History

• The 1902 Cadillac
  
  Cadillac's debut at the 1903 New York Automobile Show resulted in pre-order sales of 2,286 cars, which was then an astronomical sales number.
  
  

Function

• The 1954 Cadillac with its low fenderlines
  
  Cadillac introduced Americans to the luxury automobile, and quickly became a symbol of achievement and status with its immense size and luxury interior.
  
  

Types

• The 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham
  
  Designer Harley Earl introduced the Eldorado in 1953, with its aerodynamic styling, wraparound windshield and a low fenderline, followed by the Biarritz convertible and ultra-luxury Brougham.
  
  

Features

• Taillamps mimic the World War II P-38 fighter aircraft
  
  Cadillac ignited the auto fin wars--which peaked with the 1958 and 1959 model years--by introducing its 1948 Cadillac featuring taillamps mimicking the P-38 Lightning, a twin-tailed fighter aircraft.
  
  

Identification

• The 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
  
  In the late 1950s Cadillac was famous for its standard equipment that included power steering, power brakes and automatic transmission, with cruise control, power windows and electric door locks as options.
  
  

Size

• The average 1950s car had a wheelbase of 116 inches, but the 1959 Cadillac sported a 130-inch wheelbase, with the 1966 Eldorado toning it down to a 120-inch wheelbase.
  
  

Famous Ties

• Cadillac's biggest fan was Elvis Presley, who gave away various models to friends and strangers, but he never parted with his favorite, a 1955 white and pink Fleetwood.