The 10 best Cadillacs ever made

2025 Cadillac Celestiq Electric

The Cadillac Celestiq has the bold flamboyance you would expect of a range-topping Cadillac, but under its fulsome, almost concept-car lines lurks a secret — the Celestiq is fully electric. Its 110kWh battery translates to a range of more than 300 miles, and its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive layout propels it from 0–62mph in under four seconds.

The Celestiq is as opulent inside as it is outside. High-quality materials dominate the cabin brought together with contrasting colour schemes and vast, pillar-to-pillar infotainment screens. The enormous glass roof can be electronically dimmed in quadrants at the touch of a button, while each of the four seats can heat, cool and massage their occupant. Under the skin sits GM’s Ultium platform, with suspension hardware that owes some of its DNA to the Hummer EV. 

That means it can’t quite isolate you from the road in the way a Rolls-Royce Spectre can, but with prices starting at around £300,000 the Celestiq undercuts its British rival while offering something genuinely bespoke.

2004 Cadillac CTS-V (Gen 1)

The original CTS-V was a watershed moment. Prior to its arrival, Cadillac performance meant little more than straight-line speed and soft handling. The first-generation CTS-V changed that overnight. By dropping a Corvette-derived 5.7-litre LS6 V8 into a compact executive saloon and pairing it exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox, Cadillac created a genuine rival for the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E-Class.

With 400PS (294kW), rear-wheel drive and unapologetically aggressive styling, the CTS-V was raw, loud and sometimes a little unruly. The interior quality lagged behind its German competitors and refinement wasn’t its strong suit, but none of that really mattered over the intent. This was Cadillac proving it could build a driver’s car and it laid the groundwork for everything that followed.

1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible

If you had to pick one car to represent 1950s America, the 1959 Cadillac Series 62 would be an obvious choice. Those vast tailfins, jet-inspired details and acres of chrome embodied post-war optimism like nothing else on four wheels. The Series 62 convertible wasn’t just transport; it was a statement.

Powered by a smooth, torquey V8 and designed for relaxed cruising rather than spirited driving, the Series 62 was about comfort, style and presence. Roof down, fins towering over traffic and a bonnet stretching seemingly to the horizon, it became a symbol of success and excess in equal measure. Even today, it remains one of the most recognisable cars ever built.

1960 Cadillac Coupe De Ville

Sharing much of its architecture with the Series 62, the Coupe De Ville added an extra layer of sophistication. Slightly more restrained (at least by 1959 standards), it became the aspirational Cadillac for those who wanted glamour without going fully theatrical.

The ‘De Ville’ name would go on to define Cadillac luxury for decades, but this generation is where the legend truly took hold. Plush interiors, effortless V8 power and styling that stopped traffic wherever it went made the Coupe De Ville the ultimate expression of mid-century American luxury.

2002 Cadillac Escalade

The Escalade didn’t invent the luxury SUV, but it perfected the formula. When it arrived in the early 2000s, it took Cadillac’s bold design language and transplanted it onto a full-size SUV platform with astonishing success. Suddenly, luxury wasn’t low-slung and discreet; it was tall, imposing and impossible to ignore.

Powered by a V8 and offering vast interior space, the Escalade became a cultural phenomenon, particularly in music, film and celebrity circles, featuring in more than one rap video. More importantly for Cadillac, it became a commercial juggernaut, keeping the brand relevant and profitable through changing tastes. Few SUVs have done more to define an era of automotive culture.

2010 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

On paper, the CTS-V Wagon should never have existed. A supercharged 6.2-litre V8 producing over 550PS (410kW), rear-wheel drive and an estate body shell was the kind of idea normally killed off by focus groups. Cadillac, thankfully, ignored them.

The result was one of the greatest sleeper cars ever built. With the optional six-speed manual gearbox, the CTS-V Wagon could sprint to 60mph in under four seconds while carrying furniture, dogs or bikes in the boot. Only a handful were sold, making it rare even when new, but its legend has grown with every passing year. Today it’s rightly regarded as a modern classic.

2003 Cadillac DeVille

By the early 2000s the DeVille was a dying breed — a full-size, front-wheel-drive luxury saloon that prioritised comfort above all else. Powered by Cadillac’s Northstar V8 and riding on a soft, pillowy suspension, the 2003 DeVille was unapologetically old-school.

It offered acres of leather, a bench-like ride quality and an interior designed to isolate occupants from the outside world. At a time when rivals were chasing sportiness, the DeVille doubled down on serenity. In doing so, it became the last true expression of traditional Cadillac luxury before the brand reinvented itself.

2021 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

If the first CTS-V announced Cadillac’s intentions, the CT5-V Blackwing confirmed its mastery. With a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 producing up to 668PS (491kW) and the option of a six-speed manual gearbox, it is one of the most powerful and engaging four-door saloons ever built.

What truly sets the Blackwing apart is its chassis. The steering, balance and damping are world-class, capable of embarrassing European rivals that cost significantly more. In an era of downsizing and electrification, the CT5-V Blackwing feels defiantly old-fashioned, and that’s precisely why it’s already hit true classic status.

1930 Cadillac V16

Long before performance figures and Nürburgring lap times dominated headlines, Cadillac pursued refinement above all else. The V16, launched in 1930, was the ultimate expression of that philosophy. Its 16-cylinder engine was designed not for speed, but for smoothness, delivering power with uncanny silence and effortlessness.

Introduced during the Great Depression, the V16 was a bold, almost defiant statement of engineering excellence. Hand-built, exquisitely finished and available in a variety of bespoke body styles, it cemented Cadillac’s reputation as America’s premier luxury marque. Few cars of any era better represent the “because we can” philosophy.

2002 Cadillac Cien

Created to celebrate Cadillac’s centenary, the Cien concept car was a dramatic departure from tradition. Sharp, angular and futuristic, it previewed the design language that would define Cadillac for years to come. Beneath its carbon-fibre body sat a 7.5-litre V12 producing over 750PS (552kW), developed in collaboration with Cosworth.

Although the Cien never reached production, its influence was profound. It showed that Cadillac could think like a supercar manufacturer and compete on a global stage. More than just a concept, it was a statement of ambition — one that still resonates today.