Bespoke Eagle Ottawa leather crafted for 1949 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Ottawa, among the world's oldest automotive leather suppliers, is proud to sponsor the display of the original prototype 1949 Cadillac Coupe de Ville at the prestigious Concours d'Elegance of America at Plymouth's The Inn at St John's fundraising event on Sunday, July 28.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130725/DE53558)

When renowned car collector Steve Plunkett discovered the classic Cadillac he was restoring had been originally outfitted with Eagle Ottawa leather, Plunkett's restoration team requested that Eagle Ottawa recreate the luxurious leather interior.  Eagle Ottawa designers, scientists and artisans replicated the uniqueness of the original leather and re-imagined the opulence the car brought to enthusiasts 64 years ago. The iconic Cadillac Coupe features a replica of the unique luxury leather Eagle Ottawa supplied to the original vehicles.   The restoration includes Eagle Ottawa's pearlescent, "gunmetal" premium leather, created especially for this vehicle.

"I have restored many cars over the years," says Steve Plunkett, "but the Coupe de Ville restoration has been among the most challenging and exciting. Working with Eagle Ottawa and being able to outfit it with the closest match to its original leather upholstery was a high point in the process."

"As with all Eagle Ottawa luxury leather, we used premium hides, enhanced by our proprietary crusting process to create the supple, soft hand and fine pebble appearance," said Nathan Mullinix, Eagle Ottawa Vice President Global Product Development and Innovation. "The key to its natural appearance is a semi-translucent finish that lets the true beauty of the leather shine through."

Displayed for the first time at the 1949 Waldorf-Astoria Motorama, this Cadillac Coupe de Ville prototype was gifted to former General Motors CEO Charlie Wilson upon his departure to serve as United States Secretary of Defense in 1953. It disappeared from public view until this year, when Plunkett completed its restoration. The Cadillac Coupe de Ville will be shown under the Eagle Ottawa/Plunkett tent at the Concours d'Elegance on July 28, 2013. It is only one of three privately owned Cadillac prototypes in the world.

Eagle Ottawa commissioned artist Tom Hale, renowned for his automobile portraits, to reimage the refurbished 1949 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. His one-of-a-kind artwork will be auctioned off in the Eagle Ottawa tent during the Concours event. Auction proceeds will be donated to support Motor City Blight Busters, a non-profit charity that creates community-focused projects to help revitalize Detroit. In conjunction with its coalition of community partners, Motor City Blight Busters, claims over 120,000 volunteers, and more than 658,000 volunteer hours who have painted 684 homes, secured 379 abandoned buildings, renovated 176 houses and built 114 new home to for more than 1,160 people. For more information on visit www.blightbustersdetroit.com.

About Eagle Ottawa

Eagle Ottawa is a global leading manufacturer of leather solutions for the automotive industry. Created in 1865, Eagle Ottawa has a longstanding heritage of blending traditional craftsmanship and innovative technology. We design, engineer and manufacture genuine leather solutions for all automotive interior applications and vehicle market segments. Our global capabilities include design, research & development, product validation, tanning, finishing, cutting and sewing. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., we have production facilities in North America, South America, Europe and Asia to better serve our customers. Eagle Ottawa leather solutions are featured in over 100 vehicles globally.

About The Concours d'Elegance of America

The Concours d'Elegance of America has been recognized through its longevity as the pre-eminent American-centric car show in the country. By featuring the heritage and history of Detroit, the show highlights the important role of styling, engineering, custom manufacturing, volume manufacturing, celebrities and technology on the evolution of the automobile. Known for the wide breadth of its exhibited vehicles, the show field at St. John's showcases cars from all eras; and because of the interconnectivity with the rest of the world, cars from all countries coalesce around incredible design and manufacturing ideas to create an amazing car show experience.

SOURCE Eagle Ottawa