CADILLAC:  THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD

By Richard P. Sills

Cadillac has been the Standard of the World for 110 years.

Its founder, Henry M. Leland, earned a reputation for precision craftsmanship first as a toolmaker for Colt revolvers, then as a manufacturer of precision machinery, and then as a manufacturer of automobile engines.  His opportunity to manufacture complete automobiles presented itself in 1902, with the failure of Henry Ford's second business venture.  The company was about to be liquidated, but instead, Mr. Leland and some investors decided to buy the assets of the business and launch a new brand of automobile.  (Mr. Ford's third effort was successful, but that is another story.)

Most auto pioneers named their new companies after themselves.  But Mr. Leland was an unassuming man, and chose the name Cadillac Automobile Company, after the French explorer who established and named the city of Detroit in 1701, Le Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac.

Precision engineering and interchangeability of parts are taken for granted today, but they were unique qualities in the early years of the industry.  Cadillac's quality made it a great success from the time its first cars hit the market in 1903.  Its reputation quickly spread beyond U.S. borders.  In 1908, Cadillac won the coveted Dewar Trophy in England when representatives of the Royal Automobile Club dismantled three Cadillacs down to the last nut, bolt and screw. The parts were thoroughly scrambled and three cars were then re-assembled from the mixture of parts.  All performed perfectly, which at the time was a remarkable feat.

In 1909, General Motors acquired Cadillac, using profits generated by its earlier acquisition, Buick.  In 1912, Cadillac introduced a stellar new innovation that revolutionized the auto industry --  the self-starter.  This accomplishment resulted in Cadillac's winning the second Dewar Trophy in 1913, becoming the first auto maker to win that distinction twice.  More significantly, the self-starter proved to be a "game changer" in the competition between steam, electric and gasoline engines to be the predominant means of motive power.  The strenuous and often dangerous task of cranking the engine had been the biggest drawback of gasoline-powered cars.  Solving that problem with the self-starter went a long way toward assuring that gasoline engines prevailed over their competition.

Cadillac introduced a V-8 engine in late 1914 for the 1915 model.  In 1917, with the First World War brewing, the patriotic Henry Leland and his son Wilfred wanted Cadillac production to switch over to Liberty aircraft engines to aid the war effort.  Billy Durant, who then controlled General Motors, vetoed the idea, and the Lelands departed.  (The Lelands would later create a competing brand, Lincoln, but again that is another story.)  Nevertheless, Cadillac later did produce Liberty engines to aid the war effort, and its staff cars served with distinction in the World War.  When the war ended, Cadillac production increased, with the benefit of a huge new modern plant on Clark Avenue in Detroit, where Cadillacs would be built through 1987.

During the 1920s, General Motors was intent on providing a car for each step in the price ladder.  Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile and Oakland each took on a "companion car" -- a separate marque that was slightly lower in price (except in the case of Oldsmobile, whose companion car was higher priced).  Cadillac's "companion car", introduced in 1927, was the highly styled LaSalle, which was intended to attract a younger clientele to Cadillac showrooms.  It was the first GM project of acclaimed designer Harley Earl, and it reflected his touch for color and aesthetics.  The LaSalle bore a resemblance to the Hispano-Suiza, a sporty European luxury car, and it was an instant success.  During some years of the depression which dominated the 1930s, it outsold Cadillac.

The luxury car market, in the meantime, boomed during the prosperous 1920s.  In the race for upper-echelon automotive prestige, the number of cylinders became an important benchmark.  Packard had introduced its twelve-cylinder engine (called the "Twin Six") in 1916.  Cadillac's V-8 engine had a fine reputation, but its management was determined to make a statement that would outdo its rivals.  Cadillac introduced its new V-16 engine at the New York Automobile Show on January 4, 1930, and later that year, it introduced a line of V-12 cars for the 1931 model year.  The V-12 Cadillacs would continue in production through 1937, and the V-16 through 1940.

1940 was also the last model year for the LaSalle, which had attracted a considerable number of buyers to Cadillac showrooms, and provided important sales volume during the lean years of the '30s.  In 1941, Cadillac introduced a new Series 61 to replace the departed LaSalle, and set a very attractive base price of $1,345 for the Series 61 Coupe.   Cadillac also offered Hydramatic transmission for the first time in 1941, a pioneering innovation in that era (although Oldsmobile offered it in 1940).  Cadillac set sales records in 1941, and produced its last convertible sedan in that year.

Cadillac introduced a brand new body style for 1942, but the model run was cut very short due to World War II.  After the war, new cars were in very short supply, and Cadillac continued to use the 1942 body with minor changes.  In 1948, when most of its rivals continued to use warmed-over pre-war body styles, Cadillac introduced another totally redesigned and streamlined car, but this time with a styling feature that was to become an icon:  the tail-fin.   Airplanes were considered the essence of modernity, and the Cadillac tailfins were patterned after the vertical stabilizers on the Lockheed P-38 twin engine "Lightning" fighter plane.  Next to the 1948 Cadillac, most older cars and many of Cadillac's 1948 competitors looked ancient by comparison.

The next year brought two more innovations.  One was the powerful new high-compression overhead-valve 331 cubic inch V-8 engine that replaced the prior year's "flathead" V-8.  The other was the introduction of a beautiful new "hardtop convertible" body style, the Coupe deVille.  While only 2,150 Coupe deVilles were built for 1949, the car caused a great sensation -- and one of them also had the distinction of being the 1,000,000^th Cadillac built.

Until 1950, Packard usually outsold Cadillac, albeit by including the sales of Packard's lower priced models in with the luxury cars.  In 1950, Cadillac took over the sales leader position in the luxury car field once and for all, and for many years thereafter, Cadillac had little competition for the claim of America's most popular luxury car.  It introduced the fabulous Eldorado in 1953, which got worldwide exposure when newly-elected President Eisenhower rode in one in his inaugural parade in January 1953.  Lincoln brought out its exclusive Continental Mark II in 1956, with an unheard-of five-figure price tag which put it in the same price class as a nice new suburban house.  Not to be outdone, Cadillac responded with the exclusive Eldorado Brougham for 1957, priced at $13,074 when introduced.  The Eldorado Brougham continued for four model years (through 1960), twice as long as its rival from Dearborn.

The 1950s, 1960s and 1970s were halcyon years for the Cadillac marque.  Space does not permit discussion of all the different models and innovations during this period, but Cadillac had become a brand that was universally admired.  Ambitious young people aspired some day to own one.  When you drove a Cadillac, it was clear that you had "arrived", in every sense of the word.  Cadillac was also unique in promoting its used cars as well as its new ones.  It featured ads showing Cadillacs of five different model years, with the theme being "You know what kind of car you want to drive -- just pick the year that fits your budget."  In each town, there were well-to-do folks who routinely bought a new Cadillac every year or every two, and dealers had waiting lists of customers ready to buy their trade-ins.

During the late 1970s and the 1980s Cadillac, like most of the industry, had to cope with new governmental requirements relating to environmental controls, gas mileage and safety.  It also had to deal with increasing competition from foreign auto-makers.  Cadillac introduced the Seville, a smaller (but not less expensive) luxury sedan for the 1976 model year, to compete for customers who were attracted to the smaller and more maneuverable German luxury sedans.  Cadillac also entered the international arena in 1987 when it introduced an ultra-luxury roadster called the Allante.  The Allante's body was designed and built in Italy by Pininfarina (of Ferrari fame).  The completed bodies were shipped 3,300 miles from Italy in specially equipped Boeing 747s to Cadillac's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant, where they were mated to the chassis.

During the 1980s, performance suffered in most American cars because of the emphasis on gas mileage, but Cadillac decided that it was time to bring back excitement to American motoring when it introduced its new Northstar system in 1993.  The Northstar engines featured cast aluminum cylinder heads with 4 valves per cylinder.  Your author remembers the first time he drove a Northstar-equipped Cadillac in 1994.  Although that car was a big sedan (the Concours), the sensation of accelerating was reminiscent of a '60s muscle-car, a welcome relief from years of American cars whose acceleration could best be described as tepid.

Cadillac's trend-setting accomplishments continue.  In 1999, Cadillac introduced the Escalade sport-utility vehicle, which attracts traditional affluent buyers as well as high-profile professional athletes and entertainers.  In 2003, Cadillac introduced the highly popular CTS sedan, bringing Cadillac luxury to a smaller size.  In 2004, Cadillac introduced the SRX, a smaller sport-utility vehicle which has become a great sales success; the XLR sports roadster with a power retractable hardtop; and the super-high-performance "V" series cars, bringing Cadillac into the top league of world-class performance machines.  Recently, Cadillac expanded the popular CTS series to include a coupe and a unique sport wagon in addition to the sedan; and, like the high-line imports, Cadillac offers all-wheel-drive on all body styles.  Direct injection is used to get exhilarating performance from a V-6 engine.  By the time you read this, Cadillac will have introduced the XTS, a new high-technology luxury sedan, and shortly after that, a new smaller but elegantly-styled sedan called the ATS.

Cadillac has adapted to changing times, as all successful businesses must.  Its new cars with their distinctive chiseled styling lines, ultra-luxurious interiors, and high-performance engines continue to lead the way for the American auto industry.   I think Henry Leland would be proud.

[The author, a lifelong car enthusiast, was the national President of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club from 1998 through 2002.  He is currently a Board member of the AACA Museum, the Buick Heritage Alliance, the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, and the Cadillac & LaSalle Club Museum & Research Center, Inc..]

Other 2012 Featured Marques information coming soon!