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Cadillac De Ville Series

Cadillac De Ville Series

de Ville series

For the body style, see Sedanca de Ville. intended for use in the town or city (de ville). An (un- shortened) or (in the United States) town has a division between the passenger and driver compart- deVille and Deville redirect here. For other ments and if the driver’s is outside it may be called a uses, see Deville (disambiguation). sedanca de ville or town car.[1] The first Cadillac “ de Ville” was shown during the The Cadillac de Ville was originally a trim level and later 1949 Autorama.[2] It was built on a Cadillac Sixty Spe- a separate model produced by Cadillac. The first car to cial and featured a dummy air-scoop, chrome trim bear the name was the 1949 , a prestige around front wheel openings, and a one-piece trim level of the Series 62 luxury coupe. The last model and rear glass.[2] The interior was black and trimmed to be formally known as a De Ville was the 2005 Cadil- in gray leather, including the headliner, to match the lac DeVille, a full-size , the largest car in the Cadil- roof color.[2] It was equipped with a telephone in the lac model range at the time. The next year, the DeVille glove compartment, a vanity case and a secretarial pad was officially renamed DTS (an abbreviation standing for in the rear armrest, power windows and highly decorative DeVille Touring Sedan, itself a trim level on earlier mod- chrome interior trim.[2] The prototype “Coupe de Ville” els). was used by GM President Charles E. Wilson until 1957 when he presented it to his secretary.[2] At some time dur- ing this period it acquired a dark Vicodec roof.[2] The 1 Early history prototype “Coupe de Ville” was still in use as of 1976.[2] The Coupe de Ville was introduced late in the 1949 model year.[3][4] Along with the Roadmaster Riviera, and the 98 Holiday, it was among the first pillarless ever produced.[3][4] At $3,496 it was only a dollar less than the Series 62 , and like the convertible, it came with power windows standard. It was luxuriously trimmed, with leather upholstery and chrome 'bows’ in the headliner to simulate the ribs of a convertible top.[3][4] In its first year the Series 62 Coupe de Ville only sold 2,150 units.[3][4] But 1950 sales more than doubled to 4507, and in 1951 sales more than doubled again to 1950 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe de Ville 10,241 exceeding the sales for the Series 62 Club Coupe that year.[3][4] Also, in 1951, Coupe de Ville chrome script appeared on the rear roof for the first time, to further distinguish it from the Series 62 Club Coupe.[3][4] In 1956 the Series 62 Coupe de Ville was joined by the Series 62 Sedan de Ville, Cadillac’s first standard produc- tion 4-door hardtop.[3][4] Similarly to the Coupe de Ville, it was also more expensive and more luxuriously trimmed that the standard 4-door Series 62.[3][4] With 41,732 sold, it also easily outsold the Series 62 sedan in its very first year.[3][4] Given their sales success, it was only natural 1956 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan de Ville that the Coupe de Ville and Sedan de Ville were moved The name “De Ville” is derived from the French de la to their own separate series in 1959, the Series 6300, be- [3][4] ville or de ville meaning “of the town”.[1] In French coach ing joined by a De Ville convertible in 1964. building parlance, a , from the French couper (to cut) i.e. shorten or reduce, was a short four- wheeled closed carriage with an inside seat for two and an outside seat for the driver and this smaller vehicle was

1 2 3 1961–1964

shared the same 130 in (3,302 mm) . Engine output was an even 325 hp (242 kW) from the 390 cu in (6.4 L) engine. The De Ville Series had script nameplates on the rear fenders. Standard equipment included , power steering, automatic transmission, back-up lamps, windshield wipers, two-speed wipers, wheel discs, outside rearview mirror, vanity mirror, oil filter, power windows and two way power . Plain skirts covered the rear wheels and 4-doors were available in ei- ther four-window or six-window hardtop configurations. Over 53,000 De Villes were sold in their first year as a separate series, accounting for roughly 37% of all Cadil- lacs sold. The 1960 had smoother, more restrained 1959 Cadillac Sedan de Ville rear styling. General changes included a full-width , the elimination of pointed front guards, increased re- straint in the application of chrome trim, lower tailfins with oval shaped nacelles and front fender mounted di- rectional indicator lamps. De Villes were distinguished by special script nameplates on the rear fenders. Four- window and six-window hardtop sedans were offered again. The former featured a one-piece wraparound backlight and flat-top roof, while the latter had a slop- ing rear window and roofline. Standard equipment in- cluded power brakes, power steering, automatic transmis- sion, dual back-up lamps, windshield wipers, two-speed wipers, wheel discs, outside rearview mirror, vanity mir- ror, oil filter, power windows and a two-way power seats. 1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville Technical highlights were finned rear drums and an X- frame construction. Interiors were done in Chadwick cloth or optional Cambray cloth and leather combina- tions.

3 1961–1964

Interior of 1960 Coupe de Ville

2 1959–1960

The 1959 Cadillac is remembered for its huge sharp tail- fins with dual bullet tail lights, two distinctive rooflines and roof pillar configurations, new jewel-like grille pat- 1961 Cadillac Coupe de Ville terns and matching deck lid beauty panels.[5] In 1959 the Series 62 were moved from the Series 62 to their own se- Cadillac was restyled and re-engineered for 1961. The ries, the Series 6200. De Villes and 2-door Eldorados new grille slanted back towards both the bumper and became the Series 6300 and Series 6400 respectively, the lip, along the horizontal plane, and sat between though they all, including the 4-door Eldorado dual . New forward slanting front pillars with (which was moved from the Series 70 to Series 6900), non-wraparound windshield glass were seen. The revised 3

1962 Sedan de Ville 1964 Cadillac De Ville convertible

now the sole power choice and dual exhaust were no longer available. A new short-decked four-door Town Sedan hardtop appeared mid-season. A mild face lift characterized Cadillac styling trends for 1962. A flatter grille with a thicker horizontal center bar and more delicate cross-hatched insert appeared. Ribbed chrome trim panel, seen ahead of the front wheel hous- ings in 1961, were now replaced with cornering lamps and front fender model and series identification badges Short-rear-decked 1963 Cadillac Sedan de Ville Park Avenue were eliminated. More massive front bumper end pieces appeared and housed rectangular parking lamps. At the rear tail lamps were now housed in vertical nacelles de- signed with an angled peak at the center. A vertically ribbed rear beauty panel appeared on the deck lid latch panel. Cadillac script also appeared on the lower left side of the radiator grille. The short-deck hardtop Town Sedan was moved from the De Ville series to the Series 6200, being replaced by a short-deck Park Avenue.[6] In addition all short deck Cadillac models went from being 6-window sedans in 1961 to 4-window sedans in 1962 and 1963. Standard equipment included all of last year’s equipment plus remote controlled outside rearview mir- ror, five tubeless black wall , heater and defroster and front cornering lamps. Cadillac refined the ride and quiet- ness, with more insulation in the floor and behind the firewall.[7] De Ville sales as a separate series exceeded 1963 Cadillac Coupe de Ville their sales level as a trim level for the first time ever at 71,883 units, or nearly 45% of Cadillac’s total sales. backlight treatment had crisp angular lines with thin pil- In overall terms 1963 Cadillac was essentially the same lars on some models and heavier semi-blind quarter roof as the previous year. Exterior changes imparted a bolder posts on others. De Ville models featured front series and longer look. Hoods and deck lids were redesigned. designation scripts and a lower body “skeg” trimmed with The front fenders projected 4.625 inches further forward a thin, three-quarter-length spear molding running from than in 1962 while the tailfins were trimmed down some- behind the front wheel opening to the rear of the car. what to provide a lower profile. Body-side sculpturing Standard equipment included power brakes, power steer- was entirely eliminated. The slightly V-shaped radia- ing, automatic transmission, dual backup lights, wind- tor grille was taller and now incorporated outer exten- shield washer, dual speed wipers, wheel discs, plain sions that swept below the flush-fender dual headlamps. fender skirts, outside rearview mirror, vanity mirror, oil Smaller circular front parking lamps were mounted in filter, power windows and 2-way power seats. Rubberized those extensions. A De Ville signature script was incor- front and rear coil springs replaced the trouble prone air porated above the lower molding near the rear of suspension system. Four-barrel induction systems were the body. A total of 143 options including bucket seats 4 4 1965–1970 with wool, leather, or nylon upholstery fabrics and wood veneer facings on dash, doors, and seatbacks, set an all- time record for interior appointment choices. Standard equipment was the same as the previous year. The en- gine was entirely changed, though the displacement and output remained the same, 390 cu in (6.4 l) and 325 hp (242 kW).[8] It was time for another facelift in 1964 and really a mi- nor one. New up front was a bi-angular grille that formed a V-shape along both its vertical and horizontal planes. The main horizontal grille bar was now carried around the body sides. Outer grille extension panels again housed the parking and cornering lamps. It was the 17th consec- 1965 Cadillac Sedan De Ville utive year for the Cadillac tailfins with a new fine-blade design carrying on the tradition. Performance improve- ments including a larger V-8 were the dominant changes for the model run. Equipment features were same as in 1963 for the most part. Comfort Control, a completely automatic heating and air conditioning system controlled by a dial thermostat on the instrument panel, was intro- duced as an industry first. The engine was bumped to 429 cu in (7 l), with 340 hp (253.5 kW) available. Per- formance gains from the new engine showed best in the lower range, at 20 to 50 mph traffic driving speeds. A new technical feature was the Turbo- trans- mission, also used in the Eldorado and the Sixty Special. A De Ville script above the lower belt molding was con- tinued as an identifier. This was the first year for the De Ville convertible. De Ville sales reached 110,379 units, 1966 Cadillac De Ville convertible accounting for nearly two thirds of all Cadillacs sold.

4 1965–1970

1967 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

Also new were a straight rear bumper and vertical lamp clusters. The headlight pairs switched from horizontal to vertical, thus permitting a wider grille. Curved frameless side windows appeared, and acquired tem- pered glass backlights. New standard features included lamps for luggage, glove and rear passenger compart- 1965 Cadillac De Ville convertible ments and front and rear safety belts. Power was still supplied by the 340 horsepower 429 cu in (7,030 cc) As it had been since De Ville became a separate series, V8, which would be replaced by the 472 cu in (7,730 cc) De Ville denoted Cadillac’s mainstream model, falling for 1968. Perimeter frame construction allowed reposi- between the Calais (which had replaced the Series 62) tioning the engine six inches forward in the frame, thus and the Sixty Special and Eldorado. The De Ville was re- lowering the transmission hump and increasing interior designed for 1965 but rode on the same 129.5-inch (3,290 room. Pillared sedans appeared on the De Ville series mm) wheelbase. Tailfins were canted slightly downward, for the first time, while six-window hardtop sedans were and sharp, distinct body lines replaced the rounded look. dropped. A padded was a $121 extra-cost op- 5

cloth heating pads built into the cushions and seatbacks. Comfort and convenience innovations were headrests, re- clining seats and an AM/FM stereo system. Automatic level control was available. Engineering improvements made to the perimeter frame increased ride and handling ease. Newly designed piston and oil rings and a new en- gine mounting system and patented quiet exhaust were used. The 1967 De Villes were extensively restyled. Promi- nent styling features were given a powerful frontal ap- pearance with forward-leaning front end, long, sculptured body lines, and redefined rear fenders that had more than just a hint of tail fins in them. The full-width, forward- 1968 Cadillac De Ville convertible thrusted “eggcrate” grille was flanked by dual stacked headlights for the third consecutive year. The squarer cornered grille insert had blades that seemed to empha- size its vertical members and it appeared both above the bumper and through a horizontal slot cut into it. Rectan- gular parking lamps were built into the outer edges of the grille. Rear end styling revisions were highlighted by metal divided tail lamps and a painted lower bumper section. Coupe de Villes got a new roofline, inspired by the Florentine show car created for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, that gave rear seat passengers added pri- vacy. As on that show car, the quarter window glass retracted rearward into a sail panel. Minor trim varia- tions and slightly richer interiors separated De Ville from Calais. Tiffany style chrome signature scripts were again found above the body side molding on the rear fenders. 1969 Cadillac Sedan de Ville New standard De Ville features included non-glare rear- view mirror, electric clock, Automatic Climate Controls, padded dashboard, Hazard Warning system, outboard seatbelt retractors and rear cigarette lighters in all styles. A slide-out fuse box and safety front seat back lock for two-door models were additional Cadillac advances for the 1967 model year. Technical improvements included a revised engine valve train, different carburetor, Mylar printed circuit instrument panel, re-tuned body mounts, and a new engine fan with clutch for quieter operation. In 1968 grilles had an insert with finer mesh and step 1970 Cadillac Coupe de Ville down outer section which held the rectangular parking lights just a little higher than before. Rear end styling was modestly altered with the deck lid having more of a rake. tion on the hardtop model. All four De Ville models had The most obvious change was an 8.5-inch-longer hood small “Tiffany-like” script nameplates on the ends of their designed to accommodate recessed windshield wiper- rear fenders just above the chrome side molding. washers, which now came with three speeds standard. Of 20 exterior paint color combinations, 14 were totally new. In 1966 changes included a somewhat coarser mesh for On the inside enriched appointments included molded in- the radiator grille insert, which was now divided by a ner door panels with illuminated reflectors and a selection thick, bright metal horizontal center bar housing rectan- of 147 upholstery combinations, 76 in cloth, 67 in leather gular parking lamps at the outer ends. Separate rectan- and four in vinyl. New standard features included a Light gular side marker lamps replaced the integral grille ex- Group, a Mirror Group, a trip odometer and an ignition tension designs. There was generally less chrome on all key warning buzzer. The De Ville also gained a new 472 Cadillac models this year. De Ville scripts were still cu in (7,730 cc) rated at 375 hp (SAE gross). above the rear tip of the horizontal body rub moldings. 1968 was also the last year for the “stacked” dual head- Cadillac crests and V-shaped moldings, front and rear, lights, which were replaced with side-by-side dual head- were identifiers. Cadillac “firsts” this season included lights in 1969. This was also the last year for vent win- variable ratio steering and optional front seats with carbon 6 5 1971–1976 dows. Side marker lights in the rear bumper as well as front fender were also added. Side mirror changed from a round to rectangular shape. Also of note front disc brakes were available starting in 1968. In 1969 De Ville was restyled in the Eldorado image. An Eldorado-like front fender treatment evolved and helped to emphasize a stronger horizontal design line. Rear quar- ters were extended to give the car a longer look. There was an all new grille with dual horizontal headlamps posi- tioned in the outboard step down areas of the grille. The hood was again extended, a total of 2.5 inches to add the impression of extra length. The roofline was squarer and the rear deck and bumper more sculptured. A new ventilation system eliminated the need for vent windows, which provided a longer sleeker look and improved visi- 1972 Sedan de Ville rear bility. New standard features included front and rear (ex- cept on convertibles) center seat armrests. In 1970 a facelift included a grille with 13 vertical blades set against a delicately cross-hatched rectangular opening. The bright metal surrounds were bordered with body color to give it a more refined look. Narrow vertical “vee” tail lights were seen again, but now had additional smaller V-shaped bottom lenses pointing downward be- low the bumper. Wheel discs and winged crest fender tip emblems were new. Exterior distinctions came from a De Ville script above the rear end of the belt molding and from the use of long rectangular back up light lenses set into the lower bumper as opposed to the smaller square lens used on the Calais. A new feature was a body color border around the edge of the vinyl top covering, when 1972 Sedan de Ville interior this option was ordered. 1970 was the last model year for pillared sedans until were permanently dropped in 1977. It was also the last year the De Ville ever offered the convertible body style. A total of 181,719 De Villes were sold, accounting for 76% of all Cadillacs. Never again would Cadillac sales be dominated to such a degree by a single model.

5 1971–1976

1973 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

Cadillac) set a record for interior width that would not be matched by any car until the full-size GM rear-wheel- drive models of the early to mid-1990s. Pairs of individu- ally housed squarish headlamps were set wider apart. The V-shaped grille had an eggcrate style insert and was pro- tected by massive vertical guards framing a rectangular license plate indentation. A wide hood with full-length windsplints, a prominent center crease and hidden wind- 1971 Cadillac Coupe de Ville shield wipers was seen. A Cadillac crest decorated the nose and new indicator lamps appeared atop each front As with all GM full-size lines, the De Ville was re- fender. A horizontal beltline molding ran from behind designed for 1971. The new GM full-size bodies, at the front wheel housing, almost to the rear stopping where 64.3 inches front shoulder room (62.1 inches on Cadil- an elliptical bulge in the body came to a point and where lac) and 63.4 inches rear shoulder room (64.0 inches on thin rectangular side markers were placed above and be- 7

as before but were no longer divided by a chrome bar. Long horizontal back-up lamps were set in the bumper, on either side of a deeply recessed license plate hous- ing. De Villes were set apart visually by thin bright metal rocker panel steps and signature script on the front fenders bearing the series name. The bottoms of the rear fend- ers were decorated with a bright metal beauty panel that was wider than the rocker panel strips and blended into the molding running along the bottom of the fender skirt. The standard engine remained the 472, still rated at 375 SAE gross horsepower and 365 lb·ft (495 N·m) of torque. In November 1971, a showroom-stock 1971 Coupe de 1973 Cadillac Coupe de Ville Ville placed third in the annual coast-to-coast Cannonball Run, posting the highest average speed of the event, 84.6 mph (136.2 km/h) (excluding stops) and averaging 8.9 mpg-US (26 L/100 km; 10.7 mpg-ᵢ). In 1972 a modest frontal revision placed more empha- sis on horizontal grille blades. The parking lamps were moved from the bumper to between the square bezeled headlamps, which were now set wider apart. V-shaped emblems made a return on hood and deck lid. New stan- dard features included a bumper impact system, auto- matic parking brake release, passenger assist straps and flow through ventilation system. New De Ville signature 1974 Cadillac Sedan de Ville script was affixed to the sides of the rear roof panels. Sales reached a record 194,811. New energy absorbing bumpers were seen on all GM in 1973 and it brought styling refinements to De Ville. Grilles were widened and had an intricate eggcrate de- sign. Larger vertical rectangles housed the parking lamps between wide spaced headlamps which had square bezels but round lenses. Bumpers ran fully across the front and wrapped around each end. Vertical guards were spaced much further apart at a point outboard of the grille. The rear end had a bumper with a flatter upper section housing an angled license plate recess. Border outline moldings vertically “veed” paralleled the fender edge shape at the rear bodysides. Single horizontally mounted rectangular rear side marker lamps were placed over and under the 1975 Cadillac Coupe de Ville rear tip of the thin beltline trim. Cadillac script was seen on the front fender sides below the belt molding behind the wheel opening. This was the final year for hardtop Coupe de Villes, an irony since it was their introduction of the hardtop that made them such a sensation in 1949. Sales set a new record at 216,243. In 1974 a wide eggcrate grille was used. Dual round headlamps were mounted close together in square bezels. Further outboard were double deck wraparound parking lamps. Shorter vertical grille guards appeared in about the same position as before. Rear fendersides were flat- ter without the elliptical bulge. The thin beltline mold- ing was positioned lower by several inches. The rear end 1976 Cadillac Coupe de Ville had vertical bumper ends with the tail light built in. Both bumpers, especially the rear, protruded further from the body. Coupe de Villes were no longer hardtops, instead low the chrome strip. The rear wheel openings were again sporting large wide “coach” windows giving a thick cen- housed in fender skirts. Tail lamps were of the same type 8 6 1977–1984

ter pillar look. A new curved instrument panel housed a New options included a push-button Weather Band built digital clock. New standard features included an integral into the AM/FM stereo signal-seeking radio, loose pillow litter container. A Space Saver spare was standard style seats for d'Elegance packages, plus power passen- when De Villes were ordered with optional white side- ger and manual driver seatback recliners for 50/50 front wall steel belted radial tires. seats. Of the 15 standard and six optional Firemist body 1974 also saw the introduction of the optional "Air Cush- colors, 13 were new this year. New standard features in- ion Restraint System". Known today as , this op- cluded map light, Soft-Ray tinted glass, cover, tion provided protection for front seat occupants in the washer fluid level indicator, and steel belted radial white- wall tires. case of a frontal collision. One bag was located in the , the other in the dashboard in front of the front seat passenger. The glove box was replaced with a lockable storage compartment under the dashboard. 6 1977–1984 The option was unpopular and was discontinued after the 1976 model year. 1977 was Cadillac’s 75th anniversary, and saw the intro- A new option package was a fully padded Cabriolet roof duction of the downsized De Ville coupes and sedans. treatment. It incorporated a -style top with bright These new cars featured a higher roofline, resulting in a metal forward divider strip. Another new option package vehicle that was over nine inches shorter, four inches nar- was the d'Elegance package. Similar to the Sixty Special rower, and 1/2 ton lighter than the previous year, but with Brougham’s package of the same name, it featured velour a larger and more headroom and legroom. These upholstery, Deluxe padded doors, front seatback stor- were also the first De Villes ever to be marketed without age pockets, deep pile carpeting, floor mats, see-through fender skirts over the rear wheels. The 500 in3 V8 (which standup and vinyl tape accent stripes. The produced 190 horsepower) was replaced for 1977 by a “d'Elegance” name remained with the de Ville series as 180-horsepower 425 in3 V8 variant of similar design. a package through 1984. In 1997 it became a separate model designation for the sedan. Styling changes for 1975 brought dual rectangular head- lamp lenses flanked by rectangular cornering lights wrapped around the body. A new cross hatched grille also appeared. Sedan de Villes now featured slim trian- gular quarter windows that mimicked the coach windows that appeared on Coupe de Villes the previous year. New standard equipment included front fender lamp monitors, power door locks, high energy ignition, steel-belted radial 1977 Cadillac Sedan de Ville tires. The 210 hp 500 V8 replaced the 472 as the stan- dard engine. Electronic fuel injection became optional in March 1975. Another option was the Astroroof with sliding sunshade that permitted use as an electrically op- erated or a transparent closed skylight. An ordi- nary sunroof panel was also available. In 1976 the grille saw a new and finer crosshatching pat- tern. Cornering lamps got new horizontal chrome trim while tail lamps gained a new bold look. Eight different color accent stripes were available. Vinyl tops were now integral padded Elk grain material. New trims included sporty plaids, plush velours, knits and 11 distinctive gen- uine leathers. Coupe de Villes had a new vinyl roof whose 1979 Cadillac Coupe de Ville top molding served as a continuation of the door “belt” molding. A Controlled (limited-slip) Differential was in- For 1977, the lineup included the two-door Coupe de cluded for extra traction. An optional illuminated entry Ville ($9,654) and four-door Sedan de Ville ($9,864). and theft deterrence system was optional. A new Free- The $650 d'Elegance package, an interior dress-up option dom battery never needed water. New turbine veined and carried over from the previous generation of De Villes, wire wheel covers were offered. A new option locked the continued for both models. 3-sided, wrap-around tail doors when the transmission lever was shifted to “Drive”. lamps were a 1977 feature only (although they would re- Cadillac also offered Track Master, a computerized skid appear in 1987). Coupe de Ville’s popular “Cabriolet” prevention system that automatically pumped the back option, priced at $348, included a rear-half padded vinyl brakes in an emergency to shorten stopping distance. roof covering and opera lamps. An optional electronic fuel-injected version of the standard 7.0-liter powerplant, 9

height level regardless of passengers and cargo weight, was available for $140. Sales dropped slightly from 1977 to 117,750 for the $10,444 Coupe de Ville, and 88,951 for Sedan de Ville, priced at $10,668. With bigger changes coming in 1980, the 1979 models saw few alterations, which included a new lightweight aluminum hood and a new grille design with “Cadillac” script on the header above the grille. The “Phaeton” pack- age, now priced at $2,029, was still available in three colors, but with two new replacement colors: “Western Saddle Firemist” (with leather interior in “Antique Sad- dle”) replacing the “Arizona Beige”, and “Slate Firemist” (with leather interior in “Antique Gray”) replacing “Plat- inum Silver”. The d'Elegance package was back, at $725, 1984 Cadillac Coupe de Ville rear which included Venetian velour upholstery (in four col- ors) with a 50/50 split front seat, overhead assist handles, Tangier carpeting, door pull handles, and “d'Elegance” emblems among other niceties. In addition to the $783 “fuel-injection” option, there was also the choice of a 350 in3 LF9 diesel V8 (built by Oldsmobile) for $849. Coupe de Ville’s cabriolet package, priced at $384, was avail- able in 17 colors. Production rose slightly to 121,890 for Coupe de Ville ($11,728), and 93,211 for Sedan de Ville ($12,093). 1980 saw a significant refresh, with a lower, more aero- dynamic nose, higher tail end, and a heavier, more sub- stantial appearance. The Phaeton option was discontin- ued, but the $1,005 d'Elegance package remained. The 1979 interior Coupe de Ville now wore full, bright side window sur- round moldings, whereas the sedan had body-color door frames with a thin chrome bead around the window open- adding 15 horsepower (11 kW), was available for an addi- ing (as used in 1977 - 1979). The chromed-plastic grille tional $647. Sales figures were 138,750 Coupe de Villes held a very diplomatic, Rolls-Royce inspired design, with and 95,421 Sedan de Villes for an all-time sales record of thick vertical bars. The grille cast for 1980 was used 234,171 De Villes sold. again for the 1989 to 1992 . Late in the 1980 model year, V6 power (in the form of a 4- In addition to a redesigned grille and hood ornament, bbl 252 CID engine manufactured by Buick) was offered 1978 saw slim, vertical tail lamps inset into chrome as a credit option. Cadillac had not offered an engine bumper end caps with built-in side marker lamps (Cadil- with fewer than 8 cylinders since 1914. The standard lac would retain this “vertical tail lamp inset” design fea- engine for 1980 was a new 368 CID (6.0 L) V8. Un- ture on de Ville through 1984, and again from 1989 like the pre-1980 models, the rear window glass for both through 1999). New for 1978, a “Phaeton” package two- and four-door models was now the same, as the two- was optional for De Ville. Available on both coupe door models did away with the sporty slanted rear win- and sedan, the $1,929 Phaeton package featured a sim- dow and adopted the formal vertical look shared with the ulated convertible-top, special pin striping, wire wheel sedans. Pricing for de Ville was $12,899 for the coupe; discs, and “Phaeton” name plates in place of the usual $13,282 for the sedan. Sales dropped miserably for the “Coupe de Ville” or “Sedan de Ville” ornament on the 1980 model year, despite new sheetmetal and a multitude rear fenders. Inside were leather upholstered seats and of improvements. Coupe de Ville was down to 55,490 a leather-trimmed steering wheel matching the exterior (less than half of the 1979 figures), Sedan de Ville was color. The package was available in “Cotillion White” also down by nearly half at 49,188. Oldsmobile’s 5.7-liter (with Dark Blue roof), “Platinum Silver” (with a Black diesel V8 was still available at $924, as was the popular roof), or “Arizona Beige” (with a Dark Brown roof). Cabriolet option for Coupe de Ville at $350. Coupe de Ville’s popular Cabriolet roof package was priced at $369, while the d'Elegance package (for coupe 1981’s biggest news was the introduction of Cadillac’s 3 or sedan) was available at $689. Electronic fuel injec- modulated-displacement 368 in V8-6-4 engine. Devel- tion, which added 15 horsepower (11 kW), was available oped by the Eaton Corporation - with design elements at $744. Electronic level control - which used suspension- that had been tested for over 500,000 miles (800,000 mounted sensors and air filled rear shocks - kept the cat’s km) - allowed various engine computers to decide how 10 6 1977–1984 many cylinders were needed to power the cat for optimal priced at $15,699. Sales totals for 1982 included 50,130 fuel economy. The theory was 8 cylinders from a com- coupes and 86,020 sedans (figures include De Ville and plete stop, 6 cylinders during usual driving, and just four Fleetwood models). cylinders at cruising speed. The changes in cylinder op- For 1983, slight reworkings under the hood added 10 eration were seamless, and most drivers did not detect horsepower (now rated at 135) to the standard 4.1-liter any difference in operation. However, in some cases, powerplant. Meanwhile, the Buick V6 credit-option was reliability and component failure led to customer com- dropped. The biggest visible change was hardly notice- plaints. Cadillac defended its micro-processor controlled able - while the grille design was a carry-over from the powerplant, and even offered special extended warranties previous year (and would be through 1986), the Cadil- to customers. Also available was Oldsmobile's 5.7-liter lac script moved from the chrome header onto the grille V-8 . The 125 horsepower (93 kW) Buick itself. Coupe de Ville’s popular Cabriolet roof package V6, teamed with an automatic transmission, returned for added $415 to its $15,970 sticker price. While both mod- 1981 after a short initial offering in the spring of 1980. els, including the $16,441 Sedan de Ville, could be or- Coupe de Ville was priced at $13,450, while Sedan de dered with the $1,150 d'Elegance package. 1983 was Ville, priced at $13,847, now had the unique option of supposed to be the last year for the rear-drive De Ville, as an available automatic system - the first offered new front-drive models would take over for 1984. How- on a GM vehicle. With the automatic shoulder/lap belt ever, numerous developmental delays caused De Ville to system (only for the outboard front seat passengers), the stay in rear-drive form for another year. Sales figures shoulder point was moved from the upper B-pillar to the looked healthy, with a total of 109,004 sedans and 65,670 upper door glass frame, and the belt reel was moved from coupes (figures include De Ville and Fleetwood models). the floor onto the door itself, installed in the lower cor- ner. With this, you could theoretically leave the seat belt Because of a delay in production of the new front-drive latched at all times, and simply get in and out of the ve- De Villes (which were now going to be 1985 models), hicle without having to unfasten the belt. The $150 op- 1984 was a re-run for the rear-wheel-drive Coupe de tion (which would re-appear as standard equipment on Ville ($17,140) and its four-door companion, the pop- the 1990 - 1992 Brougham), was available only on V6- ular Sedan de Ville ($17,625). It would also be the last powered Sedan de Villes. The V6 option itself was a $165 time De Ville used the “V” emblem below the Cadillac credit over the standard V8 in De Ville. A new grille de- crest, as 1985 models and on would use the crest and sign was made up of small squares, similar to the pattern wreath emblem - formerly a Fleetwood exclusive. Visi- from 1979. The egg-crate 1981 grille cast was used again ble changes included body-color side moldings, and gold- for the 1987 and 1988 Cadillac Brougham models. A tone winged crests on the parking lamps up front and tail new Electronic Climate Control panel did away with the lights in back. Hidden changes included a revised exhaust slide lever and thumb wheel in favor of a digital display system with a revamped catalytic converter. The diesel which allowed the driver to set the interior temperature V8 was now available at no additional charge. While to a single degree - from 65 to 85 (or “max” settings at the optional d'Elegance package remained at $1,150, the 60 and 90 degrees). Option groups included the $1,005 Cabriolet option for Coupe de Ville went up to $420. For d'Elegance package (available on both models), and the 1984, sales figures show a total four-door production of Cabriolet package (for Coupe de Ville) at $363. Sales 107,920 units, and an additional 50,840 two-door units were up slightly from 1980: 89,991 sedans versus 62,724 (figures include de Ville and Fleetwood models). The new coupes (figures include De Ville and Fleetwood models). front-drive 1985 Coupe de Ville and Sedan de Ville ar- rived in Cadillac showrooms during the Spring of 1984, Changes for 1982 were kept to a minimum, but still about six months earlier than most new-cat introductions, included a new grille design (which was used through so both the 1984 rear-drive and 1985 front-drive models 1986), revamped parking lamp / tail lamp ornamenta- were selling and being produced (due to separate assem- tion, and a new standard wheel cover design. Cadillac bly plants) at the same time for nearly half a year. Cadil- introduced a new aluminum-block 249-cubic-inch 4.1- lac sold 45,330 units of the new 1985 front-drive models liter HT series V8 engine to replace the V8-6-4. The during the 1984 model year (35,940 four-doors and 9,390 new power plant featured a closed-loop digital fuel in- two-doors). jection system, free-standing cast-iron cylinders within a cast-aluminum block, and was coupled with a 4-speed Size comparison between 1974 and 1977 Cadillac automatic-overdrive transmission. Other engine options Sedan de Ville included the Buick V6 or Oldsmobile’s diesel V8. In- side, the Electronic Climate Control had an updated fas- cia that now included an “Outside Temperature” button. Previously, the outside temperature was available through an illuminated thermometer mounted to the driver’s out- side mirror. With the new front-drive taking over as Cadillac’s entry-level model, the $15,249 Coupe de Ville was now a step-up. Sedan de Ville was 11

6.1 Engines able on de Ville, but now offered solely on the Fleetwood sedan. Thanks to an extended model year (starting April 7 1985–1993 1984), sales of the downsized 1985 de Ville and Fleet- wood models reached nearly 200,000 units.

See also: First Generation For 1986, few changes marked the new de Ville’s second For the 1985 model year, the de Ville switched to GM’s year in production. An anti-lock braking system, devel- oped by Teves, became available. The electrochromic in- side rear-view mirror was introduced. A factory-installed cellular telephone joined the option list at an astonishing $2,850. The standard space-saver spare tire now sat hor- izontally in the trunk, doing away with the small covered storage cubby in the spare tire well from last year. The op- tional aluminum wheels had new flush-fitting center caps (last year’s design featured exposed capped lugs), and bumper rub strips changed from black to gray. Borrowed from the front-wheel-drive Fleetwood line, the narrow lower body side molding from the 1985 de Ville was re- placed with a considerably wider one, and the trim sur- round from the rear window gave the formal appearance of a smaller window opening. Inside, a more tailored look was applied to the seat trim. Coupe de Ville’s popular cabriolet option, featuring a padded vinyl covering over the rear half of the roof, was priced at $698. Along with the exterior changes made to 1986 de Villes, adding the Cabriolet option made it difficult to distinguish a 1986 Coupe de Ville from the 1986 Fleetwood Coupe. Pric- ing for the Coupe de Ville was $19,669, with Sedan de Ville at $19,990. The transverse-mounted Cadillac 4.1- liter V-8 continued from the previous year, but with 5 1991 Cadillac Sedan de Ville more horsepower. new FWD C-body platform. A Fleetwood sedan vari- The 1986 Cadillac had: Type: 90-degree, overhead valve ant was added to the mix at the start of production and V-8. Aluminum block and cast iron heads. Displace- shared the new front-wheel-drive platform and most di- ment: 249 cu in (4.1 liters) Bore & stroke: 3.47 x 3.31 mensions with the de Villes (the “Fleetwood Brougham” in Compression ratio: 8.5:1 Brake horsepower: 135 hp nomenclature remained on the rear-wheel-drive chassis (101 kW) at 4200 rpm Torque: 200 lbf·ft (270 N·m) at through model year 1992). Production of the new C- 2200 rpm Five main bearings Hydraulic valve lifters TBI body commenced December 1983 at the Orion Assembly VIN Code: 8 Plant in Orion Township, Michigan. A Fleetwood coupe Introduced in 1986, Cadillac’s Touring Sedan and Tour- version of the new FWD C-body joined the lineup later ing Coupe were based on the standard De Ville but in- in the production run. The front cover of the brochure cluded extras such as a subtle rear deck lid , body- advertised the new cars as the “Cadillac of Tomorrow”. color tail lamp bezels, front air dam with fog lamps, rear These new models were significantly smaller externally seat headrests, leather upholstery, and a performance en- yet kept almost identical interior dimensions as their pre- hancement package among other features. The package decessors. This change also brought nearly the entire was available for $2,880. In addition, the Touring Coupe Cadillac line of cars to front-wheel drive, leaving only had removable decorative louvers on the rear edge of the the Fleetwood Brougham as the rear-wheel-drive hold- side opera windows. out. Cadillac’s HT-4100 V8 remained the standard en- gine, mounted transversely and coupled with a 440-T4 1987 saw a new front-end design including revised cor- automatic. Oldsmobile’s 4.3L V6 diesel was optional. nering lamps in front and one-piece composite headlamps flanked a trapezoid-shaped grille with a bold egg-crate Of GM’s front-drive C and H bodies, Cadillac was the texture. Elongated fender caps were in back - upping the only line to offer a V8 engine. Other GM vehicles were overall length by an inch and a half, but much more dra- equipped with a Buick-derived 3.0 or 3.8 V6 engine, or - matic in appearance with new wrap-around tail lamps. for 1985 only - Oldsmobile’s 4.3L V6 diesel powerplant. This new 3-sided tail lamp style was inspired by a de- The 1985 de Ville was still available in sedan or coupe sign used on the 1977 de Ville. Unlike the new one-piece form. The d'Elegance package - an optional interior headlamps, the changes to the rear-end in 1987 had little dress-up package featuring assist handles and button- to do with engineering, but rather, feedback from Cadil- tufted seating among other niceties - was no longer avail- 12 7 1985–1993

lac’s customer base who felt the 1985-86 car looked too compact disc player, an electrically heated windshield, short. Although the 1987 revamp was still quite similar to and a set of four reversible carpeted floor mats. the 1986 model (so much in fact that it still used the pre- vious year’s deck lid), the design was more in-tune with the look that traditional Cadillac buyers were used to. Pricing for 1987 included Coupe de Ville at $21,316, and Sedan de Ville at $21,659. Fleetwood d'Elegance at $26,104, and the new Fleetwood Sixty-Special was avail- able for $34,850. The Touring option, priced at $2,880 over De Ville’s base cost, also included aluminum wheels mounted on 15-inch Goodyear GT tires. At the end of the 1988 model year, Cadillac discontinued the slow-selling de Ville-based Touring Coupe and Sedan, al- though the 4-door would return in 1992. For 1988, Cadillac kept cosmetic changes to a minimum in anticipation of the redesigned de Ville and Fleetwood models to come the following year. To mitigate the nearly 1990 Cadillac Coupe de Ville $2,000 price jump this year, several previously optional items were made standard equipment including tilt steer- For 1990, de Ville and Fleetwood lost their telescopic ing column, telescopic steering wheel, power trunk re- steering column, but retained the tilt feature in exchange lease, split-bench front seating, cruise control, and vari- for an mounted onto the newly standard leather- able delay windshield wipers. Under the hood was a new trimmed steering wheel. Engine output was up an addi- 155 hp 4.5 L V8 and heavy-duty battery. Pricing rose to tional 25 horsepower (19 kW) from sequential multi-port $23,049 for Coupe de Ville, and $23,404 for Sedan de fuel injection. 1990 models also received GM’s PASS Ville. Key theft-deterrent system which used a coded electronic Cadillac’s main competition in this time frame contin- pellet embedded into the ignition key. Other new features ued to be Lincoln, which, alongside their successful Town for 1990 included a non-illuminated vanity mirror on the Car, was now fielding an all-new front-wheel-drive Conti- driver’s visor (a passenger side visor mirror had been stan- nental (based on the Ford Taurus). The Continental went dard equipment for decades now), door edge guards (pre- into production with a six-cylinder engine so as to be con- viously optional), “clam shell” front center armrest with sidered a larger front-wheel-drive alternative to the storage, and manual seat-back recliners for driver and Legend that appeared in 1986, with a front-wheel-drive passenger. While Lincoln’s Continental did not fare well platform and a V6 engine. against De Ville, a new sales threat—aimed directly at Cadillac—came from the 1990 debut of 's 1989 introduced an extensive exterior redesign which in- LS400 and the Infiniti Q45 from . Additionally, cluded a longer 113.8-inch wheelbase for sedans. The the —'s high-end label—had been 155 hp (116 kW) 4.5-liter powerplant (introduced just a gaining momentum in the luxury market since its 1986 year earlier), dashboard, and the front doors (on both the introduction. coupe and sedan) were about the only items that carried over — even the luggage compartment was over 2 cubic In 1991, a 200 hp (150 kW) 4.9-liter V8—the largest of feet (0.057 m3) larger than last year. The Coupe de Ville this type—became the new standard powerplant. Also and Fleetwood coupe retained the previous year’s inte- new was a grille of an inverted trapezoid design (almost rior, wheelbase, and doors—all cleverly hidden between upside-down from last years egg-crate keystone design), the new front and rear styling. A give-away to the previ- and revised bumper and body-side moldings. The new ous design is the rear shelf package on the 2-door mod- grille held the familiar shape of the Cadillac crest itself— els. While the parcel shelf on the four-door models re- a styling cue that continues to this day. The grille was ceived a 'Mercedes-Benz inspired' storage compartment now attached to the forward edge of the hood, and lifted with lid, rear seat headrest panel, and a long 3-bulb hor- up along with the hood when raised (similar to Mercedes- izontal brake lamp, the 2-door models still had the nar- Benz). The secondary hood release latch was at the bot- row carpeted parcel shelf and pedestal brake lamp from tom of the grille instead of its previous location above the previous year. Of special note were the composite the passenger side headlight. In addition to the new en- (plastic) front fenders that resisted parking-lot dings and gine and minor front-end restyling, several previously op- dents, and weighed less than their steel counterparts. Pre- tional features became standard this year, including the viously optional equipment that was made standard for anti-lock braking system, accent striping, automatic door 1989 included electrically powered outside mirrors and locks, twilight sentinel headlamp control, electrochromic the AM/FM/cassette player stereo. New options intro- inside rear-view mirror, and electric rear window and side duced this year included a driver’s side airbag, the Bose mirror defogger. New standard features included rear- seat air conditioning vents, central door unlocking from 7.1 The final Coupe de Villes (1990–1993) 13 the driver’s door and luggage compartment, sun visors coming for 1994. The previously optional speed-sensitive with shaded slide-out extensions, rear window lock-out suspension, “Computer Command Ride”, introduced last switch, brake / transmission interlock safety switch, and year became standard equipment, and now included a an oil life indicator through the fuel data center. Other new speed-sensitive steering system as well. Minor trim new features included the available remote keyless en- changes were made including black-out trim in the grille try system, and the optional illuminated mirrors now fea- (used on the 1992 Touring Sedan), and removing the tured a slide switch that offered variable intensity lighting. chrome strip from the glass divider on the sedan’s rear The first “Deville Touring Sedan” became available to the doors. 1993 would be the last year for the Coupe de Ville, public on April 1st, 1991. As a limited edition of only which now came standard with the previously optional 1,500 produced for the 1991 model year,[11] it was of- "Cabriolet" roof option (which covered the rear half of fered in 5 monochromatic paint schemes: Carmine Red; the roof in padded vinyl). Introduced as a prestige trim Cotillion White; Black; Dark Slate Gray metallic; and level of the Series 62 for the 1949 model year, Coupe de Black Sapphire Metallic. Larger 16” x 6.5” forged alu- Ville’s full-size 2-door body style had been declining in minum wheels with a wreath and crest center cap were fit- sales for several years, and as a result, the 1994 design ted to P215/60R16 Goodyear GA all-season radial tires. went into production solely as a 4-door. A quicker 17:1 steering gear was also used. The specific Beechwood-color interior of the De Ville Touring Sedan had leather seating areas and revised seat design with in- 7.1 The final Coupe de Villes (1990–1993) tegral lumbar support. Both driver and passenger seat featured six-way adjusters and power reclin- ers. This specific interior also featured American Walnut wood accents on the doors and instrument panel. A grill- mounted wreath and crest replaced the traditional stand- up hood ornament. Side door moldings feature “TOUR- ING SEDAN” lettering and import style break-away out- side rearview mirrors were painted body color. Revised sport door handles also are painted body color. The re- vised exterior also included a cloisonne deck lid lock cover similar to the STS and Eldorado Touring Coupe. Approximately 75 of these 1991 models remain roadwor- 1989 Cadillac Coupe de Ville thy as of December 31, 2014. [12][13][14] Cadillac built 17,507 Coupe de Villes and 2,429 Fleet- wood coupes in 1990. The optional Cabriolet roof (stan- dard on Fleetwood) appeared on 3,988 Coupe de Villes, while the available Phaeton roof was found on an addi- tional 4,453 cars. The Phaeton roof, re-creating the look of a convertible top, was included in the Spring Edition package (with 4,413 built), which also included perfo- rated leather seat inserts among other items. The most popular color for 1990 was Cotillion White, with 5,292 manufactured, while the least chosen color was Medium Dark Gray, which found its way onto 193 cars that year. While all these two-door models wore the standard white- 1992 Cadillac Sedan de Ville wall Michelin tires, this would be the last year for plain wheel covers on Coupe de Ville (found on 2,788 cars this For 1992, the Touring Sedan continued as a limited edi- year), as next year would feature a standard styled alu- tion option. Besides the special features included in the minum wheel (similar to the Fleetwood coupe). 479 two- initial 1,500 models from 1991, it featured On Tour- door models were produced for export that year: 383 to ing Sedans, like other De Ville models, the “Symphony Canada, 81 to Japan, and another 15 to Saudi Arabia. Sound” stereo with cassette was standard, while the op- The 1990 Coupe de Ville was priced at $26,960, and the tional Delco/Bose music system was available with cas- Fleetwood coupe at $32,400.[18] sette or single-slot CD player. Introduced for 1992, In 1991 Cadillac manufactured 10,057 Coupe de Ville speed-sensitive suspension and traction control (both models, and an additional 597 Fleetwood coupes (of the standard on Touring Sedan when introduced in '91) were 597 Fleetwood coupes, only 248 were equipped with available at extra cost on de Ville. Approximately 5,300 the optional Custom Seating Package that included power Touring Sedans were produced for 1992. As of Decem- [15][16][17] back rest recliners for the front seats, and a 2-position ber 31, 2014, about 268 remain roadworthy. Memory Seat function for the driver’s seat). All of these 1993 saw few changes, as a brand-new replacement was cars were produced at GM’s Orion Assembly plant in 14 8 1994–1999

Michigan. The total for both models with optional leather most popular color for 1993 was Cotillion White, with upholstery was 9,799 (with Dark Auburn being the least 1,147 manufactured, while the least chosen color was chosen interior color—only 11 in leather and 2 in velour Dark Plum, which found its way onto 24 cars this year. were ever made). The most popular exterior color for The four wheel choices this year included the standard- 1991 was Cotillion White, with 2,967 models; while the design cast aluminum wheel on 2,012 cars, optional $235 least chosen color was Medium Dark Gray, of which only lace-design squeeze-case aluminum wheel on 1,766 cars, 58 were manufactured. Of the 10,057 Coupe de Villes, optional $235 locking wire wheel disc on 749 cars, and 3,397 were Spring Edition models. The optional Cabriolet the $1,195 chromed squeeze-case aluminum wheel on Roof with opera lamps (standard equipment on the Fleet- 184 cars. Only 18 Coupe de Villes were ordered with the wood coupe), which covered the rear-half of the roof in no-charge option of blackwall Michelin radial tires, the padded vinyl, was equipped on 1,729 Coupe de Villes, other 4,693 models wore the standard-equipment white- while an additional 3,952 carried the $1,095 Phaeton sim- wall version. 3,036 had mono-tone paint, while the oth- ulated convertible roof. The standard cassette stereo was ers held a lower body accent color, with the breakdown found in nearly all models, while 1,122 opted for the as follows: Silver, 1,130; Dark Red, 275; Gunmetal Gray, Bose sound system at extra cost (752 with cassette, 370 177; and Beige, 93. In total, 4,168 had the standard Sym- with compact disc). Cadillac produced 164 of the 2-door phony Sound system, while 543 were ordered with the op- models for export, including 126 to Canada, 23 to Japan, tional Bose stereo (310 with cassette, 233 with compact 5 to the Gulf States, 3 to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin disc). Nearly all Coupe de Villes had leather upholstery Islands, and the remaining seven to Europe. Pricing was (the most popular color was Neutral, with 1,236 made), as $30,205 for Coupe de Ville, and $34,675 for Fleetwood only 239 velour interior models were manufactured this coupe.[18] year (the least chosen cloth color was Taupe, with only For 1992, Cadillac manufactured 6,980 Coupe de Ville 24 manufactured). No Coupe de Villes were produced models, and an additional 291 Fleetwood coupes (of the for export this year, and only 523 of the 4,711 built in- cluded California emission equipment. The base price of 291 Fleetwood coupes, only 128 were equipped with the [18] optional Custom Seating Package, a $425 option that in- the 1993 Coupe de Ville was $33,915. cluded power back rest recliners for the front seats, and a The declining popularity of full-size coupés led to the dis- two-position Memory Seat function for the driver’s seat). continuation of the Coupe de Ville at the end of the 1993 All of these cars were produced at GM’s Orion Assem- model year. For 1994, the series comprised two four- bly plant in Michigan. The most popular color for 1992 door models: DeVille and DeVille Concours. was Cotillion White, with 1,879 models; while the least chosen color was Mary Kay Pink, of which only one was manufactured. Of the 6,980 Coupe de Villes, 2,635 were 8 1994–1999 Spring Edition models. The Cabriolet Roof with opera lamps (a $925 option, and standard equipment on the Fleetwood coupe) which covered the rear-half of the roof in padded vinyl, was equipped on 3,572 Coupe de Villes, while an additional 3,319 carried the $1,095 Phaeton convertible-look roof. Only 89 standard painted-roof Coupe de Villes were made for 1992. Cadillac produced 144 of the two-door models for export, including 129 to Canada, and 15 to Japan. Pricing was $31,740 for Coupe de Ville, and $36,360 for Fleetwood coupe.[18]

With the discontinuation of the Fleetwood coupe at the 1997–1999 Cadillac DeVille end of the 1992 model year, the 1993 Coupe de Ville was Cadillac’s last six-passenger two-door car. The pre- For 1994, the De Ville was redesigned to share the K- viously optional speed-sensitive suspension, “Computer body platform with the Seville. The body was redesigned, Command Ride”, introduced last year became standard although the wheelbase remained 113.8 inches—rather equipment, and now included a new speed-sensitive steer- than the 111 inches used on the Seville. Production ing system as well. Minor trim changes included black- moved to Hamtramck, Michigan. out trim in the grille (as seen on the 1992 Touring Sedan). GM built 4,711 Coupe de Villes this year. The previ- The DeVille Concours was available with the new 270 ously optional Cabriolet roof became standard equipment hp (201 kW) LD8 Northstar V8, while lesser models this year, and appeared on 3,606 cars. The Phaeton roof, retained the 4.9L L26 V8 until 1996. That year, the which re-created the dashing look of a convertible top base model took on the lower-output Northstar while the (now just a $170 option since the Cabriolet roof was stan- Concours moved up to the high-output L37 Northstar, dard equipment), was found on 1,105 cars. There were with 300 hp (220 kW). The DeVille Concours replaced no painted-roof Coupe de Villes this year. Again, the the 1987–93 . The Concours in- troduced continuously variable road sensing suspension 15

(CVRSS). The 2000 DeVille was one of the first production cars to The DeVille received a facelift for the 1997 model year, offer LED tail lamps in automobiles, a feature now be- and added the d'Elegance trim line to replace the Cadillac coming increasingly commonplace on luxury and family Fleetwood. The name was shortened from Sedan de Ville cars. to DeVille. New headlights and a new grille were added, The d'Elegance designation was replaced with the DeV- the rear wheel skirts were removed, the interior was re- ille DHS (DeVille High Luxury Sedan), which added sev- designed, and the black/chrome trim was replaced by a eral cabin comfort options to include power rear window double chrome trim in the base DeVille, chrome and gold sunshade and heated/massaging rear seats. The perfor- trim in the d'Elegance, and chrome and body colored trim mance DeVille Concours was renamed the DeVille DTS in the Concours. The Concours received real-time damp- (DeVille Touring Sedan), and was available with stabil- ing and Integrated Chassis Control System ICCS as stan- ity control, continuously variable road sensing suspension dard. The interior gained a new dashboard design that (CVRSS) with magnetorheological dampers, also called hid the passenger airbag seams and new door panels with MagneRide, and onboard navigation. front side-airbags and the availability of OnStar system. This final version of the DeVille lasted through the re- Production of this generation ended in July 1999. design of 2000 and ended production in June 2005. It was replaced by the restyled and renamed DTS (stands for DeVille Touring Sedan) for 2006. 9 2000–2005 10 2006

Main article: Cadillac DTS

In 2006, the DeVille nameplate was replaced by Cadillac DTS, an abbreviation dating back to 1985, when a “De Ville Touring Sedan” package was available. The new name brought the DeVille into line with Cadil- lac’s Art & Science-era nomenclature, which saw the Seville renamed to STS and the Catera replacement called the CTS. The last 2005 DeVille rolled off the 2003 Cadillac DeVille Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly line on June 23, 2005.

The 2000 model year saw the first major redesign since 1994; this generation marked the move from the K plat- 11 References form to the G platform; despite this move GM contin- ued to refer to it as the K platform.[20] Production started in August 1999. The exterior was completely redesigned [1] “Cadillac Terms and Definitions D - G”. Cadillac- database.net. Retrieved 2011-12-30. featuring a sportier, elegant and more aerodynamic design with a drag coefficient of 0.30. The revamped interior [2] “Cadillac Terms and Definitions A - C”. Cadillac- featured completely new door panels and seats, while the database.net. Retrieved 2011-12-30. dashboard and radio face only received minor facelifts. Cadillac on the Deville was the first [3] Kowalke, Ron (1997). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975. Krause publications. ISBN 0-87341- worldwide series production automotive night vi- 521-3. sion,[21] however it was discontinued in 2004.[22] This system was developed with Raytheon and worked by us- [4] Gunnell, John (2005). Standard Catalog of Cadillac ing an passive infrared sensor camera mounted behind 1903–2005. Krause publications. ISBN 0873492897. the vehicle’s grille. Infrared radiation is picked up by the sensor, processed by computer and then displayed on the [5] http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Cadillac/1959_ windshield using an automotive head-up display. In- Cadillac/1959_Cadillac_Comparison_Folder/1959% formation is displayed as a black-and-white image with 20Cadillac%20Comparison%20Folder-04.html warmer objects in white, while cooler objects appear [6] Flory, J. “Kelly”, Jr. American Cars 1960–1972 (Jeffer- black.[23][24][25] Because this system outputs a standard son, NC: McFarland & Coy, 2004), p.147. NTSC composite video signal and the used parts are somewhat easy and inexpensive to find, it has become [7] Flory, p.147. a popular choice for fitting thermal night vision to other vehicles.[26] [8] Flory, p.211. 16 12 EXTERNAL LINKS

[9] “Directory Index: Cadil- • Caddyinfo.com - Cadillac Discussion and Technical lac/1965_Cadillac/1965_Cadillac_Brochure_1”. Information Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2011-11-20. • Cadillac History - Cadillac History and detailed [10] John Barach. “Cadillac history 1971”. 100megs- model information free4.com. Retrieved 2010-11-20. • 1978–1979 Phaeton - 1978–1979 Cadillac Coupe [11] Orlando Sentinel - “Expert Reviews - 1991 Cadillac DeV- de Ville Phaeton ille TS” by Richard Truett dated August 8, 1991

[12] Detroit Auto Show Press Release from Cadillac Motor Car Division dated January 7, 1991

[13] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) DOT HS 809 952 dated January 2006

[14] Broxterman Automobile Survivability Rate Chart (BASRC) dated April 2015

[15] Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999 - 3rd ed. by Flammang & Kowalke. Krause publications 1999

[16] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) DOT HS 809 952 dated January 2006

[17] Broxterman Automobile Survivability Rate Chart (BASRC) dated April 2015

[18] Flammang, James Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976–1999 3rd Edition (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, Inc 1999)

[19] Frame, Phil (16 January 1995). “GM H Cars move to G Platform”. Automotive News. Archived from the original on 17 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.

[20] Frame, Phil (16 January 1995). “GM H Cars move to G Platform”. Automotive News. Archived from the original on 17 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.

[21] “What are LED taillights?". Ask.cars.com. 2008-09-16. Retrieved 2009-05-07.

[22] Keegan, Walter J (2004-11-17). “Cadillac kills passive night-vision system — Autoblog”. Autoblog.com. Re- trieved 2009-12-08.

[23] Romans, Brent (1999-01-01). “Full Test: 2000 Cadillac DeVille DTS”. Edmunds.com. Retrieved 2009-12-08.

[24] Vale, Frank (2006-12-13). “21st-Cadillac Night Vision”. Vxm.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 2009-12-08.

[25] “Cadillac Introduces “Night Vision” Technology” (Press release). GM. January 16, 2000.

[26] “Video: DIY'er Fits Cadillac Thermal Image Night Vision to his C6”. Corvette Online. March 25, 2014.

12 External links

• Coupé spelling by Cadillac 1 • Coupé spelling by Cadillac 2 • AutoGuideWiki.com 17

13 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

13.1 Text • Cadillac de Ville series Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_de_Ville_series?oldid=680203032 Contributors: SimonP, Ed- ward, Michael Hardy, Modster, Theresa knott, Morven, Modulatum, Niteowlneils, Bobblewik, K-links, RivGuySC, Gadfium, Icairns, Sfoskett, Rich Farmbrough, Milkmandan, Xezbeth, Elrey, Hektor, Andrewpmk, Gene Nygaard, Firsfron, Woohookitty, Ylem, Jeff3000, Tabletop, Jagvar, Vossanova, Diego440, Ibran, Rjwilmsi, Erebus555, Karrmann, ApolloBoy, Royal Scottish, YurikBot, Wavelength, Russ- Bot, Arado, Shaddack, Lavenderbunny, Rsrikanth05, Castletower, Alex43223, Zwobot, WQ59B, Scheinwerfermann, Nikkimaria, JLa- Tondre, SmackBot, Bjelleklang, Brossow, Kintetsubuffalo, Chris the speller, BrendelSignature, Trekphiler, X570, OrphanBot, Nixea- gle, Sal Collaziano, Weetbixkid, Radagast83, FiveRings, Andyross, SamBlob, Bejnar, Take Me Higher, Martin-wiki, SilkTork, Ckatz, Wwagner, Iridescent, Laitr Keiows, CmdrObot, Sable232, ShelfSkewed, Cydebot, Kevin23, Daniel J. Leivick, Diabloblue, Hunthearin, Factmon~enwiki, Bwnunnally, Nick Number, Dawnseeker2000, Bull-Doser, Darklilac, AniRaptor2001, Stormie823, Charles01, IFCAR, Cbwallace, Bongwarrior, Dinosaur puppy, N0dih, Jsciarri, Cocytus, Sadowski, CommonsDelinker, Lglswe~enwiki, McSly, Armadillo- Process, Queensnyc, Num1dgen, Thebrain526, Signalhead, Tybergris, Tesscass, Suprcel, GimmeBot, Rei-bot, Denimmonkey, Crohnie, PrinceGloria, Npbheights, Razvan NEAGOE, Flyingw, GTHO, Typ932, Michaelsbll, WereSpielChequers, Peter.shaman, Lohengrin1991, Lightmouse, Thecardsaysmoops, Regushee, Sfan00 IMG, EthanolRules, LukeWiller, CadillacDTS, Trivialist, SamuelTheGhost, Muhan- des, Eddaido, Mikaey, Chaparral2J, Versus22, Wikiuser100, RyanCross, Olds 403, Addbot, Glane23, Caveman1949, Fireaxe888, Lightbot, MJEH, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Cjp24, GDYNets, AnomieBOT, Noq, Piano non troppo, Ulric1313, Vovillia, LilHelpa, 4twenty42o, Theon- lyloaf, Mr.choppers, MR.Texan281, Erik9bot, Michael73072, LucienBOT, Haeinous, Monkfan1, PigFlu Oink, Tomballpi, Aamsse, Tax- iguy57, Miracle Pen, Nevin.williams, Updatehelper, Ryanandlenny, Dewritech, Brandan Grinnell, TheAutoJunkie, AsceticRose, Ebmbird, ZéroBot, Illegitimate Barrister, Rockclaw1030, SporkBot, BrokenAnchorBot, JenniBee, Rocketrod1960, Crwpitman, ClueBot NG, John Franklin Mason, VanishedUser sdu8asdasd, Widr, Helpful Pixie Bot, Salmhe02~enwiki, Queeg, Ewalljr, Vinylscratch, EvoSLR, Bman- Ultima, Yesilikecars, Penguinsrule121, VX1NG, Lemnaminor, Rodriguezandres789, Bahooka, JaconaFrere, Monkbot, Jake Werkmeister, Str8og and Anonymous: 190

13.2 Images • File:'67_Cadillac_Coupe_De_Ville_(Les_chauds_vendredis_'10).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/ 8a/%2767_Cadillac_Coupe_De_Ville_%28Les_chauds_vendredis_%2710%29.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work. Original artist: Bull-Doser • File:'76_Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville_(Orange_Julep).JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/%2776_ Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville_%28Orange_Julep%29.JPG License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: Bull-Doser • File:'79_cad_de_ville_interior.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/%2779_cad_de_ville_interior.jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.0 Contributors: http://www.flickr.com/photos/that_chrysler_guy/7220745504/ Original artist: That Hartford Guy • File:1961_Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/1961_Cadillac_Coupe_de_ Ville.jpg License: CC BY 2.0 Contributors: 1961 Cadillac Coupe de Ville Original artist: Sicnag • File:1963_Cadillac_Coupe_deVille.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/1963_Cadillac_Coupe_ deVille.jpg License: CC BY 2.0 Contributors: 1963 Cadillac Coupe deVille Original artist: Sicnag • File:1965_Cadillac.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/1965_Cadillac.jpg License: CC BY-SA 4.0 Con- tributors: Own work Original artist: Crwpitman • File:1966_Cadillac_de_Ville_Convertible.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/1966_Cadillac_de_ Ville_Convertible.jpg License: CC BY 2.0 Contributors: 1966 Cadillac DeVille Convertible Original artist: Sicnag • File:1969_Cadillac_Sedan_de_Ville.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/1969_Cadillac_Sedan_de_ Ville.jpg License: CC BY 2.0 Contributors: 1969 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Original artist: Sicnag • File:1971_Cadillac_Coupe_Deville.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/1971_Cadillac_Coupe_ Deville.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). Original artist: No machine-readable author provided. Sfoskett~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). • File:1972_Cadillac_Sedan_de_Ville_interior.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/1972_Cadillac_ Sedan_de_Ville_interior.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ? • File:1972_Cadillac_Sedan_de_Ville_rear.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/1972_Cadillac_Sedan_ de_Ville_rear.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ? • File:1974_Cadillac_Sedan_DeVille.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/1974_Cadillac_Sedan_ DeVille.jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.0 Contributors: Cadillac Original artist: Michael Spiller from Bradford, UK;

• File:1975_Cadillac_Coupe_De_Ville.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/1975_Cadillac_Coupe_De_ Ville.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. Original artist: The original uploader was MaindrianPace at English Wikipedia • File:1977-1979_Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville_front.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/1977-1979_ Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville_front.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: IFCAR • File:1984CoupeDeVilleRear.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/1984CoupeDeVilleRear.JPG Li- cense: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: PJCAutoDetailing • File:1989-93_Cadillac_DeVille.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/1989-93_Cadillac_DeVille.jpg Li- cense: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: IFCAR • File:1990_Cadillac_Coupe_Deville_2014-06-01_17-48.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/1990_ Cadillac_Coupe_Deville_2014-06-01_17-48.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: User:Jake Werkmeister 18 13 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

• File:1992_Cadillac_Sedan_Deville_2014-05-01_01-10.jpeg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/1992_ Cadillac_Sedan_Deville_2014-05-01_01-10.jpeg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: User:Jake Werkmeister • File:85-88_Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/85-88_Cadillac_Coupe_de_ Ville.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: IFCAR • File:89-93_Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/89-93_Cadillac_Coupe_de_ Ville.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: IFCAR • File:97-99_Cadillac_DeVille.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/97-99_Cadillac_DeVille.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: IFCAR • File:Cad59.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Cad59.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: Origi- nally from fi.wikipedia; description page is/was here. Original artist: Miksunderi at fi.wikipedia • File:Caddy_2003_De_Ville_Base.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Caddy_2003_De_Ville_Base.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Tomballpi • File:Cadillac_Coupe_De_Ville_1950.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Cadillac_Coupe_De_Ville_ 1950.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Lars-Göran Lindgren Sweden • File:Cadillac_Coupe_De_Ville_1970_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Cadillac_Coupe_De_ Ville_1970_2.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Lglswe • File:Cadillac_Coupe_deVille_BW_1.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Cadillac_Coupe_deVille_ BW_1.JPG License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: Berthold Werner • File:Cadillac_DeVille_Convertible_1965-1968.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Cadillac_ DeVille_Convertible_1965-1968.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ? • File:Cadillac_DeVille_Convertible_1968.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Cadillac_DeVille_ Convertible_1968.jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.0 de Contributors: Bild selbst erstellt Original artist: The original uploader was Dreamcar472 at German Wikipedia

• File:Cadillac_Sedan_DeVille_(Orange_Julep_'10).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Cadillac_ Sedan_DeVille_%28Orange_Julep_%2710%29.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work. Original artist: Bull-Doser • File:Cadillac_Sedan_DeVille_1962.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Cadillac_Sedan_DeVille_ 1962.JPG License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: User ChiemseeMan on de.wikipedia • File:Cadillac_Sedan_De_Ville_1956.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Cadillac_Sedan_De_Ville_ 1956.jpg License: GFDL Contributors: Own work Original artist: Lars-Göran Lindgren Sweden • File:Cadillac_Sedan_de_Ville.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Cadillac_Sedan_de_Ville.jpg Li- cense: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: IFCAR • File:Cadillac_deVille_Convertible.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Cadillac_deVille_ Convertible.JPG License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: BedaNo1 • File:Cadillac_sedan_rear_--_08-20-2009.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Cadillac_sedan_rear_ --_08-20-2009.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: IFCAR • File:Commons-logo.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: ? Contributors: ? Original artist: ? • File:CoupeDeVille-1960-interior.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/CoupeDeVille-1960-interior. jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). Original artist: No machine-readable author provided. Durin assumed (based on copyright claims). • File:GoldCadillacCoupeDeVille.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/GoldCadillacCoupeDeVille.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: Ryanandlenny

13.3 Content license

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