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The 1932 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton was a massive car by any standard. At 3+ tons, nearly 21 feet in length, and powered by a burly 452 cubic inch V-16, this land-yacht wasn't made for the average garage. Nor was it the kind of car you fired up for a run to the local drug store. Gas mileage? If you had to ask, you obviously couldn't afford it.
FM and DM both put out models of this car. My choice, hands down, is the one from DM. Here's why. First, there's the removable cloth convertible top. DM's been a leader here, and it makes for a more authentic look. There's a boot to use when displaying the model top-down. The upholstery is real leather. FM provides the usual, fixed top in soft plastic and molded soft plastic seats-nice but no cigar. All of the small features and detailing on the DM model are generally better executed, for an overall sharper "look."
If FM expects to keep collectors away from DM, they need to watch for this type of thing. If you put the two versions side-by-side, the choice is clear. Only a diehard FM loyalist would turn down the DM beauty. If there's a Cadillac shaped hole in your early twentieth-century car collection, the DM '32 Caddy's your best bet. The issue price is $135.
(08/01/1998)
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