1940 LaSalle Convertible Coupe 🇮🇹

This rare example comes from Allentown in Pennsylvania and was the property of the American collector Bernard Berman. On its arrival in Italy in 2004, this 1940 (Series50) LaSalle Convertible Coupe had already been restored from the original, and only the soft top was replaced by an Italian upholsterer.

The interior is well balanced; the radio and controls are perfectly integrated within the symmetric design of the dashboard, at the center of which is a cascade of chrome elements for the loudspeaker.

The exterior is also impeccable. The front is dominated by a tall narrow grille made up of fifty horizontal chrome strips, the sides have twelve vertical vents/louvers (six each side) open to create an impression of width. The rear is simple and uncluttered with small rear lights in keeping with the fashion of the era.

In spite of the lack of power-assisted brakes and steering, if driven on a quiet road this exceptional car is very comfortable and a pleasure to drive, with a gear/clutch action as precise as a Swiss watch. The engine is ready with plenty of torque at low revs, and once in third gear it can move from a very low speed almost without downshifting.

The style of this LaSalle is unique, and only thanks to such a well restored model can we fully appreciate the precious work of Harley Earl and his “Art & Color Section”.

Company
General Motors

Wheelbase
123in

Interior trim
Beige cloth

Brakes
front and rear drums

Make
LaSalle

Length
206.7in

Engine
V8 322cid

Tires
7.00x16

Model
Model 40-5067

Width
78.5in

Carburetor
1 Carter WDO 460s

Original Price
$1,395

Body style
2-door Convertible Coupe

Weight
3805lbs

Horsepower
130hp @ 3400rpm

Production
599

Model year
1940

Exterior paint
Knickerbocker Gray

Transmission
3-speed manual

The revolutionary idea of Alfred P. Sloan Jr. (president of General Motors in 1923) was to capture the customers with the popular Chevrolet and to accompany them as they upgraded over the years with the purchase of a superior model, without ever leaving the GM family. In 1927, with the launch of the brand LaSalle, the gap between Buick and Cadillac was bridged. While the most expensive Buick was priced at around two thousand dollars, the most “accessible” Cadillac cost over three thousand. The biggest risk for General Motors was to see Buick customers turn to the competition, for example the Packard Single Six: still a prestigious car but smaller with lower running costs.

As the name Cadillac was chosen in honor of the French explorer who founded the city of Detroit in 1701, so the new brand was named LaSalle in memory of another French explorer. As a result of the image of the Cadillac flagships, LaSalle was aimed at a well-off clientele with good taste but who were not prepared to spend a huge budget for a prestigious car.

In order to perfect the style of the brand new LaSalle, General Motors called in a designer from the workshop of Don Lee, the Cadillac distributor for California and bodywork specialist. This young talent was Harley Earl, who in 32 years of work at GM would revolutionize (at a global level) the concept of style applied to automobiles.

The first LaSalle also underwent a personalized study at a mechanical level. The V8 lateral valve engine from Cadillac was redesigned, giving more reliability and efficiency. Even though its image never made a complete breakthrough, in fourteen years of production LaSalle played a fundamental role in automobile history.

Nevertheless, between the economic crisis of Wall Street in ’29 and the outbreak of the World War II, LaSalle did not survive. Besides the fact of not being considered a real Cadillac and having used (from ’34 to’36) the less prestigious 8 cylinder inline of the Oldsmobile, LaSalle had created a phenomenon of competition with Buick. The 1940 model, without a doubt one of the most successful of the entire LaSalle production, brought this matter to a head in a more concrete way. Costing only slightly more than the famous Buick Roadmaster,(less than a hundred dollars difference), the LaSalle offered far more in terms of performance, modern style and image, creating an embarrassing competition with the Buick.

The final 1940 LaSalles were introduced in October 1939 with, like it had in its first year, a full array of semi-custom body styles, including a convertible sedan. Harley Earl also oversaw this redesign. The LaSalle emerged with a smooth-flowing design, its trademark thin radiator flanked by a series of thin chrome slots, giving it a futuristic look. In its final year, sales of the LaSalle reached the second highest level ever at 24,133.

In 1941 LaSalle’s progress was finally halted. Cadillac introduced the new Series 61 at the bottom end of their range, replacing the LaSalle models, which brought this magnificent marque to an end.