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1903-1929 Cadillac 1903 Model A Runabout, First Cadillac The first Cadillac, the single-cylinder 2-seater 1902 Cadillac runabout. It became known as the "Model A" only in 1903, to distinguish it from the 1904 "Model B", newly available that year. The photo below shows the first Cadillac runabout prototype driven by A.P. Brush; W.C. Leland (in seat); E.E. Sweet and Walter Phipps (back of rear left wheel); and Frank Johnson (fourth from left without hat).
Cadillac founder Henry Leland with his personal car, which was named after Seminole Indian Chief Osceola 1905, Cadillac Closes the Body
1909 Cadillac Model 30
1910 Cadillac Model 30 1910, Cadillac Makes the Closed Body Standard 1910 Cadillac Model 30 The 4-cylinder Model H coupe of 1906 was the first fully-enclosed production Cadillac; it cost $3000, excluding the optional brass lamps. The first fully-enclosed Cadillac built in any numbers was the single-cylinder Model M coupe of 1907; it was derived directly from "Osceola", the prototype commissioned by Henry Leland, for himself, just over a year earlier; Model M bodies were built by Seavers and Erdman of Detroit. These enclosed cars soon gained popularity; in 1908, the Model T coupe cost $1350. In 1911, a luxurious, 4-cylinder enclosed coupe became availble at a cost of $2250. The following year (1912), Cadillac offered the first fully enclosed limousine, costing $3250; it was characterised by rich trimmings and deep, soft upholstery equal to none.
1912 Cadillac: Featuring the Electric Self-starter
Today, no one gives second thought to how their car starts — turn the key and you're ready to roll. But such a simple and safe process wasn't even
a dream in the industry's early days, when starting the car's engine was one of the most difficult and dangerous tasks the average driver performed.
It all changed with the electric self-starter, invented by Charles "Boss" Kettering at his Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO) in 1911.
Introduced for the first time on all 7 of Cadillac's 1912 model, it eliminated the cumbersome and dangerous hand-crank and made driving safer, more
convenient, and appealing to a broad range of new consumers (including women). In short, it revolutionized the automobile. By 1916, the electric
self-starter was featured on 98 percent of all cars built in America. The Cadillac sales brochure for the 1912 model year mentioned that there were
now 50,000 Cadillacs on the road throughout the world. The self-starter-equipped 1912 Cadillac lineup won Cadillac its second Dewar Trophy,
awarded by the Royal Automobile Club of London, England, for the most important automotive contribution of the year. Kettering went on to sell
DELCO to GM founder Billy Durant in 1916 and to join GM in 1918, when DELCO became part of GM.
1913 Cadillac Touring Car with Women standing on running board
1915 Cadillac Type 51 Limousine for seven passengers
1915 Type 51 Landaulet Coupe, First V-8 engine In 1914, Cadillac became the first manufacturer to mass produce V-8-powered automobiles. The compact design of the Cadillac V-8 enabled the
overall frame length to be shortened by 10 or more inches, making the car more sturdy and easier to handle. Cadillac raised the bar for performance
with the industry's first V-type, water-cooled eight-cylinder engine. This 314 cubic inch engine produced 70 horsepower at 2,400 RPM and was the
industry's first major step in development of high-speed, high-compression engines. The following year, it was made standard on all Cadillac models
1918 Cadillac Type 57 In 1917, Cadillac participated in a U.S. Army, 2,000-mile competitive endurance run in Marfa, Texas. From its performance, the V-8-powered Cadillac was selected as the "standard seven-passenger car of the U.S. Army." The Story of Cadillac Type 57 – U.S. 1257X
1924 Cadillac V-63 Touring. The V8 engine in the V-63 produced 83hp. The base price for this vehicle was $3,085
Cars with style and elegance, Cadillac production exceeded 20,000 in 1922. Part of that sales success came from the introduction of the Type 61
that came equipped with a standard windshield wiper and rear view mirror. A new era in automobile design was beginning in the Roaring Twenties with
the influence of Harley Earl, who established the first styling department by an automobile manufacturer, the General Motors Art and Colour Section, in 1927.
1927 Cadillac LaSalle 1927 LaSalle: The First Production Car Designed by a Professional Designer
Harley Earl is shown at the wheel of a 1927 LaSalle Series 303 Roadster, with Cadillac chief Larry Fisher
1927 LaSalle Roadster with Charles Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis 1928, Cadillac Introduces the Synchromesh Transmission 1928, Safety Glass
1929, Adding the Chrome
1929 Cadillac Series 341 B Sedan
1929 LaSalle Series 328 5-Passenger Coupe
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