Marque: Cadillac - Company History & Models - Cars By Brand
Cadillac
Henry Leland and Robert Faulconer founded a manufacturing company in the 1890s, producing automobile engines, chassis components and forgings, out of which the Cadillac Motor Company was born in 1902, from the remnants of the Detroit Automobile Company that was liquidated in 1900, following chief engineer Henry Ford’s departure to set up his Ford Motor Company. The name Cadillac was used after…
Cadillac Seville
PRICE: £1500 – £5000
The Seville was fi rst introduced in the Cadillac model line-up in the mid fi fties, but broke new ground for the company with their fi rst ‘compact’ Seville that was launched on 22nd April 1975. It was the smallest model produced since the La Salle of 1940. It had all the hallmarks of power and luxury, but in a downsized bodyshell 17ft long and a whisker under six foot wide.
The Seville was powered by an Oldsmobile built 350ci V8 with electronic fuel injection, with a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic automatic transmission and by 1977 disc brakes all round was a standard fi tment. In 1980 a restyling exercise by Wayne Kady produced what has become referred to as the ‘Bustleback’ model. Special limited edition designer models included the Pierre Cardin and Gucci, plus the Elegante with additional exterior brightwork trim, and chrome wire wheels. Not hugely collectable, the Seville can be purchased at bargain basement prices, but with all the kudos of still owning a Cadillac!
Cadillac 1949 Series 62 Sedanette
PRICE: £10,000 - £25,000
Penned by Harley Earl and Julio Andrade at General Motors styling studios, the Sedanette, also referred to as the Club Coupe, with its distinctive fastback bodywork cut a seriously impressive dash in the late 1940s. While imitation maybe the greatest form of fl attery, the Bentley R-Type of 1952 has an uncanny resemblance to that of the Sedanette! It was one of the great post-war American designs that utilised the new John F. Gordon developed 331ci V8 engine, still cast iron like the previous L-head, but it was 200lbs lighter, 10hp more powerful, with better torque, performance and fuel consumption.
This model exuded quality from its streamlined Art Deco Goddess bonnet ornament, to the top quality trimmed leather interior and rich carpets. A novel feature was the fuel fi ller cap that was hidden under the one of the tailights that fl ipped up to gain access. It was also the infancy of the tailfi ns that rapidly grew almost out of control by 1959!
