Pre-war era luxury automobiles are unlike anything else. There was a carefree opulence about them with an excessive amount of chrome, and usually a high cylinder count. They are intricately ornate, pushing the boundaries of automotive luxury at the time, and one of the finest examples of this is era is the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood. Talk about a name that oozes with old money luxury.
There’s a reason the Classic Car Club of America gives all Cadillac V-16s the coveted “CCCA Full Classics” grade, according to AutoClassics.com. The car is legendary, proving more reliable than other luxury land yachts of the time. Reliability is excellent, but the beast under the hood is what’s most remarkable.
The Cadillac V-16 gets its name from the massive 7.4-liter V16 engine under the hood. That’s an enormous engine. It produced a potent 175 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque when new. Compared to today’s modern cars, the 1930’s V16 engine output compares to a four cylinder diesel; however, for time, that was supercar-levels of performance.
Top speed was a claimed 90 miles per hour; however, hitting 100 mph wasn’t uncommon with a few modifications and nerves of steel. It returned just eight miles per gallon. Other cars produced then operated with as little as 25 hp, struggling to crack even 60 mph driving downhill with a tailwind.
This example is set to roll across the auction block next year at RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale. Right now, little is known about this specific model. A gander at the listing page shows little information other than noting the Cadillac will be offered without reserve, so when the hammer drops that’s the price it’s selling for. That could change between now and the Arizona auction.
Until then, it’s best to start saving now. This Cadillac looks to be in pristine condition, and it when it does roll across the auction block it won’t go for cheap.
Comments
Now that’s a Cadillac, no Benz from tha era can touch. If the above CT6 Caddy flagship is still-on this is an inspiration, EV powertrain and all.
Now that’s a Cadillac! Best of the world, no expenses spared, no accountants interfered or nothing.
it helps that there was little competition. germany was still on its ass recovering from the great war.
i wonder how many of these they sold during the great depression. duesenberg didn’t survive.
3,250 were sold in model years 1930 & 31. 296 in ’32, 125 in ’33, then around 50 a year until the new engine in ’38, which sold around 500 in its 3 years.
The Great Depression took a little while to take hold; the Crash in 1929 was just the beginning. The huge Hoover tax and tariff increases in 1930, followed by FDR’s in 1934, made things worse.
And this is what I mean when I speak of Cadillac’s golden age. It was in the 20’s and 30’s, when their cars were produced in fewer numbers, cost as much as a mansion of the time, and were immediately distinguishable from anything else because they were technological feats of engineering that showed the world the future and what Cadillac was capable of.
The car is very beautiful and outstanding, it looks very luxurious.
I just love how some embrace this car yet trash Cadillac’s moves today.
This car has no wreath. Yet it was one of the best they made.
This car also has no name just a number, yet it is representative of one of the best they built.
Finally if you look at the Benz they fully were much alike with big power, big cars with very high end materials. The only difference was neither saw much export so seldom were they compared.
Actually Benz was getting more into suspensions and began to be on the cutting edge of ride and handling. They also were moving ahead with enclosed bodies.
https://www.google.com/search?q=1930+benz&prmd=imsvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwis6NyouereAhWqVN8KHa4vCcgQ_AUIEigB&biw=768&bih=922
I am not a Benz fan. But I also know better that Benz is on the lead on where the market is and what the majority look for in a luxury car today. Cadillac is not trying to be Benz like Lexus has tried for years. Cadillac is just trying to be a leader in what is seen as the luxury mass production class.
Where they could do better is in the things like feel and even the sound of the doors. Details like this make a big difference.
A Car like that should be embraced and fo all the reasons you stated.I don’t want Cadillac to be
Benz like or chase Benz. What I would like to see is for Cadillac to be better than Benz. It makes me a little sad to see where Cadillac was the and where they are now.
Cadillac is not trying to be Benz like Lexus has tried for years. Cadillac is just trying to be a leader in what is seen as the luxury mass production class.
Not exactly sure what the Luxury mass production class is, but I think that should Buicks place not Cadillacs. I would love to see Cadillac as a top tier luxury vehicle. I know that will most likely never happen, but that’s my wish.
You appear very confused on today’s market.
It would be great if Cadillac was better than Benz. In some ways they already are in handling and performance. But in material content and details they still lack.
If th ey were even as good would be a step up.
The mass production luxury is the higher volume less custom models we see here generally under $100,000. Bentry, Rolls and the very high end models that only a couple thousand or less are made would be limited production luxury.
The Lexus I refer to was a near copy of Benz styling and tried to be a cheaper option to a similar looking car. They have abandoned that but they did try for years. For even cribbed Benz styling point for their cars.
Cadillac could go high end at some point but they have to earn respect and trust first. If they can not make a CT 5 at a lower price that is worth the price or resale then why should anyone trust them on a higher end car?
Enough XLRV owners still remembering getting urned on their $100k cars that in a year or so that would hardly bring $39k resale value.
Even back in this old era Cadillac and Duisenberg did not start at the top. They earned their image on lower priced cars and worked their way up.
Now they should feature cars like this or the worlds fair V12 coupe in their marketing, it has been so long many younger people have no clue just how good Cadillac was decades ago.
I did say my wish. I don’t expect it to happen any time soon or perhaps not at all. But to equal the Benz in all aspect is a goal worth setting. Perception is an enemy of Cadillacs but they created this perception. I know it will take time to be equal to Benz in the eyes of the consumer,but it is a goal that Cadillac must achieve if they want succeed in the true luxury field. I still think there is not enough separation between Chevrolet,Buick and Cadillac. For an example the standard engine in a Lacrosse is more powerful than the standard Engine in the Cadillac CT6. In my opinion that should not be so.
It’s too bad Sotheby’s and Cadillac House in NY couldn’t a) showcase the car in NY, and b) use the space (NY) as an auction spot for cars of this magnitude.
Makes the marque that much more special in the media capital of the world.