Cadillac Aerodynamic Coupe, 1933 and Beyond

Cadillac's Aerodynamic Coupe was displayed at Chicago's 1933 Century of Progress fair, along with two other experimental or "dream" cars by other makers.  It was the least radical, and the most attractive.  Moreover, it showed the near-future direction of General Motors styling.  I think it looked better than most 1934-1940 GM production designs.

Michael Lamm and Dave Holls in their book "A Century of Automobile Style: 100 Years of American Car Design" reported:

"...Harley Earl provided his first publicly shown dreamcar: the 1933 Cadillac Aerodynamic Coupe.... This long, lithe gloss-black fastback caprtured the attention of everyone entering the GM pavillion."

"After 1933, Fleetwood offered a very similar Aerodynamic Coupe as a limited-production model. Twenty were built, if we include the Century of Progress showcar, and Bill Knudsen took delivery on the first production coupe when the fair closed for the season in Nov. 1933. The fair reopened in May 1934, but by that time the Aerodynamic Coupe was genearlly regarded as just another custom Fleetwood body style and not a dreamcar."

Images below are factory-sourced unless noted.

Gallery

1933 Briggs-Tjaarda experimental car - Ford image
The most radical of the three, having a rear-mounted motor.  Its body from the cowl aft was the basis for the 1936 Lincoln-Zephyr.

1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow
This Phil Wright design predicted fender lines for GM's 1948-1949 cars.

1933 Century of Progress Cadillac
GM Art & Colour clay modelers at work on the Aerodynamic Coupe design.

The completed car.  The front bumper is comprised of four horizontal bars: '34 production Caddies and LaSalles had two.  Its grille is stock 1933 Cadillac, but the rest of the design is unique.

The V16 motor justified that long hood.  The V'd windshield is strongly slanted for its time. Teardrop-shaped fenders soon became an American styling fashion.

The Aerodynamic Coupe had a trunk lid on its fastback.  A spare tire should have occupied much of the trunk.  The chrome trim around the side and back windows was absent from later, limited-production versions.

1934 Cadillac Fleetwood V16 Aerodynamic Coupe - Mecum auction photo
This supposedly is a 1934 Fleetwood Aerodynamic Coupe.  But it lacks the twin-blade production bumper.  Fenders and catwalks are 1934-standard, however, as are the grille and the headlight assemblies.

Otherwise, aside from the chrome window trim and some ornamental detailing, the design is the same as the show car.

Dashboard design.

1936 Fleetwood V16 Aerodynamic Coupe - via Heacock Classic Insurance
It seems unchanged from the 1934 version (assuming the dates reported on the Internet are correct).