Cadillac V-12

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Cadillac V-12
1931Cadillac370AcoupeV12.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Cadillac (General Motors)
Production1930–1937 [1] [2]
Assembly Detroit, Michigan, United States [1] [2]
Designer Harley Earl
Body and chassis
Class Full-size luxury car
Body style 2-door convertible [1] [2]
4-door convertible [1] [2]
2-door coupe [1] [2]
4-door sedan [1] [2]
4-door town car [1] [2]
4-door limousine [1] [2]
Layout FR layout [1] [2]
Platform D-body
Powertrain
Engine 368 cu in (6.0 L) Cadillac [1] [2] V12
Transmission 3-speed synchromesh [1] [2] manual

The Cadillac V-12 is an exclusive V-12 powered luxury car that was manufactured by Cadillac from the 1930 through the 1937. Below only the maker's top-of-the-line Cadillac V-16 line, these were powered by the Cadillac V12 engine, furnished with similar custom bodies, and built in relatively small numbers. A total of 10,903 were made in the seven model years that the automobile was built, with the majority having been constructed in its inaugural year. [1] It was Cadillac's first, and is to date, Cadillac's only standard production V-12 automobile. [2]

Contents

Origin

Cadillac V-12 engine 1931Cadillac370AcoupeV12-engine.jpg
Cadillac V-12 engine

In the mid to late 1920s a number of luxury car manufacturers began work developing extravagant V-configuration engines, with more cylinders delivering more and smoother power than the then upper-end straight-8 and V-8 engines being produced. Not to be outdone, Cadillac began work on an engine to top all others, a V-16, and a V-12 derived from it to place the company on equal footing with the few manufacturers producing one. Larry Fisher, Cadillac General Manager, leaked to the press information about the V-12, hoping to keep the V-16 a secret. [3]

Owen Nacker, who designed the 45-degree overhead valve Cadillac V-16 engine, also designed the V-12 derived from it. The latter was essentially a truncated V-16, which retained the V-16's 4" stroke but was bored out to 3.125" from 3". The 45-degree bank angle was less ideal than a 60 degree design.[ clarify ] The V-12 was less powerful than the V-16, generating 135 versus 175 horsepower. [1] [2] Both engines featured overhead valves in the first generation.

Series 370 (1931–1935)

1931 Cadillac Series 370A hood ornament 1931Cadillac370AcoupeV12-hoodornament.jpg
1931 Cadillac Series 370A hood ornament
Series 370
Cadillac%3F (5482375671).jpg
Overview
Model years 1931–1935 [1] [2]
Body and chassis
Related Cadillac Series 452
Cadillac Series 355
Dimensions
Wheelbase 1931: 140.0 in (3,556 mm) [1] [2]
143.0 in (3,632 mm) [1] [2]
1932–33: 134.0 in (3,404 mm) [1] [2]
140.0 in (3,556 mm) [1] [2]
1934–35: 146.0 in (3,708 mm) [1] [2]
Commercial:
1931: 152.0 in (3,861 mm) [1] [2]
1932–33: 156.0 in (3,962 mm)
Length1931: 209.0 in (5,309 mm)
1932–33: 207.0 in (5,258 mm) and 213.0 in (5,410 mm)
1934–35: 216.0 in (5,486 mm)
Width1931: 73.6 in (1,869 mm)
1932–35: 77.0 in (1,956 mm)
Height1931: 72.5 in (1,842 mm)
1932–33: 71.5 in (1,816 mm)
1934–35: 69.5 in (1,765 mm)
Curb weight 5,200–6,200 lb (2,400–2,800 kg)

The 1931 Model 370A V-12 was introduced in October 1930. A V-12 roadster was used as the pace car at the Indianapolis 500. The Cadillac V-12 had a shorter wheelbase than the Cadillac V-16, with a choice of 140 in (3,556 mm) or 143 in (3,632 mm), compared to the V-16's 148 in (3,759 mm), but it offered a similar choice of Fisher and Fleetwood semi-custom bodies. It was difficult to tell a Cadillac V-12 from a Cadillac V-16 unless you were close enough to read the figure "12" mounted on the headlight tie bar, but the hood was four inches (102 mm) shorter, and the headlights and horns smaller than a V-16's. More significantly, the V-12 cost about $2,000 less for each bodystyle, starting at $3,795 ($67,621 in 2021 dollars [4] ). The Cadillac V-12 might have been lower in prestige than the Cadillac V-16, but it joined a select group of 1930s cars with multicylinder engines, namely those manufactured by Auburn, Franklin, Hispano-Suiza, Horch, Lagonda, Maybach, Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Rolls-Royce, Tatra, Voisin, Walter, Marmon and Lincoln. Moreover, thanks to its lower price, it immediately outsold the Cadillac V-16 with 5,733 sold in the 1931 model year, versus a mere 363 for the V-16. [1] [2]

The appearance of the 1932 Series 370B benefited from a radiator shell that flared on the top, more flaring fenders and curved running boards. Mechanical changes included a stiffer frame, and a Cuno self-cleaning oil filter mounted at the right hand side of the clutch housing. Dual Detroit Lubricator carburetors were used in place of the Cadillac/Johnson carburetors that had been standard equipment on Cadillacs for 20 years. Largely thanks to the deepening Great Depression sales plunged to 1740 units. [1] [2]

Styling changes to the 1933 Series 370C included a V-shaped grill that blended into the painted radiator shell, a radiator cap hidden under the hood, and skirts on the front and rear fenders for a more streamlined look. Fisher no-draft individually controlled vent windows were a new standard feature. Sales fell further to 953 cars. [1] [2]

The 1934 Series 370D was restyled yet again but this time was mounted on a completely new chassis. The radiator grill slanted rearward with a central bar and five horizontal sections, the windshield sloped even more rearward, headlights were enclosed in new teardrop housings mounted on streamlined supports, the horns joined the radiator cap under the hood, the spare tire was concealed under a new beaver tail deck on most models and the whole car sat approximately 2 inches (51 mm) lower. Significant mechanical advancements included dual X-frame chassis construction, "Knee-Action" front coil spring suspension that greatly reduced unsprung weight and Hotchkiss steering. The 1935 Series 370E saw the addition of the Fisher Turret Top on Fisher bodied cars and an increase in horsepower to 150. Sales over the two years combined totaled only 1098. [1] [2]

Series 80/85 (1936–1937)

Series 80/85
1935 Cadillac V12 Aero Coupe (7704096578).jpg
Overview
Model years 1936–1937 [1] [2]
Body and chassis
Platform Series 80: C-body
Series 85: D-body
RelatedSeries 80:
Cadillac Series 70
Buick Roadmaster

Series 85:
Cadillac Series 90
Cadillac Series 75
Buick Limited
Dimensions
Wheelbase Series 80: 131.0 in (3,327 mm) [1] [2]
Series 85: 138.0 in (3,505 mm) [1] [2]
Commercial: 156.0 in (3,962 mm) [1] [2]
LengthSeries 80: 206.3 in (5,240 mm) [1] [2]
1936 Series 85: 213.5 in (5,420 mm) [1] [2]
1937 Series 85: 215.9 in (5,480 mm) [1] [2]
Width74.4 in (1,890 mm)
Height69.5 in (1,770 mm) [1] [2]
Curb weight 4,900–5,500 lb (2,200–2,500 kg)
Cadillac Series 85 Aero Coupe back 1935 Cadillac V12 Aero Coupe back (7704093740).jpg
Cadillac Series 85 Aero Coupe back

The Cadillac V-12 was renamed the Series 80 and 85 in 1936. The Series 80 and 85 featured a 131" and 138" wheelbase respectively. All V-12s were then Fleetwood bodied and had Turret Tops. A total of 901 V-12s were sold in 1936. [1] [2]

In 1937 the Series 80 was dropped leaving only the long wheelbase Series 85. The only significant mechanical changes were the adoption of an oil-bath air cleaner and a pressure radiator cap. Sales were only 478. [1] [2] The Series 85 was discontinued at the end of 1937. [1]

Later developments

As part of the General Motors V-Future program, Cadillac had an overhead cam V-12 slated for production in the late 1960s. [5] The program led to a fiberglass mockup of a V-12 powered Eldorado coupe that remained hidden from public view until an article appeared in Special Interest Autos in 1984. [6]

Reports of new V-12 developments reappeared in the late 1980s. [7] Cadillac showed the fully working Cadillac Solitaire concept in 1989, [8] equipped with a Lotus-designed 6.6 liter DOHC 48-valve V-12 with multiport fuel injection. [9]

A Northstar-based V-12 was featured in the Cadillac Cien concept car of 2001, and tested by Cadillac engineers as an engine for a Cadillac Escalade with somewhat improved performance. [10] An AutoWeek report in 2007 claimed a V-12 in the design phase was to be based on the High Feature V6. [11]

The Cadillac Sixteen concept utilized an all-aluminium pushrod V-16 engine based on the same architecture as GM's then-current small-block V-8 developments. [12] [13] A production version with a base V-8 and the option of the V-12 engine was planned, but was never approved for production and was ultimately shelved around 2008. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac</span> Division of the U.S.-based General Motors

The Cadillac Motor Car Division is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed in 34 additional markets worldwide. Cadillac automobiles are at the top of the luxury field within the United States. In 2019, Cadillac sold 390,458 vehicles worldwide, a record for the brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Escalade</span> Full-size luxury SUVs made by General Motors

The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury SUV engineered and manufactured by General Motors. It was Cadillac's first major entry into the SUV market. The Escalade was introduced for the 1999 model year in response to competition from the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Range Rover and Lexus LX as well as Ford's 1998 release of the Lincoln Navigator. The Escalade project went into production only ten months after it was approved. The Escalade is built in Arlington, Texas. The word "escalade" refers to a siege warfare tactic of scaling defensive walls or ramparts with the aid of ladders or siege towers. More generally, it is a French word which is the noun-equivalent form of the French verb escalader, which means "to climb or scale".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaSalle (automobile)</span> Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer

LaSalle was an American brand of luxury automobiles manufactured and marketed, as a separate brand, by General Motors' Cadillac division from 1927 through 1940. Alfred P. Sloan, GM's Chairman of the Board, developed the concept for four new GM marques - LaSalle, Marquette, Viking and Pontiac - paired with already established brands to fill price gaps he perceived in the General Motors product portfolio. Sloan created LaSalle as a companion marque for Cadillac. LaSalle automobiles were manufactured by Cadillac, but were priced lower than Cadillac-branded automobiles, were shorter, and were marketed as the second-most prestigious marque in the General Motors portfolio. LaSalles were titled as LaSalles, and not as Cadillacs. Like Cadillac — named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac — the LaSalle brand name was based on that of another French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac V-16</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac V-16 was Cadillac's top-of-the-line model from its January 1930 launch until 1940. The V16 powered car was a first in the United States, both extremely expensive and exclusive, with every chassis being custom-finished to order. Only 4,076 were constructed in its 11-year run, with the majority built in its debut year before the Great Depression took strong hold. The onset of World War II reduced the sales, resulting in its demise. It was, however, at least thrice cheaper than Bugatti Royale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Navigator</span> Full-size luxury SUV

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Blackwood</span> Motor vehicle

The Lincoln Blackwood is a luxury pickup truck that was marketed by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company for the 2002 model year. The first pickup truck marketed by Lincoln, the Blackwood was derived from the Ford F-150 SuperCrew and the Lincoln Navigator. Drawing its name from its simulated black woodgrain cargo box, the Blackwood was offered solely with a black-painted exterior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac V8 engine</span> Motor vehicle engine

The term Cadillac V8 may refer to any of a number of V8 engines produced by the Cadillac Division of General Motors since it pioneered the first such mass-produced engine in 1914.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Roadmaster</span> Automobile

The Buick Roadmaster is an automobile that was built by Buick from 1936 until 1942, from 1946 until 1958, and then again from 1991 until 1996. Roadmasters produced between 1936 and 1958 were built on Buick's longest non-limousine wheelbase and shared their basic structure with the entry-level Cadillac Series 65, the Buick Limited, and after 1940, the Oldsmobile 98. Between 1946 and 1957 the Roadmaster served as Buick's flagship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac V16 engine</span> Motor vehicle engine

The Cadillac V16 engine is a term that applies to two different Cadillac-designed V-16 automobile engines, an overhead valve 45-degree 452 cu in (7.4 L) model produced between 1930 and 1937, and a 135-degree side valve 431 cu in (7.1 L) between 1938 and 1940. Both were used in its most luxurious model line, the Cadillac V-16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Fleetwood</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac Fleetwood is a model of luxury car that was manufactured by the Cadillac division of General Motors between 1976 and 1996. The "Fleetwood" name was previously used as a prefix on several of Cadillac's models dating back to 1935. Four-door Fleetwoods generally had longer wheelbases than Cadillac's more common Series 62 and DeVille models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Limited</span> Line of upscale cars

The Buick Limited was Buick's flagship model line between 1936 and 1942, and, in celebration of GM's Fiftieth Anniversary, a single-year halo car for the Division in model year 1958. Since the 1960s Buick has intermittently used the term "Limited" as a designation denoting its highest level of trim and standard features in its various model ranges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Sixty Special</span> Motor vehicle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Series 70</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac Series 70 is a full-size V8-powered series of cars that were produced by Cadillac from the 1930s to the 1980s. It replaced the 1935 355E as the company's mainstream car just as the much less expensive Series 60 was introduced. The Series 72 and 67 were similar to the Series 75 but the 72 and 67 were produced on a slightly shorter and longer wheelbase respectively. The Series 72 was only produced in 1940 and the Series 67 was only produced in 1941 and 1942. For much of the postwar era, it was the top-of-the-line Cadillac, and was Cadillac's factory-built limousine offering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Series 61</span> Motor vehicle

The Cadillac Series 61 was Cadillac's mainstream product model range. It was priced and equipped more modestly below the limousine, GM D platform Cadillac Series 85, Cadillac Series 90, Cadillac Series 72, Cadillac Series 67, and Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75. It was upgraded to the Series 62 in 1940 only to return to production in model year 1941, replacing the cancelled LaSalle Series 50. While production was suspended from model years 1943–1945 due to World War II, it remained as the junior level product line until 1951. The size, equipment list and quality level were the most popular with buyers who wanted a prestigious luxury car that was usually driven by the owner, while the longer cars were chauffeur driven. It combined the most popular features of the previous Series 60 and Series 65 and was priced at the same level as Buick products of the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Runabout and Tonneau</span>

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The Cadillac V-63 is a large luxury automobile that was introduced in September 1923 by Cadillac as a 1924 model, replacing the previous Type 61. It used the GM C platform and was replaced by the Cadillac Series 355 in 1931. It retained the name Cadillac V8 introduced with the previous generation Cadillac Type 51.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Motors companion make program</span> Automotive marques

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Series 355</span> Motor vehicle

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