Not Your Dad’s Caddy. But It Might’ve Been!

If only GM had given the N.A.R.T. the green light…

By Gunnar Heinrich | IMG via fastcar.be

ONE of automotive history’s numerous ox-bow lakes in conceptual design, this Ferrari badged, Zagato penned, mid-engined, rear wheel drive car is actually a Cadillac concept from 1970 called the N.A.R.T. – short for “North American Racing Team”.

Ferrari USA importer Luigi Chinetti teamed up with General Motors and Italian design house imperiali Zagato to produce a Cadillac that could compete on the European race circuit against the likes of Ferrari.

Trouble was, the concept was so far away from the typical mile-long, liquid chrome Eldorado that even GM’s most adventurous balked at the idea.  This despite the fact that the concept shared the Eldorado’s gi-normous V8.

So the plans to build the concept for real life use were scrapped and the few orders taken as a result of the NART’s circuit in Turin and New York were pushed back.

This pictured concept, therefore, is the only example of the one-off idea. This Zagato Caddy just changed owners recently and had gone through a stem to stern restoration.

And you thought you’d seen it all!