Cadillac Coupe de Ville

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Cadillac Coupe DeVille
1977-1979 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Manufacturer Cadillac
Parent company General Motors
Production 1949–1993
Assembly Detroit, Michigan
Class Personal luxury car
Platform C-body
First generation 1949-1953
Cadillac Coupé De Ville 1950
Production 1949–1953
Body style(s) 2-door convertible
2-door hardtop
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 331 in³ V8
Wheelbase 126.0 in (3200 mm)
Length 200.5 in (5093 mm)
Second generation 1954-1956
Production 1954–1956
Body style(s) 2-door convertible
2-door hardtop
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 331 in³ V8
365 in³ V8
Wheelbase 129.0 in (3277 mm)
Length 200.5 in (5093 mm)
Third generation 1957-1958
1958 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (front)
Production 1957–1958
Body style(s) 2-door convertible
2-door hardtop
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 365 in³ V8
Wheelbase 129.5 in (3289 mm)
Length 220.9 in (5611 mm)

The Coupe deVille (sometimes spelled Coupe Deville or Coupe DeVille) was a model of Cadillac from 1949 through 1993. The name has become famous through pop culture, with references in pop songs, movies, and other media.

Contents

The Coupe deVille was introduced by Cadillac late in the 1949 model year. Part of the Cadillac Series 62 line, it was a closed, two-door coupé, Cadillac's first pillarless hardtop. Intended as a prestige model, at $3,497 it was one of the most expensive models of the Series 62 line. It was luxuriously trimmed, with leather upholstery and chrome 'bows' in the headliner to simulate the ribs of a convertible top. The first-year Coupe deVille sold 2,150 units, but 1950 sales were more than double, and 1951 more than doubled those of the previous year. By 1961 it was one of the company's most popular models, with annual sales above 20,000.

Cadillac De Ville nomenclature always followed a tradition: Two doors with steel roofs were always Coupe De Ville, four doors were always Sedan De Ville until the elimination of two door models, and convertibles were always simply De Ville, as they were neither a coupe, nor a sedan by design.

Further, from the beginning and for many years, De Ville denoted an option package on the basic car (called Series 62, later Calais), NOT the body style. In other words, you could have a four-door Cadillac that was NOT a Sedan De Ville, nor would it have such lettering on the flanks of the car.

Cadillac finlight

Rear view Coupe deVille 1954

The full length of a 1954

Cadillac Coupe deVille 1954

Road Rocket: the front bumper


In 1956 the Coupe deVille was joined by the Sedan deVille, a four-door hardtop sedan. The Sedan deVille would ultimately outlive its two-door predecessor. For 1957 the car was fitted with quad headlights.

Interior of 1960 Coupe de Ville
Interior of 1960 Coupe de Ville
Fourth generation 1959-1964
1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville two door hard top. There were about 21,000 of these made
Production 1959–1964
Body style(s) 2-door convertible
2-door hardtop
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 390 in³ V-8
429 in³ V8
Wheelbase 129.5 in (3289 mm)
Length 1959-1960: 225.0 in (5715 mm)
1961-62: 222.0 in (5639 mm)
1963: 223.0 in (5664 mm)
1964: 223.5 in (5677 mm)

In 1959 the DeVille line was redesigned and separated in a distinct Series 63. The new model featured full fender skirts and a sleeker front end.

The Coupe de Ville, like other Cadillacs, grew substantially larger and more powerful from 1949 through the early 1970s. By 1973 it was 4 in. (101.6 mm) longer in wheelbase, 17 inches (431.8 mm) longer overall, and more than 900 lb (408 kg) heavier, and its standard V8 engine had grown from 331 in³ (5.4 L) to 472 in³ (7.7 L).

Fifth generation 1965-1968
Production 1965–1968
Body style(s) 2-door convertible
2-door hardtop
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 429 in³ V8
472 in³ V8
Transmission(s) 3-speed automatic
Wheelbase 129.5 in (3289 mm)
Length 1965-66: 224.0 in (5690 mm)
1967-68: 224.7 in (5707 mm)
Sixth generation 1969-1970
Production 1969–1970
Body style(s) 2-door convertible
2-door hardtop
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 472 in³ V8
Transmission(s) 3-speed automatic

The Coupe de Ville was completely redesigned for 1965 yet rode on the same 129.5-inch wheelbase. The tailfins disappeared, and sharp, distinct body lines replaced the rounded look.

1975 Coupe de Ville
1975 Coupe de Ville
Seventh generation 1971-1976
1971 Coupe de Ville (front)
Production 1971–1976
Body style(s) 2-door hardtop
2-door coupe
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 472 in³ V8
500 in³ V8
Transmission(s) 3-speed automatic
Wheelbase 130.0 in (3302 mm)
Length 1971: 229.0 in (5817 mm) 1972-73: 230.7 in (5860 mm)
Width 76.4 in (1941 mm)
Height 53.8 in (1367 mm)
Related Cadillac Calais

The Coupe deVille remained a pillarless hardtop through the 1973 model year, but for 1974 was restyled as a pillared two-door with then-fashionable opera windows behind the side windows. The Sedan deVille remained a pillarless four-door through 1976. New rectangular headlights with wraparound turn signals appeared in 1975, and the grille was no longer recessed. The 472 in³ engine was discontinued for 1975, leaving the 500 as the sole engine.

Ninth generation 1977-1984
Production 1977–1984
Body style(s) 2-door coupe
Layout FR layout
Engine(s) 425 in³ V8
368 in³ V8
4.1 L HT-4100 V8
350 in³ LF9 diesel V8
Transmission(s) 3-speed automatic
4-speed automatic
Wheelbase 121.5 in (3086 mm)
Length 1977-79: 221.2 in (5618 mm)
1980-84: 221.0 in (5613 mm)
Width 1977-79: 54.4 in (1382 mm)
1980-84: 54.6 in (1387 mm)
Height 1977-79: 74.6 in (1895 mm)
1980-82: 76.5 in (1943 mm)
1983-84: 75.3 in (1913 mm)/76.4 in (1941 mm)[dubious – discuss]

When General Motors initiated the redesign of the B-body and C-body for the 1977 model year the DeVille (and all other full-size GMs) shrank by 9.8 in (249 mm) and about 750 lb (340 kg). The new standard engine was a 425 in³ (6.9 L) V8, with the 350 in³ LF9 diesel becoming an option for 1978.

All GM fullsize lines received a facelift for 1980. Along with the facelift, the 425 engine was replaced by the 368 in³ V8-6-4. This engine's reliability was worse than expected, so the all-new aluminum-block HT-4100 V8 was introduced for 1982. It put out 125 horsepower at 4200 rpm and 190 foot-pounds of torque at 2000 rpm.

Tenth generation 1985-1988
Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Production 1985–1988
Body style(s) 2-door coupe
Layout FF layout
Engine(s) 4.5 L 155 hp V8
Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase 110.8 in (2814 mm)
Length 1985-86: 195.0 in (4953 mm)
1987-88: 196.4 in (4989 mm)
Width 1985-86: 71.7 in (1821 mm)
1987-88: 72.5 in (1842 mm)
Height 55.0 in (1397 mm)
Eleventh generation 1989-1993
Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Production 1989–1993
Body style(s) 2-door coupe
Layout FF layout
Engine(s) 4.9 L 200 hp V8
Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase 110.8 in (2814 mm)
Length 202.7 in (5149 mm)
Width 73.3 in (1862 mm)
Height 54.4 in (1382 mm)

In 1985 the DeVille was downsized again, this time dropping some 26.2 in (665.5 mm) in length and another 800 lb (363 kg). It also adopted front-wheel drive, moving to the new C-body platform.

The declining popularity of full-size coupes eventually led to the discontinuation of the model in 1993. For 1994, The DeVille (now identified on the car with a capital " D") series was composed of the four-door Sedan DeVille and (Sedan) DeVille Concours. Starting in 1997, it was known simply as the Cadillac DeVille for several years, although the Concours version was available through 1999. Subsequently, Cadillac added a 'DTS' model to the Deville series, an abbreviation for Deville Touring Sedan.

50's models with their extravagant fins are probably the best known versions of the car. Models from this era have commonly appeared in movies and music videos and also on postage stamps.

A movie of this name directed by Joe Roth and starring Patrick Dempsey was released in 1990.

In the 2006 animated film Cars, The minor character "Tex" (voiced by Humpy Wheeler) resembles a 1975 Coupe de Ville

The Coupe de Ville is pre-eminent among cars referenced in American popular music, whether rap, country, pop or blues, and this process is still going on some ten years after the model was discontinued.

Neil Young has a song of that title, and the car figures in songs by:

As well as this, there is an audio spoof on the Beatles, which consists of the "Black Beatles" singing Beatles songs, but putting a stereotypical "black" twist on it. The last song that they sing is "We all live in a yellow Coup De Ville"

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:


 v • d • e Cadillac road car timeline, 1930s-1980s
Type 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Entry-level 60 61 WWII 61 Cimarron
355 70/80 62 Series 62 6200 Calais
Mid-size Seville
Full-size Coupe de Ville/Sedan DeVille
60S Sixty Special Fleetwood Flwd60S Fleetwood
Limousine 355 72/75/85 Series 75 6700 Fleetwood 75 FL FB Brougham
Personal Luxury Eldorado
Roadster Allanté
Halo V-16 Brougham
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Coupe_de_Ville"
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