The 10 Best Cadillacs Ever Made
Cadillac has taken plenty of swings over the years, and when things clicked, the results were memorable. The brand moved beyond pure luxury to experiment with speed, design, and new ideas, sometimes all at once. From classic cruisers to modern performance cars and early EV efforts, these models show Cadillac at its most confident. This list highlights ten cars that stood out for getting it right, pushing boundaries, or leaving a lasting impression.
2021 CT5-V Blackwing Delivered Real Muscle
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Cadillac gave its final internal-combustion sedan a proper sendoff with the CT5-V Blackwing. This four-door hides a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 pushing 668 horsepower, all channeled to the rear wheels. It’s one of the few modern performance cars still offering a six-speed manual, which helped it win instant respect. Car and Driver even called it the best sports sedan in America.
1959 Series 62 Had Fins Taller Than Your Knees
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Nothing screams late-’50s Americana quite like the towering fins of the 1959 Cadillac Series 62. The dual bullet taillights, low-slung body, and chrome-heavy front end made it an icon long before anyone called cars “iconic.” It made you look like someone worth watching. Even parked, it didn’t feel still.
2004 CTS-V Made Cadillac Loud Again
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Until the CTS-V showed up, Cadillac’s idea of performance was mostly about straight lines and soft cushions. This one changed the script. It borrowed the LS6 V8 from the Corvette Z06, stuck it into a mid-size sedan, and paired it with a six-speed manual. The result? 400 horsepower and a loud warning shot aimed directly at Germany.
1930 V16 Wasn’t Built For Speed—It Was Built For Smooth
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Back when Cadillac was trying to out-luxury everyone else, it rolled out the V16. Sixteen cylinders and one engine. It arrived during the Great Depression, which didn’t help sales, but it didn’t stop Cadillac from hand-building each one as if it were destined for royalty. Most were, or at least they drove like it.
2002 Escalade Redefined What Luxury Could Look Like
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The Escalade arrived at the right moment and leaned fully into it. As luxury SUVs gained traction, Cadillac turned one into a status symbol. Celebrities embraced it, and the brand regained cultural visibility almost overnight. A V8 delivered the power, while the cabin emphasized space and comfort over restraint. Subtlety was never part of the appeal, and that boldness became its strength.
2010 CTS-V Wagon Didn’t Make Sense—Which Is Why It Was Great
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A station wagon with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 was a bold call, and Cadillac went through with it. The CTS-V Wagon pushed out 556 horsepower and even offered a manual transmission, despite slim demand. Today, collectors chase the few that remain. Not bad for a car that baffled focus groups.
1953 Eldorado Packed Flash Into Just One Year
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Only 532 units of the 1953 Eldorado were built, and Cadillac wasn’t messing around. It had power everything, including the windows and the soft top, plus a wraparound windshield that looked ready for takeoff. Under the hood, a 5.4-liter V8 made cruising easy.
2003 DeVille Didn’t Chase Trends
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While everyone else went sportier in the early 2000s, the DeVille doubled down on comfort. Big, soft, and stuffed with leather, it wasn’t interested in lap times. Powered by the Northstar V8 and riding like a couch on wheels, the DeVille served buyers who didn’t care what BMW was up to.
2002 Cien Was A Supercar That Never Happened
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Built to celebrate Cadillac’s 100th birthday, the Cien looked like it had been dropped off by aliens. It had a 7.5-liter V12, made 750 horsepower, and featured carbon fiber all over. Cosworth helped design the engine. Sadly, it never made it past the concept stage, but it did signal that Cadillac could dream big.
2025 Celestiq Took Cadillac Into The Future
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The Celestiq costs around $300,000. Each one is custom-built, so no two are the same. The cabin looks like a spaceship lounge, and the tech includes a dimmable glass roof split into quadrants. Cadillac used it to announce that luxury isn’t about gasoline anymore—it’s about design and doing things no one else dares to.