1968 Cadillac DeVille

During much of the post-World War II era, including through the 1960s, Cadillac reigned atop the American luxury car segment. Completely restyled and modern bodies arrived in 1965, with the previous tailfin designs being replaced by up-to-date blade-type rear fenders. There were curved frameless side windows, a straight rear bumper, vertical lamp clusters, and tempered glass backlights on the convertibles. The new perimeter-frame chassis design, replacing the prior X-member arrangement of the 1950s, allowed the engine to be moved forward six inches which greatly improved interior space for its occupants. The wheelbase measured 129.5 inches and initially, it had a length of 224 inches. In 1968, the length grew to 224.7 inches, and a year later it grew slightly to 225 inches.

The 429 cubic-inch V8 engine offering 340 horsepower was replaced in 1968 by an all-new 472 cubic-inch unit. It had overhead valves, a compression ratio of 10.5:1, hydraulic valve lifters, five main bearings, a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, and delivered 375 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. It was paired with a three-speed TH-400 automatic transmission which delivered power to the rear wheels. There was an independent suspension and four-wheel power-assisted drum brakes.

Styling updates to the 1968 DeVille came in the form of a finer mesh insert and the step-down outer section of the grille, and rectangular parking lights positioned slightly higher than in previous years. This would be the final year for the stacked headlight design. The rear decklid had a slightly sharper rake, and the front hood was 8.5 inches longer to accommodate recessed windshield wiper-washers. Of the twenty available exterior paint color combinations, fourteen were new. Richer interior appointments and plusher upholstery trims were available, in selections of cloth, vinyl, and leather. Among the list of standard features included a Light Group, a Mirror Group, an ignition key warning buzzer, and a trip odometer. Front disc brakes were now optional and cars built after January 1st of 1968 received shoulder belts in compliance with Federal safety regulations.

The sedan and hardtop sedan was priced at $5,785, the Coupe DeVille at $5,550, and the convertible DeVille at $5,740. The hardtop sedan was the most popular with 72,662 examples built, followed by 63,935 examples of the Coupe DeVille, 18,025 of the convertible DeVille, and 9,850 of the sedan.

Other 1968 Cadillac models included the Calais resting on a 129.5-inch wheelbase and priced in the mid-$5,000 range, the Fleetwood Sixty-Special on a 133-inch wheelbase and priced in the mid-$6,000 range, and the range-topping Fleetwood Seventy-Five on a generous 149.8-inch wheelbase platform (the commercial platform was even larger, measuring 156-inches) and priced in excess of $10,000. The Fleetwood Eldorado hardtop coupe was priced at $6,600 and had a 120-inch wheelbase.

The 164,472 examples of the 1968 DeVille represented nearly 72 percent of Cadillac's total production.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2022