Cadillac De Ville is a model name used by Cadillac over eight generations, originally to designate a trim level of the 1949 Cadillac Series 62 and later for a standalone model in the brand. The last model marketed specifically as a DeVille was the 2005 full-size sedan, at the time, Cadillac DeVille’s largest model (and that is saying something. For 2006, the Cadillac DeVille nameplate was retired, when the model line was carried forward (with minor revisions) as the Cadillac DTS, using a nomenclature adopted by the Cadillac STS and CTS. There were so many Cadillac DeVilles produced and sold. Did you own one?
8 Generations of the Cadillac De Ville
The 1959 Cadillac De Ville is remembered for its huge, sharp tailfins with dual bullet tail lights, two distinctive rooflines and roof pillar configurations, new jewel-like grille patterns, and matching deck lid beauty panels. In 1959, the Series 62 was moved from the Series 62 to its own series, the Series 6200. De Villes and 2-door Eldorados became the Series 6300 and Series 6400, respectively.
The second generation of the Cadillac De Ville was restyled for 1961. The new grille slanted back towards both the bumper and the hood lip, along the horizontal plane, and sat between dual headlamps. New forward slanting front pillars with non-wraparound windshield glass were seen. The revised backlight treatment had crisp angular lines with thin pillars on some models and heavier semi-blind quarter roof posts on others.
The third generation of the Cadillac De Ville was redesigned for 1965 but rode on the same 129.5-inch (3,290 mm) wheelbase. Tailfins were canted slightly downward, and sharp, distinct body lines replaced the rounded look. Also new were a straight rear bumper and vertical lamp clusters. The De Ville was redesigned for 1965 but rode on the same 129.5-inch (3,290 mm) wheelbase. Tailfins were canted slightly downward, and sharp, distinct body lines replaced the rounded look. Also new were a straight rear bumper and vertical lamp clusters. The headlight pairs switched from horizontal to vertical, thus permitting a wider grille.
The Cadillac De Ville was redesigned again for 1971 in the fifth generation. The new General Motors full-size bodies, at 64.3 inches (1,630 mm) front shoulder room (62.1 inches [1,580 mm] on Cadillac) and 63.4 inches (1,610 mm) rear shoulder room (64.0 inches [1,630 mm] on Cadillac) set a record for interior width that would not be matched by any car until the full-size General Motors rear-wheel-drive models of the early to mid-1990s. The engine was mostly the same in this generation.
The sixth generation of the Cadillac De Ville was a huge change. General Motors completely redesigned the car, downsizing the model dramatically, foregoing its rear drive configuration, and introducing a new front-drive platform, the C platform (C-Body) – using the first transversely mounted V8 engine in series production. The new C-Body models (along with their Oldsmobile and Buick counterparts) were significantly shorter, narrower, lighter, and more fuel-efficient. Oddly, the engine stayed the same.
The seventh generation of the Cadillac De Ville. In 1994, the car was redesigned as the Sedan DeVille, using a lengthened version of General Motors’ front-drive K-platform shared with the Seville rather than the C-body used by the previous-generation Deville, as well as the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight and Buick Park Avenue. This was the first generation in which the two-door Coupe DeVille was not available, having been discontinued due to low sales of the prior-generation model. 1996 was the last model year Cadillac marketed this car as the “Sedan DeVille.”
The 2000 model year was the first substantial redesign since 1994, marking the Cadillac Deville’s move to the revised G platform. Production started in August 1999. The exterior was redesigned, achieving a more aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.30, and the revised interior featured new door panels and seats, with standard seat-mounted front side-airbags, along with minor dash and radio face revisions. This was the final generation of the car.
Conclusion
The Cadillac De Ville was one of the most successful cars in American history. The big car should be lauded for surviving the oil crisis of the 1970s; ultimately, the car was done in by low sales. The last model to carry the DeVille nameplate was assembled at Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly in June 2005, replaced for 2006 by the renamed and slightly revised DTS, effectively a de facto ninth-generation Deville.
