Cadillac - Not Just For Old People Anymore

Motor Trend's Car of the Year and a Car and Driver 10Best

I saw the new 2014 Cadillac CTS yesterday and thought it handsome if not "Euro generic". Apparently it's quite the thrill ride having received Motor Trend's Golden Calipers as their Car of the Year and a position on Car and Driver's prestigious 10Best list. I told my wife about it and all she could say was, "Cadillacs are for old people".

 

1989 Cadillac "Fleetwood", not to be confused with a "Fleetwood Brougham" (1977-1986). The Fleetwood was a front wheel drive automobile built off General Motor's C-body (or chassis). The "Fleetwood Brougham" was a rear drive automobile built off GM's D-body. The Fleetwood Brougham was renamed, "Brougham" for 1987-1992.

You can't blame my wife for her Cadillac perception. We both grew up with dowdy, frumpy "old" Cadillacs like the new for 1989 Fleetwood. If you think this is "old", check out a "Brougham".  While Cadillac has become the equal if not superior to any luxury brand in the world, there's no changing my wife's perception that Cadillac's are for old people.

There was a time that, "The Standard of the World", was more than just advertising shtick.

Cadillac's weren't always for "old people". Before World War II, Cadillac really was, "The Standard of the World". Renowned for engineering  prowess, innovation, craftsmanship, luxury accouterments and style,  Cadillac was sought not only by the well heeled but also by young, hip, taste makers. What happened?

In 1925, General Motors bought the Fleetwood Metal Company of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania to build custom car bodies for Cadillac.

At the risk of oversimplification, General Motors moved Cadillac down market to increase sales and reduced research and development dollars to increase margins. Cadillac became stagnant and lost the movie star swagger than defined the brand.  Ultimately, many of their target buyers, ever fickle, moved to more compelling aspirational automobiles from Europe and Asia.
 

Checking the "Fleetwood" box on your new Cadillac order form in 1989 got you fender skirts (or spats). Odd and handsome looking at the same time (the entire car's proportions are weird), the skirts did nothing to improve performance. They did, however, make rear tire removal difficult.

While those makes from Europe took many Cadillac buyers, those that remained loyal to the brand where left with fender skirts (or spats) on their top of the line purchase. Best of all, it's a Cadillac, after all.

 

Monumentally superior to the "Fleetwood Brougham" , the "Fleetwood" was no match for anything from BMW, Mercedes, Lexus or Infiniti.  



With cars like the new for CTS (and ATS), Cadillac has made a fantastic turnaround and is  remarkably, cool again. Cool in ways that transends what many think Cadillac is and isn't. Here's to hoping it stays that way.

 

For the record, my wife still thinks Cadillacs are for old people.