It may not be anywhere close to being a historic model for Cadillac, but for some, the outgoing DTS has a special place in their wish list. In fact so special that Nicola Bulgari of the renowned Italian jewelry, perfume and more recently hotel chain family, decided to add the last DTS to roll off the production line to his personal car collection.
“Is it important?” Nicola Bulgari asked. “Is it the number or the quality that matters? It’s the quality. I like the DTS because it’s a great sedan,” said Bulgari. “It’s the last of an era. I thought it would be wonderful to own the last Northstar in a DTS. It’s one of the best engines ever designed – reliable and a performer.”
The full-size sedan that is more widely known around the world for being the U.S. presidential car will join an impressive range of vintage American models in Bulgari’s collection housed at facilities in Rome, Italy and Allentown, Pa. The grandson of a Greek silversmith who opened a jewelry shop in Rome in 1884 owns several other Cadillac and LaSalle cars, the latter of which was a sister brand to Cadillac from 1927 to 1940, his first being a 1938 Cadillac V-16 Town Car that he bought when he was 25 years-old.
“It was quite an experience to drive that car because the quality was second to none,” Bulgari said about the V-16 Town Car. “The suspension design, the power, the engine… Everything was built with extraordinary quality.”
Bulgari’s collection of Cadillac and LeSalle models include:
- 1932 Cadillac 355B V-12 Fleetwood Limousine
- 1934 Cadillac Model 355B Series 20 Sedan
- 1934 LaSalle Coupe
- 1940 LaSalle Convertible Coupe
- 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Sedan
- 1941 Cadillac Series 61 Sedanette
- 1947 Cadillac Model 7533 Limousine
- 1949 Cadillac Model 7533 Limousine
- 1949 Cadillac Convertible Coupe
- 1954 Cadillac Series 54-62 Fleetwood Sedan
- 1970 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
The Roman-born vice chairman of the Bulgari Group and honorary president of the Italian Government Tourist Board is also the owner of three recent Cadillac models including the 2009 XLR-V Coupe equipped with a special Bulgari speedometer, a 2010 CTS Wagon and 2009 CTS-V Sedan.
“Of the three, the Sedan, Coupe and Wagon, the Wagon stands out in front of all the competition,” Bulgari said. “It makes the competition look ludicrous.” Talking about the CTS-V, Bulgari added: “I have news for you with a V. I want to see some Ferrari or Lamborghini on the road and I will give him a lesson. They’ll never expect it.”
