Late extra(10/2000): The compiler of The (new) Cadillac Database© admits to being less familiar
with Cadillac models from 1970 and later. Many of you have asked for more information and
photos regarding these later models. I am pleased to inform you that there are other
sites on the Web devoted also to Cadillac history and particularly to what I call
"modern" Cadillacs, i.e. those built after 1970. So, for additional,
pertinent information about Cadillacs from 1970 and later, please visit these excellent,
informative sites:
John Barach's excellent
Cadillac history pages.
Al Betker's equally
superb "Maximum Torque Specialties"
1986
Facts: >>>>>
Easy ID: >>>>>
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté sections, below); Seville 4-door compact Sedan (C&D
card set), Seville Elegante, Brougham stretch (CCI, 26:2), Eldorado
Biarritz 2-door Coupe (C&D card set). Derogatory articles Selling off
the Standard of the World, AW 3.11.96, pp.16-27, and At the Wheel, same
issue, p.10.
1986 Cadillac Cimarron
Trivia (?): Cadillacs have not always enjoyed
rave reviews. The diesel disaster of 1978, the 1982 Cimarron are but two
examples of lackluster Cadillac production cars. Personally, I'm a fan of the
"big" Cadillacs, up to 1970, when fuel-economy was not an issue. So I
shall leave Tom Bonsall to tell you about some other alleged Cadillac disasters
and let the reader make up his own mind. One thing for sure, Cadillac reclaimed part
of its lost markets when it brought out the Northstar-powered models of the
mid-nineties. Let's hope they can carry the Division through to their 100th
anniversary in 2001.
1987
Facts: Allanté, Allanté Airbridge, Fleetwood
60S, Fleetwood 75 Limousine, Brougham, Seville, Eldorado
Biarritz, Fleetwood d"Elegance, Cimarron (CCI, 27:1); a
new multiplexing system was introduced on the Allanté to control exterior
lighting.
Easy ID: >>>>>
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté sections, below); Allanté color photo (CCI, 27:1,
cover; C&D card set); Cimarron (CCI, 27:1), Brougham,
Presidential limousine (CCI, 27:2); article on Allanté, C&D
3/87, pp.81-89; another in MT 9/86, cover + pp.28-41 [set off against 1930 V16 boat-tail speedster by Pinin Farina].
Cimarron 1987: [from ad text] ...leather seating areas,
leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel, push-button air conditioning, AM/FM stereo radio
[which could be deleted for credit]; 2.8 liter, V6 multi-port, fuel-injected eng. and
5-speed manual transm. standard, 125HP [nearly 50% more than 1986 model], gas-charged
Bilstein-Delco suspension tuned for the precise response of a sports sedan with the
ride comfort of a Cadillac.
1987-1993 Allanté
Article in CA, 6/93; article
on '87 Allanté models in SI, 11/86
1988
Facts: >>>>>
1988 Cadillac Cimarron
Easy ID: >>>>>
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté sections, below); special show model: Voyáge (CCI,
29:1), Eldorado Biarritz, Seville Elegante (CCI, 28:4), Eldorado
(color - CCI, 28:2; C&D card set), Fleetwood 60S, Brougham
(same issue), Allanté, Seville (CCI, 28:1), Allanté
& Pres. Limousine, Touring sedan, new 4.5 lit DFI [Digital Fuel
Injection] V8 (CCI, 28:3)
1989
Facts: Engine, ABS (CCI, 29:4)
Easy ID: >>>>>
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté sections, below); special show model: Fleetwood 60S (CCI
29:2, cover), Brougham (CCI, 29:2, p. 3), Sedan DeVille in
France, V8, #19, pp.50-53. Coupe de Ville (CCI, 29:1) "Solitaire"
Cadillac Catera
Trivia: (1) This year, Cadillac inaugurated its own
Historical Museum up at the Clark Avenue plant [it was relocated in 1994 to new premises
near the Cadillac facility at Warren, MI]. (2) H.H. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen mother,
used a navy blue Fleetwood parade car in Toronto, this year [that car is
currently in the Dick Kughn collection, in Detroit, MI].
1990
Facts: the first traction control offered on the American
market was a system introduced as standard equipment on this year's Allanté model.
Easy ID: >>>>>
[ images to come ]
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté sections, below); Solitaire (CCI, 30:7, 30:8), Touring
Seville (same issue), Sedan de Ville (CCI, 30:7), limited Seville,
Eldorado Touring coupe, Aurora, Allanté (CCI, 30:10), Brougham
(CCI, 30:8)
Trivia: In 1990 a movie was made called Cadillac Man,
with Robin Williams in the lead role. It is a comedy about an unfortunate car
salesman
1990-1991
Article on Eldorado Touring Coupe, CA 2/1991, p.76; 1990 Eldorado picture
1991
Facts: Allanté (CCI, 31:4, 31:5, 31:9),
engine (CCI, 31:9), Eldorado Touring coupe, Seville (CCI,
31:7)
Easy ID: >>>>>
[ images to come ]
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté sections, below); STS, Sedan de Ville (CCI,
31:6, 31:8), Eldorado (CCI, 31:5), Fleetwood (CCI, 31:5), Seville,
Eldorado (CCI, 31:8), Eldorado Touring (color, B&W, CCI,
31:3; (C&D card set)) Fleetwood 60S, Brougham (same issue), Eldorado
Touring coupe, STS 4-door compact Sedan (C&D card set), Fleetwood
60S, Sedan de Ville (CCI, 31:2), Allanté (CCI, 31:7)
1992
Facts: The STS [Seville Toruing Sedan] model was
awarded the prestigious Car-of-the-Year trophy by the American monthly magazine Motor
Trend. That same car had collected earlier the Automobile of the Year trophy
by the magazine Automobile and was also named one of the Ten Best Cars
in the world by the magazine Car and Driver.
Easy ID: >>>>>
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté); 2-door Coupe deVille (C&D card set), Seville
4-door compact sedan (C&D card set), Fleetwood Brougham, (CCI,
31:5, 31:6, 31:7, 31:8, 31:10), Seville Show Car interior (CCI, 31:8, 31:9
color front cover + electronic system); article on Eldorado Touring Coupe [ETC],
R&T 3/92, pp.70-74.
1993
Facts: Allanté was official pace car at 76th Indianapolis
500 in 1993. Some 1993 models were acclaimed in the press (see CLC 8/93,
p.10). The STS was named one of the 10 best American cars in Robb Report
for July 1993; readers of Autoweek gave that model the same rating; United
Press International voted the STS Car of the Year; Motor Week
thought it was the Best Luxury Car; other kudos went also to the Northstar
system.
Easy ID: >>>>>
(body styles): (see also Eldorado, Seville
and Allanté sections, below); 2-door Coupe de Ville (C&D
card set), Sixty Special 4-door Sedan (C&D card set), Fleetwood
4-door Sedan (C&D card set), Eldorado 2-door Sports Coupe (C&D
card set), STS compact 4-door Sedan (C&D card set), Allanté
2-door convertible (C&D card set), 1993 Presidential Limousine (portfolio
received from ZTV), 2 slides copied to 13x19cm paper; Allanté
Indianapolis Pace Car (CCI, 31:10: C&D card set), Eldorado Touring
Coupe [ETC], Brougham, 4.6 lit. Northstar engine (CCI, 33:1,
33:2)
Production figures [to be completed]: De
Ville models = 84391 units
[click here to visit a Web site with more facts on the 1993
Allante !!!]
1994
Facts: >>>>>
Easy ID: >>>>>
1994 Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan (STS)
(body styles): DeVille 4-door Sedan (C&D
card set), DeVille Concours 4-door Sedan (C&D card set), Eldorado
2-door Touring Coupe (C&D card set), STS compact 4-door Sedan (C&D
card set), Fleetwood Brougham 4-door Sedan (C&D card set). Story of Eldorado Touring Coupe
[ETC] in France, V8, #3, pp.40-43.
Production figures [to be completed]: Production
for the calendar year totaled 210686 units of which 124804 De Ville models, 24837
Eldorados and 37868 Sevilles (see CLC 2/95, P.18);
Trivia: This year, Cadillac's own Historical Museum, which
had been set up at the Clark Avenue plant in 1989, was relocated to new premises near the
Cadillac facility at Warren, MI.
1994 Eldorado Touring Coupe (ETC)
1994 Seville Touring Sedan (STS)
The 1994 Northstar engine
1995
Facts: Engine: 200, 250, 275 & 300 HP Northstar V8;
features (depend on model): integrated chassis control system, real-time road-sensing
suspension, speed-sensitive steering, dual front air bags, ABS on 4-wheel disc
brakes, full-range traction control, electronically synchronized 4-speed automatic
transmission, airbank system, power lumbar seat control, 2-driver seat memory position
control. "Owner privileges" include: Gold-Key delivery system, 24-hour
roadside service, 24-hour emergency roadside service, 24-hour consumer relations hotline,
trip-interruption protection, trip routing service, warranty protection, alternate
transportation. Purchasing facilities (SmartLease or SmartLease Plus).
Easy ID: >>>>>
(body styles): 7 styles: (1) DeVille ($34,900),
(2) Fleetwood ($35,595), (3) Eldorado ($38,220), (4) DeVille
Concours ($39,400), (5) Eldorado Touring Coupe ($41,535), (6) Seville
Luxury Sedan (SLS) ($41,935), (7) Seville Touring Sedan (STS) ($45,935);
Features: Eldorado: newly styles front and rear molded fascias, new front grille,
revised area around number plate pocket, chrome or body-color grille, interior Zebrano
wood accents
1995 Eldorado
picture
>>>>>
[continue adding features]
1996
Facts: >>>>>
Easy ID:
Fleetwood Brougham sedan
Seville front clip
1997
Facts: >>>>>
This excerpt is from Popular Science, October 1997, New Car section:
Cadillac: Catera in 2000 may be FWD, Eldorado in 1999 has a Major
redesign for luxury sport coupe, follows Seville intro; Seville
in 1998 gets a new engine, modest styling change, major chassis overhaul for the STS,
and in 2002 maybe RWD Deville in 1999; redesign incorporates Aurora
chassis. There
is an article in French on the Seville STS in Auto Classiques, #85,
10/97, p.34
Easy ID:
Left: Seville Luxury Sedan (SLS) rear clip;
right: Eldorado Touring Coupe (ETC) front clip
Left: Eldorado front clip [correction
by Aurel Klatik]; right: DeVille sedan
1998
Facts: Cadillac launched the new 1998 Seville as a Global
Competitor. Todd Nissen [REUTER, Detroit] had this to say about it: Cadillac,
the quintessential American luxury car, is going global this fall [1997]. The new Seville
will also be offered in two sizes. Export models will be 196.5 inches long. North American
cars will be slightly longer at 201 inches -- but still more than three inches shorter
than the previous version. Responding to favorable consumer research, GM kept most of the
existing exterior styling of the Seville. Changes include a slightly more sloped hood, a
lower front grille, new rear lights and a new low-profile spoiler on the trunk. It was
heard that the GM reps in Germany were complaining that the Seville's proportions
were "ill suited" to the German market; we shall see how sales go. The car was
first shown in public at the Frankfurt Auto Show on Sept. 9, 1997. Starting in October
1997, Japanese consumers had a chance to buy the new 1998 Seville. It was the
first time in Cadillac's 95-year history that one of its cars was available in a foreign
market before the United States. American buyers would only start seeing the car in
January 1998.
The sixth generation of the Cadillac Seville
celebrated its world premiere on September 9, 1997, at the IAA in Frankfurt. It was the
first time in its 95-year history that Cadillac organized a new model debut outside the
United States. This determined entry onto the international stage was part and parcel of a
new strategy. Cadillac intends to greatly raise its share of exports. This intention is
underlined by the more compact exterior dimensions of the new car. At 4.95 meters length,
the new Seville is assuming the same upper middle class format that now enjoys
great success on world markets.
With the new body the designers succeeded in maintaining trademark Cadillac style,
creating an even roomier interior despite the shorter length. The equipment is luxurious
and complete: leather trim, electronic dual-zone climate control, top class audio system.
The Seville's safety system includes dual airbags, front side airbags and
pre-tensioning front seat belts as well as lap and shoulder seatbelts for all passengers.
The Seville's Northstar System powertrain represents the height of
present technology. The V8 engine, with 4.6 liters displacement, consists of aluminum
motor block and cylinder heads. Altogether four overhead camshafts operate 32 valves, four
per combustion chamber. The superior power is worth the effort. In the Seville Luxury
Sedan (SLS) the motor is tuned for good reserves and high cultivation, developing 275
hp (202 kW) at 5600 min-1 and a torque of 407 Nm at 4000 min-1. The more dynamic engine
variant in the Seville Touring Sedan (STS) provides 300 hp (221 kW) at 6000 min-1
and achieves 400 Nm at 4400 min-1.
The automatic four-speed transmission bears its traditional name, Hydra-Matic, and is
equipped with a viscous torque converter clutch and a four-gear planetary transmission.
The Hydra-Matic conveys the power of the transverse front-mounted V8 to the front wheels.
For eighteen years Cadillac has been cultivating front-wheel drive for luxury sedan
comfort. In the new models, however, the American brand has also accepted the challenge
posed by its European competitors. Next to the traditional luxury, dynamic driving is now
also being emphasized. The suspension bias of the powerful Seville Touring Sedan (STS)
could even be called sporty.
The chassis construction provides just the right assets. Front independent suspension,
with track control arms and MacPherson struts, follows the clever construction principles
first conceived by the GM engineer. The rear axle with semi-trailing arms and lateral toe
links, also fulfills all prerequisites of good comfort and high driving safety. The
adaptive damping system features automatic self-leveling in the rear.
Four disk brakes, vented in the front, and a Bosch ABS guarantee safe and steady
deceleration. Also standard in all 1998 Sevilles is StabiliTrak, an
electronic integrated chassis control system. Sensors measure driver inputs and car
response, regulating the brakes so as to prevent the Seville from skidding or
slipping.
Much of the development work concentrated on emphasizing Cadillac's classic acoustic
virtues. By further lowering the noise and vibration levels, the engineers reinforced a
brand-specific advantage. The fine tuning began with the construction of the new body,
extended to all components, and achieved very good results in the final product.
Bose's audio system with 250 Watts continuous power rating and 8 speakers was especially
tuned for the Seville Luxury Sedan (SLS) where it provides powerful but
cultivated sound. Standard on the STS is the brand-new Bose 4.0 system with 375
Watts of continuous power, digital signal processing and a 30 cm subwoofer.
There is an interesting article, in French, on the 1998 Seville in V8
Magazine, #33, Jan-Feb-Mar 99., pp.30-33.
Easy ID: >>>>>
1999
Facts: The Cadillac Escalade
- which rhymes with "marmalade" - is a new, sport utility vehicle (SUV);
production began in the first or second quarter 1999. According to Motor Trend
for March 1998, it was to be based on the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon.
DETROIT (Reuters) - Reuters [OL] via Individual Inc. : General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac
division said Thursday it will introduce a full-size luxury sport utility vehicle next
fall, acknowledging it misgauged the popularity of premium people-haulers. The vehicle
will make its debut as a 1999 model and be built off GM's existing full-size sport utility
platform. That includes the Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon. Cadillac General
Manager John Smith, talking to reporters on a conference call, described the move as a
reaction to bigger-than-expected demand for luxury vehicles such as Ford Motor Co.'s
Lincoln Navigator. `This is an acceleration of plans that Cadillac has had to enter the
sport utility market,'' said Smith, who would not provide product or sales volume details.
Thursday's announcement confirmed a Reuters report in October that GM had changed gears on
its strategy for Cadillac, bowing to dealer pressure and deciding to cash in on a market
that is yielding gross profits of at least $12,000 a vehicle. Cadillac has been developing
what it calls a Luxury Activity Vehicle. That product, which is three to four years away,
would combine the four-wheel drive and utility functions of a truck with the better ride
and comfort that cars offer. GM had earlier decided the hybrid approach was appropriate
for Cadillac, because it would not dilute its distinctive image with a re-badged version
of an existing truck-like sport utility. Those products would be sold as part of GM's GMC
premium truck brand line-up. The GMC Denali, a luxury version of the Yukon, is due out
early next year. Thursday's news reverses that course and immediately raised questions
about the U.S. No. 1 automaker's commitment to cleaning up its often muddled brand images.
Under marketing chief Ronald Zarrella, who joined GM in December 1994, the automaker has
been focusing on what is called brand management, a marketing strategy of targeting
products to specific customer groups. Analysts said selling a new version of an existing
vehicle under the Cadillac name does not follow the brand's stated strategy of being a
state-of-the-art global product and technology leader. ``It's understandable from the
profit side of things, but it makes you question what brand management is supposed to
be,'' said Wesley Brown, an analyst at Nextrend, a Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based automotive
consulting firm. GM officials said they were "comfortable'' selling the new Cadillac
alongside GMC products. Smith and Zarrella predicted the new vehicles would double GM's
share of the fast-growing luxury sport utility market. Through October of this year, the
five premium brands of Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti, Range Rover and Lincoln have sold close
to 70,000 units, compared with 25,000 for the same period in 1996, Smith said. GM also
justified its decision because it needs to hang on to younger buyers. Since more than half
of Cadillac customers lease vehicles, the company needs a sport utility to offer them when
they return to showrooms in two or three years. ``It's a whole lot easier and a whole lot
less expensive to keep a customer than to attract a new one, or attract an old one who's
left the fold to come back,'' Smith said. Smith, who made clear he still prefers a hybrid
product for Cadillac, said it has not been decided if the division will ultimately have
one or multiple sport utility offerings. Smith said the review on whether to add a
Cadillac light truck was started 60 to 70 days ago and approved about two weeks ago. He
said the price would be competitive with others. A Navigator sells for as much as $46,000.
Given the one-year time frame -- extremely short for an automaker -- analysts said the new
Cadillac would most likely come from the Yukon, but may not have the advanced Northstar
engine that other Cadillacs carry. GM is expected to come out with new versions of the
Suburban, Tahoe and Yukon in the 2000 and 2001 model year [© 1997, Reuters]
In Motor Trend for August 1998, authors Jack
Keepler and Michelle Krebs describe a new Cadillac concept car that might be on the cards
for the early part of the millennium ...an apt centennial model, perhaps.
Described as the Cadillac Eldoroadster [a pun on Eldorado] the vehicle
was to be unveiled at the Paris (France) auto show in October 1998. Known in some circles
as the Yeldo [Y-body plus Eldorado], in others as the Icon or
the Evoq the concept vehicle could be the prototype for a limited-edition,
2-seater convertible to replace the ill-fated Allanté. The authors concluded
that the planned new roadster ...is to recapture the sexiness and glamour of the
classic tail-finned Eldorado convertibles of the '50s and '60s, but with a very
contemporary flavor and true world class performance. In fact, the Evoq
made its appearance at the New York and Geneva Motor Shows in January and March,
1999.
Easy ID: >>>>>
Cadillac Keeps Its Sales Title, article by MICHELLE KREBS
COUNTERING the expectations of analysts and even of its own executives, the
Cadillac division of General Motors held onto first place in the luxury class last year --
but just barely.
Going into December, it seemed that Lincoln, the luxury marque of the Ford Motor Company,
would surpass Cadillac in overall sales, a feat Lincoln last accomplished in 1939. With
Lincoln leading by 7,000 vehicles as of Dec. 1, Cadillac conceded that it could lose its
title.
Stung by that prospect, Cadillac went on a selling blitz, ultimately recording one of its
strongest Decembers ever and beating Lincoln by just 222 vehicles. The final score:
Cadillac 187,343, Lincoln 187,121.
Lincoln benefited last year from brisk demand for its Navigator sport utility, against
which Cadillac did not compete until it introduced the Escalade in the fall. But
Cadillac's biggest blow was a two-month strike by the United Automobile Workers that shut
down nearly all of G.M.'s American assembly plants and cost Cadillac an estimated 10,000
sales.
To make up for that shortfall, Cadillac offered a variety of inducements as the year was
ending. John Smith, the division's marketing general manager, said Cadillac could afford
customer and dealer incentives -- which he called ''modest'' though he declined to give a
figure -- because the division had surpassed its year-end profit goals in November.
Cadillac figured the strike had prompted many previous owners, who typically buy at the
end of the model year, to delay purchases. A mailing went to 80,000 owners, suggesting
that the end of the calendar year was a good time to trade in.
Cadillac also promoted its products to employees and retirees, and it benefited from
fourth-quarter incentives for 350 high-volume dealers. By meeting sales targets set in
October, November and December, dealers received increasing amounts of cash for each car
sold. Cadillac also paid salespeople additional incentives on the Seville, which resulted
in sales of more than 5,000 Sevilles last month, the highest level in two years.
Aside from incentives, G.M. produced more Escalades than expected. December sales were
also helped by the addition of a fleet order for 4,080 cars that had been postponed
because of the strike.
As is usually the case when there is a photo-finish sales race in the industry, the
accounting of year-end sales became creative. (Toyota and Honda give their results in
sealed envelopes to impartial third parties, to guarantee that the other company doesn't
peek and then inflate its figures to claim victory.) Some dealers reported that Cadillac
counted sales that were not yet completed, as well as dealer orders and vehicles in
inventory.
''Each month, every brand is counting sales that may or may not stand up to close
scrutiny, especially when incentives apply,'' Mr. Smith said.
Despite the scramble, both Cadillac and Lincoln say the objective is not to lead in sales,
but to enhance their brands. ''Luxury car leadership between the domestics isn't the point
anymore,'' Mr. Smith said, adding, ''I'll be happiest when Lincoln and Cadillac combined
not only drive the imports back to their shores, but start showing up on their
doorsteps.''
Driving imports away won't be easy. Mercedes trailed Lincoln by less than 17,000, with
Lexus and BMW close behind.
Cadillac to run (again) at Le Mans
A surprise at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, in March: Cadillac announced it would
return to Le Mans in the new millennium (2000), thus celebrating the golden
anniversary of their first (and only) participation in the 1950 edition of the renowned
24-hour race. A press kit was distributed at the Geneva show; in the card folder
were five large photos of the new car, powered by the Northstar engine (LMP).
Also enclosed were some black and white photos of the 1950 Series 61 coupe that
raced at Le Mans.
Also noticeable at Geneva, following its debut in New York in January 1999 was the Evoq
[pronounced "evoke"], a concept vehicle for the new millennium. The
Press Kit is similar to the one for Le Mans, with a silver-colored card
cover. Nine colored photos are included as is a CD-ROM.
New Catera plant at Lansing, MI
General Motors
is erecting a new plant in Lansing, Michigan, to build a new generation of
rear-wheel-drive luxury vehicles. Donald Hackworth, senior vice president of GM and
group executive for the GM North America Car Group anticipates that the first vehicle
assembled at the plant will roll off the assembly line in the Fall of 2001. Mr. Hackworth
said that the Lansing Grand River plant would be a state-of-the-art plant based on the
best, most competitive manufacturing processes from around the globe. G. Richard Wagoner,
GM president and chief executive officer designate during a site dedication ceremony said
"We'll apply what we have learned from benchmarking our competition, from
working with our global partners and from operating our own facilities worldwide"..
The new plant – the first GM has built in
the U.S. since the Saturn plant in Tennessee (late 1980s) – will cost $558 million.
The 617,000-square-foot general assembly building will require approximately half the
space of a traditional general assembly building. It will include a body shop, paint
shop and general assembly in separate buildings.
The plant will employ some 1500 people by its
third year of operation]
2000
Facts: >>>>>
Projected Cadillac cars include a redesigned De
Ville
Cadillac Imaj at the Geneva Show. March 2000
One of the more striking concepts on display in Geneva is the Cadillac Imaj
luxury sedan. Styled in Europe, the all-wheel-drive Imaj continues the edgy
design theme begun a year ago by the Evoq concept — a new family look for
Cadillac that will commence with the 2002 Catera replacement and run through the
next-generation Seville in 2004. In fact, the general shape and package of the Imaj
is said by Cadillac insiders to provide more than a broad hint at the profile of the next STS.
Under the hood is a new 4.2-liter version of the corporate Northstar V-8,
fitted with a supercharger to boost output to 425 horsepower. That power is fed to all
four wheels through a new five-speed automatic transmission. The Imaj measures
just under 200 inches long, but its weight is reduced through the use of a lightweight
aluminum space frame. The Imaj features Goodyear EMT run-flat tires mounted on
20-inch magnesium wheels, plus Brembo antilock disc brakes and Delco traction and yaw
control systems.
Inside, each seat has its own individual LCD screen with e-mail access, cell phone, DVD
capability, navigation and entertainment, co-developed with IBM and Delphi. Access to the
vehicle is controlled bye-lock, a fingertip-based security system. Other advanced features
include smart front and side airbags, fully configurable seating with in-seat heating and
ventilation, adaptive cruise control, front and rear radar for parking, adjustable pedals,
head-up display and shift-by-wire gear selection.
Italian jeweler Bulgari has designed a fine clock and distinctive
instrumentation for the Imaj, and has provided modular aluminum luggage to
complement the leather, brushed-aluminum and bird’s-eye maple cabin.
Might this be the angular, chiseled look of 21st
century Cadillacs to come?
Certainly it would be a change from those Japanese inspired "jelly-bean" cars of
the nineties!
[Nota: the personal opinions of the compiler of The (new)
Cadillac Database, who admits that
his taste in Cadillac automobile styling never evolved past the 1970 models, are
not necessarily
shared by the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc., nor by Cadillac Division of
General Motors]
Cadillac News, 4/2000 [from Craig Seman in NC]
1. A Cadillac STSi will pace this year's 24 hours of Le Mans, June
2000]. Next year the CTS (Catera Touring Sedan) and the Evoq to
pace in future years. The STSi is a tweaked version of the current STS
platform. It has 350hp through revised heads, exhaust, and intake. It has 13.97 inch front
brake discs, 18 inch wheel using 275/40/ZR18 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS tires. The suspension is
tweaked for less under-steer, quicker steering, and better turn-in.
2. Cadillac plans a supercharged version of the 2002 CTS (Catera Touring
Sedan). Expect power to hover around 260 from a 3.0liter supercharged V6. The CTS
will be available in either a 5 speed manual transmission or 4 speed automatic.
3. For 2001, Cadillac will offer a mini-computer option in DeVilles and Sevilles.
It will incorporate voice and touch activated email and Web browser. It is called Infotainment
and will combine functionality of OnStar, Bose audio system, and the computer
system.
Easy ID:
2000 Eldorado
2001
Facts: Read about the newest car in the Cadillac range at this
site [don't know how long the story will be on line, so please copy to your
files as necessary]. The Cadillac home page also
provides detailed information on the new models
Easy ID:
The new Cadillac Touring Sedan (CTS), brain-child of Tom Kearns,
chief designer for Cadillac, and David Lyon was previewed at Pebble Beach on August 18,
2001. The front clip has that chiseled look of the Iamj and Evoq concept
car while side views and rear clip are more Cadillac-conservative. The car is said to
incorporate the best of a glorious past with new features allowing it to step boldly into
the future. With its computer generated shapes and high-tech, aerospace influenced
materials and textiles, this luxury sports sedan intends to turn heads. It has been
depicted as an original Cadillac for the 21st century. Sales are to begin in 2002 as a
2003 model
2002
2003 [?]
I am told that in the June issue of Popular Mechanics there is a four-page
article on the new Cadillac Presidential limousine, plus a paragraph on the proposed 2003
Cadillac Cadence (a smaller SUV than the Escalade, possibly along the
liens of the Vizon).
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Scoop! 16-Cylinder
Caddy in the Works
AUGUST
2002 - GM's
luxo division looks to its powertrain past as it paves the way for an ultra-luxury future.
Cadillac, America's longtime luxury carmaker, has been saying that it wants to compete in
the global premium game. Come next January, it will back that up by unveiling a concept
version of an ultra-luxury V-16-powered sedan at the Detroit auto show.
The Cadillac V-16 "vision
car" is meant to compete with Bentleys and Rolls-Royces and even the new Maybach from
Mercedes-Benz. These vehicles compete on a snobbery plane that is far, far above where the
U.S. brand's market reality currently resides, although the general perception of the
Cadillac brand is probably slightly higher since the debut of the V-12 Cien supercar
concept at the 2002 Detroit show.
Cadillac general manager Mark LaNeve
has said he's skeptical of the strategy at BMW and Mercedes to introduce lower-priced
cars, such as the upcoming BMW 1-series and the Mercedes C230 sports coupe. "Looking
higher," as in higher-priced, higher-zoot, makes more sense to LaNeve. So we can
expect to see the Caddy badge on supercars such as the Cien, which might be built in
limited numbers; super-premium Escalades; performance-series versions of the CTS sedan and
other models; and, of course, on an ultra-lux sedan.
The driving force behind the V-16
Caddy concept is GM product czar Bob Lutz, who brought a similar notion into the company
in the shape of an ultra-lux grand-touring-coupe idea called the Cunningham C7. The
Cunningham might still make it to production, GM insiders say.
There won't be much left in the way
of technical innovation to give to a Cunningham, or anything else, once the rear-drive
V-16 Cadillac debuts.
The big news is the V-16 engine.
Cadillac has stolen a page from its own history with that configuration (GM produced a
series of V-16 cars through the 1930s). No word yet on the exact displacement of the new
engine, but it will be at least 13.5 liters. It's rumored to create in excess of 700
horsepower. It will be connected to a six-speed automatic transmission with a
manual-shifting mode.
There'll be some sportiness to the
setup, but much of that power will go to simply pulling around the massive 212.0-inch-long
vehicle. For perspective, the V-16 car is only about seven inches shorter than a Chevy
Suburban. But it should be nimbler than any car of this size, since it will use Delphi's
four-wheel-steering system, currently available on several full-size GM trucks. The system
will ease low-speed handling and sharpen highway steering. That steering, along with the
throttle, is part of a new drive-by-wire system.
To lighten the load, much of the
car's structure and body panels will be made of aluminum. All four doors permit 90-degree
openings, allowing grand entry to a lavish interior.
Rear-seat passengers will do well in
the V-16. The back seats recline and have foot and leg rests so the passengers can chill
out and enjoy the big Bose sound system, watch DVD entertainment, or indulge in one of the
offerings from the Generation 5 OnStar telematics program. Need more electronics? The
V-16's head, tail, and brake lights are all LEDs, digital cameras replace rearview
mirrors, and the foot pedals are power adjustable.
As for style, our artist's rendering
makes it clear that the V-16 retains much of the edgy look of current Cadillacs and has
the same basic proportions as the company's 2000 Geneva show car, the Imaj. In a
refinement of the severe "art and science" style of previous show cars, though,
the V-16 has softer, sculpted wheel arches and smooth flanks.
Concept cars must always be taken
with a grain of salt. But in recent years, GM has actually brought many of its models to
market in a form that closely resembles the show car, such as the Chevrolet SSR. And GM
has made changes to its product-development process, making concept cars part of the
regular cycle, meaning that the concepts usually represent something that is already in
development for production. Which means there's a decent chance we'll see the V-16 or
something like it on sale in a couple of years. —Alex Law
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THE CADILLAC-LASALLE
CLUB INC. AND YANN SAUNDERS, COMPILER OF
THE CADILLAC DATABASE© ARE SEEKING QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS TO BEGIN TO
DOCUMENT THE SECOND CENTURY OF CADILLAC PRODUCTION, FROM 2003 UP.
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT
