Cadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America.

Founded in 1902 as the Cadillac Automobile Company, it was purchased in 1905 by General Motors and over the next thirty years established itself as America's premier luxury car. Cadillac pioneered many accessories in automobiles, including full electrical systems, the clashless manual transmission, and the steel roof. The brand developed three engines, one of which (the V8) set the standard for the American automotive industry.

Founding

Cadillac was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company when Henry Ford departed along with several of his key partners and the company was dissolved. With the intent of liquidating the firm's assets, Ford's financial backers, William Murphy and Lemuel Bowen called in engineer Henry M. Leland of Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company to appraise the plant and equipment prior to selling them. Instead, Leland persuaded them to continue the automobile business using Leland's proven 1-cylinder engine. Henry Ford's departure required a new name, and on August 22, 1902, the company reformed as the Cadillac Automobile Company. Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing and the Cadillac Automobile Company merged in 1905.

The Cadillac automobile was named after the 17th-century French explorer Antoine Laumet de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac, who founded Detroit in 1701.

Contributions to the automotive industry

From its earliest years, Cadillac aimed for precision engineering and stylish luxury finish, causing its cars to be ranked amongst the world's finest made. Utilisation of interchangeable parts was an important innovation in 1908. Cadillac was the first volume manufacturer of a fully enclosed cab in 1910 and, in 1912, was first to incorporate an electrical system enabling starting, ignition and lighting.

Advanced engines and transmissions

In 1915 it introduced a 90 degree flathead V8 engine with 70 horsepower at 2400 rpm and 180 feet per pound of torque, allowing its cars to attain 65 miles per hour. At that time, 65 miles per hour was faster than most roads could accomodate. Cadillac pioneered the dual-plane V8 crankshaft in 1918. In 1928, Cadillac introduced the first clashless Synchro-Mech manual transmission, utilizing constant mesh gears. In 1930, Cadillac implemented the first V-16 engine, with a 45 degree overhead valve, 452 cubic inches, and 165 horsepower, one of the most powerful and quietest engines in the United States. The development and introduction of the V8, V16, and V-12 helped to make Cadillac the "Standard of the World."

A later model of the V8 engine, known as the overhead valve, set the standard for the entire American automotive industry.