Yesteryear Collection

Classic design with customised "bullet-proofing" optional

On February 14, 1929, the members of the Capone gang - disguised as police officers - ambushed the members of the Moran gang in a Chicago alley. It was truly the most famous shootout of the gangster era: The Saint Valentine's Massacre. This bloody affair left many dead and underscored the degree to which gangland violence had infiltrated society. Indeed, it was a reflection of a time when it was all too common for gangsters to shoot it out in the streets with rival gangs over turf or with law enforcement officers.

These mobsters often found themselves being chased by federal, state or local law enforcement authorities, speeding down highways with tommy guns blazing and powerful engines working to the maximum. Fortunately for the bad guys, the 1920s and the 1930s wasn't only the era of the gangster, it was also the Age of the Automobile. While underlings and two-bit hoods would drive ordinary cars, the crime lords and gang leaders often had extrodinary automobiles customized for their own pleasure and protection.

One such car was the 1933 cadillac V-16. Considered the epitome of classic design, the '33 Cadillac V-16 had a 149-inch wheelbase and this car could weigh up to 6,270 pounds - before customizing. Yet the mighty V-16 engine had the ability to power the enormous vehicle at cruising speeds of 70 miles per hour and a top speed of 90. It was an ultra-luxurious car for the man of power and wealth (legitimately acquired or not). And the '33 Cadillac V-16 had the added advantage of being able to elude most cars that might try to pursue it.

Now, the 1933 Cadillac V-16 is recreated in an exciting die-cast model. Precision-engineered and authentically detailed, your 1933 Cadillac V-16 looks as if it has just pulled up to a 1930s Chicago nightclub - bringing a notorious gangster and his moll.
This nostalgic model is produced by - and available only from - Matchbox Collectibles.