What emerged as the LaSalle in 1927 is widely regarded as the beginning of modern American automotive styling, and its designer Harley Earl would launch a thirty year career as GM’s Vice President of the newly created Art & Colour Studios that still guide GM’s designs to this day.
Prior to the LaSalle, automobiles essentially followed a set pattern, with design changes set by engineering needs. Ford’s Model T evolved over its extended run, but ever so slightly making a 1927 Model T almost identical to a 1910 Model T.
Earl, who had been hired by Cadillac General Manager Lawrence P. Fisher, conceived the LaSalle not as a junior Cadillac, but as something more agile and stylish. Influenced by the rakish Hispano-Suiza roadsters of the time, Earl’s LaSalle emerged as a smaller yet elegant counterpoint to Cadillac’s larger cars, and unlike anything else built by an American automotive manufacturer.
1927-1933
Built by Cadillac to Cadillac standards, the LaSalle soon emerged as a trend setting automobile within GM, and Earl was placed in charge of overseeing the design of all GM vehicles.
LaSalles were offered in a full-range of body styles, including Fisher- and Fleetwood-built custom body designs. The roadster could also be ordered in two-tone color combinations at a time when dark colors like black and navy blue were still the most familiar colors produced by manufacturers. Earl’s design even included a nod to the inspirational Hispano-Suiza with the marque’s circled trademark “LaS” cast into the horizontal tie bar between the front lights.
Riding wheelbases ranging between 128” and 134”, LaSalles of this era were equipped with Cadillac’s “Ninety Degree V-8” which made the car fast, while its smaller size made it sportier and more agile.
On June 20, 1927, a LaSalle driven by Willard Rader (along with Gus Bell) on the track at GM’s Milford proving ground achieved 952 miles (1,532 km), averaging 95.2 mph (153.2 km/h) with only seven minutes given over to refueling and tire changes. In comparison, the average speed at that year's Indianapolis 500 was 97.5 mph (156.9 km/h). The test at Milford would have continued, however a problem in the oil system drew the test to an early close approaching the 9:45 mark.
However the depression, combined with LaSalle’s stalling sales numbers, caused Cadillac to rethink its companion make. Both Buick and Oldsmobile had eliminated the Marquette and Viking in their second model year in 1930. Cadillac also saw sales of its cars losing ground as confirmed Cadillac buyers tried to trim pennies by buying the less expensive LaSalle. LaSalle sales also were falling, from a high of 22,691 models in 1929 to a low of 3,290 in 1932.
1934-1938
Beginning with the 1934 model year, a significant portion of the LaSalle was more closely related to Oldsmobile than they were to senior Cadillacs. Again, Earl’s work with the LaSalle resulted in graceful vehicle, led by an elegant thin radiator grille. Earl’s other contribution was modern, airplane-styled, semi-shielded portholes along the side of the hood. All bodies were now by Fleetwood.
This new LaSalle was priced $1,000 less than the least expensive Cadillac – its mission now was not to fill a price gap, but to keep the luxury car division out of the red. Sales rebounded and almost doubled to 7,218 units for the year. A 1934 LaSalle Model 350 was chosen as the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500, and a 1937 LaSalle Series 50 convertible also served as an Indy 500 pace car.
1939-1940
In its final years, the LaSalle once again became more Cadillac-like in its appearance and details. The narrow radiator grille opening was retained, and was flanked by additional side grill work. Headlights which had moved down and secured to the “cat-walk” were again attached to the radiator shell. One interesting feature adopted by LaSalle in these years was a sun roof marketed as the “Sunshine Turret Top”. Sales again climbed in 1939 to 23,028.
The 1940 and final LaSalle was introduced in October 1939, and in its final year as it had in its first, by a full array of semi-custom body styles including a convertible sedan. Earl also oversaw this redesign, and the LaSalle emerged as a smooth flowing design, its trademark thin radiator was flanked by a series of thin chrome slots giving the LaSalle a futuristic look.
1941
A 1941 LaSalle was planned and reached the design phase before GM ended the product line. In its place, Cadillac fielded the “Series 61”, which placed Cadillac’s prestige closer to reality for a larger group of people. In its first year, the Sixty-One enjoyed a production of over 29,000 units, almost three times LaSalle’s 1940 production.
