Cadillac Sixteen (or, V-16) was the company’s flagship model from 1930 to 1940. Back in the 1920s, Cadillac made the most expensive and exclusive car yet. Each chassis was custom-made upon order. The engine was developed in-house to be the most powerful and smooth of all the other rivals in the market. Only three production models with the (gasoline-powered) V16 engine were ever built, out of which two belonged to Cadillac. Of course, both the models were Cadillac V-16, one produced between 1930 and 1937 and the second from 1938 to 1940. The company has since tried twice to build a new V-16 engine, once in the 80s and then again in the 2000s as per Top Speed. However, the powertrains are yet to see the light of day.
It all started when Cadillac got the idea of building a multi-cylinder car. In 1915, Packard launched a brand new model line featuring a twin six (V12) engine in the market that set a new standard in the luxury car segment. This was the first production automobile with a 12-cylinder engine and it wasn’t long before the model became the first choice for all the industrialists, celebrities, and high-profile clients so much so that a Packard V12 made an entrance in the Presidential inaugural parade for the first time in history. Quite evidently, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Twin-six came as a blow to Cadillac and General Motors. It practically overshadowed their humble V8. Cadillac desperately needed something bigger to one-up Packard, and this is when the inspiration of a 16-cylinder engine struck Cadillac. A few years and several rigorous sessions of development and testing later, one of the most exquisite Cadillacs was born.
Launched in 1930, Cadillac V16 was Cadillac’s top-of-the-line model. The 16-cylinder automobile is considered to be the most original and exquisite Cadillacs ever.
The 1930s was the best time to be alive for a car enthusiast, and if you love badass cars as much as we do, you know what we are talking about. Read about one of the most expensive, exotic and badass Cadillacs of history, the Cadillac V16.
The Inside Scoop At The Cadillac’s V-16
In 1915, Packard launched the first 12-cylinder mass-produced automobile of the world, a stunning V12 line-up that took the market by storm. It not only proved to be a huge competition for Cadillac which was so far considered to be the unofficial leader of the luxury car segment but also stirred the auto industry. The twin six pushed the American car manufacturers into a rat race of building the most outrageous cars, despite the great depression that already had its foot in the door. Stutz had their double/single overhead cam 8 engine, Duesenberg had launched their double overhead straight 8 engine, and it was Cadillac’s turn now to come up with something bigger and more exotic, to take over the control. The development of V sixteen started in 1926 and the entire project was kept under wraps for years. As soon as they developed a new multi-cylinder engine, several prototypes were built and tested and about three years later, Cadillac announced the launch of a 16-cylinder model, the V-16 Series 452. Despite the economic crises, V-16 proved to be a sales success and re-established the position of Cadillac in the luxury car market.
Features And Specifications
Cadillac V16 came in a variety of bodywork. The debut year alone had ten basic body styles which could be customized even further. The car was bold and outrageous, to say the least, and it certainly looked the part. However, the heart of the flagship model was its monstrous V16 engine which was very delicately built with no explicit sights of any wiring or plugs quite unlike the regular engines of the era.
Although V-16 received an incredible response from the buyers as well as industry experts, the Great Depression doomed its fate. The model was discontinued after a moderately successful run of 11 years. Only 4076 units were ever built with most of the units manufactured early on, and it is extremely rare to chance upon an original body style in perfect condition. Despite having been launched at the dawn of the greatest economic crises and being the most expensive Cadillac so far, the Cadillac V-16 was and still is one of the most coveted American cars.
