35
1931 CADILLAC
6.50
Opera-type Town Car 16 cyl. 57 h.p. Price new: $5,945
Custom Fleetwood V-16 Model
Only two American manufacturers-Marmon and Cadillac-built sixteen-cylinder
cars, and the great majority were Cadillacs. The V-16 was the most elegant and
luxurious ever produced by the General Motors maker. The body was sound-
proofed; the engine was so quiet and smooth that only by instrument could the
driver tell whether or not it was running. The transmission was silent in all for-
ward speeds, as well as full synchromesh, a 1928 Cadillac invention which per-
mitted changing of gears up or down without doubleclutching or grinding. The
limousine featured controlled freewheeling, which permitted the car to roll even
when the accelerator was raised, an engineering accomplishment of doubtful safety
value. A ride control allowed adjustment for rough or smooth roads. Styling was
clean and fresh, with a suggestion of the Hispano-Suiza about the radiator.
Builders: Cadillac Motor Car Company, Detroit, Mich.
#0010
GEORGE MOFFITT COLLECTION
