Cadillac

Cadillac

Cadillac has been considered America’s luxury domestic automobile manufacturer since its start in 1902. For years it was known for its luxury sedans and in more recent years the company has revised and expanded its lineup. Besides sedans the company has SUVs, two passenger convertibles, and trucks. Cadillac became successful from the start with cars like the Model A, which help make the brand what it is today. The company also caught the attention of the General Motors Company and was purchased by them in 1909.

Cadillac became General Motors luxury car division and has been responsible for many innovations in the auto making industry. They were the first American automaker to produce a V8 engine and the first to use thermostatic control of a cooling system. It was also the first to offer dash controlled headlights. During the 30’s Cadillac earned a reputation for making powerful and smooth V12 and V16 engines. Today they are still known for making powerful engines, chiseled lines, as well as a full array of luxury features.

Cadillac is owned by General Motors and is America’s most prestigious domestic luxury automaker. For a long time the company was known exclusively for its luxury sedans. In recent years the company has revised and expanded its lineup of vehicles in an effort to attract the younger generation. Their roster now includes SUVs, trucks, and two passenger convertibles.

The company was started in 1902 by Henry Martyn Leland, a manufacturer of automotive components. The company was named after a noted French explorer who discovered Detroit in the early 1700s. The company quickly gained a reputation for specializing in precise craftsmanship. It was a successful brand from its inception and was purchased by General Motors in 1909. The marquee became GM’s luxury car division.

In the 1990’s Cadillac’s days as a top selling trendsetter seemed to be over. The automaker revised its outlook and vehicles to give the company new life. The fresh new styling and the improvements in performance have helped them to recover some of its previous status.

Cadillac is the luxury car-maker brand owned by General Motors and marketed around the world but the primary market is North America.  Originally the company was founded in 1902 as the Cadillac Automobile Company and was purchased in 1909 by General Motors as William Durant sought to build the giant American car-maker.   Cadillac was the benchmark for luxury cars in America and the company introduced numerous innovations to increase comfort and performance.  The Cadillac name itself comes from the French explorer who established Detroit in 1701 – Motor City itself.

During the late-1970’s and early 1980’s the company struggled to compete with the influx of luxury car imports; Cadillac had been known for long  and elaborate body shapes but 1996 saw the last of the classical “Caddie” bodies epitomized by the DeVille and Fleetwood models.  The company’s move into the SUV market proved a great success as consumer taste for larger vehicles grew in the 1990’s.  With the parent company declaring bankruptcy in 2009, General Motors announced it would be retaining the Cadillac brand as one of the four remaining brands under the GM name.

Cadillac is the premier, luxury brand name for General Motors and the company was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Motor Company in 1902 after Ford left the original company.  GM bought Cadillac in 1909 as part of its expansion and acquisition strategy under William Durant.  For the next 30 years, the name Cadillac was synonymous with “luxury car” and “Caddies” set the standard in comfort and looks.  The typical Cadillac body is elongated and designed with additions such as tail fins; Cadillac produced some of the longest cars in the world.

During the 1970’s and 1980’s, increasing competition from luxury imports and especially the formation of Japanese luxury marques such as Acura and Lexus, increased the competition for the company.  During the 1990’s the company changed direction and ceased the long-body vehicles epitomized by the DeVille and Fleetwood models.  Moving into the SUV market, Cadillac started to capitalize on the growing trend for larger vehicles and the company enjoyed considerable success in this sector.  With General Motors declaring bankruptcy in 2009, Cadillac has been saved as one of the four brands GM will continue to trade under after emerging from bankruptcy protection.