Cadillac de Ville series

For the body style, see Sedanca de Ville.

deVille and Deville redirect here. For otheruses, see Deville (disambiguation).

TheCadillac de Villewas originally a trim level and latera separate model produced by Cadillac. The first car tobear the name was the 1949 Coupe de Ville, a prestigetrim level of the Series 62 luxury coupe. The last modelto be formally known as a De Ville was the 2005 Cadil-lac DeVille, a full-size sedan, the largest car in the Cadil-lac model range at the time. The next year, the DeVillewas officially renamed DTS (an abbreviation standing forDeVille Touring Sedan, itself a trim level on earlier mod-els).

1 Early history

1950 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe de Ville

1956 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan de Ville

The name “De Ville” is derived from the French de laville or de villemeaning “of the town”.[1] In French coachbuilding parlance, a coupé de ville, from the Frenchcouper (to cut) i.e. shorten or reduce, was a short four-wheeled closed carriage with an inside seat for two andan outside seat for the driver and this smaller vehicle was

intended for use in the town or city (de ville). An (un-shortened) limousine or (in the United States) town carhas a division between the passenger and driver compart-ments and if the driver’s seat is outside it may be called asedanca de ville or town car.[1]

The first Cadillac “Coupe de Ville” was shown during the1949 Autorama.[2] It was built on a Cadillac Sixty Spe-cial chassis and featured a dummy air-scoop, chrome trimaround front wheel openings, and a one-piece windshieldand rear glass.[2] The interior was black and trimmedin gray leather, including the headliner, to match theroof color.[2] It was equipped with a telephone in theglove compartment, a vanity case and a secretarial padin the rear armrest, power windows and highly decorativechrome interior trim.[2] The prototype “Coupe de Ville”was used by GM President Charles E. Wilson until 1957when he presented it to his secretary.[2] At some time dur-ing this period it acquired a dark Vicodec roof.[2] Theprototype “Coupe de Ville” was still in use as of 1976.[2]

The Cadillac Series 62 Coupe de Ville was introducedlate in the 1949 model year.[3][4] Along with the BuickRoadmaster Riviera, and the Oldsmobile 98 Holiday,it was among the first pillarless hardtop coupes everproduced.[3][4] At $3,496 it was only a dollar less thanthe Series 62 convertible, and like the convertible, itcame with power windows standard. It was luxuriouslytrimmed, with leather upholstery and chrome 'bows’ inthe headliner to simulate the ribs of a convertible top.[3][4]In its first year the Series 62 Coupe de Ville only sold2,150 units.[3][4] But 1950 sales more than doubled to4507, and in 1951 sales more than doubled again to10,241 exceeding the sales for the Series 62 Club Coupethat year.[3][4] Also, in 1951, Coupe de Ville chromescript appeared on the rear roof pillar for the first time, tofurther distinguish it from the Series 62 Club Coupe.[3][4]

In 1956 the Series 62 Coupe de Ville was joined by theSeries 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 trimmedthat the standard 4-door Series 62.[3][4]With 41,732 sold,it also easily outsold the Series 62 sedan in its very firstyear.[3][4] Given their sales success, it was only naturalthat the Coupe de Ville and Sedan de Ville were movedto their own separate series in 1959, the Series 6300, be-ing joined by a De Ville convertible in 1964.[3][4]

1

2 3 1961–1964

1959 Cadillac Sedan de Ville rear

1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

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 rooflinesand roof pillar configurations, new jewel-like grille pat-terns and matching deck lid beauty panels.[5] In 1959 theSeries 62 were moved from the Series 62 to their own se-ries, the Series 6200. De Villes and 2-door Eldoradosbecame the Series 6300 and Series 6400 respectively,though they all, including the 4-door Eldorado Brougham(which was moved from the Series 70 to Series 6900),

shared the same 130 in (3,302 mm) wheelbase. Engineoutput was an even 325 hp (242 kW) from the 390 cu in(6.4 L) engine. The De Ville Series had script nameplateson the rear fenders. Standard equipment included powerbrakes, power steering, automatic transmission, back-uplamps, windshield wipers, two-speed wipers, wheel discs,outside rearview mirror, vanity mirror, oil filter, powerwindows and two way power seats. Plain fender skirtscovered 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 aseparate series, accounting for roughly 37% of all Cadil-lacs sold.The 1960 Cadillacs had smoother, more restrainedstyling. General changes included a full-width grille, theelimination of pointed front bumper guards, increased re-straint in the application of chrome trim, lower tailfinswith oval shaped nacelles and front fender mounted di-rectional indicator lamps. De Villes were distinguishedby special script nameplates on the rear fenders. Four-window and six-window hardtop sedans were offeredagain. The former featured a one-piece wraparoundbacklight 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-speedwipers, wheel discs, outside rearview mirror, vanity mir-ror, oil filter, power windows and a two-way power seats.Technical highlights were finned rear drums and an X-frame construction. Interiors were done in Chadwickcloth or optional Cambray cloth and leather combina-tions.

3 1961–1964

1961 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

Cadillac was restyled and re-engineered for 1961. Thenew grille slanted back towards both the bumper andthe hood lip, along the horizontal plane, and sat betweendual headlamps. New forward slanting front pillars withnon-wraparound windshield glass were seen. The revised

3

1962 Sedan de Ville

Short-rear-decked 1963 Cadillac Sedan de Ville Park Avenue

1963 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

backlight treatment had crisp angular lines with thin pil-lars on some models and heavier semi-blind quarter roofposts on others. De Ville models featured front seriesdesignation scripts and a lower body “skeg” trimmed witha thin, three-quarter-length spear molding running frombehind the front wheel opening to the rear of the car.Standard equipment included power brakes, power steer-ing, automatic transmission, dual backup lights, wind-shield washer, dual speed wipers, wheel discs, plainfender skirts, outside rearview mirror, vanity mirror, oilfilter, power windows and 2-way power seats. Rubberizedfront and rear coil springs replaced the trouble prone airsuspension system. Four-barrel induction systems were

1964 Cadillac De Ville convertible

now the sole power choice and dual exhaust were nolonger available. A new short-decked four-door TownSedan hardtop appeared mid-season.A mild face lift characterized Cadillac styling trends for1962. A flatter grille with a thicker horizontal center barand more delicate cross-hatched insert appeared. Ribbedchrome trim panel, seen ahead of the front wheel hous-ings in 1961, were now replaced with cornering lampsand front fender model and series identification badgeswere eliminated. More massive front bumper end piecesappeared and housed rectangular parking lamps. At therear tail lamps were now housed in vertical nacelles de-signed with an angled peak at the center. A verticallyribbed rear beauty panel appeared on the deck lid latchpanel. Cadillac script also appeared on the lower leftside of the radiator grille. The short-deck hardtop TownSedan was moved from the De Ville series to the Series6200, being replaced by a short-deck Park Avenue.[6] Inaddition all short deck Cadillac models went from being6-window sedans in 1961 to 4-window sedans in 1962and 1963. Standard equipment included all of last year’sequipment plus remote controlled outside rearview mir-ror, five tubeless black wall tires, heater and defroster andfront cornering lamps. Cadillac refined the ride and quiet-ness, with more insulation in the floor and behind thefirewall.[7] De Ville sales as a separate series exceededtheir sales level as a trim level for the first time ever at71,883 units, or nearly 45% of Cadillac’s total sales.In overall terms 1963 Cadillac was essentially the sameas the previous year. Exterior changes imparted a bolderand longer look. Hoods and deck lids were redesigned.The front fenders projected 4.625 inches further forwardthan in 1962 while the tailfins were trimmed down some-what to provide a lower profile. Body-side sculpturingwas entirely eliminated. The slightly V-shaped radia-tor grille was taller and now incorporated outer exten-sions that swept below the flush-fender dual headlamps.Smaller circular front parking lamps were mounted inthose extensions. A De Ville signature script was incor-porated above the lower beltline molding near the rear ofthe body. A total of 143 options including bucket seats

4 4 1965–1970

with wool, leather, or nylon upholstery fabrics and woodveneer facings on dash, doors, and seatbacks, set an all-time record for interior appointment choices. Standardequipment was the same as the previous year. The en-gine was entirely changed, though the displacement andoutput 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 formeda V-shape along both its vertical and horizontal planes.The main horizontal grille bar was now carried aroundthe body sides. Outer grille extension panels again housedthe parking and cornering lamps. It was the 17th consec-utive year for the Cadillac tailfins with a new fine-bladedesign carrying on the tradition. Performance improve-ments including a larger V-8 were the dominant changesfor the model run. Equipment features were same as in1963 for the most part. Comfort Control, a completelyautomatic heating and air conditioning system controlledby a dial thermostat on the instrument panel, was intro-duced as an industry first. The engine was bumped to429 cu in (7 l), with 340 hp (253.5 kW) available. Per-formance gains from the new engine showed best in thelower range, at 20 to 50 mph traffic driving speeds. Anew technical feature was the Turbo-Hydramatic 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 DeVille convertible. De Ville sales reached 110,379 units,accounting for nearly two thirds of all Cadillacs sold.

4 1965–1970

1965 Cadillac De Ville convertible

As it had been since De Ville became a separate series,De Ville denoted Cadillac’s mainstream model, fallingbetween the Calais (which had replaced the Series 62)and the Sixty Special and Eldorado. The De Ville was re-designed for 1965 but rode on the same 129.5-inch (3,290mm) wheelbase. Tailfins were canted slightly downward,and sharp, distinct body lines replaced the rounded look.

1965 Cadillac Sedan De Ville

1966 Cadillac De Ville convertible

1967 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

Also new were a straight rear bumper and vertical lampclusters. The headlight pairs switched from horizontal tovertical, thus permitting a wider grille. Curved framelessside windows appeared, and convertibles acquired tem-pered glass backlights. New standard features includedlamps for luggage, glove and rear passenger compart-ments and front and rear safety belts. Power was stillsupplied by the 340 horsepower 429 cu in (7,030 cc)V8, which would be replaced by the 472 cu in (7,730 cc)for 1968. Perimeter frame construction allowed reposi-tioning the engine six inches forward in the frame, thuslowering the transmission hump and increasing interiorroom. Pillared sedans appeared on the De Ville seriesfor the first time, while six-window hardtop sedans weredropped. A padded vinyl roof was a $121 extra-cost op-

5

1968 Cadillac De Ville convertible

1969 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

1970 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

tion on the hardtop model. All four De Ville models hadsmall “Tiffany-like” script nameplates on the ends of theirrear fenders just above the chrome side molding.In 1966 changes included a somewhat coarser mesh forthe radiator grille insert, which was now divided by athick, bright metal horizontal center bar housing rectan-gular parking lamps at the outer ends. Separate rectan-gular side marker lamps replaced the integral grille ex-tension designs. There was generally less chrome on allCadillac models this year. De Ville scripts were stillabove the rear tip of the horizontal body rub moldings.Cadillac crests and V-shaped moldings, front and rear,were identifiers. Cadillac “firsts” this season includedvariable ratio steering and optional front seats with carbon

cloth heating pads built into the cushions and seatbacks.Comfort and convenience innovations were headrests, re-clining seats and an AM/FM stereo system. Automaticlevel control was available. Engineering improvementsmade to the perimeter frame increased ride and handlingease. Newly designed piston and oil rings and a new en-gine mounting system and patented quiet exhaust wereused.The 1967 De Villes were extensively restyled. Promi-nent styling features were given a powerful frontal ap-pearance with forward-leaning front end, long, sculpturedbody lines, and redefined rear fenders that had more thanjust a hint of tail fins in them. The full-width, forward-thrusted “eggcrate” grille was flanked by dual stackedheadlights for the third consecutive year. The squarercornered grille insert had blades that seemed to empha-size its vertical members and it appeared both above thebumper and through a horizontal slot cut into it. Rectan-gular parking lamps were built into the outer edges ofthe grille. Rear end styling revisions were highlightedby metal divided tail lamps and a painted lower bumpersection. Coupe de Villes got a new roofline, inspired bythe Florentine show car created for the 1964 New YorkWorld’s Fair, that gave rear seat passengers added pri-vacy. As on that show car, the quarter window glassretracted rearward into a sail panel. Minor trim varia-tions and slightly richer interiors separated De Ville fromCalais. Tiffany style chrome signature scripts were againfound above the body side molding on the rear fenders.New standard De Ville features included non-glare rear-view mirror, electric clock, Automatic Climate Controls,padded dashboard, Hazard Warning system, outboardseatbelt retractors and rear cigarette lighters in all styles.A slide-out fuse box and safety front seat back lock fortwo-door models were additional Cadillac advances forthe 1967 model year. Technical improvements includeda revised engine valve train, different carburetor, Mylarprinted 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 stepdown outer section which held the rectangular parkinglights just a little higher than before. Rear end styling wasmodestly altered with the deck lid having more of a rake.The most obvious change was an 8.5-inch-longer hooddesigned to accommodate recessed windshield wiper-washers, which now came with three speeds standard. Of20 exterior paint color combinations, 14 were totally new.On the inside enriched appointments included molded in-ner door panels with illuminated reflectors and a selectionof 147 upholstery combinations, 76 in cloth, 67 in leatherand four in vinyl. New standard features included a LightGroup, a Mirror Group, a trip odometer and an ignitionkey warning buzzer. The De Ville also gained a new 472cu in (7,730 cc) V8 engine rated at 375 hp (SAE gross).1968 was also the last year for the “stacked” dual head-lights, which were replaced with side-by-side dual head-lights in 1969. This was also the last year for vent win-

6 5 1971–1976

dows. Side marker lights in the rear bumper as well asfront fender were also added. Side mirror changed from around to rectangular shape. Also of note front disc brakeswere available starting in 1968.In 1969 De Ville was restyled in the Eldorado image. AnEldorado-like front fender treatment evolved and helpedto emphasize a stronger horizontal design line. Rear quar-ters were extended to give the car a longer look. Therewas an all new grille with dual horizontal headlamps posi-tioned in the outboard step down areas of the grille. Thehood was again extended, a total of 2.5 inches to addthe impression of extra length. The roofline was squarerand the rear deck and bumper more sculptured. A newventilation system eliminated the need for vent windows,which provided a longer sleeker look and improved visi-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 bladesset against a delicately cross-hatched rectangular opening.The bright metal headlamp surrounds were bordered withbody color to give it a more refined look. Narrow vertical“vee” tail lights were seen again, but now had additionalsmaller V-shaped bottom lenses pointing downward be-low the bumper. Wheel discs and winged crest fender tipemblems were new. Exterior distinctions came from aDe Ville script above the rear end of the belt molding andfrom the use of long rectangular back up light lenses setinto the lower bumper as opposed to the smaller squarelens used on the Calais. A new feature was a body colorborder around the edge of the vinyl top covering, whenthis option was ordered. 1970 was the last model year forpillared sedans until hardtops were permanently droppedin 1977. It was also the last year the De Ville ever offeredthe convertible body style. A total of 181,719 De Villeswere sold, accounting for 76% of all Cadillacs. Neveragain would Cadillac sales be dominated to such a degreeby a single model.

5 1971–1976

1971 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

As with all GM full-size lines, the De Ville was re-designed for 1971. The new GM full-size bodies, at64.3 inches front shoulder room (62.1 inches on Cadil-lac) and 63.4 inches rear shoulder room (64.0 inches on

1972 Sedan de Ville rear

1972 Sedan de Ville interior

1973 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

Cadillac) set a record for interior width that would notbe 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. TheV-shaped grille had an eggcrate style insert and was pro-tected by massive vertical guards framing a rectangularlicense plate indentation. A wide hood with full-lengthwindsplints, a prominent center crease and hidden wind-shield wipers was seen. A Cadillac crest decorated thenose and new indicator lamps appeared atop each frontfender. A horizontal beltline molding ran from behindthe front wheel housing, almost to the rear stopping wherean elliptical bulge in the body came to a point and wherethin rectangular side markers were placed above and be-

7

1973 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

1974 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

1975 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

1976 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

low the chrome strip. The rear wheel openings were againhoused in fender skirts. Tail lamps were of the same type

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 metalrocker panel steps and signature script on the front fendersbearing the series name. The bottoms of the rear fend-ers were decorated with a bright metal beauty panel thatwas wider than the rocker panel strips and blended intothe molding running along the bottom of the fender skirt.The standard engine remained the 472, still rated at 375SAE gross horsepower and 365 lb·ft (495 N·m) of torque.In November 1971, a showroom-stock 1971 Coupe deVille placed third in the annual coast-to-coast CannonballRun, posting the highest average speed of the event, 84.6mph (136.2 km/h) (excluding stops) and averaging 8.9mpg-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 weremoved from the bumper to between the square bezeledheadlamps, which were now set wider apart. V-shapedemblems 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 andflow through ventilation system. New De Ville signaturescript 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 carsin 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 lampsbetween wide spaced headlamps which had square bezelsbut round lenses. Bumpers ran fully across the front andwrapped around each end. Vertical guards were spacedmuch further apart at a point outboard of the grille. Therear end had a bumper with a flatter upper section housingan angled license plate recess. Border outline moldingsvertically “veed” paralleled the fender edge shape at therear bodysides. Single horizontally mounted rectangularrear side marker lamps were placed over and under therear tip of the thin beltline trim. Cadillac script was seenon the front fender sides below the belt molding behindthe wheel opening. This was the final year for hardtopCoupe de Villes, an irony since it was their introductionof 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 roundheadlamps were mounted close together in square bezels.Further outboard were double deck wraparound parkinglamps. Shorter vertical grille guards appeared in aboutthe 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 endhad vertical bumper ends with the tail light built in. Bothbumpers, especially the rear, protruded further from thebody. Coupe de Villes were no longer hardtops, insteadsporting large wide “coach” windows giving a thick cen-

8 6 1977–1984

ter pillar look. A new curved instrument panel housed adigital clock. New standard features included an integrallitter container. A Space Saver spare tire was standardwhen De Villes were ordered with optional white side-wall steel belted radial tires.1974 also saw the introduction of the optional "Air Cush-ion Restraint System". Known today as airbags, this op-tion provided protection for front seat occupants in thecase of a frontal collision. One bag was located in thesteering wheel, the other in the dashboard in front of thefront seat passenger. The glove box was replaced witha lockable storage compartment under the dashboard.The option was unpopular and was discontinued after the1976 model year.A new option package was a fully padded Cabriolet rooftreatment. It incorporated a landau-style top with brightmetal forward divider strip. Another new option packagewas the d'Elegance package. Similar to the Sixty SpecialBrougham’s package of the same name, it featured velourupholstery, Deluxe padded doors, front seatback stor-age pockets, deep pile carpeting, floor mats, see-throughstandup hood ornament and vinyl tape accent stripes. The“d'Elegance” name remained with the de Ville series asa package through 1984. In 1997 it became a separatemodel designation for the sedan.Styling changes for 1975 brought dual rectangular head-lamp lenses flanked by rectangular cornering lightswrapped around the body. A new cross hatched grillealso appeared. Sedan de Villes now featured slim trian-gular quarter windows that mimicked the coach windowsthat appeared on Coupe de Villes the previous year. Newstandard equipment included front fender lamp monitors,power door locks, high energy ignition, steel-belted radialtires. The 210 hp 500 V8 replaced the 472 as the stan-dard engine. Electronic fuel injection became optionalin March 1975. Another option was the Astroroof withsliding sunshade that permitted use as an electrically op-erated sunroof 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 trimwhile tail lamps gained a new bold look. Eight differentcolor accent stripes were available. Vinyl tops were nowintegral padded Elk grain material. New trims includedsporty plaids, plush velours, knits and 11 distinctive gen-uine leathers. Coupe de Villes had a new vinyl roof whosetop molding served as a continuation of the door “belt”molding. A Controlled (limited-slip) Differential was in-cluded for extra traction. An optional illuminated entryand theft deterrence system was optional. A new Free-dom battery never needed water. New turbine veined andwire wheel covers were offered. A new option locked thedoors when the transmission lever was shifted to “Drive”.Cadillac also offered Track Master, a computerized skidprevention system that automatically pumped the backbrakes in an emergency to shorten stopping distance.

New options included a push-button Weather Band builtinto the AM/FM stereo signal-seeking radio, loose pillowstyle seats for d'Elegance packages, plus power passen-ger and manual driver seatback recliners for 50/50 frontseats. Of the 15 standard and six optional Firemist bodycolors, 13 were new this year. New standard features in-cluded map light, Soft-Ray tinted glass, spare tire cover,washer fluid level indicator, and steel belted radial white-wall tires.

6 1977–1984

1977 was Cadillac’s 75th anniversary, and saw the intro-duction of the downsized De Ville coupes and sedans.These new cars featured a higher roofline, resulting in avehicle that was over nine inches shorter, four inches nar-rower, and 1/2 ton lighter than the previous year, but witha larger trunk and more headroom and legroom. Thesewere also the first De Villes ever to be marketed withoutfender skirts over the rear wheels. The 500 in3 V8 (whichproduced 190 horsepower) was replaced for 1977 by a180-horsepower 425 in3 V8 variant of similar design.

1977 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

1979 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

For 1977, the lineup included the two-door Coupe deVille ($9,654) and four-door Sedan de Ville ($9,864).The $650 d'Elegance package, an interior dress-up optioncarried over from the previous generation of De Villes,continued for both models. 3-sided, wrap-around taillamps were a 1977 feature only (although they would re-appear in 1987). Coupe de Ville’s popular “Cabriolet”option, priced at $348, included a rear-half padded vinylroof covering and opera lamps. An optional electronicfuel-injected version of the standard 7.0-liter powerplant,

9

1984 Cadillac Coupe de Ville rear

1979 interior

adding 15 horsepower (11 kW), was available for an addi-tional $647. Sales figures were 138,750 Coupe de Villesand 95,421 Sedan de Villes for an all-time sales record of234,171 De Villes sold.In addition to a redesigned grille and hood ornament,1978 saw slim, vertical tail lamps inset into chromebumper end caps with built-in side marker lamps (Cadil-lac would retain this “vertical tail lamp inset” design fea-ture on de Ville through 1984, and again from 1989through 1999). New for 1978, a “Phaeton” packagewas optional for De Ville. Available on both coupeand sedan, the $1,929 Phaeton package featured a sim-ulated convertible-top, special pin striping, wire wheeldiscs, and “Phaeton” name plates in place of the usual“Coupe de Ville” or “Sedan de Ville” ornament on therear fenders. Inside were leather upholstered seats anda leather-trimmed steering wheel matching the exteriorcolor. The package was available in “Cotillion White”(with Dark Blue roof), “Platinum Silver” (with a Blackroof), or “Arizona Beige” (with a Dark Brown roof).Coupe de Ville’s popular Cabriolet roof package waspriced at $369, while the d'Elegance package (for coupeor sedan) was available at $689. Electronic fuel injec-tion, which added 15 horsepower (11 kW), was availableat $744. Electronic level control - which used suspension-mounted sensors and air filled rear shocks - kept the cat’s

height level regardless of passengers and cargo weight,was available for $140. Sales dropped slightly from 1977to 117,750 for the $10,444 Coupe de Ville, and 88,951for Sedan de Ville, priced at $10,668.With bigger changes coming in 1980, the 1979 modelssaw few alterations, which included a new lightweightaluminum 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 threecolors, but with two new replacement colors: “WesternSaddle 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,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 350in3 LF9 diesel V8 (built by Oldsmobile) for $849. Coupede Ville’s cabriolet package, priced at $384, was avail-able in 17 colors. Production rose slightly to 121,890 forCoupe 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. TheCoupe de Ville now wore full, bright side window sur-round moldings, whereas the sedan had body-color doorframes with a thin chrome bead around the window open-ing (as used in 1977 - 1979). The chromed-plastic grilleheld a very diplomatic, Rolls-Royce inspired design, withthick vertical bars. The grille cast for 1980 was usedagain for the 1989 to 1992 Cadillac Brougham. Latein the 1980 model year, V6 power (in the form of a 4-bbl 252 CID engine manufactured by Buick) was offeredas a credit option. Cadillac had not offered an enginewith fewer than 8 cylinders since 1914. The standardengine for 1980 was a new 368 CID (6.0 L) V8. Un-like the pre-1980 models, the rear window glass for bothtwo- and four-door models was now the same, as the two-door models did away with the sporty slanted rear win-dow and adopted the formal vertical look shared with thesedans. Pricing for de Ville was $12,899 for the coupe;$13,282 for the sedan. Sales dropped miserably for the1980 model year, despite new sheetmetal and a multitudeof improvements. Coupe de Ville was down to 55,490(less than half of the 1979 figures), Sedan de Ville wasalso down by nearly half at 49,188. Oldsmobile’s 5.7-literdiesel V8 was still available at $924, as was the popularCabriolet option for Coupe de Ville at $350.1981’s biggest news was the introduction of Cadillac’smodulated-displacement 368 in3 V8-6-4 engine. Devel-oped by the Eaton Corporation - with design elementsthat had been tested for over 500,000 miles (800,000km) - allowed various engine computers to decide how

10 6 1977–1984

many cylinders were needed to power the cat for optimalfuel economy. The theory was 8 cylinders from a com-plete stop, 6 cylinders during usual driving, and just fourcylinders at cruising speed. The changes in cylinder op-eration were seamless, and most drivers did not detectany difference in operation. However, in some cases,reliability and component failure led to customer com-plaints. Cadillac defended its micro-processor controlledpowerplant, and even offered special extended warrantiesto customers. Also available was Oldsmobile's 5.7-literV-8 diesel engine. The 125 horsepower (93 kW) BuickV6, teamed with an automatic transmission, returned for1981 after a short initial offering in the spring of 1980.Coupe de Ville was priced at $13,450, while Sedan deVille, priced at $13,847, now had the unique option ofan available automatic seat belt system - the first offeredon a GM vehicle. With the automatic shoulder/lap beltsystem (only for the outboard front seat passengers), theshoulder point was moved from the upper B-pillar to theupper door glass frame, and the belt reel was moved fromthe floor onto the door itself, installed in the lower cor-ner. With this, you could theoretically leave the seat beltlatched at all times, and simply get in and out of the ve-hicle without having to unfasten the belt. The $150 op-tion (which would re-appear as standard equipment onthe 1990 - 1992 Brougham), was available only on V6-powered Sedan deVilles. TheV6 option itself was a $165credit over the standard V8 in De Ville. A new grille de-sign was made up of small squares, similar to the patternfrom 1979. The egg-crate 1981 grille cast was used againfor the 1987 and 1988 Cadillac Brougham models. Anew Electronic Climate Control panel did away with theslide lever and thumb wheel in favor of a digital displaywhich allowed the driver to set the interior temperatureto a single degree - from 65 to 85 (or “max” settings at60 and 90 degrees). Option groups included the $1,005d'Elegance package (available on both models), and theCabriolet package (for Coupe de Ville) at $363. Saleswere up slightly from 1980: 89,991 sedans versus 62,724coupes (figures include De Ville and Fleetwood models).Changes for 1982 were kept to a minimum, but stillincluded a new grille design (which was used through1986), revamped parking lamp / tail lamp ornamenta-tion, and a new standard wheel cover design. Cadillacintroduced a new aluminum-block 249-cubic-inch 4.1-liter HT series V8 engine to replace the V8-6-4. Thenew power plant featured a closed-loop digital fuel in-jection system, free-standing cast-iron cylinders withina cast-aluminum block, and was coupled with a 4-speedautomatic-overdrive transmission. Other engine optionsincluded 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 throughan illuminated thermometer mounted to the driver’s out-side mirror. With the new front-drive Cadillac Cimarrontaking over as Cadillac’s entry-level model, the $15,249Coupe de Ville was now a step-up. Sedan de Ville was

priced at $15,699. Sales totals for 1982 included 50,130coupes and 86,020 sedans (figures include De Ville andFleetwood models).For 1983, slight reworkings under the hood added 10horsepower (now rated at 135) to the standard 4.1-literpowerplant. Meanwhile, the Buick V6 credit-option wasdropped. The biggest visible change was hardly notice-able - while the grille design was a carry-over from theprevious year (and would be through 1986), the Cadil-lac script moved from the chrome header onto the grilleitself. Coupe de Ville’s popular Cabriolet roof packageadded $415 to its $15,970 sticker price. While both mod-els, including the $16,441 Sedan de Ville, could be or-dered with the $1,150 d'Elegance package. 1983 wassupposed to be the last year for the rear-drive De Ville, asnew front-drive models would take over for 1984. How-ever, numerous developmental delays caused De Ville tostay in rear-drive form for another year. Sales figureslooked healthy, with a total of 109,004 sedans and 65,670coupes (figures include De Ville and Fleetwood models).Because of a delay in production of the new front-driveDe Villes (which were now going to be 1985 models),1984 was a re-run for the rear-wheel-drive Coupe deVille ($17,140) and its four-door companion, the pop-ular Sedan de Ville ($17,625). It would also be the lasttime De Ville used the “V” emblem below the Cadillaccrest, as 1985 models and on would use the crest andwreath emblem - formerly a Fleetwood exclusive. Visi-ble changes included body-color side moldings, and gold-tone winged crests on the parking lamps up front and taillights in back. Hidden changes included a revised exhaustsystem with a revamped catalytic converter. The dieselV8 was now available at no additional charge. Whilethe optional d'Elegance package remained at $1,150, theCabriolet option for Coupe de Ville went up to $420. For1984, sales figures show a total four-door production of107,920 units, and an additional 50,840 two-door units(figures include deVille and Fleetwoodmodels). The newfront-drive 1985 Coupe de Ville and Sedan de Ville ar-rived in Cadillac showrooms during the Spring of 1984,about six months earlier than most new-cat introductions,so both the 1984 rear-drive and 1985 front-drive modelswere selling and being produced (due to separate assem-bly plants) at the same time for nearly half a year. Cadil-lac sold 45,330 units of the new 1985 front-drive modelsduring the 1984model year (35,940 four-doors and 9,390two-doors).Size comparison between 1974 and 1977 CadillacSedan de Ville

11

6.1 Engines

7 1985–1993

See also: First Generation Cadillac FleetwoodFor the 1985 model year, the de Ville switched to GM’s

1991 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

new FWD C-body platform. A Fleetwood sedan vari-ant was added to the mix at the start of production andshared the new front-wheel-drive platform and most di-mensions with the de Villes (the “Fleetwood Brougham”nomenclature remained on the rear-wheel-drive chassisthrough model year 1992). Production of the new C-body commenced December 1983 at the Orion AssemblyPlant in Orion Township, Michigan. A Fleetwood coupeversion of the new FWD C-body joined the lineup laterin the production run. The front cover of the brochureadvertised the new cars as the “Cadillac of Tomorrow”.These new models were significantly smaller externallyyet kept almost identical interior dimensions as their pre-decessors. This change also brought nearly the entireCadillac line of cars to front-wheel drive, leaving onlythe Fleetwood Brougham as the rear-wheel-drive hold-out. Cadillac’s HT-4100 V8 remained the standard en-gine, mounted transversely and coupled with a 440-T4automatic. Oldsmobile’s 4.3L V6 diesel was optional.Of GM’s front-drive C and H bodies, Cadillac was theonly line to offer a V8 engine. Other GM vehicles wereequipped with a Buick-derived 3.0 or 3.8 V6 engine, or -for 1985 only - Oldsmobile’s 4.3L V6 diesel powerplant.The 1985 de Ville was still available in sedan or coupeform. The d'Elegance package - an optional interiordress-up package featuring assist handles and button-tufted seating among other niceties - was no longer avail-

able on de Ville, but now offered solely on the Fleetwoodsedan. Thanks to an extended model year (starting April1984), sales of the downsized 1985 de Ville and Fleet-wood models reached nearly 200,000 units.For 1986, few changes marked the new de Ville’s secondyear in production. An anti-lock braking system, devel-oped by Teves, became available. The electrochromic in-side rear-view mirror was introduced. A factory-installedcellular 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 coveredstorage 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), andbumper rub strips changed from black to gray. Borrowedfrom the front-wheel-drive Fleetwood line, the narrowlower 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 appearanceof a smaller window opening. Inside, a more tailored lookwas applied to the seat trim. Coupe de Ville’s popularcabriolet option, featuring a padded vinyl covering overthe rear half of the roof, was priced at $698. Along withthe exterior changes made to 1986 de Villes, adding theCabriolet option made it difficult to distinguish a 1986Coupe de Ville from the 1986 Fleetwood Coupe. Pric-ing for the Coupe de Ville was $19,669, with Sedan deVille at $19,990. The transverse-mounted Cadillac 4.1-liter V-8 continued from the previous year, but with 5more horsepower.The 1986 Cadillac had: Type: 90-degree, overhead valveV-8. Aluminum block and cast iron heads. Displace-ment: 249 cu in (4.1 liters) Bore & stroke: 3.47 x 3.31in Compression ratio: 8.5:1 Brake horsepower: 135 hp(101 kW) at 4200 rpm Torque: 200 lbf·ft (270 N·m) at2200 rpm Five main bearings Hydraulic valve lifters TBIVIN Code: 8Introduced in 1986, Cadillac’s Touring Sedan and Tour-ing Coupe were based on the standard De Ville but in-cluded extras such as a subtle rear deck lid spoiler, body-color tail lamp bezels, front air dam with fog lamps, rearseat headrests, leather upholstery, and a performance en-hancement package among other features. The packagewas available for $2,880. In addition, the Touring Coupehad removable decorative louvers on the rear edge of theside opera windows.1987 saw a new front-end design including revised cor-nering lamps in front and one-piece composite headlampsflanked a trapezoid-shaped grille with a bold egg-cratetexture. Elongated fender caps were in back - upping theoverall length by an inch and a half, but much more dra-matic in appearance with new wrap-around tail lamps.This new 3-sided tail lamp style was inspired by a de-sign used on the 1977 de Ville. Unlike the new one-pieceheadlamps, the changes to the rear-end in 1987 had littleto do with engineering, but rather, feedback from Cadil-

12 7 1985–1993

lac’s customer base who felt the 1985-86 car looked tooshort. Although the 1987 revamp was still quite similar tothe 1986 model (so much in fact that it still used the pre-vious year’s deck lid), the design was more in-tune withthe 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 $2,880over De Ville’s base cost, also included aluminum wheelsmounted on 15-inch Goodyear Eagle GT tires. At theend of the 1988 model year, Cadillac discontinued theslow-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 minimumin anticipation of the redesigned de Ville and Fleetwoodmodels to come the following year. Tomitigate the nearly$2,000 price jump this year, several previously optionalitems were made standard equipment including tilt steer-ing column, telescopic steering wheel, power trunk re-lease, split-bench front seating, cruise control, and vari-able delay windshield wipers. Under the hood was a new155 hp 4.5 L V8 and heavy-duty battery. Pricing rose to$23,049 for Coupe de Ville, and $23,404 for Sedan deVille.Cadillac’s main competition in this time frame contin-ued to be Lincoln, which, alongside their successful TownCar, was now fielding an all-new front-wheel-drive Conti-nental (based on the Ford Taurus). The Continental wentinto production with a six-cylinder engine so as to be con-sidered a larger front-wheel-drive alternative to the AcuraLegend that appeared in 1986, with a front-wheel-driveplatform and a V6 engine.1989 introduced an extensive exterior redesign which in-cluded a longer 113.8-inch wheelbase for sedans. The155 hp (116 kW) 4.5-liter powerplant (introduced just ayear earlier), dashboard, and the front doors (on both thecoupe and sedan) were about the only items that carriedover — even the luggage compartment was over 2 cubicfeet (0.057 m3) larger than last year. The Coupe de Villeand Fleetwood coupe retained the previous year’s inte-rior, wheelbase, and doors—all cleverly hidden betweenthe new front and rear styling. A give-away to the previ-ous design is the rear shelf package on the 2-door mod-els. While the parcel shelf on the four-door models re-ceived a 'Mercedes-Benz inspired' storage compartmentwith lid, rear seat headrest panel, and a long 3-bulb hor-izontal brake lamp, the 2-door models still had the nar-row carpeted parcel shelf and pedestal brake lamp fromthe previous year. Of special note were the composite(plastic) front fenders that resisted parking-lot dings anddents, and weighed less than their steel counterparts. Pre-viously optional equipment that was made standard for1989 included electrically powered outside mirrors andthe AM/FM/cassette player stereo. New options intro-duced this year included a driver’s side airbag, the Bose

compact disc player, an electrically heated windshield,and a set of four reversible carpeted floor mats.

1990 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

For 1990, de Ville and Fleetwood lost their telescopicsteering column, but retained the tilt feature in exchangefor an airbag mounted onto the newly standard leather-trimmed steering wheel. Engine output was up an addi-tional 25 horsepower (19 kW) from sequential multi-portfuel injection. 1990 models also received GM’s PASSKey theft-deterrent system which used a coded electronicpellet embedded into the ignition key. Other new featuresfor 1990 included a non-illuminated vanity mirror on thedriver’s visor (a passenger side visormirror had been stan-dard equipment for decades now), door edge guards (pre-viously optional), “clam shell” front center armrest withstorage, and manual seat-back recliners for driver andpassenger. While Lincoln’s Continental did not fare wellagainst De Ville, a new sales threat—aimed directly atCadillac—came from the 1990 debut of Toyota's LexusLS400 and the Infiniti Q45 from Nissan. Additionally,the Acura Legend—Honda's high-end label—had beengaining momentum in the luxury market since its 1986introduction.In 1991, a 200 hp (150 kW) 4.9-liter V8—the largest ofthis type—became the new standard powerplant. Alsonew was a grille of an inverted trapezoid design (almostupside-down from last years egg-crate keystone design),and revised bumper and body-side moldings. The newgrille held the familiar shape of the Cadillac crest itself—a styling cue that continues to this day. The grille wasnow attached to the forward edge of the hood, and liftedup along with the hood when raised (similar to Mercedes-Benz). The secondary hood release latch was at the bot-tom of the grille instead of its previous location abovethe passenger side headlight. In addition to the new en-gine and minor front-end restyling, several previously op-tional features became standard this year, including theanti-lock braking system, accent striping, automatic doorlocks, twilight sentinel headlamp control, electrochromicinside rear-viewmirror, and electric rear window and sidemirror 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 visorswith shaded slide-out extensions, rear window lock-outswitch, brake / transmission interlock safety switch, andan oil life indicator through the fuel data center. Othernew features included the available remote keyless en-try system, and the optional illuminated mirrors now fea-tured a slide switch that offered variable intensity lighting.The first “Deville Touring Sedan” became available to thepublic on April 1st, 1991. As a limited edition of only1,500 produced for the 1991 model year,[11] it was of-fered in 5 monochromatic paint schemes: Carmine Red;Cotillion White; Black; Dark Slate Gray metallic; andBlack Sapphire Metallic. Larger 16” x 6.5” forged alu-minumwheels with a wreath and crest center cap were fit-ted to P215/60R16 Goodyear GA all-season radial tires.A quicker 17:1 steering gear was also used. The specificBeechwood-color interior of the De Ville Touring Sedanhad leather seating areas and revised seat design with in-tegral lumbar support. Both driver and passenger seatfeatured six-way power seat adjusters and power reclin-ers. This specific interior also featured American Walnutwood 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. Revisedsport door handles also are painted body color. The re-vised exterior also included a cloisonne deck lid lockcover similar to the STS and Eldorado Touring Coupe.Approximately 75 of these 1991models remain roadwor-thy as of December 31, 2014. [12][13][14]

1992 Cadillac Sedan de Ville

For 1992, the Touring Sedan continued as a limited edi-tion option. Besides the special features included in theinitial 1,500 models from 1991, it featured On Tour-ing Sedans, like other De Ville models, the “SymphonySound” stereo with cassette was standard, while the op-tional Delco/Bose music system was available with cas-sette or single-slot CD player. Introduced for 1992,speed-sensitive suspension and traction control (bothstandard on Touring Sedan when introduced in '91) wereavailable at extra cost on de Ville. Approximately 5,300Touring Sedans were produced for 1992. As of Decem-ber 31, 2014, about 268 remain roadworthy. [15][16][17]

1993 saw few changes, as a brand-new replacement was

coming for 1994. The previously optional speed-sensitivesuspension, “Computer Command Ride”, introduced lastyear became standard equipment, and now included anew speed-sensitive steering system as well. Minor trimchanges were made including black-out trim in the grille(used on the 1992 Touring Sedan), and removing thechrome strip from the glass divider on the sedan’s reardoors. 1993 would be the last year for the Coupe de Ville,which now came standard with the previously optional"Cabriolet" roof option (which covered the rear half ofthe roof in padded vinyl). Introduced as a prestige trimlevel of the Series 62 for the 1949 model year, Coupe deVille’s full-size 2-door body style had been declining insales for several years, and as a result, the 1994 designwent into production solely as a 4-door.

7.1 The final Coupe de Villes (1990–1993)

1989 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

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 lookof a convertible top, was included in the Spring Editionpackage (with 4,413 built), which also included perfo-rated leather seat inserts among other items. The mostpopular color for 1990 was Cotillion White, with 5,292manufactured, while the least chosen color was MediumDark Gray, which found its way onto 193 cars that year.While all these two-door models wore the standard white-wall Michelin tires, this would be the last year for plainwheel covers on Coupe de Ville (found on 2,788 cars thisyear), as next year would feature a standard styled alu-minum wheel (similar to the Fleetwood coupe). 479 two-door models were produced for export that year: 383 toCanada, 81 to Japan, and another 15 to Saudi Arabia.The 1990 Coupe de Ville was priced at $26,960, and theFleetwood coupe at $32,400.[18]

In 1991 Cadillac manufactured 10,057 Coupe de Villemodels, and an additional 597 Fleetwood coupes (of the597 Fleetwood coupes, only 248 were equipped withthe optional Custom Seating Package that included powerback rest recliners for the front seats, and a 2-positionMemory Seat function for the driver’s seat). All of thesecars were produced at GM’s Orion Assembly plant in

14 8 1994–1999

Michigan. The total for both models with optional leatherupholstery was 9,799 (with Dark Auburn being the leastchosen interior color—only 11 in leather and 2 in velourwere ever made). The most popular exterior color for1991 was Cotillion White, with 2,967 models; while theleast chosen color wasMedium Dark Gray, of which only58 were manufactured. Of the 10,057 Coupe de Villes,3,397 were Spring Editionmodels. The optional CabrioletRoof with opera lamps (standard equipment on the Fleet-wood coupe), which covered the rear-half of the roof inpadded vinyl, was equipped on 1,729 Coupe de Villes,while an additional 3,952 carried the $1,095 Phaeton sim-ulated convertible roof. The standard cassette stereo wasfound in nearly all models, while 1,122 opted for theBose sound system at extra cost (752 with cassette, 370with compact disc). Cadillac produced 164 of the 2-doormodels for export, including 126 to Canada, 23 to Japan,5 to the Gulf States, 3 to Puerto Rico and the U.S. VirginIslands, and the remaining seven to Europe. Pricing was$30,205 for Coupe de Ville, and $34,675 for Fleetwoodcoupe.[18]

For 1992, Cadillac manufactured 6,980 Coupe de Villemodels, and an additional 291 Fleetwood coupes (of the291 Fleetwood coupes, only 128 were equipped with theoptional Custom Seating Package, a $425 option that in-cluded power back rest recliners for the front seats, and atwo-position Memory Seat function for the driver’s seat).All of these cars were produced at GM’s Orion Assem-bly plant in Michigan. The most popular color for 1992was Cotillion White, with 1,879 models; while the leastchosen color was Mary Kay Pink, of which only one wasmanufactured. Of the 6,980 Coupe de Villes, 2,635 wereSpring Edition models. The Cabriolet Roof with operalamps (a $925 option, and standard equipment on theFleetwood coupe) which covered the rear-half of the roofin padded vinyl, was equipped on 3,572 Coupe de Villes,while an additional 3,319 carried the $1,095 Phaetonconvertible-look roof. Only 89 standard painted-roofCoupe de Villes were made for 1992. Cadillac produced144 of the two-door models for export, including 129 toCanada, and 15 to Japan. Pricing was $31,740 for Coupede Ville, and $36,360 for Fleetwood coupe.[18]

With the discontinuation of the Fleetwood coupe at theend of the 1992 model year, the 1993 Coupe de Villewas Cadillac’s last six-passenger two-door car. The pre-viously optional speed-sensitive suspension, “ComputerCommand Ride”, introduced last year became standardequipment, and now included a new speed-sensitive steer-ing system as well. Minor trim changes included black-out trim in the grille (as seen on the 1992 Touring Sedan).GM built 4,711 Coupe de Villes this year. The previ-ously optional Cabriolet roof became standard equipmentthis year, and appeared on 3,606 cars. The Phaeton roof,which re-created the dashing look of a convertible top(now just a $170 option since the Cabriolet roof was stan-dard equipment), was found on 1,105 cars. There wereno painted-roof Coupe de Villes this year. Again, the

most popular color for 1993 was Cotillion White, with1,147 manufactured, while the least chosen color wasDark Plum, which found its way onto 24 cars this year.The four wheel choices this year included the standard-design cast aluminum wheel on 2,012 cars, optional $235lace-design squeeze-case aluminum wheel on 1,766 cars,optional $235 locking wire wheel disc on 749 cars, andthe $1,195 chromed squeeze-case aluminum wheel on184 cars. Only 18 Coupe de Villes were ordered with theno-charge option of blackwall Michelin radial tires, theother 4,693 models wore the standard-equipment white-wall version. 3,036 had mono-tone paint, while the oth-ers held a lower body accent color, with the breakdownas follows: Silver, 1,130; Dark Red, 275; Gunmetal Gray,177; and Beige, 93. In total, 4,168 had the standard Sym-phony Sound system, while 543were ordered with the op-tional Bose stereo (310 with cassette, 233 with compactdisc). Nearly all Coupe de Villes had leather upholstery(themost popular color wasNeutral, with 1,236made), asonly 239 velour interior models were manufactured thisyear (the least chosen cloth color was Taupe, with only24 manufactured). No Coupe de Villes were producedfor export this year, and only 523 of the 4,711 built in-cluded California emission equipment. The base price ofthe 1993 Coupe de Ville was $33,915.[18]

The declining popularity of full-size coupés led to the dis-continuation of the Coupe de Ville at the end of the 1993model year. For 1994, the series comprised two four-door models: DeVille and DeVille Concours.

8 1994–1999

1997–1999 Cadillac DeVille

For 1994, the De Ville was redesigned to share the K-body platformwith the Seville. The body was redesigned,although the wheelbase remained 113.8 inches—ratherthan the 111 inches used on the Seville. Productionmoved to Hamtramck, Michigan.The DeVille Concours was available with the new 270hp (201 kW) LD8 Northstar V8, while lesser modelsretained the 4.9L L26 V8 until 1996. That year, thebase model took on the lower-output Northstar while theConcours moved up to the high-output L37 Northstar,with 300 hp (220 kW). The DeVille Concours replacedthe 1987–93 Cadillac Sixty Special. The Concours in-troduced continuously variable road sensing suspension

15

(CVRSS).The DeVille received a facelift for the 1997 model year,and added the d'Elegance trim line to replace the CadillacFleetwood. The name was shortened from Sedan de Villeto DeVille. New headlights and a new grille were added,the rear wheel skirts were removed, the interior was re-designed, and the black/chrome trim was replaced by adouble chrome trim in the base DeVille, chrome and goldtrim in the d'Elegance, and chrome and body colored trimin the Concours. The Concours received real-time damp-ing and Integrated Chassis Control System ICCS as stan-dard. The interior gained a new dashboard design thathid the passenger airbag seams and new door panels withfront side-airbags and the availability of OnStar system.Production of this generation ended in July 1999.

9 2000–2005

2003 Cadillac DeVille

The 2000 model year saw the first major redesign since1994; this generation marked the move from the K plat-form to the G platform; despite this move GM contin-ued to refer to it as the K platform.[20] Production startedin August 1999. The exterior was completely redesignedfeaturing a sportier, elegant andmore aerodynamic designwith a drag coefficient of 0.30. The revamped interiorfeatured completely new door panels and seats, while thedashboard and radio face only received minor facelifts.Cadillac Night Vision on the Deville was the firstworldwide series production automotive night vi-sion,[21] however it was discontinued in 2004.[22] Thissystem was developed with Raytheon and worked by us-ing an passive infrared sensor camera mounted behindthe vehicle’s grille. Infrared radiation is picked up by thesensor, processed by computer and then displayed on thewindshield using an automotive head-up display. In-formation is displayed as a black-and-white image withwarmer objects in white, while cooler objects appearblack.[23][24][25] Because this system outputs a standardNTSC composite video signal and the used parts aresomewhat easy and inexpensive to find, it has becomea popular choice for fitting thermal night vision to othervehicles.[26]

The 2000 DeVille was one of the first production cars tooffer LED tail lamps in automobiles, a feature now be-coming increasingly commonplace on luxury and familycars.The d'Elegance designation was replaced with the DeV-ille DHS (DeVille High Luxury Sedan), which added sev-eral cabin comfort options to include power rear windowsunshade and heated/massaging rear seats. The perfor-mance DeVille Concours was renamed the DeVille DTS(DeVille Touring Sedan), and was available with stabil-ity control, continuously variable road sensing suspension(CVRSS) with magnetorheological dampers, also calledMagneRide, and onboard navigation.This final version of the DeVille lasted through the re-design of 2000 and ended production in June 2005. Itwas replaced by the restyled and renamed DTS (standsfor DeVille Touring Sedan) for 2006.

10 2006

Main article: Cadillac DTS

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

11 References

[1] “Cadillac Terms and Definitions D - G”. Cadillac-database.net. Retrieved 2011-12-30.

[2] “Cadillac Terms and Definitions A - C”. Cadillac-database.net. Retrieved 2011-12-30.

[3] Kowalke, Ron (1997). Standard Catalog of AmericanCars 1946–1975. Krause publications. ISBN 0-87341-521-3.

[4] Gunnell, John (2005). Standard Catalog of Cadillac1903–2005. Krause publications. ISBN 0873492897.

[5] http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Cadillac/1959_Cadillac/1959_Cadillac_Comparison_Folder/1959%20Cadillac%20Comparison%20Folder-04.html

[6] Flory, J. “Kelly”, Jr. American Cars 1960–1972 (Jeffer-son, NC: McFarland & Coy, 2004), p.147.

[7] Flory, p.147.

[8] Flory, p.211.

16 12 EXTERNAL LINKS

[9] “Directory Index: Cadil-lac/1965_Cadillac/1965_Cadillac_Brochure_1”.Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2011-11-20.

[10] John Barach. “Cadillac history 1971”. 100megs-free4.com. Retrieved 2010-11-20.

[11] Orlando Sentinel - “Expert Reviews - 1991 Cadillac DeV-ille TS” by Richard Truett dated August 8, 1991

[12] Detroit Auto Show Press Release from Cadillac MotorCar 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 Cars1976–1999 3rd Edition (Iola, WI: Krause Publications,Inc 1999)

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

[20] Frame, Phil (16 January 1995). “GM H Cars move to GPlatform”. Automotive News. Archived from the originalon 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 passivenight-vision system — Autoblog”. Autoblog.com. Re-trieved 2009-12-08.

[23] Romans, Brent (1999-01-01). “Full Test: 2000 CadillacDeVille 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” (Pressrelease). GM. January 16, 2000.

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

12 External links• Coupé spelling by Cadillac 1

• Coupé spelling by Cadillac 2

• AutoGuideWiki.com

• Caddyinfo.com - Cadillac Discussion and TechnicalInformation

• Cadillac History - Cadillac History and detailedmodel information

• 1978–1979 Phaeton - 1978–1979 Cadillac Coupede Ville Phaeton

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, JohnFranklin 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.jpgLicense: 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 wasMaindrianPace 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

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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:JakeWerkmeister

• 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.jpgLicense: 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

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13.3 Content license• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0