Cadillac Deville

A Star is Born

It was long, it was sleek, but most of all, it was stylish. The innovative DeVille was a dominant car from Cadillac that screamed "money" wherever it went. It was first known as a two-door Coupe DeVille that was prominent from Hollywood to the radio, and quickly arose as one of America's premier luxury cars. The DeVille debuted in 1949 and was known for its impressive size and grandeur. It featured big fins and a rounded front that lead many people to call Devilles "boats" or "torpedoes."  Similar to the Calais and Fleetwood, it was available as a coupe or convertible with its chrome edgings and leather interior, and it appealed to consumers who were looking for something they could show off that also had a solid ride. For years it lived up to these expectations. In addition to its extravagant appeal, this beauty could pump out 160 horsepower with a standard 331 cu in overhead valve V8. The car's boost in power and performance was so successful that the Coupe DeVille was selected as Motor Trend's first "Car of the Year Award" winner.

From the Coupe to the Sedan

One of its fundamental and unique features was the absence of a window door frame, which lead to it being classified as one of the first hardtop convertibles. It would retain this style until 1974.  Three years later, its ever-growing body began to shrink. Expansion, style, and innovation were the pillars of this vehicle's early success. To expand its audience, Cadillac revealed the Sedan DeVille, which was just as attractive as its predecessor and had virtually all the same aesthetic qualities, for the 1956 model year. In the long run, this model would outlive the coupe. 

The first major change was the 1959 model. There were now four headlights, with two abreast on either side. The split grille took on an egg-crate pattern, while the body morphed to a slimmer and sleeker style with fins protruding from the back ends accompanied with rocket tail lights. It was a greater sensation than before and supported a brand new and powerful 390 cu in V8 under the smooth hood. 1965 brought the second substantial change to the DeVille, with a curved and wavy grille and double headlights stacked on top of each other.  The fins were flatter and linear with straight tail lights, but the distinct style still made the DeVille's design more unique than other cars. It featured a 429 cu in V8 with 340 horespower. Three years later, a 472 cu in V8 with 375 horsepower would replace the 429 as the base engine, and served as such into the mid-‘70s.

Like with other older models, the ‘70s brought a decline for the DeVille. It introduced a 500 cu in V8 as the standard for all models, but it came with a significant drop in horsepower, which fell to 210. There were also two new trims: Cabriolet and d'Elegance.  Familiar fins and rocket taillights were replaced by angular lines and more conservative box lights. In '77, the DeVille was downsized and slowly evolved into the vehicle we know today. The engine-like the car-shrunk in size to a 425 cu in V8 that pumped out 180 horsepower. For the ‘80s, the rear-wheel drive was converted to front-wheel drive with a 252 cu in V6 serving with 125 horsepower for better fuel economy. An extended cab touring version was also introduced, and as the 1994 saw the end of the Coupe Deville. 

The DTS "DeVille Touring Sedan" replaced the DeVille in 2005. Always featuring innovative technology, newer DeVilles have optional night vision, XM radio, OnStar assistance, and more. Incredibly popular in the media, the Cadillac DeVille was one of the most prestigious Cadillac's ever produced.

Did You Know?

 In 2001, the Cadillac DeVille became the Presidential Limousine for President George W. Bush. It served for his first term, and was eventually replaced by a 2005 Cadillac DTS Limousine.

Incredibly popular in the media, the DeVille name has been mentioned in countless songs and has appeared in several movies over the years. Singers Chuck Berry, Beastie Boys, Meat Loaf, Ice Cube, and Outkast have all referred to the DeVille.