Cadillac Seville

The Cadillac Seville was a midsize luxury sedan manufactured by General Motors' Cadillac division from 1975 to 2004. The vehicle was traditionally second in the Cadillac lineup after the Deville and was more focused on performance than the larger Deville. But it has long been Cadillac's entry-level car until 1996, except during the era of the Cadillac Cimarron (1982-1988).

History

The Seville, introduced in 1975, was Cadillac's answer to the rising popularity of luxury imports in the US from Europe, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Historically, these imported luxury cars had been cheaper, less luxurious and significantly smaller than Cadillacs, but over time they had evolved, and had become quite luxurious and even more expensive than competing Cadillacs, and yet the market share of these imports continued to climb. It became obvious that the traditional American automotive paradigm of bigger=better was no longer in full effect in the marketplace. So, the Seville was to be simultaneously the smallest and the most expensive Cadillac in the lineup, turning Cadillac's traditional marketing and pricing strategy on its head.