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People have been using air suspension for a long time now, whether it was to increase their carrying capacity or to replace their springs. But when it came to the comfort factor, one of the major steps forward happened in the 1950s. This would change the air suspension world for decades and helped to merge the concept of luxury and a smooth ride into one package.
We’re talking, of course, about a Cadillac.
The 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham
Yes, a four-door Cadillac was the first car with available air suspension, and while it was a limited-edition vehicle, it was a real head turner. Between the fins on the back and the two-tone paint, it was a very good looking car to look at. But it was the air suspension that became a talking point of the car, because boy did it right well. They continued offering the suspension as an option through 1960.
Now we’re not quite sure when the phrase, “Rides like a Cadillac” became mainstream, but it was very much a thing throughout the 1970s and beyond. Cadillac was a luxury car brand and it had a smooth riding suspension, which sometimes meant it was on air. But they wouldn’t be the only ones.
Luxury on air
Buick had an “air-poised suspension” that they offered as an option in 1958. It did automatic leveling and you could raise and lower the car up to 5.5 inches if you needed to get into a steep driveway or something similar. The following year they did the same thing with a more traditional air ride system.
Mercedes-Benz soon joined the fray. In 1965, the W109 chassis 300SE and 300SEL came with air suspension front and rear. Later, the 1998 W220 chassis — what you might know better as the S-class — also ran air suspension, which they named Airmatic. That is still an available option on many Mercedes-Benz cars today, including the E-Class.
Of course, this is now a more commonplace thing. Early Tesla S models had air suspension, Cadillac has had it off and on throughout the years and it’s even an option on some Audis. There are a lot of vehicles with air suspension, and most of them tend to fall into the higher-priced luxury category. Basically, if you want a car that rides nice, get air suspension.
We do that, too
Now not all air suspension systems ride smooth, and that can be for a variety of reasons. But if you build a suspension for your vehicle with the right air components and pair it with shock absorbers that dampen the ride to your preference, you can dial in a very smooth riding system.
This is something we do every day here at Switch. Interested in making your car or truck ride like a Cadillac? Reach out to us and let’s come up with a plan. We do this kind of thing all the time, so we know what systems work best for all sorts of cars and customers.
Just think: Soon you could be riding on air. Is there anything better than that?
