FEATURE
Left : a 1915 advertisement for the Type 51 and its V8 engine ; right : engineer Henry Leland , one of Cadillac ’ s founders .
THE GREAT INNOVATOR
Legendary American marque Cadillac celebrates 120 years of engineering excellence , as Giles Chapman explains
Cadillac , which this year celebrates its 120th anniversary , has some impressive achievements to its famous name . And that ’ s before you even consider its place in US car culture , an icon featured in countless pop songs and Hollywood movies – the conveyance of choice for presidents and Presleys alike !
In 1915 , for example , Cadillac introduced the world ’ s first mass-produced V8 engine . In 1930 it further astonished the automotive world by launching the first production car with a V16 engine – still the only one with any commercial success – and then in 1932 it offered a range , unique to this day , including V8 , V12 and V16 options .
The luxurious Cadillac marque became a cornerstone in the foundation of General Motors in 1909 , and has been a consistent ground-breaker ever since . The fully synchromesh gearbox , standard airconditioning , power steering , memory settings for seat adjustment , automatically operated headlights , frontwheel drive and diesel engines in luxury cars – they all appeared first in Cadillacs .
On the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run , too , you ’ ll see Cadillac innovations although , being from only the first two years of the legendary Detroit manufacturer ’ s existence , they ’ re examples of the
Model A single-cylinder open-topped ‘ tonneau ’ and Model B of 1904 , which began the company ’ s multicylinder obsession by having four of them .
Some are extraordinary survivors . Russell Marne ’ s 1904 Cadillac Runabout was uncovered in a Michigan barn in 1989 but was ready to roll again only in 2018 after a fastidious restoration . Others have already spent time as museum pieces . Dave Ness ’ s 1903 Cadillac tonneau sat unused in Michigan ’ s Temrowski Museum from 1957 to 1982 before his late father purchased it . He then restored it and shipped it to London to participate on the Run in 1983 and 1984 . Now his son , son-in-law and the car are back .
‘ We ’ re bringing her over to participate in the 2022 Run to honour Dad and Mom ,’ Dave says . ‘ Mom is still with us and is beyond excited that we are reliving one of their most memorable moments in life .’
Cadillac was founded in 1902 by Henry Leland , an inventor and entrepreneur who had already patented the mechanical hair-clipper . He chose the name of Detroit ’ s founder , Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac , for his trademark . His Model A was derived from a Henry Ford design but with Leland ’ s own , robust engine .
Cadillacs were among the first American cars to enter regular series production , and their well-honed nature probably explains why their survival rate is quite
22 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run