Cadillac had many so many missteps in the 1980's that it's hard to keep track of them all; and you know that they'd rather we forget about them. V-8-6-4, the Cimarron, Oldsmobile diesels, Buick V-6 powered DeVilles, the 1986 Eldorado. The oddly interesting (now more than then) Allante too. All that and under the onslaught of competition from Asia and Europe and it's amazing Cadillac is around today. It's amazing they even survived the 1980's.
Of all of Cadillac's 1980's missteps, however, none did more damage to their image - Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Chevrolet all suffered from the ignominy of the Oldsmobile 350 Diesel disaster - than the "HT 4100 Power System".
Of all of Cadillac's 1980's missteps, however, none did more damage to their image - Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Chevrolet all suffered from the ignominy of the Oldsmobile 350 Diesel disaster - than the "HT 4100 Power System".
The 249 cubic inch, "High Tech 4100" V-8 was originally developed for use in Cadillac's forthcoming front wheel drive sedans that were targeted for sale in 1982. However, with those sedans delayed until at least 1983 (they debuted in the spring of 1984 as 1985 models) and in light of the V-8-6-4 and Oldsmobile Diesel fiascos, Cadillac decided to use the small engine in all of their cars starting in 1982.
210 pounds lighter than the 368 cubic inch, or 6.0 liter, Cadillac gas V-8 it replaced and with an EPA gas mileage rating 2 miles per gallon more, the HT appeared to be the modern marvel that Cadillac needed at the time and seemed to be fitting with Cadillac's legacy of technological advancement; as tarnished as that image was at the time. That image didn't just get more tarnish thanks to the HT, it got completely shellacked. There were two major problems with the HT. First, while the HT produced a similar amount of horsepower to the 6.0, the HT's 200 foot pounds of torque, 70 less than the 6.0, was woefully inadequate to power cars that weighed near two tons (Eldorado/Seville) or more than two tons. In the smaller, lighter front wheel drive sedans it was intended for it was actually quite ample. What's more, the engine was prone to leaking and catastrophic sudden failure.
If Cadillac did anything right in the 1980's it was that beginning in 1986, they dropped the HT from their rear wheel drive "Fleetwood Brougham" and installed an Oldsmobile gas 307, or 5.0 liter V-8 - something you could argue they should have done in the first place. With 50 some odd more foot pounds of torque than the HT, 5.0 liter Fleetwood Broughams were still under powered but at least they didn't implode like the HT's did.
A name change in 1987 to just "Brougham" and mild redesign in 1990 along with that bullet proof Olds V-8 helped to right somewhat a ship that had run ashore. Cadillac was finally making baby steps back towards respectability.
A name change in 1987 to just "Brougham" and mild redesign in 1990 along with that bullet proof Olds V-8 helped to right somewhat a ship that had run ashore. Cadillac was finally making baby steps back towards respectability.
Major strides were taken in 1990 when a 175 horsepower, Chevrolet 350 V-8 engine with electronic fuel injection was made optional. Hallelujah. While 175 horsepower is relatively minimal compared to today's over powered cars, compared to the 135 hp HT, even the 145 of the massive old 368, the Chevy 350 powered Brougham was nothing short of remarkable. 275 foot pounds of torque on tap down low didn't hurt either. Interestingly, there was also little fuss made about a Cadillac being powered by a Chevrolet engine. Thirty or even twenty years prior, that fact alone would be cause for scandal. By 1990 it went by almost unnoticed. Suddenly, all was forgiven.
Cadillac cognoscenti were overjoyed that their Cadillac had returned to its place of former glory, prestige and opulence. Well, not really, of course but again, compared to anything Cadillac had pushed out since 1980, the 1990 5.7 liter "Brougham" was a gift from the car gods.
This lovely '90 "Brougham" is for sale for just a hair under $10,000 in bucolic Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Here's the listing. If this was only a coupe I'd probably beat you to the punch.
Why anyone would have bought this car instead of a Lexus LS400 or Infiniti Q45 for similar money at the time is beyond me but whom am I to argue? I was not of the age and certainly of no financial means to purchase any luxury car at the time but I remember being happy that my darling friends at Cadillac had a least done something right. Again.
Why anyone would have bought this car instead of a Lexus LS400 or Infiniti Q45 for similar money at the time is beyond me but whom am I to argue? I was not of the age and certainly of no financial means to purchase any luxury car at the time but I remember being happy that my darling friends at Cadillac had a least done something right. Again.
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