AA25 • Cadillac Seville III 4.5 V8 '89

The Seville is a little version of the Cadillac reasonable. The essence of El Dorado in a more popular format. But what really is this sedan that loses centimeters As generations? It worth a visit? Why its rating is it so low?

Technical sheet

Model	Cadillac Seville
Engine	4.5 V8 180 horsepower
Dimensions	4.87 x 1.84 x meter NC
Mass	1 618 kg
Marketing	1989 - 1991
average coast	6 000 €
0 to 100 km / h	NC
max	195 km/h
Consumption	13 l / 100 km
Date and place	February 10, 2016, Mayenne

The age of reason . Gleaming grille, chrome many a tonitruée line but very elegant ... No doubt, this is an American. And specifically a Cadillac Seville in 1989, which represents the third generation of this iconic model of the American firm. Go back a little time. Originally, the term Seville was chosen to describe the two-door variation of the Eldorado. So it was not exactly a full model. It was not until 1975 that the Seville makes its return in the form of an elegant sedan designed to appeal to young, while remaining more reasonable with a shorter and less opulent model. At a time when a big car meant an obvious sign of wealth, the bet was rather daring, but Seville is selling well, the concept please. This even allows Cadillac to export part of its production since the new model meets the requirements of European.

The second generation . The success of Seville is real because it opens new standards imposed but proves easygoing and park. Various developments come on the first draft, as the possibility of replacing the meter gauges and a large digital display even including LED. The second generation, marketed from 1980 to 1985, shows a significantly revamped online, with a British style, especially the rear, elusive. At a time when the bodies are becoming more angular, the Seville II showed a clean break. Aimed primarily in the US, it exports massively and adopts new petrol and diesel V8 engines. Thought for these markets, it is experiencing strong growth and allows Cadillac to reach a wider public, breaking its elitist image without sacrificing driving pleasure, always with good authentic V8 engines!

Smaller . In 1986 comes the third generation Cadillac Seville, we find illustrated here. At first, and mainly in the front three-quarter, there is a little more before than previously conventional. This impression is confirmed by checking out the technical details, with a reduced size of about 40 centimeters in length and reduced barely wide. This has the main purpose to offer both American and European model but a more reasonable sacrifice fun or even dear nobility in Cadillac. The V8 rest of the game and now passes from a diesel version. Cadillac has studied its third generation of Seville so it please the greatest number, starting with a line at a time classic and traditional to the front but quite confusing to the rear. In the end, the audacity quickly pay. Many leave Seville for export. They differ from their American counterparts that by positioning the indicator on the front fenders for models in the United States when they are placed on the outside of the flagship models for export.

Bold . But down in size does not mean regression in Cadillac. It is even quite the opposite. A completely new chassis (platform K) was developed especially for the Seville III with more electronics including a scoreboard to include average power. Very complete, it shows the brand's ambitions to create a compact, well motorized and led technically and technologically. This was made ​​possible through the acquisition of Hughes Electronics.In times like now, drive Cadillac is often a thoughtful choice, an alternative to the German models and their often considered too conventional design. With this Seville, audacity is real: it can please as many as displeasing. Still, it leaves no one indifferent, and a Cadillac, it's a point that has its importance!

Luxury case . Floor 15 inches, the Seville receives rims elegant design worked, all aluminum made ​​for a decidedly upscale. The brand logo is embossed directly on the center cap that provides access to the clamping bolts of the wheel. The four brakes are discs and provide braking in the average, despite a total mass exceeding 1.6 tonnes. This green luxury is therefore primarily feel the weight, but as the primary vocation of the Cadillac Seville is not the performance, we do not hold that against him. Note also the Seville badge on the front wings and is specific to export models as the American models, this aspect is dedicated to flashing.

Time travel . Inside, the Cadillac Seville impresses with a retro interior but not dated. In fashion during the 80's, brown is omnipresent here, with different textures and with an honorable assembly quality. No nightingales, no bad finishes. No doubt, it's solid and it is light years away from the American cliché within low end. The driver's seat is similar to that of an aircraft pilot with a table so cockpit edge, with pervasive controls and wooden dressing beautifully made. There s hardly the steering wheel which shows a weight of years with its central airbag and controls placed on the bottom. But the whole exudes quality and reflects the care taken by the brand to its customers. A ride in a 1989 Cadillac Seville is time travel!

Standing exhibition . The comfort is clearly the major asset of the Cadillac Seville. At the front and rear, leather seats offer excellent support as a good soft. The finely crafted upholstery ages beautifully and attests to the quality of materials used. The access is easy on board and done quickly forget the fact that the Seville lost forty centimeters in length when moving from the second to the third generation. The impression of being in a luxury lounge is everywhere. But it is actually on the road than the Cadillac Seville savored most by suspensions with onions that blur the roughness of the road a pretty amazing way to a model produced at the dawn of the '90s. Another remarkable fact: the many lights that night, made ​​an unusual offer!

Living . Suitable for families, the Cadillac Seville III offers a trunk volume quite correct and good cabin space in the rear seats, allowing to comfortably seat three people. At ntoer all windows are electric, and many settings of all kinds can be made ​​directly from each door. Floors, thick carpets adorn the set and provide good sound ... So much so that one could almost forget that this is a V8 found under this huge hood. But length reduction requires, the V8 is mounted in a transverse position, which does not detract from the smoothness of this blog, available in three displacements: 4.1, 4.5 or 4.9 liters. In the case of Seville presented here, it is the intermediate 4.5 liter block. It offers 155 horsepower before 1988 and 180 after.

A soul . The 4.5 V8 180 horses of this Cadillac Seville 1989 may seem contradictory with the will of the brand to offer a model more all-audience but the price of fuel in the US is clearly advantageous and very few Americans would be willing then to give up the nobility of a V8. And what sound, although almost too perfect soundproofing windows closed in gum flavors. Failing to perform well, the Seville offers sufficient power and a great flexibility regardless of the route and profile of the driver. Of course, the presence of a V8 feels when going to the pump because the beautiful proves quite tasty with an average of 13 liters per 100 kilometers, it is far from the current European standards. But the strength of this Cadillac is precisely to have a soul and a temperament that one would not find in any sedan or existing road as expensive as it is.

The hook of discord . The hook of the rear part is unique but has strongly divided opinions, particularly European fans of more conventional lines. Nonetheless, the Seville has always been known for its original rear.He was fleeing on the second generation, it displays a hook on the third, which enables premium increase trunk space as accommodate the imposing wheels. Throughout his career, from 1986 to 1991, the third of Seville name, evolve as a mechanical point of view and level of equipment, with STS finish to move to the fourth generation to be reviewed and streamlined design.

Rare ... and cheap . Inside, everything is finely embroidered, like the Cadillac logo on the headrests or even leather doors which are finely embroidered the letters in the name "Seville". The assembly is meticulous, perfectly coordinated. Unfortunately, the population of Seville lived very poorly. If there are no official statistics, it appears that the third generation of Seville does have a survival rate of only about ten percent.Blame including an image far below the real potential of these models and bonuses at the very attractive case that condemned many. It must be admitted that with a coast around € 6,000, the Seville are quite affordable, especially when they are in such a condition as the copy here shown.

Maintenance . The downside of a Cadillac Seville, thus its rarity and the very low prices that sometimes condemns to users disrespectful mechanical or do not maintain this beautiful road as it would require.Maintenance is moderately expensive, no more no lower than an equivalent model V8 engine. The consumption budget is not to be neglected, for sure, but still ok for an eight-cylinder pitching to its three decades of existence.

The good compromise . The V8 in the transverse position, a feature of the Cadillac Seville third will be resumed on the fourth and even fifth generation. In the end, the Seville was perhaps not the nobility of Eldorado but nothing wrong either. She opened the brand to new markets while developing its technologies.Quite a gamble for an American follower of market excesses but which in the '80s, sports a new facet to its fleet: a little over due but not least passion. In the end, the compromise Seville has it all!

Little demand . Count € 6,000 for a good condition and with a copy of nice colors configuration. The beautiful examples like the one shown here, can climb well beyond. But demand affect the price of the offer, it's a safe bet that the odds of a third Cadillac Seville remains stationary few years ... Prior to climb gradually. The Seville is typically the kind of car where the journey outweighs the destination.

Should I buy a Cadillac Seville?

In seeking a character sedan with exemplary comfort and a genuine and pleasant engine, the Cadillac Seville. Exclusively available with an automatic four-speed, it is a model that does not demerit. Especially with a currently rated as low. However, attention to the relatively high consumption (it is a V8). For the rest ? Some pleasure. Nothing but fun.