Cadillac Seville
From Freepedia
The Seville, introduced in 1975, was Cadillac's answer to the rising popularity of luxury imports in the USA from Europe, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Historically, these imported luxury cars had been cheaper, less luxurious and significantly smaller than Cadillacs, but over time they had evolved, and had become quite luxurious and even more expensive than competing Cadillacs, and yet the market share of these imports continued to climb. It became obvious that the traditional American automotive paradigm of bigger=better was no longer in full effect in the marketplace. So the Seville was to be simultaneously the smallest and the most expensive Cadillac in the line-up, turning Cadillac's traditional marketing and pricing strategy on its head.
Contents |
1956
The first use of the Seville name was on a coupe version of the 1956 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. Four Eldorado Seville sedans were built in 1957, but it was the outlandish tailfins found on the 1959 model that are most-remembered. 1960 was the last year for the Eldorado Seville.
Original Concepts
 Initial Design Study |
 1973 LaScala Design Study |
 1973 LaScala Design Study (two door model) |
 1974 LaSalle Prototype |
The prototypes pictured above show the various styling directions explored by Cadillac prior to the final version that debuted in 1975. Various names for the proposed vehicle were explored as well. Resurection of the LaSalle moniker was seriously considered, but it was decided that given that LaSalle had been used for entry-level sub-Cadillacs in the past, it would create confusion in the marketplace among those who recollected the the context of the names previous use.
1976
Based on the rear wheel drive GM X-body platform that underpinned the Chevrolet Nova. The Seville's unit body and chassis were extensively re-engineered and upgraded from that humble origin and it was awarded the unique designation of "K-body". Cadillac stylists added a crisp, angular body that set the tone for GM styling for the next decade, along with a wide-track stance that gave the car a substantial, premium appearance.
Seville engineers chose the X-body platform instead of the German Opel Diplomat in response to GM's budget restrictions - GM executives felt that rebadging a German Opel would be more costly than the corporate X-car. Another proposal during the development of the Seville was a front-wheel drive layout similar to the Cadillac Eldorado. This proposal also met with budget concerns since the transaxle used for the Eldorado was produced on a limited basis solely for E-body (Eldorado/Toronado) production.
This was the first time Cadillac based one of its vehicles on a Chevrolet model. This trend continued with the Cimarron in 1982 and is repeated more recently with the Escalade and XLR.
Introduced in the mid-'75 and billed as the new "Internationally-sized" Cadillac, the Seville was almost 1,000 lb (450 kg) lighter than the hulking DeVilles, nimble, easy to park, attractive and loaded with the full compliment of Cadillac gadgets. More expensive than every other Cadillac model at $12,479, the Seville was a smash hit, and spawned several imitators, such as the less-than-successful Lincoln Versailles, and later the Chrysler LeBaron/Fifth Avenue.
The first Sevilles produced between April 1975 (a total of 16,355) to the close of the 1976 model year were the only Cadillacs to use the Chevrolet passenger car wheel bolt pattern (5 lugs with a 4.75 in bolt circle). At first, the Sevilles were essentially a rebodied Chevrolet Nova down to the brakes. The rear drums measured 11 in and were similar to the ones used with the Chevrolet Nova 9C1 (police option) and A-body (Chevelle, Cutlass, Regal, LeMans) intermediate station wagons. Starting with the 1977 model year, production Sevilles used the larger 5 lug - 5 inch bolt circle common to full-size Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, and 1/2 ton Chevrolet/GMC light trucks and vans. It also received rear disc brakes, a design which would surface a year later as an option on the F-body Pontiac Trans Am.
Under the hood went an Oldsmobile sourced 350 in³ (5.7L) V8, fitted with Bendix/Bosch electronically controlled fuel injection. This system gave the Seville a smooth drivabilty and performance sadly lacking in most other cars of the mid-seventies. Power output was 180 hp, and performance was restrained with the 60 mph sprint taking 11.5 seconds. A Diesel 350 in³(5.7 L) LF9 V8 was added in 1978, but that engine was known to be poor in both performance and reliability.
Engines:
- 1975-1979 5.7 L Oldsmobile V8
- 1978-1979 5.7 L LF9 Diesel V8
1980
In 1980, GM changed the X-body platform to a smaller front wheel drive platform with a V6 as the largest available engine. Cadillac switched the Seville to the 114 in wheelbase K-body platform, based on the front wheel drive E-body Eldorado, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. Returning to some of the original concepts floated for the 1975 edition, stylists created a graceful but controversial bustle-backed body intended to invoke Daimlers of a past era, and engineers gave it front wheel drive and independent rear suspension. Again this spawned stylistic imitators such as the Lincoln Continental and Chrysler Imperial.
Sales were strong at first, but disastrous flirtation with diesel engines and the ill-fated V-8-6-4 variable displacement gasoline engine, coupled with poor quality control, began to erode Seville's standing in the market-place.
Engines:
- 1980 6.0 L Cadillac V8, 145 hp
- 1980-1985 5.7 L LF9 Diesel V8, 105 hp
- 1981 6.0 L L62 V8-6-4 V8, 145 hp
- 1981-1982 4.1 L Buick V6, 125 hp
- 1982 4.1 L LT8 HT4100 V8, 125 hp
- 1982-1985 4.1 L LT8 HT4100 V8, 135 hp
1986
In 1986, an all-new much-smaller body attempted to combine the crisp angularity of the original Seville with the rounded edges of the new aerodynamic aesthetic. The result was just bland, and customers stayed away. The new model was considered a disaster, and an exterior refresh was rushed for 1988. The big news that year was the introduction of the Seville Touring Sedan, henceforth known as the STS, which featured enhanced handling and styling.
The engine was rotated from longitudinal to transverse, and the Diesel was finally deleted from the option list. MacPherson struts were now found in the front suspension with a 108 in wheelbase.
Engines:
- 1986-1987 4.1 L LT8 HT4100 V8, 130 hp
- 1988-1989 4.5 L HT4500 V8, 130 hp
- 1990 4.5 L LW2 HT4500 SFI V8, 180 hp
- 1991 4.9 L L26 HT4900 SFI V8, 190 hp
1992
Finally, in 1992, Cadillac delivered a new, much more European flavored Seville with looks that attracted rave reviews, and customers. The Seville Touring Sedan was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1992. It also made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list that year.
The belated 1993 addition of the Northstar quad-cam 32-valve aluminum V-8 to the attractive, understated, STS touring edition helped put Seville back on the best seller list.
The rear suspension featured a novel single transverse leaf spring like the C4 Chevrolet Corvette. The wheelbase was back up to 111 in with a 203.9 in overall length.
The Seville was divided into two sub-models for 1994: The Seville Luxury Sedan (SLS) got a 270 hp Northstar V8, while the Seville Touring Sedan (STS) was upgraded to 295 hp. Pricing on both cars was over US$40,000.
Engine:
- 1992-1993 4.9 L L26 HT4900 SFI V8, 200 hp
- 1993-1997 4.6 L L37 Northstar V8 (STS, SLS)
1998
The Seville was updated for 1998 on a new revision of the K-body platform based on Oldsmobile's G-body Aurora. The wheelbase was up to 112.2 in but the overall length was down a bit to 201 in. The car looked similar to the outgoing fourth-generation model, but was plagued by build quality problems. The Seville STS (and companion Eldorado ETC) became the most powerful front wheel drive cars on the market at 300 hp (224 kW).
The fifth-generation Seville was discontinued for 2004, replaced by the rear-wheel drive Cadillac STS. Production of the front-wheel drive Seville STS ended on May 16, 2003 and the SLS ended on December 5, 2003. All FWD Seville's were built in Hamtramck, Michigan.
Engine:
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| Entry | 60 | 61 | 61 | Cimarron | BLS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Value | 355 | 70/80 | 62 | Series 62 | 6200 | Calais | Catera | CTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mainstream | Coupe de Ville/Sedan de Ville | DTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large | 355 | 72/75/85 | Series 75 | 6700 | Fleetwood 75 | FL | FB | Brougham | Flwd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premium | Seville | STS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luxury | 60S | Sixty Special Fleetwood | Flwd60S | Fleetwood | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal | Eldorado | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Truck | Escalade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover | SRX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Roadster | Allanté | XLR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Halo | V-16 | Brghm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
