On January 4, 1930, Cadillac stunned the fine-car market at the New York Auto Show with the introduction of its breathtaking new V-16, instantly catapulting itself to the head of the luxury class in one brilliant stroke. Until then, only Bugatti had produced a 16-cylinder engine, accomplished by bolting two 8-cylinder inline engines together. Instead, Cadillac’s V-16 was the first true 16-cylinder automotive engine to be designed and built from scratch, a project led by Owen Milton Nacker under conditions of the utmost secrecy. The 45-degree cylinder bank angle and overhead valve design kept the V-16 narrow, while external manifolds allowed easy access to the engine compartment. Furthermore, Cadillac’s V-16 was the first automotive engine ever to be styled with extensively polished aluminum and porcelain finishes. While Cadillac rated the V-16 engine at 175 HP, it actually produced more. Delivering 320 lb-ft of peak torque at just 1,200 to 1,500 RPM, the mighty V-16 certainly achieved its design objectives. It was also incredibly smooth, thanks to its 16 evenly spaced firing intervals, along with a massive but well-balanced forged crankshaft, which was capably supported by five main bearings. Other special innovations included a silicon-aluminum crankcase, five-point engine mounts to reduce vibration and advanced overhead-valve cylinder heads. Cadillac managed to survive the rapidly declining luxury-car market of the early 1930s thanks to the financial resources of GM, its massive parent company. Although the V-16 was brilliantly designed, its shrinking Great Depression-era market meant the V-16 was produced in limited numbers for those few who were capable of paying more than 10 times the cost of a contemporary Chevrolet. Featuring a gray and black two-tone exterior combination and a black soft top, this 1930 Cadillac V-16 exemplifies “Jazz Age” sporting elegance with its roadster body that was constructed using drawings and patterns from an actual Fleetwood roadster in a previous owner’s collection. The 452 CI V-16 engine is paired with a 3-speed manual transmission, with Jaeger instruments monitoring the V-16’s vital signs. The red-upholstered interior compartment includes a front bench seat. In addition to its beautifully flowing Goddess mascot, this Cadillac is graced by chrome bumpers and trim, V-16 badges, Pilot Ray driving lights, a golf bag door, dual spotlights, wind wings, a rear luggage rack and trunk, dual side-mounted spare wheels and tires, wire wheels and 1930s-style wide whitewall tires. As offered, it handsomely represents one of the crowning achievements of the glorious 1925-48 Classic Era.
