The Cadillac Seville is a mid-size luxury car manufactured and marketed by General Motors under the Cadillac brand from the 1976 to 2004 model years as a smaller-sized, premium model. It was replaced by the STS in 2004 for the 2005 model year.
Origin of the name
The name of "Cadillac's first small car" was selected over a revival of LaSalle or the GM design staff's preference, LaScala, primarily because, according to GM marketing director Gordon Horsburgh, "It had no negatives." The initial suggestion was "Leland", after Cadillac co-founder Henry M. Leland, but it was rejected because most buyers wouldn't understand the reference, and Leland had also co-founded Cadillac's rival company Lincoln.
Hundreds of suggestions were considered: after extensive research, LaSalle was the top pick, with St. Moritz a distant second, trailed further by Seville. A troubled past (LaSalle) and difficult pronunciation (St. Moritz) led to the eventual selection of the Seville nameplate. Seville is the name of a Spanish province and its capital, renowned for its history and treasures of art and architecture. Cadillac had first used the nameplate for a two-door hardtop version of the 1956 Eldorado. 1960 was the last model year for the Eldorado Seville.
First generation (1976–1979)
The Seville, introduced in May 1975 as an early 1976 model, was Cadillac's answer to the rising popularity of European luxury imports as Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. GM planners were becoming concerned that the division's once-vaunted image as the "standard of the world" was fading, especially among younger generations of car buyers.
Over time, European luxury cars had become quite luxurious and even more expensive than the much larger Cadillacs. As market share of these imports continued to climb, it became clear that the traditional American automotive paradigm of "bigger equals better" had begun to falter. The Seville became the smallest and most expensive model in the lineup, turning Cadillac's traditional marketing and pricing strategy upside down. Full-size design prototypes were created as early as winter of 1972–73 (wearing the tentative name LaSalle, reviving the Cadillac junior brand from 1927 to 1940), and subsequent design prototypes looked edgier (specifically a 1973 named LaScala, which forwardly hinted at the 1992 Seville).
Styling took strong cues from the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Cadillac stylists added a crisp, angular body that set the tone for GM styling for the next decade, along with a wide track stance, giving the car a substantial, premium appearance. A wide chrome grille flanked by quadruple rectangular headlamps with narrow parking and signal lamps just below the header panel, while small wrap-around rectangular tail lamps placed at the outermost corners of the rear gave the appearance of a lower, leaner, and wider car. The taillight design was similar to that used on a rejected Coupe DeVille concept.March 2008 issue of Collectible Automobile detailing the 1977 GM full-size cars.
Unibody construction included a bolt-on subframe with a rear suspension based on the rear-wheel drive 1968–74 X-body platform that underpinned a range of compact GM cars. It also featured a rear differential with thicker front subframe bushings similar to the second generation F platform used in the Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, and the 1975–79 X-body platform. For the substantial re-engineering and upgrades from the X platform, it was given the unique designation "K-body". Also shared with the X-body platform was part of the roof stamping and trunk floor pan (for 1975 and newer vehicles).
Seville engineers chose the X-body platform instead of the originally intended Opel Diplomat in response to GM's budget restrictions (executives felt re-engineering an Opel would be more costly). Another proposal during development was a front-wheel drive layout similar to the Cadillac Eldorado. This proposal was also rejected because of budget concerns since the transaxle used for the Eldorado was produced on a limited basis solely for the E-body (Eldorado/Toronado) and the GMC motorhome of the mid-1970s.
Introduced in mid-1975 and billed as the new "internationally-sized" Cadillac, the Seville was almost lighter than the full-sized Deville. The Seville was thus more nimble and easier to park, in addition to retaining a full complement of Cadillac features. More expensive than any other Cadillac (except the Series 75 Fleetwood factory limousines) at US$12,479 ($ in dollars ), the Seville was successful enough to spawn several imitators, including the unsuccessful Lincoln Versailles and the Chrysler LeBaron (known as the Fifth Avenue after 1982). To ensure the quality of the initial production run, the first 2,000 units produced were identical in color (Georgian silver) and options. This enabled workers to "ramp up" to building different configurations. Total 1976 Seville production was 43,772 vehicles.
Early Sevilles produced between April 1975 (a total of 16,355) to the close of the 1976 model year were the first Cadillacs to use the smaller GM wheel bolt pattern (5 lugs with a bolt circle; the 2003–2009 XLR also uses this pattern). The first Sevilles shared a minority of components with the X-Body. The rear drums measured and were similar to the ones used with the Nova 9C1 (police option) and A-body (Chevrolet Chevelle, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Buick Regal, Pontiac LeMans) intermediate station wagons. Starting with the 1977 model year, production Sevilles used the larger 5-lug bolt circle common to full-size Chevrolet passenger cars (1971–76), Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, and half-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. 1975–76 models included a vinyl roof to less expensively cover the roof's two part construction. The rear section around the C-pillar was pressed especially for Cadillac, and X-body pressing was used for the forward section. Due to customer demand, a painted steel roof was offered in 1977, requiring a new full roof stamping. 1977 Seville production increased slightly to 45,060 vehicles. The last year, production increased to the first generation's peak production, at 56,985.
The engine was an Oldsmobile-sourced V8, fitted with a Bendix analog port fuel injection system. This system gave the Seville smooth drivability and performance that was usually lacking in domestic cars of this early emissions control era. Power output was , and fuel economy was 15 MPG in the city and 21 MPG on the highway. While standard on Seville, this EFI system was optional on the full size models starting in 1975. Performance was considered good for the era, with taking 11.5 seconds. A diesel displacing LF9 V8 was added in 1978.
For the 1978 and 1979 model years, the Seville offered a trip computer, marketed as "Tripmaster", at an extra cost of $920. The fuel gauge, speedometer and clock were replaced with digital readouts. Gas-discharge display technology was selected due to greater visibility in daylight conditions. A small panel of 12 buttons allowed selection of data to be displayed, such as coolant temp, battery voltage, or fuel range. The driver could also enter initial trip data and the computer would estimate arrival time based on speed and miles remaining. The computer itself was designed around the Motorola 6800 architecture and included self-diagnostics. For the 1979 model year, Tripmaster's hardware was improved, and the option was made available on the newly downsized Eldorado, which shared the same engine and EFI system as the Seville.
The Seville was the first American automobile to offer full electronic instrumentation. Although the 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V was available with a "Miles-To-Empty" feature (i.e., an LED readout of miles left to travel based on the fuel remaining), Lincoln did not offer full electronic instrumentation until 1980. The Tripmaster proved unpopular due to its high price, but it served successfully as an engineering test bed for future embedded electronics in GM vehicles. For 1980, an integrated LED-based MPG Sentinel display panel became standard equipment, and a VFD digital speedometer cluster was offered as an option starting in 1981.
A number of custom coach builders made modifications to the 1975–1979 Seville, including shortened 2-seat 2-door convertibles, a 2-door convertible with a back seat, a 2-door pickup truck, 2-door coupes, 2- and 4-door lengthened-hood Sevilles with a fake spare tire in each front fender, and a lengthened-wheelbase standard 4-door Seville.
In the late 1970s, Grandeur Motor Car Company of Florida offered converted Sevilles with neoclassical 1930s styling cues. These sedans were converted mostly into 2-door coupes with an elongated hood, fake spare tire covers on both sides, a small portal window in the rear right section of the vinyl-covered roof, and an upright Lincoln Mark series-style grille. An estimated 600 Seville Opera Coupes were produced.
The Seville was manufactured in Iran under the brand name of "Cadillac Iran" from 1978 to 1987 by Pars Khodro, which was known as "Iran General Motors" before the Islamic Revolution. A total of 2,653 Cadillacs were made in Iran during this period. This made Iran the only country assembling Cadillacs outside the US until 1997, when the Opel Omega-based Catera was built in Germany for US sale. The Cadillac BLS, built in Sweden exclusively for European market, was introduced in 2006. Although the Allanté had an Italian-sourced body and interior, its final assembly was done in the US.
Elegante
From 1978 until the third generation in 1988, the Seville was available with the Elegante package. It added a unique black/silver two-tone exterior paint combination and perforated leather seats in light gray only. Real wire wheels were standard as were a host of other features which were optional or unavailable on the base Seville.
In 1979, a second color combination was added, a two-tone copper shade with a matching leather interior. For the second generation Elegante in 1985, a monotone paint combination became available; however, dual-shade combinations, later available in various colors, remained more popular. The price for this package increased over time from $2,600 in 1978 ($ in dollars ) to $4,005 ($ in dollars ) in 1987 in addition to the base price.
Production Year Total 1975 16,355 1976 43,772 1977 45,060 1978 56,985 1979 53,487
Engines
YearEnginePower 1976–1979 5.7 L Oldsmobile V8 1978–1979 5.7 L LF9 Diesel V8
Second generation (1980–1985)
While the first-generation Seville had proved quite successful, it failed in its primary mission of winning over younger import buyers. Marketing research indicated that the car was most popular with older women who wanted a Cadillac in a smaller, more maneuverable size. For the 1980 model year, the Seville's K-body platform became front-wheel drive, based on the E-body Eldorado, Buick Riviera, and Oldsmobile Toronado. Length and wheelbase were similar, with the car losing 0.3 inches in wheelbase and gaining 0.8 inches overall. The new model featured independent rear suspension. The standard engine was the new digitally fuel-injected Cadillac L62 V8, with the Oldsmobile diesel carried over from the previous generation available as a no-cost option except in California, where the fuel-injected Oldsmobile 350 was retained for emissions purposes.