This second and last generation Fleetwood was produced from ’92 to ’96. Everyone knows how different the American and European premium sedans of the ’90s are. Usually, the merits of Cadillac and Lincoln, relative to the European sedans, include only comfort. But can anyone imagine Mercedes S-Class pulling a trailer, or a yacht? – I think to the majority of people it has never even occurred to them. But the American, premium sedan is quite capable to undertake a task of a hauler. This car was created with the expectation for such operation. Cadillac was built on a frame and had a very high margin of safety of almost all major units.
The 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood was significantly different not only from European sedans, but also from American sedans, including the Cadillac. It was the longest, production sedan produced in the United States. The body of this car was longer than the Chevrolet Suburban SUV and it was significantly longer than the S-Class W140.
Fans of Cadillac know that on the flagship Eldorado, the company used front-wheel drive since the 60s. Thus, the DeVille of the ’90s had front-wheel drive. But in the case of Fleetwood, the company decided to return to the roots and equipped its car with rear-wheel drive. Also on the DeVille was a new, revved up V8 Northstar engine with four valves per cylinder and a cubic capacity of 4.6 liters. But under the massive hood of the Fleetwood was the heart of the LT1 cubic inch engine, the same engine that was used in the Chevrolet Corvette of those years.
Many people knew that the Fleetwood was the same platform car as the Buick Roadmaster and Chevrolet Caprice. But in fact, there is a difference between these cars. The Cadillac was built on a d-body platform, which was longer than the b-body that served as the basis for the larger Buick and Chevrolet. The big Cadillac became the basis for most of the limousine and funeral cars between ’93 and ’96. Base equipment included anti-lock brakes and traction control.
There were 90,535 of these cars produced. The Fleetwood was produced exclusively as a sedan, except for the aforementioned, special cars. Even considering the initial high cost, it’s hard to call such a series satisfactory. The Cadillac was almost twice as many cars produced as the Roadmaster from Buick, and eight times as many as the Caprice from Chevrolet.
1995 Cadillac Fleetwood sale and price.
Today, you can buy such a Cadillac Fleetwood with about 60,000 to 80,000 miles on it for $10,000 to $15,000. Examples with about 150,000 miles can still be bought today for $3,000. These days, these cars are gradually becoming more expensive, as they are not found on the roads very often and are becoming exotic by the day. The new car had a warranty of four years, or 50,000 miles. The first Fleetwood owner could order the service, Cadillac Roadside. This service offers free help in case of an incident such as a flat tire or dead battery. Assistance was provided on any, day off, night, or holiday.
Appearance and photos.
Not only the size but also the proportions of this Cadillac are striking. Probably most European cars have a much shorter hood than the trunk on this sedan. Also here is a very long, rear overhang. From the photo you can see the cataphot built into the molding just in the area of the rear overhang. The impression is that the creators tried to make the area behind the rear wheel more visible at night. A similar solution is implemented in trucks – where there is a very large area of the cab or trailer and it is necessary to illuminate these elements to make them visible to others. There is a retractable antenna in the rear fender.
With a length of the body of 5715mm, the wheelbase is 3086mm and curb weight is 2132kg. I think you remember that this is a frame sedan, and that in itself affects the weight. In addition to the frame, which among other things contributes to safety, inside the doors Cadillac inserted special beams, which also increase safety, but also the overall weight of the car. Thanks to the towing package, the sedan from Cadillac is able to pull a trailer weighing 3200kg. Interestingly, despite the huge size of this car, some owners took the spare tire out of the trunk, – on a special mount, behind the rear bumper.
There are special indicators in the front fenders. Looking at them through the windshield, the driver could be sure that the headlights, or turn signals were working. These elements would light up when the lights were on and would provide information to the driver. An interesting but not unique solution. It can be also found on the Buick Roadmaster.
In general, talking about the design, we should remember that the 90s became an era of biodesign with rounded, aerodynamic forms. But the Cadillac’s style has more straight and smooth lines, than related models from Buick and Chevrolet. There is also more chrome. Some cars had chrome on the lower part of the body, below the chrome. This in itself indicated that the car was expensive and exceptional. In the front turn signals one could see the Cadillac emblem. The low, rear fenders, which cover the wheels, also added sophistication. For the Fleetwood, two variants of cast, wheel rims were offered. The wheels of the Cadillac were put on tires size 235/75 R15 and 235/70 R15. These high-profile tires must provide maximum smoothness of motion on any road surface.
The Fleetwood in the premium version Brougham can be easily recognized by the vinyl-covered roof and the emblem on the rear roof pillars. Another Brougham designation is present on the trunk lid, just below the Cadillac lettering. The vertical, taillights evoke some associations with “fins” from the ’50s.
The gas tank hatch is hidden behind the rear license plate. Interestingly, there are no rubber pads on the back of the hatch to soften the closure, which are found on the Roadmaster. There is a special lever in the trunk, and once you pull it, you can not open the gas tank hatch. This equipment was part of the safety package, which cost $545.
Interior and equipment:
Once inside the Fleetwood’s interior, you’ll notice that to the left of the steering wheel is the same, unusual light control that is found on the Roadmaster. This element is designated as Twilight Sentinel and is unusual by the fact that at first you have to pull it out and then rotate it. It is possible to meet similar regulator only on these, American cars. In fact, on almost all other cars, the lights are controlled with thumb levers.
This Cadillac has the same internal door-opening levers as the Buick. And people who bought more expensive Fleetwood would hardly like such resemblance. But the interior handles themselves are not the same as in Buick, – they are wooden and not stationary. When at rest the handle is hanging down but when you grab it and pull the door it goes up. Similar handles were used in Cadillac back in the 60s. The seat belt locks here bear the Cadillac emblem, while the Buick locks bear the GM logo. Cadillac emblem can also be seen on the floor mats. Inscriptions with the name of the cult brand are present on the sill plates. Of course, the brand logo is present on the backs of the seats.
In fact, getting behind the wheel of Fleetwood, one will quickly notice the fully electronic, dashboard, which was not present in Buick, or Chevrolet anymore. There’s a digital speedometer and an electronic fuel gauge. There’s a button just underneath the dash, one press of which changes the gradation from miles to kilometers and vice versa. This changes the consumption and fuel reserve from gallons to liters and vice versa. It’s a very interesting solution that shows that while Fleetwood is committed to tradition, it’s also using the latest technology.
Behind the wheel you’ll notice the panic button on the right hand side of the steering wheel, painted black (not red) and it’s not really a button. In fact, to activate the alarm, you don’t press it, but pull it out. Very unusual solution, which has not caught on and has not transferred to the next models of the brand. Thus, there are no buttons on a steering wheel at all. It is equipped with hydraulic booster with variable stiffness and has mechanical tilt adjustment.
The Brougham version uses Prectwick fabric or leather for the seats. Curiously, the red leather used in the interior of Cadillac, called the dark cherry. The passenger in the Brougham version will know it quickly by the inscription on the front panel. The seats are electrically adjustable and have memory. There is adjustable lumbar support, something not found on every, American sedan of those years. Also, the Cadillac seats are heated.
Of course, there is a cruise control and climate control. As an option was offered a CD – disc player (the default was a tape recorder). An optional glass sunroof was also available, with electric motor of course. It was equipped with auto-dimming mirror and two airbags already in base. By the way, the airbag on the passenger side is very wide. The fact is that the front row is designed for 3 people, and the right airbag should protect not one, but two passengers.
The back of the rear sofa is higher here than in the Buick. There are cigarette lighters in each of the two second-row ashtrays, and the overhead mirrors are dimmable. There’s more room in the back here than in any German, or Japanese sedan of those years. On the ceiling, above the rear window you can see a diode indicator. This indicator lights up at the same time as the brake lights and serves just to check them. This, as well as the indicators in the front wings – which notify the state of the headlights and turn signals, was made in order that the owner of the car did not have to ask someone to see whether the headlights work, while the owner of the car turns them on from the cabin.
Perhaps someone will be surprised, but there is a trunk lid puller. The trunk itself is huge and in it, in a special case is placed a full-size spare tire.
Engine and Specifications 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood.
Originally under the huge hood of the 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood was the engine, LT05. From the photo you can see that on the back side of the hood, there is a Cadillac inscription on the trim. This was probably done so that you don’t forget that this is a Cadillac and not any other GM car, not only while driving, but also while servicing it. The V8 L05 engine was equipped with a mono-injection cylinder fuel system. It had a cubic inch displacement of 5.7L and produced 185 horsepower, but had a whopping 412Nm of torque, and was available from low revs.
In addition, the torque was available at low revs. Thanks to this feature, which can be found only on American sedans of those years, these trucks were well suited for towing heavy trailers. With this, the powertrain and the four-speed, automatic transmission. This Cadillac sedan could reach 100 miles in 10.6 seconds, and took just 17.8 seconds to go ΒΌ mile, an exit speed of 78 miles per hour. That’s pretty decent performance, considering the Fleetwood wasn’t built for speedruns.
In ’94, the Cadillac Fleetwood was outfitted with Corvette’s iconic V8, the LT1. In the modification for Cadillac, the engine got a modified intake system. Even so, with a displacement of 5.7 liters, the engine had 260 horsepower and 447 Nm of torque. It was equipped with a distributed injection system, and a reminder of this was placed on the huge air filter housing. With this engine, and with the new four speed automatic transmission 4L60E (which had not hydraulic, but electronic control), the huge sedan could accelerate to 100 km in 8.5 seconds.
From the photo you can see the upper position of the air conditioner compressor and generator, which facilitated maintenance. The generator has a capacity of 140 amps. The big space under the hood can be considered a distinguishing feature not only for the Fleetwood, but also for the Roadmaster and Caprice.
The rear suspension in this car is of course dependent, but to maintain a stable, ground clearance, it is equipped with pneumatic cylinders. The fuel tank, as well as on related models, is made of plastic. And the towing package includes not only a trailer hitch, but also improved cooling for the transmission.
This is an iconic car that remains incredibly comfortable even by today’s standards. Subsequently, cars similar to the Fleetwood became unnecessary even in the United States, as luxury SUVs in the form of the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillsc Escalade soon appeared, which were even better suited to the role of haulers and replaced their owners with a premium sedan in terms of comfort and equipment.
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