1969 Cadillac Production Numbers/Specifications

Above: 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham shown in Cotillion White with White Vinyl Roof

FAREWELL TO THE SIXTIES

Cadillac entered the final year of the decade of the sixties with little time to look back at the decade that had been very good to the division. Cadillac built its three millionth car in 1964, a 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham. And now, just five years later, it would build its four millionth car, a 1969 Cadillac Coupe deVille, which came off the assembly line on June 19, 1969. The Astral Blue Metallic car featured a Dark Blue Vinyl Roof and a Dark Blue interior. Its owner, Lee Mannes of St. Claire Shores, Michigan, was waiting for it at the end of the line with his two teen-aged sons. Also present at the ceremony to commemorate this event was Cadillac Division's own 1903 Cadillac Model "A" single cylinder car. Cadillac took 47 years to build its first million cars, the second million took nine years, the three million mark came just six years later, and only five years to then build the four millionth car.

During the 1960s, Cadillac had also undertaken a 500,000 square-foot facility expansion that included a new Engineering Center and expanded its production floor space by another 200,000 square feet. Cadillac became the first auto manufacturer to build its 500,000th air conditioned car in 1963, and for 1969 less than 4 percent of Cadillacs would be built without factory air conditioning. Cadillac's first personal luxury car was introduced in 1967, and that car, the Fleetwood Eldorado, would establish a new styling direction for the division. And 1969 would be the first year that styling inspiration would be seen in the showrooms.

Despite completely new styling that was at the same time boldly new yet retained touches of earlier models, Cadillac's sales for 1969 would fail to set a new record, for the first time in six years. Production of 223,267 cars for the model year would fall short of 1968's record 230,003 cars by 2.9 percent. The reason for this may be due to strikes, which interrupted the 1969 production run, but overall 1969 was not a bad year for the automobile industry as a whole.

For 1969, Cadillac built a total of 11 different models in three series on four different wheelbases. The least expensive was the Calais Coupe priced at $5,466. The most expensive was the Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine at $10,961. Keep in mind that the average annual income in 1969 was $8,550, and the median cost of a house was $15,550!

Cadillac's best selling model for 1969 was once again the Hardtop Sedan deVille, with record sales of 72,958, the best ever for a single Cadillac model. This was by far the most popular luxury car model in America, an honor it would retain until 1973, when its sister model, the Coupe deVille, would outsell it for the first time.

There was a change in upper management at Cadillac during the year. On July 1, 1969, George R. Elges succeeded Calvin J. Werner as General Manager, Cadillac Division.

Left: 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham exhibits new styling inspired by the Eldorado, with more deeply sculptured lines that still retain Cadillac's traditional luxury appearance.