Cadillac V-16

Last updated
Cadillac V-16
Cadillac V-16 Roadster 1930.jpg
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster
Overview
Manufacturer Cadillac (General Motors)
Production1930–1940
Assembly Detroit, Michigan [1] [2]
Designer Harley Earl
Body and chassis
Class Ultra-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 Cadillac V16 engine
Transmission 3-speed synchromesh manual [1] [2]

The Cadillac V-16 (also known as the Cadillac Sixteen) 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 (6 made).

Contents

Genesis

In 1926, Cadillac began the development of a new, "multi-cylinder" car. A customer requirement was seen for a car powered by an engine simultaneously more powerful and smoother than any other available. Development proceeded in great secrecy over the next few years; a number of prototype cars were built and tested as the new engine was developed, while at the same time Cadillac chief Larry Fisher and GM's stylist Harley Earl toured Europe in search of inspiration from Europe's finest coachbuilders. Unlike many builders of luxury cars, who sold bare chassis to be clothed by outside coachbuilding firms, General Motors had purchased the coachbuilders Fleetwood Metal Body and Fisher Body to keep all the business in-house. Cadillac rolling stock chassis could be purchased if a buyer insisted, but the intention was that few would need to do so. One Cadillac dealer in England, namely Lendrum & Hartman, ordered at least two such chassis in even rarer right hand drive (RHD) configuration and had Vanden Plas (Belgium) build first an elegant limousine-landaulet (engine #702297), then a sports sedan with unusual cycle fenders and retractable step plates in lieu of running boards (engine #702298, which was successfully shown in various Concours d'Elegance events in Europe before being bought by the young Nawab of Bahawalpur); both these cars have survived. A third RHD chassis was ordered by the Indian Maharaja of Orchha (Bhopal) and sent to Farina in Italy, in July 1931, for a boat tail body (engine between #703136 and #703152). [3]

It was not until after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that Cadillac announced to the world the availability of the costliest Cadillac yet, the new V-16 Series 452. The new vehicle was first displayed at New York City's automobile show on January 4, 1930. Despite the bad timing and high retail price, and although sales would later drop off considerably, the launch "exceeded Cadillac’s fondest aspirations." [4]

19301937

Generation 1 (Series 452 and 90)
1930 Cadillac V-16 Dual Cowl Sports Phaeton (8700145197).jpg
1930 Cadillac V-16 Dual Cowl Sports Phaeton
Overview
Model years 1930–1937
Body and chassis
Platform Series 90: D-body
Related Cadillac Series 370/85
Cadillac Series 355
Cadillac Series 75
Powertrain
Engine 452 cu in (7.4 L) Cadillac V16
Dimensions
Wheelbase 1930–31: 148.0 in (3,759 mm) [1] [2]
1932–33: 143.0 in (3,632 mm) and 149.0 in (3,785 mm) [1] [2]
1934–37: 154.0 in (3,912 mm) [1] [2]
Length1930–31: 222.5 in (5,652 mm) [1] [2]
1932–33: 216.0 in (5,486 mm) and 222.0 in (5,639 mm) [1] [2]
1934–35: 240.0 in (6,096 mm) [1]
1936–37: 238.0 in (6,045 mm) [1] [2]
Width1931: 73.6 in (1,869 mm)
1932–35: 77.0 in (1,956 mm)
1936–37: 74.4 in (1,890 mm)
Height1931: 72.5 in (1,842 mm)
1932–33: 71.5 in (1,816 mm)
1934–37: 69.5 in (1,765 mm)
Curb weight 5,300–6,600 lb (2,400–3,000 kg)

The Cadillac V-16 was distinguished by its pioneering V-16 engine, a narrow 45° V angle OHV Series 452 displacing 452 cu in (7.4 L).

Upon its introduction the new car attracted rave reviews from the press and huge public attention. January production averaged a couple of cars per day, then ramped up to twenty-two. By April, 1,000 units had been built, and by June, 2,000 cars. These could be ordered with a wide variety of bodywork. The Fleetwood catalog for the 1930 V-16 included 10 basic body styles; there was also an envelope containing some 30 additional designer's drawings. Research by the Cadillac-La Salle Club, Inc. puts at 70 the number of different job/style numbers built by Fisher and Fleetwood on the Sixteen chassis.

Beginning in June 1930, five new V-16s participated in a promotional tour of major European cities including Paris, Antwerp, Brussels, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin, Cologne, Dresden, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Nuremberg, Vienna (where they won prizes), Berne, Geneva, Lausanne, Zürich, Madrid, San Sebastian, La Baule and Angers. On the return journey from Spain, the V16 caravan stopped also in the town of Cadillac, in south-western France, although that city bears no relationship to the marque, other than its name.

After the peak in V-16 orders in mid-1930, production fell precipitously. During October 1930, only 54 cars were built. The lowest figures for the 452/452A cars of 1930–31 were August 1931 (seven units) and November 1931 (six units). Minimum production continued throughout the rest of the decade with a mere 50 units being built both in 1935 and in 1937. 1940 was only marginally better with a total of 51 units. Not surprisingly, Cadillac later estimated that they lost money on every single V-16 they sold. The 1930 Town Brougham was listed at US$9,200 ($149,234 in 2021 dollars [5] ). [1]

Production of the original V-16 continued under various model names through 1937. The body was redesigned in 1933 as the model 452C. Innovations included Fisher no draft individually controlled ventilation (I.C.V. or vent windows).

For 1934, the body was redesigned again and denoted as 452D, and as 452E in 1935. The V-16 now featured the Fisher Turret Top all-steel roof, though the cars were still built by Fleetwood. This same basic design would remain virtually unchanged through 1937. With a wheelbase of 154.0 inches (3,912 mm) and a curb weight of up to 6,600 pounds (3,000 kg) these are perhaps the largest standard production cars ever produced in the United States. Combined production for the 1934 and 1935 model years was 150. It was redesignated the Series 90 in 1936 as Cadillac reorganized their model names. Fifty-two units were sold that year, with nearly half ordered as limousines. Hydraulic brakes were added for 1937, the last year of production. Fifty vehicles were produced.

1937 Cadillac V16 Hartman Cabriolet

In 1937 Cadillac built fifty of their most expensive Series 90 V-16 chassis, and all but two were bodied in-house by Fleetwood. This chassis was delivered to Lausanne, Switzerland, to be bodied by Carrosserie Willy Hartmann per an order by local resident Philippe Barraud, a wealthy paper mill heir and playboy of the 1930s. Barraud wanted an outrageous, bespoke automobile to suit his stylish lifestyle. Stretching 22 feet in length, the car was designed in the sweeping cabriolet style of the Delahaye built by Figoni & Falaschi for the 1936 Paris Auto Salon.

Production / Sales

1930 2,500
1931 750
1932 300
1935 to 1937: 49 each year [4]


19381940

1940 Cadillac Series 90 coupe '40 Cadillac Fleetwood (Auto classique VAQ St-Lambert '12).jpg
1940 Cadillac Series 90 coupe
Generation 2 (Series 90)
1940 Cadillac 90.JPG
1940 Cadillac Series 90 Town Car by Fleetwood
Overview
Model years 1938–1940
Body and chassis
Platform D-body
Related Cadillac Series 75
Buick Limited
Powertrain
Engine 431 cu in (7.1 L) Cadillac V16
Dimensions
Wheelbase 141.0 in (3,581 mm)
Length255.6875 in (6,494 mm) [1]
Width77.6 in (1,971 mm)
Height69.6 in (1,768 mm)
Curb weight 5,200–5,700 lb (2,400–2,600 kg)

The V-16 "Series 90" and V-12 "Series 80 and 85", were essentially merged for 1938 with the introduction of the new L-head V-16. The 431 cu in (7.1 L) engine was an in-block valve (i.e. flathead) design, and featured a wider 135° V-angle, twin carburetors, twin fuel pumps, twin distributors, twin water pumps, and a nine main bearing crankshaft (compared to the OHV V-16's five bearing crank) and produced the same 185 hp (138 kW) as later versions of the original V-16. This engine was nearly silent at idle and exceptionally smooth in operation. The wheelbase was reduced to 141.0 in (3,581 mm), the body remained 222.0 in (5,639 mm) in overall length. The "Sixteens" (as Cadillac referred to them) were basically series 75 cars with the new V-16 engine although they differed from the firewall forward from the V-8 cars and had several other trim differences. The instrument panels were identical to and changed yearly with the V-8 cars from 1938 to 1940. Only the '38 Sixteens had a horn button which had "Sixteen" in art deco script; the '39 and '40 models, like the V-8, had the Cadillac crest on the button. 315 were sold in the first year, 138 in the next. The production of the 1940 models ended in December 1939. The most expensive model documented was the 1940 Series 90 Town Car by Fleetwood at US$7,175 ($139,775 in 2021 dollars [5] ) using a 141 in (3,581 mm) wheelbase. [1]

Today

The Cadillac V-16 is today recognized as one of the finest automobiles of the prewar era by many authorities. The Classic Car Club of America rates all V-16s as CCCA Full Classics, a rating reserved for only the finest automobiles of the 19251948 period.

Concept car

In 2003, Cadillac created a concept car called the Sixteen, which used a 13.6 litre V-16 engine that developed 1,000 bhp (746 kW; 1,014 PS). Even though it used the current "A&S" (Art & Science) style of design that is Cadillac's stylistic hallmark, it shared many small details from the classic V-16. The Sixteen is also known to have the steering wheel logo carved out of solid crystal and a Bulgari clock. [3]

See also

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 Eldorado</span> American personal luxury car

The Cadillac Eldorado is a luxury car manufactured and marketed by Cadillac from 1952 until 2002 over twelve generations.

<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">Chrysler Royal</span> Motor vehicle

The Royal was a full-sized automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation in the United States. It was firstly released in 1933 and continued being built until 1934. Then, the model ended production and did not returned until 1937 - continuing until 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrysler Imperial</span> Motor vehicle

The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was Chrysler's top-of-the-line vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, after which it became a standalone brand; and again from 1990 to 1993. The company positioned the cars as a prestige marque to rival Cadillac, Continental, Lincoln, Duesenberg, Pierce Arrow, Cord, and Packard. According to Antique Automobile, "The adjective ‘imperial’ according to Webster's Dictionary means sovereign, supreme, superior or of unusual size or excellence. The word imperial thus justly befits Chrysler's highest priced model."

<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

The Cadillac Sixty Special is a name used by Cadillac to denote a special model since the 1938 Harley Earl–Bill Mitchell–designed extended wheelbase derivative of the Series 60, often referred to as the Fleetwood Sixty Special. The Sixty Special designation was reserved for some of Cadillac's most luxurious vehicles. It was offered as a four-door sedan and briefly as a four-door hardtop. This exclusivity was reflected in the introduction of the exclusive Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham d'Elegance in 1973 and the Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham Talisman in 1974, and it was offered as one trim package below the Series 70 limousine. The Sixty Special name was temporarily retired in 1976 but returned again in 1987 and continued through 1993.

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

The Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham was a luxury car manufactured by Cadillac from 1977 through 1986. In 1987, the Fleetwood Brougham name was shortened to simply Brougham, with production continuing through 1992 with only minor updates.

<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 Runabout and Tonneau</span>

The first Cadillac automobiles were the 1903 Model built in the last quarter of 1902. These were 2-seater "horseless carriages" powered by a reliable and sturdy 10 hp (7 kW) single-cylinder engine developed by Henry Martyn Leland and built by Leland and Faulconer Manufacturing Company of Detroit, of which Henry Leland was founder, vice-president and general manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Type 51</span> Car model

The Cadillac V8, introduced as the Type 51, is a large, luxurious automobile that was introduced in September 1914 by Cadillac as a 1915 model. It was Cadillac's first V8 automobile, replacing the four-cylinder Model 30, and used the all new GM A platform for the entire series shared with all GM division brands using a 122 in (3,099 mm) wheelbase, while a 145 in (3,683 mm) chassis was offered separately to be used for custom coachwork. The Types 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61 were introduced every year through 1923 with yearly improvements until an all new platform was substantially updated and introduced as the V-63 using the business philosophy called planned obsolescence. It was built at the Cass Street and Amsterdam Avenue factory in Detroit, with the coachwork provided by Fisher Body. The chassis could be purchased separately and sent to the clients choice of coachbuilder optionally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Type V-63</span> Motor vehicle

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.

Detroit Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Detroit, Michigan on Clark Street, south of Michigan Avenue. It began operations in 1921 and Cadillac bodies were supplied by Fleetwood Metal Body in 1921 after Fisher Body assumed operations. It was the second location that built Cadillacs, when Cadillac originally started out as the Henry Ford Company which was located at the intersection of Cass Avenue and Amsterdam Street. Engine block and cylinder heads were cast at Saginaw Metal Casting Operations then assembled at Tonawanda Engine before delivery to Detroit Assembly for installation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln K series</span> Car model

The Lincoln K series is a luxury vehicle that was produced by the Lincoln Motor Company. The second motor line produced by the company, the Model K was developed from the Model L, including a modernized chassis on a longer wheelbase. In 1931, Lincoln introduced a V-12 engine, becoming a feature of the company for nearly 20 years.

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

The Cadillac Series 355 was a V8-powered luxury car manufactured by Cadillac from 1931 until 1935. It was offered as a 2-door club coupe, 2-door convertible, 4-door convertible, 4-door sedan, 4-door town car, and 4-door limousine. It provided a range of Cadillac below the maker's larger V-12 and V-16 lines. It was succeeded by the Cadillac Series 70/75.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac V-12</span> Motor vehicle

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. It was Cadillac's first, and is to date, Cadillac's only standard production V-12 automobile.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Kimes, Beverly (1996). Standard catalog of American Cars 1805–1942. Krause publications. pp. 201–246. ISBN   0-87341-428-4.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Gunnell, John (2005). Standard Catalog of Cadillac 1903–2005. Krause publications. ISBN   0873492897.
  3. 1 2 "V16 survivors, custom jobs". Archived from the original on 2014-03-03. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  4. 1 2 Sherman, Don. "Sweet V-16: Cadillac's most exotic engine (11 June 2019)". www.hagerty.com. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  5. 1 2 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved April 16, 2022.

Bibliography

  • Holmes, Mark (2007). Ultimate Convertibles: Roofless Beauty. London: Kandour. pp. 42–43. ISBN   978-1-905741-62-5.