History of Cadillac

2021 Cadillac XT6



The history of Cadillac starts small, with the spark of an idea over a century ago that still leads to automotive innovation today. Learn how Cadillac made groundbreaking and historic strides in the automotive industry with Val Ward Cadillac in Ft. Myers. In this brief Cadillac History blog, you’ll learn when Cadillac was founded, what the first Cadillac ever made was, and the Cadillac logo history. The Cadillac history experts are here to help with information from the first Cadillac ever made to the newest Escalade!

The Cadillac Logo History

Cadillac namesake Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac was born in France. His family’s coat of arms featured a crest and wreath that inspired the first Cadillac logo. With over 30 redesigns in the last century the Cadillac logo history is worth a deep dive for graphic design fans. The logo started with crisper lines and sleeker angles but transformed through the years into the symbol Naples drivers associate with luxury and cutting-edge driving technology:

  • 1906: The shield signified that the family descended from the royal counts of Toulouse, and was divided into two parts for the logo. It featured birds — or merlettes — that were adaptations of the martin.
  • 1920: The tulip-bulb wreath was adapted from the original trademark with nine points on the crown. The crown had seven points up until 1925.
  • 1933: To match the brand’s design element, the crest was given wings and made detachable.
  • 1957: The crests started to look long and wide. This continued through 1959 until the crown was almost out of sight.
  • 1963-Today: The Cadillac logo was designed to be a tad more chiseled to match the brand perfectly, and it remains on Abilene Cadillacs with few changes today.

When Was Cadillac Founded? — A Timeline of the History of Cadillac

  • 1902 — Cadillac was founded by Henry Leland, who named the company after the founder of Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac.
  • August 1903 — What Was the First Cadillac Ever Made? The Cadillac Runabout debuted at the New York Auto Show with an $850 price tag. It was a 2-seater “horseless carriage” with 10 hp and a single-cylinder engine. It was renamed Model A.
  • 1904 — The Model B was introduced.
  • 1908 — Cadillac brought the idea of interchangeable parts to the industry, developing a ground-breaking revelation to the future of car production. Cadillac became the first American car to win the Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club of England. This high-praise is what brought this brand to adopt the slogan “Standard of the World.”

Be a Part of the Cadillac History at Bayer Cadillac

You can be a part of Cadillac history. It takes a lot more than just knowing when was Cadillac founded — it’s a history you join when you test drive a new Cadillac at Val Ward Cadillac. Take a look at our Cadillac inventory and let us know which model appeals to you today and become a part of Cadillac history! Contact us to arrange a time to experience first-hand why Cadillac is such a legend.

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