This 575-HP, Double-V8 Cadillac is Wonderfully Nutty

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell

                                                                                    

 

What’s not to love about the V8 engine. On these colonial shores, the American V8 is an icon, a mill that has powered many a great sports, muscle, and pony car. For a moment, just imagine where we’d be without it. Scary. By that logic, if one V8 is good, then two is better, no? 

 

According to economist and sports car engineer Warren Mosler, circa 2000, that would be a big “yes.” Mosler’s company was responsible for creating the wild Consulier GTP sports car and the later MT900 supercar, but as the new millennium dawned, his first project would be to build a series of Cadillac Eldorados with not one but two Northstar V8 engines tucked underneath. One in front, one in the trunk.

This is one of those cars—one of an alleged five built in total—and it has made its way onto eBay. Fans of four-wheeled oddity, here’s your next ride.

First, the specs. This Cadillac Eldorado, known as a Mosler TwinStar, features a stock 275 horsepower V8 up front, courtesy of the original Eldorado donor vehicle, while at the rear it packs a 300 horsepower variant from the sportier ETC. Both come paired with separate automatic transmissions, and have had their throttles synchronized.

Of its own accord, that’s simply odd. But according to a period write-up in Car and Driver, the separate drivetrains also sport different shift points and gear ratios. The result, apart from all-wheel drive, is a car that pulls hard constantly due to its various shifts. Inside, the coupe features two tachometers to monitor those sovereign engines—imagine watching those dials dance independently.

So is it fast? C&D tests revealed a car that was remarkably well balanced on track and could put down a zero to 60 mph time of just five seconds. The quarter mile? That disappeared in a brisk 13.4 ticks at 108 mph. Then again, you’d expect a car with 575 horsepower and 9.2-liters of displacement to be quick.

That said, the TwinStar Cadillac isn’t what you’d call light, or for that matter, shapely. C&D notes these cars tipped the scales at a hefty 4,780 pounds. The extreme long wheelbase look hasn’t aged very well, either. Original cost in the year 2000? About $30,000 plus the donor car.

Hate it or love it, it’s indeed a very unique vehicle, and interestingly this one has a touch of celebrity provenance too. According to the listing, the Cadillac was previously owned by “The Big Man” and saxophonist of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Clarence Clemons.

Auction results show the Mosler TwinStar sold earlier this year at Auctions America’s Fort Lauderdale event for $45,000. Today, bidding on eBay hovers around the $5,500 mark, reserve unmet.