As noted by Mike Wolfe and his co-host Mike Mefford during the aforementioned Season 20 episode of “American Pickers,”It was probably a smart decision to not let Cadillac Madame X pass by, even at this exorbitant price. Classic autos are not only rare, but highly sought after in car collecting circles. One look at a Madame X is enough to understand why as the cars, with their Fleetwood body styles, lavish adornments, and powerful V-16 engines are the epitome of “classic.”They are the type of car that one could easily picture a Hollywood starlet or a Detroit criminal hitting the streets in during their 1930s glory days.
Mike and Mike claim that the legendary automobile designer designed vintage cars. This is why they have a very colorful backstory. Harley EarlThe car was named after Pauline Fredericks, an actor who had seen her portray Madame X on stage in Detroit. Cadillac didn’t call the cars Madame X, and they began selling them under the simpler Cadillac V-16 name in 1930. Although few specialty vehicles were made in the ’30s they still fetch high prices on the open marketplace. RM Sotheby’swebsite.
This seems to be the particular model Mikes find on. “American Pickers”This vehicle is unusual even by Madame X standards. It doesn’t have the V-16 engine that Madame X has, but instead runs on a V-8. It is likely to be one of the first ever manufactured. After verifying its VIN numbers, the Mikes determine the car is, in fact, the very first Madame X to roll off of the assembly line in 1929, backing up claims made by its owner. It’s hard to believe Mike was willing to do the deal at $90,000.