About Cadillac Cars
 The Cadillac motor company began life in Detroit in 1902, and was named after the French explorer, Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, who had founded the city back in 1701. The company was started by Henry Martyn Leland, who was an engineer, inventor and entrepreneur. Cadillac's first car was launched at the end of 1902 and marked the start of their success, as they soon gained a reputation for manufacturing precision and luxury finishes. The early models such as the Model A, were so successful that in 1909 Cadillac was bought by General Motors, where it soon became the marque of their luxury car division.
Cadillac was the first American car maker to produce a V8 engine, thermostatically controlled cooling system and electrically controlled lighting and ignition systems. The latter being developed as an aid primarily for lady drivers, as cranking the engine by hand was a hard and sometimes dangerous business even for men. This must have been one of the first safety features ever, and gave Cadillac the edge over it's steam and electric rivals, even though the internal combustion engine was still in it's infancy.
Cadillacs were used extensively during World War I by the US military, for example 2,350 units of the Model 55 were used in France by the American Expeditionary Force. After the war Cadillac continued to inovate and in 1926 introduced shatter resistant glass, another early safety feature. This was then followed in 1928 by the first fully synchronized manual transmission, which mostly put an end to crashing the gears, and improved the driving experience.
In common with many motor manufacturers, Cadillac suffered during the great depression of the early 1930's, but managed to make it through the troubles, possibly because they were part of the much larger General Motors group. Their cars continued in popularity and Cadillac were always keen to take advantage of improvements in automotive technology and manufacturing techniques, which served to keep them one step ahead of their rivals.
After World War II Cadillac's styling reached a new level, with big tail-fins and huge amounts of chrome. Models such as the famous Coup de Ville were a great success with the Hollywood set and those aspiring to their lifestyle. The Fleetwood Sixty Special even went a stage further by offering an adjustable steering wheel, footrests and a folding writing table!
Cadillac suffered in the 1970's and early 1980's as public opinion turned away from their 'gas guzzling' giants to more eco-friendly cars. The company responded in it's usual innovative way by introducing the compact Seville which had electronic fuel injection system as standard. This ability to change with the times has meant that Cadillac continues to be one of the worlds most famous car makers, producing luxury cars which are sold in over 50 countries around the world.
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