Cadillac - 1974 The Car The Year Needed

1974  An American Rebirth 

As anyone old enough to remember the 70's would readily agree the decade in itself was a unique one. From an automotive perspective in spite of numerous obstacles 1974 was a good year for the automobile. The battle between Ford and Chevy was at a fevered pitch forcing both to produce some marvelous vehicles from both contempt and competition. Chrysler bless their souls was somewhere in between. In 1974 the 70's were still young to us here in America and we were all still reeling from turbulent rebellious 60's. Cheap gas and design innovation coined by the phrase of the decade “Bigger is better” car companies commenced to build land cruisers and stuffing them with features. This was a trend started in the late 60' and carried over. This was a time when family road rips were still considered a legitimate mini-vacation.

    For the 1974 season GM did all they could do keep with the big car trend. They released 5 models for the year all of which were long a heavy. Everything was going great the initially then things started to happen that would effect the auto industry both harshly and directly. The biggest of course being the Oil embargo placed against us the U.S., Europe and Japan. The free flow of dirt-cheap gasoline was suddenly without warning over. The embargo actually initiate in 1973 by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). It had both an immediate and disastrous effects to pretty much anyone affiliated with a vehicle. Dealers had thousands of these massive V-8 propelled cars sitting on their lots. The owners sat and looked out the window at a perfectly good running car that over indulged in what had over night become a “precious” commodity, fuel. Due to the embargo in just a few months prices spiked from $3 a barrel to $13. It forced for the first time in history a limit on the amount of gas sold to each customer. Long lines ensued at the pump as some station would simply run out and hang a sign out front. Unfortunately ever car GM produced was big.

For so many years the embargo of the 70's was viewed mostly in a negative perspective. GM instead saw an opportunity. Through a great marketing campaign they were able to successfully re-introduce the Cadillac as a “Personal Luxury Sedan” as it was billed during its initial launch. The cars were there on the lots and they had to sell them so they appealed to a more upscale type of consumer. They billed the Cadillac as a selective drive, not an everyday back and forth to work but more of a special occasion, a car with culture. This was long before the luxury class of cars was so widely accepted as it is today. The campaign worked perfectly it shot Cadillac right back in to the status of automobile it initially started out as, a distinguished ride. It worked so well that Cadillac held out another 10 years before finally acknowledging to the oil shortage and making smaller cars.

       For such a transitional year as 1974, the Cadillac seemed to be one of the few bright spots still shinning in our American culture. Literally from all aspects as it set a precedence in many areas such as status, back then you could get further by stating “I drive a Cadillac” than most would with these newly developing deals back then they called credit cards. The way, only way Americans moved around America in comfort, luxury and style in a Cadillac. A staple of American society American culture.

In 1974 GM came out with the 5 models of Cadillac. Stunningly beautiful cars that made no apologies for being what they were Cadillac. With pressure coming from legislation and regulation as well as the influx of foreign models that were already fuel-efficient, a term that would single handedly attempt to destroy the V-8. Most car companies were being forced to reduce their models in both size and power to remain competitive. GM flat out refused. The '74 El Dorado literally came with the phrase “If you have to ask you can't afford it”. GM had found something back then that companies today spend millions looking for, a niche market.

       So the '74 models came out! They so took us storm so much so we almost forgot about the fact that at the time relations between the U.S. And other countries wasn't that great. It didn't help that figure head, president Nixon was working his way around and under Watergate. The job market was undefined as was housing. We were a nation undecided looking for a direction in which to go. This year seemed to be a turning point as 1975 showed clear signs of progress in many areas for the U.S. 1974 clearly laid the pathway. It was the first year we had to “slow down” as the national speed limit was set at 55 MPH. Music was still in band form and being performed live, still being played in turntables at 33 ½ RPM. In spite of all the controversies the year seemed to give us, a nice interaction with a Cadillac would some how lessen the blow. You didn't have to own one necessarily just seeing one in motion and knowing there goes a top quality American product with history, heritage value. Such American made products made us all “proud to be American” again! Although it was almost 30 years ago I'm sure you can clearly remember your or someone else's, but you do remember the Cadillac.

The Cadillac an American icon, the one your neighbor across the street had as you grew up. The Cadillac your grandfather owned, as we all reflect back on life here in America somewhere there is a Cadillac seamlessly integrated into your past, as with every American. Since this is and always has been 100% a Cadillac nation.