History of Cadillac

EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THE CADILLAC BRAND AND CATCH A GLIMPSE OF ITS FUTURE

Cadillac began during the tumultuous early years of the automotive industry. As shareholders prepared for the sale of the defunct Henry Ford Company, they contacted Henry Leland, a machinist from Detroit, to assess company assets. Instead of throwing in the towel, however, Leland proposed that they remain in business and keep producing automobiles using a single-cylinder engine.

To make this idea take shape, the Cadillac Car Company was founded in 1902. The Cadillac brand was named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the found of Detroit. The easily recognizable Cadillac crest is based on Cadillac's family's coat of arms.

FIRST CADILLAC MODELS

The first models under the Cadillac name were completed in October of 1902. They were known as the Runabout and Tonneau, and they were effectively two-seat horseless carriages powered by a single-cylinder engine that produced ten horsepower.

Swickard Cadillac of Thousand Oaks in Thousand Oaks CA
Swickard Cadillac of Thousand Oaks in Thousand Oaks CA

GROWING FAST

The new Cadillac company put almost 2,500 new cars on the market in its first year of production, which was an impressive feat at the time. Leland took leadership of Cadillac in 1904, motivated by a desire to put high-quality luxury cars on the road - and to go head-to-head with Henry Ford. He teamed up with his son Wilfred and quickly established the Cadillac brand's reputation for quality and craftsmanship.

Cadillac also pioneered a series of firsts, such as the introduction of a mass-produced V8 engine in 1915.

CLASSICALLY RECOGNIZED

Though Cadillac was not the only automaker producing luxury cars in the United States at the time, it was routinely recognized as one of the best. Cadillac secured a place in the top ten in overall auto sales in the United States every year in a row from 1904 to 1915, creating a streak that would cement the Cadillac brand as a dependable and luxurious choice for drivers. Every journey you make around the Simi Valley and Calabasas areas behind the wheel of a Cadillac vehicle is rooted in a storied history of excellence.

PART OF THE GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION

In 1909, William C. Durant of the relatively new General Motors Corporation bought Cadillac from the Lelands for $4.5 million General Motors stock, but he kept the Lelands in their management position. Though Cadillac was under a new banner, the Lelands were still responsible for production, and Cadillac flourished.

A LONG HISTORY OF LUXURY

Cadillac made a name for itself as an innovative and luxurious brand that focused on making refined, sophisticated, powerful vehicles with plenty of high-end amenities. In the 1920s and 1930s, Cadillac offered a dizzying array of customization options. Cadillac was the first company to use lacquer paint, and customers had over 500 color combinations to explore.

In 1954, Cadillac became the first to provide standard automatic windshield washers and power steering on all Cadillac models. Cadillac has been pushing the envelope ever since, and the brand continues to be a leader in the luxury car arena.

Swickard Cadillac of Thousand Oaks in Thousand Oaks CA

LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE

The future of Cadillac is electric. GM has plans to produce 30 new global electric vehicles by 2025. With more EVs on the roads of Woodland Hills and across the nation, GM hopes to reduce emissions and grasp for a zero-emissions future. You can expect to see a shift in the Cadillac lineup as it moves towards all-electric vehicles, so we encourage you to connect with us at our Cadillac dealership serving Oxnard and Westlake Village to learn more.

Find out more about the history of Cadillac and what to expect from the brand's future here at Swickard Cadillac of Thousand Oaks. We hope to see you soon.