The Cadillac was considered as “the standard of the world” for luxurious cars.
Let’s face it; the 1930s weren’t great because of the great depression that started in 1929 and continued the whole decade. The great depression broke the world’s economy, many people were unemployed, and many were a force to scrape a living. World war I was a thing of the past in the 30s, but another world war was around the corner. Finally, diseases like polio and pneumonia were making life hell. To be honest, the 1930s wasn’t a great time to be alive but unless you were a car designer.
The 1930s saw some of the most expensive and luxurious cars; some of the cars from the 1930s are still roadworthy. The cars in the 1930s had hydraulic brakes and low-pressure balloon tires. Cars were also equipped with radio and heaters. All these features were available in the 30s, and companies worldwide were making expensive luxurious cars.
In this article, we’ll look at the top 7 expensive cars from the 1930s. We’ll briefly talk about their features and what made them expensive. So, let’s get started!
Cord 812 supercharged phaeton was the only stock performing car that one could purchase in 1937 because other car manufacturers were making conventional cars for general use. The car went on to compete in the Bonneville salt flats “unlimited class official stock car speed records” organized by the time’s American automobile association.
In the classical book Cord 810/812, author Josh B. Malks recalls the speed record set by the driver AB Jenkins on Cord 812 supercharged phaeton. AB Jenkins set the new record of 107.66 mph on Cord 812.
Schwitzer-Cummins built cord 812 supercharged Phaeton. 812s blower ran at 24K RPM, and it raised the maximum output from 45 to 170 HP. The car featured a centrifugal supercharger, chrome exhaust pipes, and chrome mesh screens. Overall, it was a sporty car delivering a tremendous speed, making it one of the most expensive cars of the 1930s.
Jaguar SS 100 roadster was one of the luxurious cars of the 1930s, and the SS in the model name stands for Swallow Sidecars, who was the previous owner of the car brand. It was not only a luxurious car, but it was a sports car and was unveiled in 1937 in London.
The jaguar SS 100 is considered the iconic and inspiring sports car of the 1930s. The car featured 3.5L six-cylinder engine, and it could reach 60 mph in ten seconds and had a top speed of 100 mph. Only 188 cars were produced with 3.5L, which made it one of the most expensive cars of the 1930s.
Overall, the car was perfect for sports car lovers because it was delivering the top speed with style and luxury.
As discussed, earlier Cadillac was considered the world standard for luxury at the time. Cadillac cars were expensive and luxurious due to their design, powerful engine, and elegant interior. The 75 series were the flagship series of the Cadillac.
The 75 series featured an exclusive 75 series V8 engine. The best part about the 75 convertible coupes is that only 27 of them were custom built. The bodies of customized Cadillac series 75 convertible coupe were built from Fleetwood, which made them more expensive.
Cadillac series 75 convertible coupe was bigger in length because it was built on the chassis of the limousine. At the time, having a spacious car was a luxury, and Cadillac series 75 offered that luxury. The car was spacious because it would easily accommodate four people and all their luggage.
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Lincoln K convertible roadster or Lincoln K series was one of the most beautiful and luxurious cars of the 1930s. The car was launched in 1931 and saw many upgrades till 1940, and the final version was produced in January 1940.
The 1933 version of the Lincoln K series was terrific because the KA model replaced the V8 engine. The new 6.3 L V12 engine was installed in the KA model of the Lincoln convertible car. There were lots of upgrades made in the Lincoln KA model, such as bar linking the headlights were removed, and hood louvers were reinstalled.
Some other upgrades weren’t noticeable, such as thermostatic shock absorbers were installed to deliver a comfortable journey. The chassis was revised, and the transmission system was upgraded. Moreover, adjustable pressure brakes were installed, which were noticed by drivers only. Over the years, the car saw many changes and was one of the best and expensive cars of the decade.
Elegance and beauty were standard of Chrysler, and the luxurious cars manufactured by Chrysler were considered as a classic icon of the era at the time. Imperial CL phaeton is one of the most expensive and luxurious cars from the 1930s.
Chrysler imperial CL phaeton was known as “imperial 8” because it featured a straight-eight engine. Imperial CL phaeton came with rust-proof fenders, and it had an automatic heater control, which was one of the luxuries in the cars at the time.
Chrysler imperial CL phaeton also came with safety glass and subtle custom built by different car coachbuilders. The car was custom built as per the customer’s requirements; few of the custom-made imperial CL phaeton even had a Dictaphone. Overall, the Chrysler imperial CL was pure luxury, and it was one of the most expensive cars of the 1930s.
Duesenberg was one of the most popular automobile manufacturers in the 1930s, and their slogan was “the only car that can exceed the Duesenberg is the Duesenberg.” Duesenberg launched the J model at the NY Car show in 1928, and SJ was the upgraded luxurious version of the J model.
Duesenberg offered the customization of its luxurious cars; the interior and the body could be custom-made by a third-party as per the buyer’s specifications. Duesenberg SJ model featured a 320 HP powerful engine, which was developed on the wheelbase of 142.5 inches.
Duesenberg was famous for its speed and could go to the speed of 104 miles per hour in the second gear. While the top speed of the Duesenberg SJ model was up to 140 miles per hour. Overall, the Duesenberg SJ was one of the luxurious and expensive cars at the time.
Today there is lots of competition between the automobile companies, and you cannot say for sure that a specific car is up to the standards. But back in the days, Cadillac was considered as “the standard of the world” for luxurious cars. Perhaps Cadillac earned the title by beating its competitor at the time with the V16 multi-cylinder engine’s mass production.
The installation of the V16 engine made the Cadillac 452-A extraordinarily smooth and powerful. The car was silent enough for chauffeurs to check the gauges to make sure that the car was running. Moreover, Cadillac offered different options to its buyers for custom body styles; at the time, Cadillac offered 54 different body styles. The customization of high-end cars was considered normal at the time.
Although the Cadillac was priced lower than the Duesenberg, it was considered as one of the expensive cars. The V16 engine offered smoothness and ultimate performance to its buyers.
1930s wasn’t great for the economy because of the great depression and diseases that spread like wildfire, but it was great for car manufacturers.
The 1930s saw the release of different luxurious cars and sports cars. The cars mentioned in this article are the most expensive cars from the 1930s.
RELATED: Top 10 Most Expensive Cars in the World
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Volkswagen |
Germany |
| #2 |  Toyota |
Japan |
| #3 |  Stellantis |
Netherlands |
| #4 |  Mercedes-Benz Group |
Germany |
| #5 |  Ford Motor |
United States |
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Michelin |
France |
| #2 |  Bridgestone |
Japan |
| #3 |  Continental |
Germany |
| #4 |  Goodyear |
United States |
| #5 |  Sumitomo |
Japan |
