Cadillac deVille The DeVille (also De Ville and de Ville) name has been used on many of Cadillac's luxury car models. After the Fleetwood was dropped from the Cadillac lineup the DeVille became the Cadillac flagship sedan. The DeVille name was replaced by DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) for the 2006 model year.
History
The name "DeVille" (Town Car in English) derives its name from its body styling, which featured an open chauffeur's compartment and enclosed passenger compartment. This configuration elevated the vehicle from mere transportation to a bona fide status symbol. "Town Car" was first used by Lincoln in 1922 to describe a one-off vehicle built for Henry Ford. (see http://www.lincoln.com/about/ ) The first Cadillac to bear the name was the 1949 Coupe De Ville, with a 4-door hardtop version appearing in 1956. Both cars were based on the Series 62. Beginning in 1965, DeVille denoted Cadillac's mainstream model, falling between the Calais and the Fleetwood.
For 1968, the DeVille gained slight exterior changes to comply with new federal safety and emissions legislation, and as with the rest of the Cadillac lineup, a new 472 in³ (7.7 L) V8 engine rated at 375 hp (sae gross).
In November 1971, a showroom-stock 1971 Coupe deVille placed third in the annual coast-to-coast Cannonball Run, posting the highest average speed of the event, 84.6 mph (excluding stops) and averaging 8.9 miles per gallon.
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