Cadillac Model D
Encyclopedia
The Cadillac
Model D was a vintage car
introduced in January 1905, and sold throughout that year. It was a large automobile
, the first four-cylinder car from Cadillac. Priced at $2800, it can be seen as the first luxury car from the company.
The engine was a 300.7 in³ (4.9 L) four-cylinder
L-head design producing a claimed 30 hp. The car used a complicated 3-speed planetary transmission and had a governed throttle, essentially a primitive cruise control
. The engine was designed by Alanson P. Brush, who left Cadillac shortly afterwards.
The Model L used a large 392.7 in³ (6.4 L) engine with 5 in (127 mm) square bore and stroke, rated at 40 hp. The smaller Model H continued with the 30 hp 300.7 in³ (4.9 L) engine size used in the Model D.
The Model H continued in production through 1908, while the Model L was cancelled.
The engine was a 226.2 in³ (3.7 L) four-cylinder
L-head design producing 20 hp, which was re-rated to 25 for 1908 with no changes made. The Model G eschewed the complicated planetary transmission used on other luxury four-cylinder cars of the era for a less-complicated sliding gear system.
The entire Cadillac range was replaced for 1909 with a single model — the Model Thirty
. This new car was based on the Model G.
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
Model D was a vintage car
Vintage car
A vintage car is commonly defined as a car built between the start of 1919 and the end of 1930 known as the "Vintage era". There is little debate about the start date of the vintage period—the end of World War I is a nicely defined marker there—but the end date is a matter of a little...
introduced in January 1905, and sold throughout that year. It was a large automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, the first four-cylinder car from Cadillac. Priced at $2800, it can be seen as the first luxury car from the company.
The engine was a 300.7 in³ (4.9 L) four-cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
L-head design producing a claimed 30 hp. The car used a complicated 3-speed planetary transmission and had a governed throttle, essentially a primitive cruise control
Cruise control
Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...
. The engine was designed by Alanson P. Brush, who left Cadillac shortly afterwards.
Model H/L
The Model D was replaced for 1906 with the Model H and larger Model L. Both were based on the Model D, though the departure of Brush lead Henry Leland to begin to purge his patented designs from the cars. Thus, the variable intake valve lift system and hydraulic governor were abandoned for more conventional designs.The Model L used a large 392.7 in³ (6.4 L) engine with 5 in (127 mm) square bore and stroke, rated at 40 hp. The smaller Model H continued with the 30 hp 300.7 in³ (4.9 L) engine size used in the Model D.
The Model H continued in production through 1908, while the Model L was cancelled.
Model G
The Model G was a smaller version of the Model H, with a wheelbase of 100 in (2540 mm).The engine was a 226.2 in³ (3.7 L) four-cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
L-head design producing 20 hp, which was re-rated to 25 for 1908 with no changes made. The Model G eschewed the complicated planetary transmission used on other luxury four-cylinder cars of the era for a less-complicated sliding gear system.
The entire Cadillac range was replaced for 1909 with a single model — the Model Thirty
Cadillac Model Thirty
The Cadillac Model Thirty was introduced in December, 1909, and sold through 1911. It was the company's only model for those years and was based on the 1907 Model G. The 1912 Model 1912, 1913 Model 1913, and 1914 Model 1914 were similar but used larger engines...
. This new car was based on the Model G.