1971 Cadillac DeVille

A coupé de Ville, in French coachbuilding parlance, means 'to cut' and 'town or city'. It references a town car that is 'cut' by a division between the passenger and driver compartments. The name 'De Ville' is from the French de la Ville or 'of the town.' Cadillac began using the 'Coupe de Ville' in 1949 during the Autorama. It was built on a Cadillac Sixty Special chassis and given chrome trim around the front wheel openings, a one-piece windshield, and rear glass, and a dummy air scoop. In a similar fashion to the roof color, the interior was black and trimmed in gray leather, including the headliner. Amenities included a telephone in the glove compartment, power windows, chrome interior trim, and a vanity case, and a secretarial pad in the rear armrest.

GM President Charles E. Wilson used the prototype 'Coupe de Ville' until 1957 when he presented it to his secretary. At some point in period, the car received a dark Vicodec roof. The prototype continued to be used until the mid-1970s.

In 1965, the Coupe de Ville received a redesign, though it still rested on the same 129.5-inch wheelbase platform. The prior elevated tailfins were replaced by flat fins. The rounded look was replaced with more sharp, distinct body lines. The headlights went from horizontal to vertical, which allowed for a wider grille. In the back was a straight bumper with vertical lamp clusters.

The new 472 cubic-inch V8 engine of 1965 grew in horsepower by 1968, available in 375 hp and 400 hp versions. 1969 models were substantially restyled and clearly took its design inspiration from the 1967 Eldorado. Refinements followed for 1970 and 1971.

The 1971 Sedan DeVille had a base price of $6,500 while the Coupe DeVille sold for $6,270. Over 69,300 sedans were sold followed closely by 66,081 coupes. Total DeVille production for 1971 accounted for nearly 72% of total Cadillac sales.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019