Cadillac de Ville series

The Cadillac Deville was for decades the solid model of the U.S. car brand Cadillac and was produced from 1956 to 2005.

The main competitor of the Deville was the Lincoln Town Car (previously Lincoln Continental). While the Town Car offered a smoother ride and a much more spacious interior, the DeVille was a slightly sportier version of the traditional American luxury sedan.

Were offered four-door sedans ( Sedan DeVille ), two-door coupe ( Coupe DeVille, a long time the best-selling U.S. luxury car ever ) and at times also a convertible.

The names are derived from the classic coupe -de -Ville and Sedanca -de- Ville- body versions of the twenties and thirties, in which the driver sat in the open air and spanned a roof just above the passengers; the name of the Lincoln Town Car is due to the same meaning.

In the decades usual until the end of the seventies Cadillac DeVille model hierarchy of ranked mostly as medium model on the Series 62 and under the exclusive Fleetwood models ( Calais later). After the introduction of the first, from 1973, reduced in size in the wake of the oil crisis model generation 1976 ( downsizing), in the spring of 1984, the change to front-wheel drive in a still smaller body. In recent model change in 1993, the once- popular Coupe deVille accounted for lack of demand. In 1996, the DeVille was the top model of Cadillac.

Year by year

1956-1993

DeVille (1985-1993)

Sedan DeVille (1989-1993)

DeVille (1993-1999)

Cadillac DeVille (1993-1997)

In the fall of 1993, the DeVille was redesigned and got the same as the Seville GM K platform. The body was given a facelift, but the wheelbase remained at 2,891 mm equal - in contrast to the 2,819 mm of Seville. Production was moved to Hamtramck (Michigan). This generation was particularly popular with older customers.

The DeVille Concours was it with the new Northstar V8 engine with 270 hp ( 199 kW ), while the simple -equipped models continued until 1996 owned the well-known 4.9 -liter V8. This year, the base model was equipped with the Northstar engine with less power, while the Concours received the high-performance engine with 300 hp (221 ​​kW). The DeVille Concours replaced the Sixty Special manufactured only in 1993.

In early 1997 the DeVille received a small facelift and the known from the Coupe DeVille d'Elegance trim line, which should replace the existing Fleetwood. There were new headlamps and a new grille, which disappeared rear covers, the interior door handles were redesigned and the chrome / black trim were double chrome trim in the base model, chrome / gold colored trim in the d'Elegance model and those in body color at the Concours model replaced. The Sedan DeVille just called " DeVille ". Inside was a new instrument panel, in which the edges of the front passenger airbags were no longer visible, introduced new interior door panels with side airbags and the OnStar system.

Deville (1999-2005)

Cadillac Deville (1999-2005)

In August 1999, the Deville was substantially revised for the first time since the fall of 1993, which led to the last generation of the model.

Outside showed the car a sportier, elegant and more aerodynamic design. Inside there were new door panels and seats, while the dashboard and radio controls were only slightly changed.

The Deville the model year 2000, the first production model in the U.S. ( in Europe it was released in the fall of 1998 Alfa Romeo 166) LED taillights, a detail which today is becoming increasingly common in luxury and family cars.

The d'Elegance equipment was replaced by the DHS ( Deville High Luxury) equipment, the number of additional amenities available, such as electrically operated sunshade for the rear window and heated rear seats with massage function included. The Deville for power hungry, the Concours was renamed in Deville DTS ( Deville Touring Sedan) and was supplied with stability control, active suspension, built-in GPS and magnetic steering assistance. The drag coefficient is 0.30.

This last generation of the Deville was built unchanged until the summer of 2005. In the fall of 2005 it inherited the DTS, the first model with complete LED rear lights and night vision device.

Images of the individual generations

Cadillac Sedan DeVille (1957-1958)

Cadillac Coupe DeVille (1959-1964)

Cadillac Sedan DeVille (1959-1964)

Cadillac Sedan DeVille (1965-1970)

Cadillac Sedan DeVille (1971-1976)

Cadillac Sedan DeVille (1977-1984)

Cadillac Coupe DeVille (1977-1984)

Successor

In the fall of 2005, the Deville was replaced by the DTS as a model. The combination of DTS Deville Touring Sedan stands for, because as the highest trim level of the DeVille was previously called.

The DTS has much in common with the Deville, but has a different front grille, headlights and rear. The interior has also been completely remodeled with other seats, dashboard and interior trim.

In May 2011, production of the DTS was set. Mid-2012, he was replaced by the XTS.