A recognizable name in the car industry, Cadillac has been around for over a century. The company has faced its fair share of challenges since the beginning, but it’s still a thriving luxury car company. The history is rich and has helped to make Cadillac into one of the most iconic automobile manufacturers in the world.
The Beginning of the Cadillac Name
In 1902, Henry Leland founded the iconic name. He named it after the founder of Detroit, Mr. Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. After six years in business, the company brought up the idea of bringing interchangeable parts to the automotive industry. This laid the groundwork for automobile mass production for the company.
In 1910, Cadillac offered a first for the car world when it introduced a fully enclosed cabin on a passenger car. This was revolutionary for vehicles during this time period. The years following brought more innovation for Cadillac as well as the car industry.
Changing Cars Forever
The next 100 years was a time of great, and wonderful, changes and firsts for Cadillac and the entire car industry. In 1926, designer Harley Earl was brought in to help design a car. This was another first for the company because up until this point cars were designed from an engineer’s view instead of that of a designer. What emerged from this was a LaSalle convertible coupe and it was truly revolutionary.
More changes came and went over just as well. So well, in fact, that Cadillac was awarded the first-ever Car of the Year Award in the year 1949. In the 50’s, they started the development of power steering. In 1963, they made safety belts standard in all of their new vehicles. In 1970, Cadillac introduced the Eldorado which was powerful and had a 400-horsepower engine. They worked on developments during the 1980s, but didn’t reveal anything new during this time.
The 1990s
During the 1990s Cadillac brought out all the stops. They introduced new technology such as electronic traction control and a feature that allowed their vehicles to run 50 miles without using coolant. They also released the Escalade during this time and it has remained a favorite ever since. Cadillac also won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1990.
A Hundred Years of Innovation
After Cadillac turned 100 years old they started releasing several new vehicles with new features. The 2008 Escalade became the world’s first full-size luxury SUV. The CTS was also revamped in 2008 and won the 2008 Car of the Year award. In 2009 the CTS-V quickly became the fastest V8 in production.
Modern Day Cadillac
Cadillacs of the modern-day have more to offer than ever before. The company is constantly introducing new technology and powerful, long-lasting vehicles. They have several different cars on the market with luxurious features. The prestigious CTS, Cadillac, and XT5 are available with groundbreaking technology. They have powerful engines, high technology options, and luxury all the way around. It’s easy to see why Cadillac remains one of the top names in the car industry after 100 years of innovation.
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