Cadillac ........The Standard Of the World ?

[Bill Balkie 24172]

Hello ,
     In the 1950's and 60's and even before that   Cadillac was known as   Standard of the World . Are they still the standared ? If not when did they lose that Title ?

    Bill

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

The origin of the slogan "Standard of the World" began when Cadillac won the Dewar Award for parts interchangeability through standardization. This was demonstrated whereby three finished Cadillacs were completely disassembled and reassembled with parts were chosen at random from all three cars and all ran perfectly as before. This represented a major technological milestone in 1908 when the experiment was performed.

Over time, "Standard of the World" came to suggest excellence in a broader sense which was arguably just as fitting for Cadillac- just as it had been for the more utilitarian reasons when it began.

When (or even if) Cadillac stopped being "The Standard" is wildly subjective for which there is no clear cut answer.

[Big Apple Caddy]

A very subjective question and one that has come up on here, in one way or another, a few times.

An example from February 2018 with a number of responses:
What year did Cadillac stop being the “Standard of the World”?
http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=148578

[64\/54Cadillacking]

80’s or 90’s I would say. When all the downsizing began.

With the exception of the Fleetwood and Brougham, Cadillac lost its edge in the 80’s.

Quality slipped in the late 60’s and was really bad in the early 70’s. Regained some quality materials in 74.

My 64 SDV is a much higher quality car than the 68 CD I used to own. The interior differences is drastic. Exterior wise the body fitment was about the same although my 64’s hood is extremely heavy compared to the 68. My 72 SDV was the worst in quality and honestly was disappointing being a Cadillac. Lots of rattling and cheap feeling door panels and body hardware.

My 87 Brougham surprisingly is very good quality considering its an 80’s car. The quality if the interior especially the door panels, trim detail, the dash styling and body hardware  and rigidity is better on the Brougham although the 72 was much heavier.

True Cadillac chrome laden quality died after 66, but the mechanically superior ones lasted up to 76 with 500 block.

[Bill Young]

In my opinion the 1990 thru 1992 Cadillac Brougham 5.7 Litre cars were exceptional Automobiles in fit and finish as well as good for north of 200,000 miles . They also had the most accurate fuel gauge I have ever experienced and got 19 around Town and 21 Mpg. on the Road religiously. They personified " The Standard of the World " moniker in my opinion.

[Alan Harris CLC#1513]

In 1973, I traded my 1965 DeVille convertible on a 1969 DeVille convertible.

After the novelty of a newer car wore off, it struck me that the 1969, in many ways, did not compare well with the 1965. The 1965 was absolutely as nice as they could make it. The 1969 had a feeling about it that they had cheaped out on the interior finishings. It was more powerful than the 1965, but it was not as smooth and quiet. It also started to have serious rust problems in the front fenders when it was about five years old.

My late father in law bought a new 1976 Sedan DeVille. It had rust problems after about four years and had a cheap gimmicky feeling to the interior with acres of plastic chrome and fake wood.

I know that there are people here who will find this offensive, but I think that the slippage in prestige began after about 1966. By the seventies, our upper classes were increasingly buying imports and this became more prevalent as time went on.

[D.Smith]

When did they stop using the slogan?  or when was the meaning lost?   Two different answers

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I won't touch "meaning lost".

When "Standard" ceased to be used officially? My best guess is around the early '80s.

[Big Apple Caddy]

Cadillac stopped using the "Standard of the World" advertising slogan in the early 1980s when they switched to "Best of all...it's a Cadillac."  However, they had also used variations on the "standard" slogan at times including "An American Standard for the World" (mid 1970s to early 1980s), "Creating A Higher Standard" (mid 1990s to early 2000s) and "The New Standard of the World" (early to mid 2010s).

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Cadillac stopped using the "Standard of the World" advertising slogan in the early 1980s when they switched to "Best of all...it's a Cadillac."  However, they had also used variations on the "standard" slogan at times including "An American Standard for the World" (mid 1970s to early 1980s), "Creating A Higher Standard" (mid 1990s to early 2000s) and "The New Standard of the World" (early to mid 2010s).

That was also my recollection regarding "Best of all..." coinciding with the disappearance of "Standard..."

But even earlier, they still used other "year specific" slogans, ie: "More Tempting than Ever" (1964), and many others I cannot recall right now - in conjunction with the old standby "Standard of the World".

[Scot Minesinger]

Reading many of the comments, I think they are in accord with each other as am I.

Yes, 1966 was kind of the of the pinnacle of inovation and quality, as that was the year the Olds Toranado was introduced, which was very revolutionary.  It was also the year that Cadillac quality peaked too.  It is not an absolute, as there are some nice exceptions such as but certainly not limited to:

1967, collapsible steering column
1968, 472 engine, dual groove belts for ac and ps
1969, electric power locks, sealed cooling system, better seat belts
1970, radiator fan that flattens at speed, making fan clutch subject to failure not necessary, rear diff improvement
1986 - 1996 Fleetwoods and Broughams, very nice (my 1995 Fleetwood drove 254k trouble free miles).

It in 1982 when that crappy 4.1 engine was introduced and in 1985 when the majority of the Cadillac product was FWd was the death warrant.  Yes 1980's was a good sales decade for Cadillac.  However Cadillac did not enjoy repeat business from many 1982 and newer Cadillac owners.  My Dad loved his 1982 Olds 98 Diesel but hated his 1982 SDV with 20k miles on it (bought used) and after acquiring it in 1988, sold it after a few months.  I dreamed of the day that I could walk into a Cadillac showroom and buy anything I wanted.  In 2005 that happened and unfortunately nothing was of interest.
   

[Big Apple Caddy]

But even earlier, they still used other "year specific" slogans, ie: "More Tempting than Ever" (1964), and many others I cannot recall right now - in conjunction with the old standby "Standard of the World".

True.  I was only pointing out those that played on the "standard" theme such as "An American Standard for the World", "Creating a Higher Standard", "The New Standard of the World."

[Big Apple Caddy]

However Cadillac did not enjoy repeat business from many 1982 and newer Cadillac owners.   

Even in the late 1980s, Cadillac bragged about having the highest owner loyalty in the U.S. among luxury brands according to R.L. Polk data.

[MaR]

I don't have nearly the long history as many here but I have always felt like the late '70s was when things started to really slip. Many things going to plastic that were just not as durable as they could have been, especially on parts that you touch was a big thing, compound that with the watered down performance and reliability of the early '80s lead to serious losses in market share. To me, the early '90s Brougham and the '93-'96 Fleetwood where a big step in the right direction but the rise of the SUV killed off all of that. I did like the mid to late '90s Seville and Eldorado but the Northstar really killed of the shine of those cars.

[Big Apple Caddy]

To me, the early '90s Brougham and the '93-'96 Fleetwood where a big step in the right direction but the rise of the SUV killed off all of that.

Consumer tastes for large (exterior) sedans were in decline before SUVs started to become a factor especially among luxury brands.  Sales of the new Fleetwood in 1993 were less than half what Brougham sales had been in 1987.  This was a much more significant drop percentage wise than the overall Cadillac sales decline during the same period.

[Scot Minesinger]

Big Apple, to your point about Cadillac bragging about owner loyalty in late 1980's, statistical data can support just about anything. 

Point is Cadillac is not the luxury car leader anymore, not even close.  The 1990's were not as good for Cadillac as the 1980's.  I find it takes a long time for consumers to catch up to reality.  American cars lacked quality in the late 1970's and early 1980's, but by mid 1980's my experience is that it was well on the way to resolved.  My 1985 Caprice drove 305k trouble free miles on original ac, carb, engine, trans, rear diff. and etc.  Had to replace EGR and alternator. 

However, it is not until recently that people see quality in American cars.  Anyway the public perception is not an accurate reflection of the quality of the cars made at the time.  The 1980's was by far the worst decade for Cadillac in terms of product offerings.  The post is more when did Cadillac mess up, not when did the public figure it out.

Many of my friends complain about their BMW and MB suffering very expensive repairs in and around 75k miles, which is not much by today's standards.  Almost all of the luxury brands are that way now.  I would never buy one without a strong extended warranty with a car provided during repairs.

[Big Apple Caddy]

Big Apple, to your point about Cadillac bragging about owner loyalty in late 1980's, statistical data can support just about anything. 

I think broader "statistical data" is more relevant than someone's narrow personal or biased view about something.  Too many opinions are stated as facts that didn't or don't necessarily match reality. 

People like what they like and have certain preferences and biases but shouldn't assume personal feelings or experiences from their own little world necessarily match(ed) the broader public. I think too many seem to take the approach that if they feel a certain way about something, practically everyone else did/does too and therefore it must be so (fact) and when stats don't line up with their personal feelings, they try to dismiss them by concluding things like the "buying public must have been stupid or ignorant" or "will buy just about anything" or whatever.

[Bill Balkie 24172]

Hello ,
    Listening to all of the comments , Is it safe to say the majority of  us in this club own 1979 and older Cadillacs  as our reason for belonging
To this club . I personally own a 2009 CTS  but that is not the reason I belong to this club . I think I’m my opinion we all at one point in our past fell in love with
A Cadillac and it was probably sometime before 1979 or earlier . Most of us love our Cadillacs Because that is when we could relate to them as the Standard of the world . I know I do  . I think my 70 Coupe DeVille , my two 57 Eldorado’s Seville/ Biarritz were the Standard of the world . What do you think the percentage of people in the club own
1979 and older Cadillacs . I guess what i am saying is we all think our 79 and older Cadillacs are and were the standard of the world . I wonder what the percentage in the club owns a Cadillac 1979 or older .  I would think
It’s pretty high

     Bill

[Scot Minesinger]

Big Apple,

Maybe, but I think most would agree the 1980's decade ruined Cadillac due to product offering.  Often when a company makes a great product that lasts a while it is not too difficult to enjoy a good undeserved decade based on performance of the previous decade. 

I think Cadillac peaked in the mid to late 1960's and the 1970's Cadillac produced a nice product. 

Probably a nice new post to start.

[cadillacmike68]

Are we back on this subject Again?