Cadillac Seville
The Cadillac Seville is a mid-size luxury car manufactured by Cadillac from the 1976 to 2004 model years as a smaller-sized, premium model. It was replaced by the STS in 2004 for the 2005 model year.
Origin of the name
The name of "Cadillac's first small car" was selected over a revival of LaSalle or the GM design staff's preference, LaScala, primarily because, as noted by GM Marketing Director Gordon Horsburgh, "It had no negatives." The initial suggestion was "Leland" in honor of one of the make's founders but it was rejected because most buyers wouldn't understand the reference and Henry Leland had also founded rival Lincoln.Hundreds of suggestions were considered: after extensive research, LaSalle was the top pick with St. Moritz a distant second, trailed further by Seville. A troubled past and difficult pronunciation led to the eventual selection of the Seville nameplate.
Seville is the name of a Spanish province and its capital, renowned for its history and treasures of art and architecture. Cadillac had first used the nameplate for a two-door hardtop version of the 1956 Eldorado. 1960 was the last model year for the Eldorado Seville.
First generation (1976–1979)
The Seville, introduced in May 1975 as an early 1976 model, was Cadillac's answer to the rising popularity of European luxury imports as Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. GM planners were becoming concerned that the division's once-vaunted image as the "standard of the world" was fading, especially among younger generations of car buyers.Over time, European luxury cars had become quite luxurious and even more expensive than the much larger Cadillacs. As market share of these imports continued to climb, it became obvious that the traditional American automotive paradigm of "bigger equals better" had begun to falter. The Seville became the smallest and most expensive model in the lineup, turning Cadillac's traditional marketing and pricing strategy upside down. Full size design prototypes were created as early as winter of 1972–73. Subsequent design prototypes looked edgier.
Styling took strong cues from the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Cadillac stylists added a crisp, angular body that set the tone for GM styling for the next decade, along with a wide track stance, giving the car a substantial, premium appearance. A wide chrome grille flanked by quadruple rectangular headlamps with narrow parking and signal lamps just below the header panel, while small wrap-around rectangular tail lamps placed at the outermost corners of the rear gave the appearance of a lower, leaner, and wider car. The taillight design was similar to that used on a rejected Coupe DeVille concept.
Unibody construction included a bolt-on subframe with a rear suspension based on the rear-wheel drive 1968–74 platform (RWD)|X-body] platform that underpinned a range of compact GM autos. It also featured a rear differential with thicker front subframe bushings similar to the second generation F platform used in the Camaro, Firebird, and the 1975–79 X-body platform. Substantial re-engineering and upgrades from these humble origins earned it the unique designation "K-body". Also shared with the X-body platform was part of the roof stamping and trunk floor pan.
Seville engineers chose the X-body platform instead of the originally intended to be used German Opel Diplomat in response to GM's budget restrictions—executives felt re-engineering an Opel would be more costly. Another proposal during development was a front-wheel drive layout similar to the Cadillac Eldorado. This proposal was also rejected because of budget concerns since the transaxle used for the Eldorado was produced on a limited basis solely for the E-body and the GMC motorhome of the mid-1970s.
Introduced in mid-1975 and billed as the new "internationally-sized" Cadillac, the Seville was almost lighter than the full-sized Deville. The Seville was thus more nimble and easy to park, as well as retaining a full complement of Cadillac features. More expensive than any other Cadillac at US$12,479, the Seville was successful enough to spawn several imitators, including the unsuccessful Lincoln Versailles and the Chrysler LeBaron. To ensure the quality of the initial production run, the first 2,000 units produced were identical in color and options. This enabled workers to "ramp up" to building different configurations. Total 1976 Seville production was 43,772 vehicles.
Early Sevilles produced between April 1975 to the close of the 1976 model year were the first Cadillacs to use the smaller GM wheel bolt pattern. The first Sevilles shared a minority of components with the X-Body. The rear drums measured and were similar to the ones used with the Nova 9C1 and A-body intermediate station wagons. Starting with the 1977 model year, production Sevilles used the larger 5-lug bolt circle common to full-size Chevrolet passenger cars, Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, and half-ton Chevrolet/GMC light trucks and vans. It also received rear disc brakes, a design which would surface a year later as an option on the F-body Pontiac Trans Am. 1975–76 models included a vinyl roof, to less expensively cover the roof's two part construction, the rear section around the C-pillar was pressed especially for Cadillac and X-body pressing was used for the forward section. Due to customer demand, a painted steel roof was offered in 1977, requiring a new full roof stamping. 1977 Seville production increased slightly to 45,060 vehicles. The last year, production increased to the first generation's peak production, at 56,985.
The engine was an Oldsmobile-sourced V8 engine#350| V8], fitted with a Bendix analog port fuel injection system. This system gave the Seville smooth driveability and performance that was usually lacking in domestic cars of this early emissions control era. Power output was, and fuel economy was 15 MPG in the city and 21 MPG on the highway. While standard on Seville, this EFI system was optional on the full size models starting in 1975. Performance was considered good for the era, with taking 11.5 seconds. A diesel displacing LF9 V8 was added in 1978.
For the 1978 and 1979 model years, the Seville offered a trip computer, marketed as Tripmaster at an extra cost of $920. The fuel gauge, speedometer and clock were replaced with digital readouts. Gas-discharge display technology was selected due to greater visibility in daylight conditions. A small panel of 12 buttons allowed selection of data to be displayed, such as coolant temp, battery voltage, or fuel range. The driver could also enter initial trip data and the computer would estimate arrival time based on speed and miles remaining. The computer itself was designed around the M6800 architecture and included self-diagnostics. For the 1979 model year, Tripmaster's hardware was improved, and the option was made available on the newly downsized Eldorado, which shared the same engine and EFI system as the Seville.
Though preceded by the British 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda sedan, the Seville was the first American automobile to offer full electronic instrumentation. Although the 1978 Continental Mark V was available with a "Miles-To-Empty" feature, Lincoln did not offer full electronic instrumentation until 1980. The Tripmaster proved unpopular due to its high price, but it served successfully as an engineering test bed for future embedded electronics in GM vehicles. For 1980, an integrated LED-based MPG Sentinel display panel became standard equipment, and a VFD digital speedometer cluster was offered as optional starting in 1981.
A number of custom coach builders made modifications to the 1975–1979 Seville, including shortened 2-seat 2-door convertibles, a 2-door convertible with a back seat, a 2-door pickup truck, 2-door coupes, 2- and 4-door lengthened-hood Sevilles with a fake spare tire in each front fender, and a lengthened-wheelbase standard 4-door Seville. In the late 1970s, Florida coachbuilder, Grandeur Motor Car Company, offered converted Sevilles with neoclassical 1930s styling cues. These sedans were converted mostly into 2-door coupes with an elongated hood, fake spare tire covers on both sides, a small portal window in the rear right section of the vinyl-covered roof, and an upright Lincoln Mark series-like grille. An estimated 600 Seville Opera Coupes were produced.
The Seville was manufactured in Iran under the brand name of "Cadillac Iran" from 1978 to 1987 by Pars Khodro, which was known as "Iran General Motors" before the Islamic Revolution. A total of 2,653 Cadillacs were made in Iran during this period. This made Iran the only country assembling Cadillacs outside the US until 1997 when the Opel Omega-based Catera was built in Germany for US sale. The Cadillac BLS, built in Sweden exclusively for European market, was introduced in 2006. Although the Allanté had an Italian-sourced body and interior, its final assembly was done in the US.
Elegante
From 1978, through the third generation in 1988, the Seville was available with the Elegante package. It added a unique black/silver two-tone exterior paint combination and perforated leather seats in light gray only. Real wire wheels were standard as were a host of other features which were optional or unavailable on the base Seville.In 1979, a second color combination was added, a two-tone copper shade with a matching leather interior. For the second generation Elegante in 1985, a monotone paint combination became available; however, dual-shade combinations, later available in various colors, remained more popular. The price for this package increased over time from $2,600 in 1978 to $4,005 in 1987 in addition to the base price.
Engines
| Year | Engine | Power |
| 1976–1979 | 5.7 L Oldsmobile V8 | |
| 1978–1979 | 5.7 L LF9 Diesel V8 |
Second generation (1980–1985)
While the first-generation Seville had proved quite successful, it failed in its primary mission of winning over younger import buyers. Marketing research indicated that the car was most popular with older women who wanted a Cadillac in a smaller, more maneuverable size. For the 1980 model year, the Seville's K-body platform became front-wheel drive, based on the E-body Eldorado, Buick Riviera, and Oldsmobile Toronado. Length and wheelbase were similar, with the car losing 0.3" in wheelbase and gaining 0.8" overall. The new model featured independent rear suspension. The standard engine was the new digitally fuel-injected Cadillac L62 V8, with the Oldsmobile diesel carried over from the previous generation available as a no-cost option except in California, where the fuel-injected Oldsmobile 350 was retained for emissions purposes.The razor-edged bustle-back rear styling drew inspiration from English coachbuilder Hooper & Co.'s "Empress Line" designs from the early 1950s, which were considered a dramatic, modern take on the mid-'30s style of trunk/body integration. In addition, long hood/short deck proportions were inspired by luxury cars of the 1960s. The Seville's "statement" bustle-back styling was the ultimate realization of many previous conceptual design efforts by GM designer Wayne Kady. The Seville was also one of the last vehicles designed under the leadership of then General Motors Vice President of Design Bill Mitchell, who was a major proponent of the bustle-back design. Bill's immediate predecessor, former Vice President of Design Harley Earl, had originally appointed Mitchell as Cadillac's first Chief Designer in 1936. It was swiftly imitated by the 1982–87 Lincoln Continental sedan and the 1981–83 Imperial coupe. Sales were strong at first, but disastrous flirtation with diesel engines and the ill-fated V-8-6-4 variable displacement gasoline engine, coupled with poor quality control eroded Seville's standing in the marketplace.
The Seville introduced features that would become traditional in later years. In 1981, memory seats appeared—a feature not seen on a Cadillac since the Eldorado Broughams of the late 1950s. This option allowed two stored positions to be recalled at the touch of a button. Also new for 1981 was a digital instrument cluster, shared with the Eldorado. Engine options changed for 1981: the V8 was now equipped with the V8-6-4 variable displacement technology. A carbureted Buick V6 was added as a credit option. Puncture-sealing tires were also new.
In 1982, Seville offered heated outside rear-view mirrors, available with optional rear defogger. Inside, a "Symphony Sound" stereo cassette tape system was available. The previously standard diesel engine became an option with the introduction of a new HT-4100. This engine had a number of reliability issues, such as weak, porous aluminum block castings and failure-prone intake manifold gaskets.
For 1983, the Buick V6 was dropped and a new "Delco/Bose" stereo cassette system was offered at $895. Initially looking like a standard Delco radio, from 1984 onward it featured a brushed gold-look front panel and bulbous lower interior door speaker assemblies. This was also the last year for an available 8-track stereo system. From 1983 through 1985, it was available with a fake cabriolet roof option which gave the appearance of a four-door convertible.
Production Figures:
| Yearly Total | |
| 1980 | 39,344 |
| 1981 | 28,631 |
| 1982 | 19,998 |
| 1983 | 30,430 |
| 1984 | 39,997 |
| 1985 | 39,755 |
| Total | 198,155 |
Engines
In 1980, the 350 ci L49 was only available for California.Third generation (1986–1991)
The 1986 featured a transverse-mounted V8 driving the front wheels, an advanced 4-speed automatic transmission, and EPA fuel mileage of on the highway. The Seville's computerized engine management system featured a BCM/ECM and an electronic dashboard using high-intensity vacuum fluorescent displays — made possibly after GM's acquisition of Hughes Electronics.With sales substantially below expectations, Cadillac facelifted the exterior for model year 1988. This was the final generation to have an annual grille facelift. Cadillac introduced the Seville Touring Sedan trim level this model year, equipped with the FE2 touring suspension, 15-inch alloy wheels, upgraded springs, a rear sway bar, a 15.6:1 steering ratio for enhanced handling, grille mounted emblem, cloisonne trunk lock cover, and a four-passenger interior. Seville Touring Sedan production totaled 1,499 units in 1988. The first 1988 STSs were custom built by Cars and Concepts and announced at that year's Detroit Grand Prix. These initial run models were available to VIPs within General Motors, the Cadillac Division, some major shareholders and a short list of dignitaries. A special label was affixed to the lower corner of the driver-side front door identifying it as one of the original STSs. The Elegante trim package, first introduced on Seville in 1978, was discontinued after the 1988 model year.
For 1989, the first production STSs were sold as a "Limited Edition" with option code of YP6. Features from the 1988 model were carried over with the addition of a retuned suspension package for more precise steering and firmer feel of the road. Additional features included hand-stitched beechwood ultrasoft leather seats, anti-lock braking, touring suspension, a 3.3:1 drive ratio, 15-inch cast aluminum alloy wheels, and Goodyear Eagle GT4 blackwall tires.
Additional STS features included: grille with flush-mounted wreath-and-crest, modified driver's front fender with the cornering light moved to the front fascia and headlight monitors removed, matching body-color front lower airdam and bodyside moldings, matte black export license pocket with bright bead, matte black front bumper impact pads and rear bumper guard vertical inserts, matching body color outside rearview mirrors with a black patch, modified rear reflexes, modified export taillamps with three-color European-style lenses, an STS nameplate on the deck lid, and an STS-exclusive cloisonne deck lid lock cover.
The STS interior had a 12-way power front seat, manual articulating front seat headrests, center front armrest with cassette and coin/cup storage console trimmed in ultrasoft leather, netted map pockets, rear bucket seats with integral headrests, center rear console and rear storage compartment, leather-wrapped front and rear door trim panels, door pull straps and overhead pull straps, high-gloss elm burl real wood appliques on door trim panels and switch plates, horn pad and bar, instrument panel and front and rear consoles, floor carpet and a decklid liner in tara material with STS logo. Other standard STS features included automatic door locks, illuminated driver and passenger side visor vanity mirrors, illuminated entry system, rear window defogger, a theft-deterrent system, and trunk mat.
Four exterior colors were available for the STS in 1989: White Diamond, Sable Black, Black Sapphire, or Carmine Red. 1,893 Seville Touring Sedans were produced for the 1989 model year. The first models were leftovers from the Cars and Concepts run of the 1988 production year with the special sticker located on the lower part on the inside of the driver's door. These were produced prior to December 1988 for the 1989 production year and are rare. The last 6 digits of these VIN numbers would be below 808000. As with the 1988 model, a special 3.25" x 2" black/silver chrome label was affixed to the lower inside area of the driver-side front door by Cars and Concepts identifying it as one of the original STS models.
In 1990, the Seville received a new fuel injection system, increasing horsepower to 180. Front park lamps were no longer fender-mounted with any Cadillac model, and the STS was further modified, receiving revised side and rear body color fascias as well as dual exhaust outlets with bright stainless outlets, a larger STS trunk script, standard Teves anti-lock braking system with rear discs, and 16-inch machine finished alloy wheels on Goodyear Eagle GT+4 tires. A driver's side airbag was also added to Seville and STS. While the engine was the same as used in regular Seville models, the transmission had a special final drive ratio of 3.33:1 for better acceleration. The 1990 STS also received its own body designation of 6KY69 and prices started at $36,320. 1990 STS production totaled 2,811 vehicles.
There were no body changes in 1991, and the V8's displacement increased to 4.9-liter and featured a 4T60E electronically controlled transmission. The new V8 no longer used the A.I.R. system and additional refinements to the internals increased horsepower to 200. The only change to the STS was the removal of the rear bucket seats for a full-width bench and new front seats with larger side bolsters taken from the prior year's Eldorado Touring Coupe. 2,206 STS were produced.
Production Figures:
| Seville | STS | Yearly Total | |
| 1986 | 19,098 | - | 19,098 |
| 1987 | 18,578 | - | 18,578 |
| 1988 | 22,968 | 1,499 | 24,467 |
| 1989 | 20,422 | 1,893 | 22,315 |
| 1990 | 32,235 | 1,893 | 34,128 |
| 1991 | 24,225 | 2,206 | 26,431 |
| Total | 137,526 | 7,491 | 145,017 |
Fourth generation (1992–1997)
The Seville was redesigned for 1992 model year. Wheelbase increased 3 inches to and overall length over 13 inches to. The upright formal roofline was replaced by a steeply raked rear window.The range was divided into two sub-models:
- The Seville Luxury Sedan was introduced with the 4.9 L HT-4900 V8 and received a LD8 Northstar V8 for 1994
- The Seville Touring Sedan also began with the 4.9 L HT-4900 in 1992 and was upgraded to the L37 Northstar in 1993
0–60 mph times were 7.4 seconds for the SLS and 6.9 seconds for the STS. Rain sensing wipers, called RainSense, were standard on the STS.
From 1994, both models were equipped with the GM 4T80 transmission but different final drive. There were model specific bumpers, side plastic molding and rear taillights. The STS models featured body-colored front grille, while the SLS models had a chrome-plated grille and a Cadillac hood badge. On the inside, the STS models used more Zebrawood trim compared to the SLS. The seats in the STS models were covered with perforated leather in contrast with the non-perforated leather on the SLS. The SLS models could have been specified with the optional column shifter. The STS models featured active suspension while the SLS models were equipped with passive suspension. Both models were equipped with speed-sensitive steering effort and rear pneumatic self-levelling suspension, power antenna, soft-close trunk lid and 2 driver memories for seats, rear view mirrors, climate control, and sound system settings.
The 1993 addition of the Northstar System, including the Northstar quad-cam 32-valve aluminum V8 and a new unequal-length control arm rear suspension to the STS, helped increase sales. The rear suspension previously featured a single transverse leaf spring like the Chevrolet Corvette.
As of 1994 model year, the Seville STS became the most powerful front-wheel-drive cars on the market at 300 hp.
For the 1996 production year, on both models, the interior was revised including seats, central console, shifter knob and door trim. Due to the 1996 OBD-II compliance mandate most electronic modules were revised. Two sound system options were introduced, the base Delco Electronics and the optional BOSE, both sound systems featured AM/FM radio and tape player. Both could be connected to the optional trunk-mounted 12-disc CD player and the optional cellular phone. The BOSE sound system included 4 amplifiers and added Digital signal processor and Radio Data System. In some export markets the sound system was slightly different. Steering controls were standard for the climate control and the sound system. The exterior changes are minimal, for the STS models new 7-spoke 16-inch aluminum rims were introduced in silver finish and as an option in chrome finish. Depending on the tire options, the top speed was limited to 130 mph or 156 mph.
In 1997, some of the electronic modules were further updated for OBD-II compliance reasons, a revised climate control module is introduced and there are updates to the stability system with the addition of a yaw sensor. Some of the advanced DIC self diagnostic features were removed requiring a TechII scanner tool instead. The TheftLock feature is added to the Head Unit. The heated windshield option is no longer available for 1997.
Base prices for both models peaked in 1996 at US$42,995 for the SLS and US$47,495 for the STS but the increasingly competitive luxury car market resulted in price reductions for 1997. They were reduced to $39,995 for the SLS and $44,995 for the STS.
Production Figures:
| Yearly Total | |
| 1992 | 43,953 |
| 1993 | 37,239 |
| 1994 | 46,713 |
| 1995 | 38,931 |
| 1996 | 38,238 |
| 1997 | 42,117 |
| Total | 247,191 |
Fifth generation (1998–2004)
A redesigned Seville was introduced in late 1997 for 1998 model year, built on GM's G platform. All transverse engine front-wheel drive Sevilles were built in Hamtramck, Michigan.The wheelbase was extended to but the overall length was down slightly to. The car looked similar to the fourth-generation model, and featured numerous suspension and drivability revisions. The Seville STS continued as the most powerful front-wheel-drive cars on the market at. The top STS model ran 0–60 mph in 6.4 seconds and had a 14.8 second quarter-mile time.
The fifth-generation Seville was the first Cadillac engineered in both left- and right-hand-drive form; and the first modern Cadillac to be officially marketed in several right-hand-drive markets. Models sold in Japan were both left- and right-hand drive. In the past, right-hand-drive Cadillacs were manufactured from CKD kits or special conversion kits shipped for local conversion. There was also an export version of the fifth-generation Seville, with shorter bumpers to fit beneath a 5-meter overall length taxation threshold. The 1998 Seville was the first Cadillac launched with a European type approval number in Europe; the United Kingdom first, and then Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Finland and other markets.
On the fifth-generation Seville, the steering column was a power tilt and telescoping unit with its operation was tied into the memory functions. The soft-close trunk lid and power antenna was no longer available. The car's security system was now equipped with the Passlock III, an update for the resistor-based Passlock II, which was updated from the previous generation. Also, updated from the previous generation was the car's the sound system. It added a head unit with radio, tape and CD player. The cellular phone option was still available, however the optional trunk-mounted CD player was replaced with a 6-disc unit. Between 1998 and 1999 a first-generation GPS navigation option was available. It was updated in 2000 with a larger touchscreen DVD-based GPS navigation unit.
In 1999, a one-year only massage seats option was available. In 2000, the tire-pressure monitoring system became available as an option. In January 2002, the STS received a new MagneRide adaptive suspension system, unavailable on the SLS, becoming the first production vehicle equipped standard with such suspension technology.
Production of the Seville STS ended on May 16, 2003. Seville SLS production ended seven months later, on December 4, 2003. In 2004, only the Seville SLS model was available for purchase. The Seville model name was discontinued for 2005 and replaced by the Cadillac STS.