Founded by Henry Leland in 1902, who named the
company after the seventeenth-century French
explorer who founded Detroit. Quickly established
a reputation for innovation, even after being
absorbed into the GM conglomerate in 1909. In
1912 the company introduced the Delco electric
ignition and lighting system, and the powerful
V8 engine was also a Cadillac first. Legendary
automotive designer Harley Earl was responsible
for giving Cadillac’s their elegant, streamlined
look in the 1920s.
He is credited with introducing
the first tailfin on the new designs in the late
1940s, inspired in part by the fighter planes
of World War II, an automotive fashion trend
that would take other car manufacturers a decade
to catch up. During the 1950’s Cadillac's
became extremely expensive, and heavy, attributable
not only to the cars enormous size but the long
list of luxury appointments fitted, such as imported
leather seats, state-of-the-art climate and stereo
systems and power windows.
The brand also began
to take hold in popular culture: Chuck Berry
sang of besting one in a race in his 1955 hit "Maybellene," and
Elvis Presley began driving a pink Caddy not
long after his first few chart successes. Cadillac's
hold on the status-car market began to wane in
the 1960s when both Lincoln and Chrysler began
making inroads with their models. Mismanagement
by GM engendered further decline.
Cadillac production
reached 266,000 cars in 1969, one of its peak
years. That model year's popular Coupe DeVille
(with a wheelbase of over ten feet) sold for
$5,721; by contrast the best-selling Chevrolet,
the Impala, had a sticker price of $3,465. There
were media-generated rumours that people sometimes
pooled their funds in order to buy a Cadillac
to share. In the 1970s, the brand became indelibly
linked with the urban American criminal element,
the ride of choice for pimps and mob bosses alike.
This in turn led well-heeled Americans to opt
for European luxury marques.
Also see: The History of Cadillac (USA Edition)
