat, driver on the left side, while a third faces them in a corner seat.
All other “Broughams” are posers.
“All other “Broughams” are posers.”
Mike, are you trying to pop the Brougham Era bubble or something?
Bubbles? Did someone say bubbles?
I thought that a true “Brougham” was a carriage in which the driver sat exposed to the elements. Like this…
I hear you, Mike. I have pointed out before that this was the only “Brougham” that I know of that took more than its name from its namesake carriage.
I’m surprised no one had mentioned the Designer Series Lincolns, they were pretty broughamed too.
Bill Blass Edition
Pucci Edition
Givenchy Edition
Givenchy Edition 2
Givenchy Editions seem to be very rare. It is the one I most desire because of the colors used. God I love green…
If memory serves, the Mark IV Givenchys were more of a teal/turquoisey color.
I think the Puccini and Givenchy colors varied each year.
You may well be right. The Bill Blass editons also went through a number of color changes.
1976-77: Dark blue with a tan vinyl roof and tan interior. (77 pictured below)
1978-79: Two tone “eggshell white and nautical blue” with a white simulated convertible roof.
I’m not certain about which colors were offered each year on the Mark VI Bill Blasses, but in addition to the black and cream pictured above, I believe a red and white color scheme was offered at some point.
Yes, that matches what I can remember.
The 1976 was an AQUA Pearlescent with white or matching Interior.
I always thought these looked so crazy with the vinyl top on the front half of the roof.
Incidentally, I’m finding the title of this post endlessly amusing.
Noun adjectived and verbed!
The Bugazzi. All others are poseurs. If you’re going to go all out, really go all out.
Without remembering that I had posted this almost two years ago I came in to post it again.
It’s still true.
A Brougham that Never Was (but should have been):
Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon Brougham Super Exceed
No one has mentioned the F body Broughams. How bout the Camaro Berlinetta and the Firebird Esprit. Chrysler also offered the Barracuda Gran Coupe and Challenger SE.
Ha! I was thinking of that Camaro all day yesterday, and couldn’t remember the name! I kept thinking “Rallye”, but I knew that wasn’t it.
The Berlinetta actually had a predecessor, the Type LT, which stood for “Luxury Touring.”
And its Esprit counterpart in all its vinyl-roofed glory.
Add to this list the Chrysler Australia Regal
And its interior
And the Valiant Regal Hardtop….
And the Valiant Regal Hardtop….
Nz versions had loose pillow seats too
I’m not really a fan of any Malaise Era American cars, so I’ll have to go with the “saving the best for last” principle and the 1993-1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.
GASP! Wha??
The Fleetwood Brougham was the true “Last of the best”.
Whoops…did that come across the wrong way? Yes, the Fleetwood Brougham was the true “last of the best”. I should instead say that the Fleetwood Brougham was the best American Land Yacht made, and to me, it was so much better than its Malaise Era ancestors because it had a reasonably modern, fuel-injected Corvette V8 (though detuned) instead of the emissions equipment rat’s nest that plagued so many of the Malaise cars.
I wouldn’t have anything against Malaise Era cars except the fact that they were so darned CHOKED…
Lighten up Francis.
“Choked” is a good way to put it, or as a CCer above put it, Turbo lag without a Turbo.
Or the Ford Australia Marquis
Ford Australia Marquis
Here’s one that fits. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300691369093+&viewitem=
1967 Chrysler Imperial Crown Coupe
oops
That’s a beauty! I love that maroon.
Actually I would LOVE to have one of these! Considering all the comments I think a lot of us actually like the era. Why not? People like my dad were getting luxury car interiors for not a lot of coin. They were working stiff who didn’t want to look too ostentatious in the factory parking lot.
As a lone contender from Europe, I nominate the Volvo 262C. Arguably not your typical Brougham, but it has the essentials: Vinyl top, lousy space utilization, claustrophobic rear seating, lousy fuel economy, pillow-top seats and ridiculous badging (those crowns on the sail panels!).
See it all here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/curbside-classic-1980-volvo-bertone-coupe-lost-in-translation/
That’s not the only one from Europe-
Perhaps even stranger than taking the yuppie wagon and broughamifying it, the Citroen CX Prestige has to be the strangest Brougham.
This stretched CX has pillow topped upholstery, flocked everything- even the glovebox EXTERIOR is flocked, foot rests, and a vinyl roof to shatter the futuristic look of the thing. It is a little known fact that Erich Honecker, leader of the DDR had a fleet of broughamified Volvo 264 limos and a CX prestige for himself.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Austin Metro Vanden Plas. Picture taking a mk1 Civic and slathering it with velour upholstery and REAL walnut. This isn’t a Brougham so much as the Royal Cimmaron.
There’s a name for this obsession – Broughamance.
POTW! I’ll be quoting that!
I like how you think.
Here are the ‘broughamy’ Pony cars:
Mustang Grande’, Cougar XR-7, Camaro Type LT/Berlinetta, Firebird Esprit [good enough for Jim Rockford], Challenger SE, and Barracuda Gran Coupe.
Wait! What about the Pierre Cardin AMC Javelin?
Late ’90’s I was composing an ad to sell my Parents 1984 Cutlass Ciera. My Father says to me; in earnest, “Remember, it’s a Broughm”.
Nearly 200 comments! C’mon, let’s go!
Here’s a Fiat Brougham. No fooling. 1917. Can’t tell if it has the pillow-topped seats.
Darned picture didn’t load.
Inline four, 528 cubic inches.
One last try.
Thanks Mike; and here’s comment #200, a new all-time record at CC! Have a good trip.
1938 Lincoln Model K Brougham. Coachwork by Brunn. Elegant.
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z7514/Lincoln-Model-K.aspx
Edsel Ford and his wife took this car to formal occasions. Curious headlights. Take a good long look at this bumper. Never seen one quite like it.
OK, they’re boarding my flight now, see ya.
Ding! Ding! Ding! A new world record for comments! Damn, these things are so fugly that it’s all I can do to keep from throwing up.
In 1974 I needed money for a trip to Spain and Morocco, so I took a job at the “Pimpmobile Factory” in South Norwalk, CT. We did a steady stream of Pimpmobiles (Super Fly Headlights, Rolls Royce grilles, sunroofs, brougham padded tops, and landau irons-see Dirty Harry, Magnum Force). We were doing so many of these things that the Factory bought its own plasma cutter to carve out landau irons from half-inch steel plate. All of these self-propelled turds were shipped to Saudi Arabia. The majority of the cars were Buicks and Cadillacs.
Although not a brougham, the attached photo, taken at Bonneville, does illustrate the fact that even hot rodders sometimes loose their minds, painting cars reprehensible colors and adding padded roofs with pickle green, alligator-textured, vinyl.
Hi im currently restoring a 1979 gmh holden commodore VB. I was wondering if you had or new anyone that has the vinyl code for the pickle green alligator textured vinyl as mine came out standard with it and can not trace the code anywhere. Any help you can give I deeply appreciate.
This one is crying for the Brougham treatment.
Oooh…I’m not feeling well now. Just thinking about these cars and reliving those days has left me feeling queasy! I think I need some Broughamo-Seltzer!!!!
Gawd! I should trademark that (Brougham-O-Seltzer) with what Geozonger did to copyright his “Cockroaches Of The Road” (TM) slogan as I created that name last year and wrote in a comment to Syke.
Hmmm, Mr. Mann: You created “Brougham-O-Seltzer” last year? Unless I’m losing my marbles, I seem to remember hearing that here from myself and some others several years ago (2012 or earlier). I suppose we could search the comments to verify it….
‘Life is random and meaningless, and so are our attributions’
– stolen from robadr and modified by don andreina
I can’t no one has mentioned the Cimmaron by Cadillac!!!
A wonderfully Broughamed-out Cavalier!!!
I know I am late to the party on this, but I had to travel to Ypsilanti to see the doctor for a follow-up. FWIW he said I am responding well to the medication, but I still have a ways to go.
Anyways…
A few years ago I was the proud owner of a 2004 Oldsmobile Alero.It was a mid-range GL2 model, and I decided to, as a nod to Oldsmobiles past, place two 80’s vintage Olds Brougham emblems (the little silver ones) on the rear doors, up near the C-pillar. It looked tasteful, and Olds folks liked it, and so did I!
And finally, as someone who was a kid in the 80’s, when I first read the title of this story, I couldn’t help but think, “What Was The Smurfiest Smurf That Ever Smurfed?”
Isaac Hayes’ SUPER BAD ’72 Eldorado…
That looks like a George Barris abomination — I mean, creation!
I have a candidate for the Uber-Brougham, and I’m busy writing an article about it. No one’s mentioned it.
Is it the Stutz?
The biggest brougham I was ever associated with was a 77 (I think) two door Coupe Deville. Had a 425 and ran real good. Think it got better mileage than my 57 chev with the 283 and was really comfortable. Bot the car and the ex are gone so I no longer travel in Caddie circles. I am no great fan of broughams but I will admit to owning one.
If it’s not a Daewoo, then it’s not Brougham.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daewoo_Brougham
After two years of Brougham on the Brain, I think this is my candidate: 1975-76 Continental Mark IV with the Lipstick Luxury Group. This one is currently bid to over $20K on ebay.
And here is the interior. Exceedingly Broughamy.
I love this color combo. I would have been 12 or 13 when this car was new, and I remember how this was considered prestige (which seems ludicrous now, but Seventies…). It seems like the white/red interior color must have been available on the shrunken ’77 Thunderbird too.
My friend’s mother had a 1976 Cougar with a fake Continental trunk lid (fiberglass), pale blue with a silver-blue landau vinyl roof and matching interior in… I want to say velour? Some sort of cloth at any rate.
I’ll have one of these, please.
Or the 78 Mark V Diamond Jubilee
http://www.classiccarstodayonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/1978-Lincoln-Mark-V-DJ-blue-c.jpg
72 Oldsmobile 98 Regency out Broughams a lot of so called Broughams.Yorkshire heavy metal band Saxon used to tour in a mustard one in the early 80s
This is a great topic! It seems everyone has covered every “broughamy” type car.
I will add a few. There are a few I did not see. The others, I saw listed..
I selected the ones I did either because of styling and features and the interiors they offered or option packages.
1987-1990 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham LS:
1989-1993 Cadillac Fleetwood/ Sixty Special:
1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham LS:
1982-1984 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency Brougham:
1975 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency:
1986 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Grande’:
1981 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham:
1985-1986 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham:
1985-1987 Pontiac Grand Prix Brougham:
1975-1976 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham:
I would throw another car into the mix – the 1960s Thunderbird Landaus. The first was in 1962 and then in 1963 they pushed the envelope with the Limited Edition Landau – Monaco version. These cars were pretty over the top with the Landau irons, vinyl tops, and gussied up interiors, but do they qualify as Broughamy? I’m not solid on the definition here but the Landaus seem to approach what is being discussed.
And the special name plate.
1978 Eldorado Biarritz Custom Classic…..Broughamigiula.
Chocolate pillow seats with caramel……
Truly a decadent automobile, a 5200lb 2 door car, like something from the Roman Empire, it should have power grape dispensers for its passengers, it’s presence should be announced by trumpeting horns, while lesser cars are driven and enslaved beneath it while it bathes in the lamentation of their owners.
Broughamigiula
Don’t forget the Bicentennial Eldorado convertible.
I wish they had made a Biarritz convertible, with the super-poofy pillowed leather seats.
Several people have made their own Biarritz convertibles, I’ve seen it a bunch of times, the interior bolts right in.
My favorite would be any ’77-’96 B/D body GM product. On the other hand, the X-Car and Vega-based broughams are so bad they’re hilarious.
Hello, my name is JB and I am a Broughamaholic. My thanks to everyone that posted today. All of your kind remarks about Broughams have given me the courage to stand up in front of the world of CC and admit my condition. I currently own three (3) Broughams. A 1986 Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe, a 1986 Cutlass Supreme Brougham Sedan, and a 1989 Cadillac Brougham. All are white, all have dark blue interiors, and the sedans have white vinyl tops. All are in excellent condition, the Oldsmobiles have 34K and 37K miles respectively, and the daily driver Cadillac now has 84K.
There is a story behind each car and perhaps someday I will work up the courage to write about them. Like any proud parent, I could not pick a favorite to nominate for the Brougham award today. Each is special in their own way and I love them all.
Tom, thank you for bringing this topic to the site today. The response has been overwhelming, perhaps the largest in CC history, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My Broughaminess may seem excessive to some, but I now know that I am among friends. To Richard, we need to talk. You may be one of the few that holds as much warm feelings as I do for the Cutlass Supreme Brougham, the Pride of Lansing. Paul, you’re the greatest! You made all of this possible. Thank you for creating this forum, this opportunity, this fraternity, this society that we all enjoy so much every day.
JBrougham,
Variety is the spice of life and your love of Brougham’s helps make life zestier. We would enjoy hearing about all three of your cars because they certainly sound like they have been given good lives.
Please don’t be worried about writing anything up. If it is something you enjoy, and it is obvious you enjoy your three cars (as will many others here), writing about it isn’t as difficult as you might think. Plus, on the bright side, there is as much anonymity as you desire given this format! 🙂
Hoping to see something from you soon!
JS
Jason,
Thank you for your kind reply. It was only after I read your post that I realized that I was responding to a 2 year old article. I had several things going on today, left the laptop for hours and when I returned, I did not bother to look at the dates on the article that I had up. Things like this happen to gentlemen of a certain age. By the way, I am the same age as Paul but he seems to be holding up much better. I attribute my issues to a misspent youth.
I always enjoy your articles and posts, and I appreciate your insight as well as your style. Perhaps I will give this a try and post something about the Broughams. Hopefully it will turn out as well as one of yours.
JB: Thanks for your comments and feedback. But I have to apologize for your confusion about the dates of this post, as its writer re-published it today even though it’s old. Our policy is not to re-run Questions Of The Day, because they are by nature all about generating spontaneous feedback on the day the question is asked, and stimulating spontaneous conversation between the commenters. That doesn’t work well in a re-run like this.
This won’t happen again, as it’s bound to create confusion. The post has been pulled back to its original publication date.
Thanks again for your positive feedback, and we always welcome guest submissions when you feel ready to do so.
Mr JBrougham, this is (so far) the most commented article on the site, but is is a repost form 2012, which probably explains much. Still, there is the most commented CC/car show classic/capsule (by yours truly) at 143 comments (can be found here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/car-show-classic-1985-citroen-cx-25-gti-automatic-series-2-a-retrospective/), the most commented housekeeping article somewhere, and many more
Mr. Brougham,
Please accept my personal invitation to join myself and many others over at The Brougham Society on Facebook. I trust you will feel right at home there… 🙂
As the sites premier and preeminent Saabophile, I present to you the broughamiest swede ever, the US only 1972 Saab 99 SSE. With gen-u-ine swirled wood-grain vinyl on the roof, an automatic transmission, and some of the best cruising abilities of any European car this side of France, this car is made to reek of wood-grained, faux-class cynicism. For example, most people buy a euro car for handling, not a mini Ford LTD that could be easily substituted (and mistaken) for a miniaturized Ford Maverick LDO, amirite?
Wow, I had never seen such an animal. It has “designed for the US” all over it, the funniest mini-broughams are the Toyota Broughams of the 70’s, the early Cressida for example.
I’d say that it’s a toss-up between a late 70s Lincoln.. versus a mid-70s Fleetwood Brougham D’Elegance.. with a whore-house red interior.