Cadillac has long been considered a prestigious and exuberant brand, but is it really in the lap of luxury?
Cadillac is considered a luxury car brand, but it’s by no means one of the best. It was surpassed by the superior European brands, such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, and sits far towards the bottom of the pile.
Read on to learn more about the history of Cadillac and its stake in today’s vehicular world.
The Standard of the World
When Cadillac began its journey, the world had just entered the twentieth century. It was the dawn of a new era, and motor vehicles were only just being explored as a mainstream option.
After all, the first car had been invented less than two decades prior to Cadillac emerging. Further to that fact, the first car to become mass-produced wouldn’t arrive until 1908.
Cadillac entered the scene in 1902, being borne from the ruins of the Henry Ford Company. Three men – two financiers and one engineer – founded Cadillac on the bones of an old Henry Ford factory.
It would only be a matter of months before the first Cadillac automobile was manufactured. Within a few years, Cadillac was starting to examine the engineering behind faster, more luxurious vehicles.
They began building an engine capable of speeds of up to sixty-five miles per hour, in 1915. This was otherwise unheard of, and by 1930, they’d surpassed themselves again.
They created the first-ever V16 engine, which at the time was overwhelmingly powerful. Cadillac was on the way to set the ‘Standard of the World’, as it was called.
Prior to the Second World War, a Cadillac was considered a formidable machine. They were well known for their reliability, luxury, and power.
However, Cadillac was yet to see the peak of its production. It would be throughout the sixties and seventies that they’d hit their real sweet spot.
The company continued to innovate, creating luxurious vehicles far superior to its competitors. They came equipped with the latest technologies and the finest materials.
While the company would decline in sales and production value after this point, Cadillac would still remain a luxury brand.
Still A Luxury, But Not The Luxury
Cadillac was once a brand for the highest of society. It was reserved for those with big banks, and even bigger personalities.
However, by 2020 the brand had depreciated somewhat. While it was still a competitor in the luxury stakes based on the models available, it wasn’t the top option.
The most valuable Cadillacs have been collectors’ items or specially modified variants. There are production vehicles on the market that cost more than some of these rare cars.
While Cadillac had massive success throughout the middle of the twentieth century, it would come to dwindle. Some of their mid-century cars would become deeply iconic for the brand, but it wasn’t enough.
After the turn of the century, Cadillac found itself producing run-of-the-mill vehicles. They may have been classed as luxury sedans primarily, but they weren’t award-winning.
One of the most popular Cadillac models is undoubtedly the Escalade. This is a staple for the company and is instantly recognizable.
There was an investigative blog post that explored the most popular and best-selling Cadillacs of all time. While the bulk of the popularity came in the mid-twentieth century, the Escalade featured on the list.
Not once, but twice – the 2002 model, and the 2018 release. The post explained how the former had “recharged Cadillac’s following”.
It arguably makes up the bulk of Cadillac’s modern-day sales, but how much would an Escalade cost? In 2020, the base model started at around $78,000 – a considerable cost.
However, the highest tier available – the Platinum trim – could cost you as much as $100,000. This tier boasted a 6.2l V8 engine, eight seats, and a wealth of interior features.
Still not at the top of its game, the Cadillac Escalade faced some serious competition. There were equally-priced competitors, such as the Lincoln Navigator and the Mercedes-Benz GLS.
These vehicles ranked higher than the enormous Escalade, in sales and performance. Although, these figures are slightly skewed in Mercedes’ case, being as it is a truly international brand.
But, as an article in the NY Times put it, “few brands have fallen as far” as Cadillac. They discussed the idea that the brand had become a ‘grandpa’ label over the years.
If Cadillac are ever to climb back on top, they’ll need serious rejuvenation.