There was not a standard front clip for all 1979 models; this is the one for
the Fleetwood and DeVille models;  the Eldorado and Seville had their own.

   
Flanked by two vertical, rectangular, amber turn signal lamps and paired rectangular
headlamps, this year's rectangular grill comprised five rows of thirty square openings
(egg-crate style); an additional two rows of eight openings flanked the license plate
frame, below the central bumper division . The Cadillac name, in script, graced
the top RH side of the grille shroud (as you face the car)

DeVille models featured a free-standing crest, while the
Fleetwoods had the well-known, stand-up wreath and crest

Annual Auto Show, Chicago venue

   
Basically unchanged in its general outline from last year, the car shown here is painted Slate Firemist with a matching vinyl roof covering
Interior trim (right) is the standard Dante knit cloth material;  eleven shades of leather also were available (for the seating areas only)

       
Here is another view of the same car; a more refined version called the Brougham d'Elegance [not this car]  had accent
striping and a d'Elegance nameplate below the opera lamp on the sail panel;

   
Left: a factory promotional color photo showing the regular Fleetwood Brougham for 1979
Right: one of three shades of leather used in the seating areas of the luxurious Brougham d'Elegance

A superb survivor found on Internet   

   
Seven two-tone paint and exterior finishes were available
each with a matching Cabriolet roof in so-called Elk Grain vinyl

   
The Cabriolet roof treatment seen here was available only on the Coupe de Ville; a chrome crossover roof molding was paired
with a selection of 17 colors of Elk Grain vinyl; a French seam surrounded the rear window and the  sail panel carried the Cadillac
crest and a Coupe de Ville script nameplate; leather seating areas came in a choice of 11 colors  or 6 colors of Durand knit cloth

    
Many survivors...

        
More fine survivors

Factory promotional color photo showing the regular Sedan de Ville

   
EDIT  Shown right is the standard knit material with the velours inserts

   
The regular Sedan de Ville came with the Durand knit material (seen here in Dark Cedar); the d'Elegance version
of the DeVille models came with pillow-style seating in lush Venetian velours, as well as a selection of 11 shades  of leather for
the seating areas; there was also a DeVille d'Elegance script on the roof sail panel; opera lamps were optional on the DeVille sedan

   
Luxury and privacy exemplify the Fleetwood Limousine and Formal Limousine; the regular limousine could accommodate eight
people; the formal version had a sliding glass partition and seating for seven; black leather trim was used in the front
compartment of the formal limousine;  Dante cloth trim in the rear was available in dark blue (here), slate gray and black 

 
A shining example of a survivor

The special roof treatment gave these special editions the look of a convertible coupe or convertible sedan; they
were identified further by reduced quarter windows, brushed chrome moldings and the Phaeton script on the sail panels

   
This is the Custom Phaeton Coupe

And here is the Custom Phaeton Sedan

Phaeton Coupe roof detail

   
Eldorado's egg-crate grille this year comprised ten horizontal zones (the lowest one being partly hidden by the
bumper impact guards and license plate) and fourteen vertical ones; a wreath and crest graced the front hood

   
This is the classic coupe; leather seating areas were available in 11 shades (shown is dark carmine);
the car featured at the left sports the optional Eldorado wire wheel covers

This two-tone version and a Cabriolet style also were available:
this one has the regular-issue chrome wheel covers with dark red centers

          
A fuel-injected, 5.7 liter diesel engine, available for the Seville, was optionally available on the Eldorado models too;
it was planned as an optional power source for mid-year Fleetwood Broughams and de Villes; it was prone to problems

The Eldorado Biarritz

   
Left: factory promotional color photo showing the ultimate 1979 Cadillac: the  Eldorado Biarritz coupe;
cast aluminum wheels were standard on the Biarritz model, as were also opera lamps on the sail panels;
Right: vertical tail-lights resembled those of 1969 but were slightly taller and carried a Cadillac crest at their base

    
The Biarritz version had cast aluminum wheels and a brushed stainless steel roof a la 1957-58 Eldorado Brougham;
it featured also a wide crossover chrome molding, opera lamps and the Biarritz script on the cabriolet styled sail panels

   
Interiors featured tufted pillow style seating in eleven shades of leather
(seating areas only); the  new Dante knit material was also available

       
Optional Eldorado electric sun roof and a more usable trunk space this year

The Eldorados had their own instrument board

   
The Seville front grille remained unchanged from 1978 with its four
horizontal and thirty-four vertical zones, plus two horizontal
and eight vertical ones on either side of the license plate frame

        
Center: Sierra grain leather for the seating areas was available in eleven   shades, of which this antique light blue
Right: a mix of Dante and Roma fabrics were standard and came in six colors; seen here is the Burnished Gold

   
The more refined, two-tone Seville Elegante, seen here (and below) in Slate Firemist and Sable Black was
accented with pin-striping and a full length side molding; sail panels carried the Cadillac crest and an Elegante nameplate

The standard Seville power plant was the regular
electronic-fuel-injected diesel V8