Growing up circa 1990’s My grandfather had a late 80’s Lincoln Town Car and then a white mid 90’s LTC. That was peak luxury for a working class man. No one in my area to my knowledge owned German, European, Japanese cars. For me Luxury cars ended in 2011 with the LTC. Lexus + Mercedes are very nice but they don’t impress me 🤷♂️
One of my favorite scenes in the Mel Brooks movie “High Anxiety” was when Madeleine Kahn’s character drives up in a Seville and the whole car was covered in designer fabric and Madeline was wearing a matching jump suit! Classic Brooks!
Great review! I worked for Thacker Cadillac used car department in Annapolis, MD in the early 80s. I drove dozens of these 76-79 Sevilles. They had a very solid, tight, and effortless feeling in the way they drove. You really felt like you were driving something special. People bring up the Nova chassis, which was good to begin with, and Cadillac made it into something special. IMO, one of the most desirable cars of the 70s.
The Seville and Nova shared 'hard points' which meant they could share some of the same tooling, which held down manufacturing costs. I think very little sheet metal was shared between the two cars. The Seville is NOT like the Nova in the same way that a Versailles is like a Granada.
My family owned three Sevilles of that style, and loved them. There was so much that GM got right about the design, and matched it with the people who owned them. Prior Cadillacs were behemoths, and weren't missed when they were traded in. Also, the Sevilles we owned were trouble free. The true sign of a luxury car is one that never breaks. I've owned six Mercedes, and I can't say that about M-B.
I wish the Seville designers had incorporated the traditional Cadillac raised center hood to separate it more from lesser GM cars. I don't think the designer additions do anything to enhance an already beautiful automobile.
The Seville's production run were the same years as high school for me. My father's neighbor was a physician who purchased a black '78 for his wife. Each time I saw that car on our street, my appreciation of it only grew and it became the first auto design that I really loved. I told myself I will have one of those one day. In 2019 I bought a '79 Seville from eBay, Post Road Brown with Vogue tires. I'm 6'2" and it's not easy to enter and exit without scuffing the door. However, behind the wheel it fulfills my idea of a fine driving experience. Cadillac had me at Seville.
I had a 77 Seville. Black and silver 2 tone. I had the Continental kit on the rear bumper. It was the elegante package. Very nice car. I drove it for 5 years. Loved it.
I'm not a big fan of GM but I give credit were credit is due. Unless you were alive in the 70s it's not easy understand just how influential the 76-79 Seville was in the North American car market. Fantastic design that really held up over the years.
I was wondering if anyone else here remembered that! When I first heard Elon Musk was selling a plaid edition of the Model S, I was afraid he had THIS Mel Brooks movie in mind, geez the images I had in my head of what that car was going to look like inside and out....!!! 🤣🤣🤣
There's a guy in a car club down here in south Flori-Duh who has one, I think it is an '84, and it's hideous~! It's not helpful that the car is in average shape at best.
Adam, I’m dieting and this is perfect, you made me lose my appetite for days to come! Hideous is understatement. I had a ‘76 Seville in the mid-80’s and while it was a fantastic car in every respect it did NOT have a reliable fuel injection system, or at least the main computer was prone to failure and nearly bankrupted me ($1000 for the part back in the day.) I wonder if there are retrofit computers available today as it probably had less computing capability than a disposable camera today! Keep the great vlogs coming!!
There was definitely a second-gen Gucci Seville. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a first-gen Gucci Seville, but I have seen a couple of second-gens. I specifically remember seeing one at Braman Cadillac in downtown Miami when my dad was shopping for an ‘81 Seville. I recall thinking it was hideous and the price insane, even as a kid.
The modern equivalent of this aftermarket ridiculousness is a full-size pick up truck, with a lift kit, big chrome wheels, enormous bumper, light bar on top, etc. etc.
Even though this Seville was based on the Chevrolet Nova Platform, it is gorgeous. There is a 1977 Seville in three-way light yellow in the town where I live that looks like it was just driven off the showroom floor. The most conservative and quite attractive Designer edition car was the 1980 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue and Cordoba Crown Corrinthian Calvin Klein edition.
Another one out the park Adam! The 1st gen Seville is one of the most beautiful cars to ever hit the road. Bucket list includes a 1979 Seville Elegante! I love all caddy’s especially the Fleewood Broughams and Sixty specials as they were (are)the pinnacle of luxury cars in my opinion.
My mother bought a ‘79 Seville when I was in high school…easily the most expensive (adjusted for inflation) car she’s ever owned. My step-father had a Buick Apollo which was a Chevy Nova sibling. That Buick was certainly closer to Chevy than Caddy in terms of appointments. And they drove pretty differently. I’ve never seen the Gucci aftermarket treatment and it’s pretty awful but I can understand why it was done in the era of Lincoln designer cars. I don’t remember the leather seating having that exact pattern…I’ll have to check the dealer brochure on line. Everything else looks familiar. And as a very tall driver, I can vouch for the interior being…well, cozy. Of course if you wanted an upscale Seville trim, you could have just checked the “Elegante” option which was a lot more tasteful (and deleted the vinyl roof!) Lastly, Cadillac usually didn’t do “co-branding” with other luxury brands but they did do it with the XLR with Bvlgari branded gauges. And in the 1950s, Cadillac would do print ads with Tiffany jewelry (but not co branded in the cars.)
Mommy’s Seville was builted on tha Same tired old Chevy Nova also. Yep..Everything really old at GM is New Again! And a whopping 88 Horses! 88 Horses to pull a 4,400 Pound Car?!?!? Plus ur Mommy’s Cadillac Seville had an 350 Oldsmobile Engine in it. GM..still today does that Cookie Cutter Thing!
I also drove a dark green 79 Seville diesel that my dad gave to me as a company car when he got the newer bustle back. The diesel would freeze up in the winter if left outside without the block heater pluged in. Had the sun roof which leaked, it was slow and left a trail of black exhaust but got good mileage.
My Dad had an '83 Bonneville that was basically the same car at that point. He loved that car. It had tons of power for it's size and was very luxurious inside. 6 months after he traded it for a '89 Crown Victoria he told me he'd made a mistake and missed the Bonneville.
This is why I love this channel. It serves as a reminder not to over-romantisize vehicles of the past (especially American), but at the same time to appreciate them as the cultural artifacts that they are. This was a totally ridiculous car, but it perfectly embodies a moment in automotive history, and perhaps American consumerism.
@@McVaioEuropeans in the 1970s were driving attractive, efficient cars with good handling, not land yachts with ludicrous bumpers and mandatory sealed beam headlights.
Adam I was 16 when they came out in 1975 and they created quite a stir. Everyone LOVED it. !!! In my Opinion one of the most beautifully designed cars ever. !!!!!
Thank you Adam. The Seville did a lot. Thank you for sharing the design proposals. The last one looked like the 1992-1997 Seville. The first proposal looked like the 1980-1985 Seville. I appreciate each time you share design proposals.
@@danielc1417 well if you love the Olds Toranado give love to other GM specialty cars. The Seville bores me to tears. If you think about what you couldve had like a mercedes benz sl i1978-79. just like a late 70s nova is stale as bad milk or moldy bread
Thanks for this one, Adam.. I can't imagine paying crazy money for one of those. I prefer the factory finish. Your dripping sarcasm embedded into your remarks was duly noted. I think those mostly appealed to a (much) older generation of car buyer.
I like, really. It is well done, the interior is pretty nice and the luggage is a plus.. The big hood ornament could have been toned-down somewhat, but, overall, it is a well executed upgrade. An excellent video, as always.
GM has really done some cool concept cars, this La Salle included. This era Seville was very interesting, compared to other luxury offerings (scale, proportions, elegance, etc.) and still stands out when I see them.
My family owned a 1976 Seville from new, and a friend owned two within the last decade, fully restored. GREAT cars- easy to drive, excellent ride. The only complaints were related to the electronics/ computers and the rear self-leveling.
Thank god my Dad was unaware of this car back in the day. My Mom drove a ‘78 Seville Elegante and it was sharp. Still remember rides in it when I was a kid riding shotgun to the market. My Dad has always favored bling, and this would have been right up his alley. Woof.
I believe I heard you mention that you owned a ‘79 diesel Seville which I also owned. However I was the second owner of the ‘79 and the seller said he had transferred to fuel but never informed motor vehicle department. It saved money in registration so I followed suit. 😎
👜How could you miss the LOUIS VUITTON SEVILLE from the 1977 MEL BROOKS movie HIGH ANEXITY driven by Madeline Kahn? The filming (in 1976) predated the car here and probably inspired the cars you are showing.👜
"We'll just call it a masterpiece for now." Is it my fancy or do I detect and at the same time, admire the restraint accompanying your narrative describing this over-the-top offering from Cadillac? I am in agreement with your observation that the base design for this auto was both tasteful and understated, however, I find the very expensive (as I understand *$7,000.00* over the standard Seville) Gucci offering to be both ostentatious and distracting. " . . . and the Gucci Seville would just fade into the (faux) woodwork." Thank you for this entry.
By the 1990s, many of these cars were in self serve wrecking yards. I bought a few sets of the rear disc brakes off of them to adapt for use on my 60s-70s Pontiac GTOs. I still use them to this day. They work well. Also, my parents had one back in the day
Funky First Car, Adam! What was "klassy" to a depression era "white loafer " baby in '79 is become his grandkid's ironic showpiece. You should do a post about the next step up: the "pimpmobile."
Interesting deep-dive video, Adam! I guess the Gucci branding took interested buyers attention away from the Seville's misaligned body mouldings and huge panel gaps. Giggle :) I do really like the Gucci Edition's unique pleats on the leather seating surfaces.
Under stated elegance from humble beginnings. Caddy engineers tweaked that nova chassis to caddy standards in my imho. Then the bustle back....good God GM
I like that LeSalle concept. My father and mother only drove Cadillacs when I was growing up in the 80s through about 94. We always had the big Fleetwood models and 1 Seville, but it was the hump back maybe 84?? It was pretty. Dark metallic blue with a white top. It went through 2 4100 engines, lol. These square Sevilles I thought were so ugly. They looked like a dolled up taxi cab. All of those Caddys we had couldn't spin their tires on ice. They were the slowest cars ever. They were a status symbol only. They all had major electrical and engine problems too. I became a Ford kid quick after seeing the Thunderbird and Taurus. That was the future for me as an early teenager. My 1st car was a 1970 Tbird 2 door with the fastback style roofline. 360 horsepower just embarrassed those old Caddys, lol. I will still stand by the fact that GM A/C is the coldest and GM ride quality was smooth as glass, but that 70 Ford was far more solid than those 80s Cadillacs. I love this channel! It's great to take a trip down memory lane. Keep up the great content!!!
Aweful kitsch but somehow awesome as well - definitely an eye turner thats for sure, and in many ways, in my opinion, these 'designer' editions (particularly the Lincoln Mark versions) are sadly missed in the modern era of blandness, uniformity, obscurity and the endless search for, and confusion of, performance over 'luxury'. Excellent and insightful review as always. Cheers from Doha.
I agree, even if this variant isn't to my taste, but like that it was offered. I get why someone might like it. The funny thing is, there are some people find my Dove Grey '77 Mark V Cartier too plain, color wise, for the type of car it is and its era (I think it's absolutely gorgeous) and prefer bolder palettes, not unlike what is done here in this Seville Gucci. Someone mentioned the black and platinum two-tone Seville in another comment here...that's my favorite version of these cars.
@@owlnswan4016 glad you own one of these 77 Mk V Cartiers. I grew up as a kid in Northern Ireland during "The Troubles" watching all sorts of American Cop shows and longed for the chance to own a Kojak Buick Century or Starsky Ford Torino but the one that topped my list was Frank Cannons Mk IV (although I think he had a Mk III in Series 1. I think it is probably the only time one of these was used as an 'off-road' vehicle!!!!!. Growing up with Ford Escorts and Vauxhall Vivas in the UK, these big American cars were more like spacecraft than cars.
Cadillac has always done these types of runs. This harks back to their roots of chassis building and partnering the coach building out. They even made the Snoop DeVille for Snoop Dog with a chandelier inside.
I remember my family test drove a 1976 Seville. Surprisingly, GM really did a good job on the car. It drove very well. It was luxurious and for a downsized Cadillac, it was a great car.
Bile-mobile! Seville was not bad had worked on several for a older gent who liked to buy autos wholsale fix them up and sell out of his house big differance between nova cady had about 2 inch sound deadening in each door panel also other areas 15 inch wheels revised suspensionfront and rear center link also had hydraulic steering damper plus usual cady niceties
The 1973 prototype Cadillac La Scala was one of the most beautiful car ever, with resemblance with Pininfarina and Giugiaro design of the time, like the Fiat 130 coupe of Paolo Martin for example or the perfection of the Golf, the series Seville strange that is not similar to the german sedan competitors like Audi Mercedes or BMW (that beats...) but is similar in lay out to a classical Italian british or Cadillac class design maybe also to Rolls-Royce
I never owned a Seville. Three friends over the production years brought one. Only one of them kept it over two years and one less than a year. I guess it depended on if you got a Tuesday thru Thursday car. My 66 Deville was a very solid car for many years and the new ones kept getting more plastic everywhere.
Took the words out of my mouth. Always looked like a fancy Nova to me. Even new, their front/rear alignment was goofy like the Nova. They always looked like they were going down the road at an angle. 😂
Loved the Seville when it debut in the 70’s and still have an affinity for them today, it is however a rarity to see one today . I personally find the Gucci Seville a bit over the top, but still I can appreciate it and of course it’s rarity as well….
Dad bought a new two tone Emerald Green '79 Eldorado. It ran and handled great. I remember getting lectured after slamming the trunk... He eventually bought a Pearl White Alanté he adored both.
I love that chocolate brown exterior on this 1979 Gucci edition Seville. It reminds me of my 1963 Pontiac Tempest's Cordovan Brown metallic. Yet another brilliant color on cars that we no longer see these days as we are inundated with boring white, silver, black and gray with the occasional dark blue and deep red. Where are all those beautiful Reef Turquoise cars of yesteryear?
When I saw your thumbnail I eminently thought of the 1977 Mel Brook’s movie “High Anxiety” and Madeline Kahn’s Louis Vuitton Seville and matching jumpsuit. I know about the Gucci edition of the AMC Sportabout, but never heard of this Seville edition.
Adam, Did they ever do a Designer Series of the humble, "sow's ear" Chevy Nova with more of a working class theme? Maybe a Wrangler Jeans or Fruit of the Loom Edition would have had a broader appeal. 🤔
Had a 1979 Seville Gucci Edition originally from Miami. I “deconstructed” the Gucci parts. Still have most of the items including the Gucci vinylized headliner fabric. It was a great looking car sans Gucci additions in my opinion…
Great video already very enjoyable how they are done and presented. I like the description and comparison here of the Seville vs the chassis it was based on. I had a continental once where the mechanic said oh that's just a taurus. I said well I guess except for the interior, suspension, drivetrain and body. The best was when he was checking for the rear shock mounts which were accessed from the trunk on one and interior on the other. I said hmm that's strange it's identical but the shocks aren't even in the same place haha. I think the LaSalle could have if they wanted to passed roll standards with a sort of hidden roll bar(s) under padding. It almost has a look of a larger Citroen of the time.
First-gen Sevilles were gorgeous, but they had some rust issues--under the vinyl roof and in the upper B-pillar area. I'd pass on the Gucci /pimp stuff and I'd pass on the diesel. I had a friend with one and we installed a modified, carburetor-equipped, 350 that produced a smooth 300 to 325 HP. That really turned the car into a respectable luxury sedan. We also got rid of the hood ornament and filled in the remaining cavity. Then, years later, came that awful trunk treatment, and that was the end of the Seville to me.
This model of the Cadillac Seville was out standing but let us not forget about. What we call back in mid or late 70’s the baby Lincoln also the 1981 2 door Buick Riviera.
By far, the 1976 through 1979, first-generation Cadillac Seville was absolutely one of the most gorgeous designs to come out of the GM styling studios. It was such a great success for Cadillac, even with its hefty, almost Seventy-Five Limousine, price tag. It is no small wonder that its overall design was so widely copied throughout the 1980's by GM itself and other domestic automakers. Our company car was a 1978 Seville. I drove the wheels off of that car, I loved it so much. It was the perfect balance of handling and luxury float of the larger Cadillacs. The Lincoln Versailles could not compete with a Seville in any way.
The 1979 two tone paint versions were one of the nicest. Black over silver and the dark apricot over light apricot were outstanding, especially with the real wire wheels option. But please, no on the continental tire kit!
I remember riding in a diesel Gucci Seville that was a taxi in Geneva, Switzerland way back in the mid 70s where MB S600 and top of the line Volvos and BMWs with the ride meter in the glove box were and still are the city taxis.
When I see this car I'm reminded of the Gucci Hornet Sportabout of a few years earlier. It was tasteful for the day, I guess, and quite unique/exclusive. Which I'm sure was the point. Lastly, I'm reminded of the Louis Vuitton Seville that Madeline Kahn drove in High Society. With matching outfit, of course.
The initial production Seville was perfect in my estimation! I don't think the other renderings you showed were nearly as handsome and stylish. It was a perfect blend and more of a "personal size" luxury car and in that regard, I thought it's size and subtle luxury was much classier than most of the other American cars of the day but with a little more panache than a Mercedes. It struck just the right tone. The later models seemed to lose their way. The Gucci Edition was hideous, by the way.
Coming of age in the 70s, I knew every American car. The Seville's design was just outstanding at the time.
As someone who came of age in the 80s and 90s, it just looks boxy to me.
I always liked the Ford Granada / Mercury Monarch. People laugh at me for that but they were brilliant marketing designs for the time.
Growing up circa 1990’s My grandfather had a late 80’s Lincoln Town Car and then a white mid 90’s LTC. That was peak luxury for a working class man. No one in my area to my knowledge owned German, European, Japanese cars. For me Luxury cars ended in 2011 with the LTC. Lexus + Mercedes are very nice but they don’t impress me 🤷♂️
To me it looked like every other four-door GM car. There was really nothing special about it.
It was a based on the Nova (Xbody), shouldn't warrant it's price tag, Caddy's were gaudy siblings, this looked very toned down.
One of my favorite scenes in the Mel Brooks movie “High Anxiety” was when Madeleine Kahn’s character drives up in a Seville and the whole car was covered in designer fabric and Madeline was wearing a matching jump suit! Classic Brooks!
Madeleine Kahn was such a precious actress, I love everything she did.
ruclips.net/video/_euAhdMk1ok/видео.htmlsi=Xl7o0H5k--CUxlWA
I am very surprised that the designers omitted the mirrored
Disco ball from the interior roof.
you can customise yours to have a disco ball when you get one of these ! lol ! make sure you wear a leisure suit when you go out driving it hahaha!!!!
The then owner would not have a disco ball-- he would own the disco!
And a pull-out coke shelf...
Its star lights in roof now. You can even get the sky of your birthday, thanx rolls royce
Great review! I worked for Thacker Cadillac used car department in Annapolis, MD in the early 80s. I drove dozens of these 76-79 Sevilles. They had a very solid, tight, and effortless feeling in the way they drove. You really felt like you were driving something special. People bring up the Nova chassis, which was good to begin with, and Cadillac made it into something special. IMO, one of the most desirable cars of the 70s.
The Seville and Nova shared 'hard points' which meant they could share some of the same tooling, which held down manufacturing costs. I think very little sheet metal was shared between the two cars. The Seville is NOT like the Nova in the same way that a Versailles is like a Granada.
@@MrSloika NO shared sheet metal between Seville & Nova
@@MarinCipollina I believe a section of roof and the floor pan was shared. I could be wrong.
@@MrSloika agree, I don't think any sheet metal was shared, except the rear doors may have been the same as the newly introduced 4-door Nova.
@@MrSloika You are in fact incorrect. There is no shared sheet metal between the two cars.
My family owned three Sevilles of that style, and loved them. There was so much that GM got right about the design, and matched it with the people who owned them. Prior Cadillacs were behemoths, and weren't missed when they were traded in.
Also, the Sevilles we owned were trouble free. The true sign of a luxury car is one that never breaks. I've owned six Mercedes, and I can't say that about M-B.
Yes! I loved the Seville design. Understated elegance in its time.
I wish the Seville designers had incorporated the traditional Cadillac raised center hood to separate it more from lesser GM cars. I don't think the designer additions do anything to enhance an already beautiful automobile.
The Seville's production run were the same years as high school for me. My father's neighbor was a physician who purchased a black '78 for his wife. Each time I saw that car on our street, my appreciation of it only grew and it became the first auto design that I really loved. I told myself I will have one of those one day.
In 2019 I bought a '79 Seville from eBay, Post Road Brown with Vogue tires.
I'm 6'2" and it's not easy to enter and exit without scuffing the door.
However, behind the wheel it fulfills my idea of a fine driving experience.
Cadillac had me at Seville.
I had a 77 Seville. Black and silver 2 tone. I had the Continental kit on the rear bumper. It was the elegante package. Very nice car. I drove it for 5 years. Loved it.
I'm not a big fan of GM but I give credit were credit is due. Unless you were alive in the 70s it's not easy understand just how influential the 76-79 Seville was in the North American car market. Fantastic design that really held up over the years.
That Gucci Seville is BIG PIMPIN’!
That was Big Pimpin and Big Price..
You had to be able to pay cash if you could…
A 100k ! ! !
My favorite of these Sevilles was the plaid one driven by Madeleine Kahn in "High Anxiety."
That matched her outfit :-D
Well, now we know where that idea came from...
I almost forgot about that! Mel didn't miss a thing!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I was wondering if anyone else here remembered that! When I first heard Elon Musk was selling a plaid edition of the Model S, I was afraid he had THIS Mel Brooks movie in mind, geez the images I had in my head of what that car was going to look like inside and out....!!! 🤣🤣🤣
That sunset bronze Cadillac Seville is gorgeous 😍
The 1979 to 85 Eldorado also earned the Gucci treatment. Years ago a neighbor had an '84 Eldorado Gucci edition Hatteras Blue with white interior.
Yes, you can find quite a few photos online of bustle-back Gucci Sevilles.
There's a guy in a car club down here in south Flori-Duh who has one, I think it is an '84, and it's hideous~! It's not helpful that the car is in average shape at best.
Adam, I’m dieting and this is perfect, you made me lose my appetite for days to come! Hideous is understatement. I had a ‘76 Seville in the mid-80’s and while it was a fantastic car in every respect it did NOT have a reliable fuel injection system, or at least the main computer was prone to failure and nearly bankrupted me ($1000 for the part back in the day.) I wonder if there are retrofit computers available today as it probably had less computing capability than a disposable camera today! Keep the great vlogs coming!!
There was definitely a second-gen Gucci Seville. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a first-gen Gucci Seville, but I have seen a couple of second-gens. I specifically remember seeing one at Braman Cadillac in downtown Miami when my dad was shopping for an ‘81 Seville. I recall thinking it was hideous and the price insane, even as a kid.
That's the proper reaction to those monstrosities.
Yes, there is one running around Fort Lauderdale in average condition. The owner actually takes it to Cars & Coffee events.....
Not to be confused with the Charo "Cuchi-Cuchi" Edition
And it’s signature horn😂
Or the Emilio Pucci!
@@quad5186Shouldn't that be 'hornS', Mr. Packer?! 😅
The modern equivalent of this aftermarket ridiculousness is a full-size pick up truck, with a lift kit, big chrome wheels, enormous bumper, light bar on top, etc. etc.
And a set of big steel balls hanging from the trailer hitch receiver.
@@hughjass1044 forgot about that
LOL - if they still sold those windshield washer jet assemblies with LEDs in them, those trucks would probably have them...
Pricewise, yes. However think of how much better-equipped that truck is nowadays.
the exquisite Git'R Dun Edition.
It was a breathtaking design. My parents had 1978 and 1980 Cutlass Supremes. They were clearly descendants of that theme.
Perfect compliment to the Oleg Cassini Matador......
Cartier lincoln too
Bill Blass Lincoln Mark.
The President of my company used to have one. I walked past it in the company garage every morning. I wanted one. This was 1979.
Even though this Seville was based on the Chevrolet Nova Platform, it is gorgeous. There is a 1977 Seville in three-way light yellow in the town where I live that looks like it was just driven off the showroom floor. The most conservative and quite attractive Designer edition car was the 1980 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue and Cordoba Crown Corrinthian Calvin Klein edition.
Another one out the park Adam! The 1st gen Seville is one of the most beautiful cars to ever hit the road. Bucket list includes a 1979 Seville Elegante! I love all caddy’s especially the Fleewood Broughams and Sixty specials as they were (are)the pinnacle of luxury cars in my opinion.
For the time, the design was perfect. They sold very well despite the high cost.
It was well designed and for the age, over-engineered.
Made in Miami, Florida probably trying to appeal to some Tony Montana type.
"Joo got a wife. Zhe turns 50. Zhe got a sack for a belly, zhe got hair on her tits..."
Lol, this car was too slow for the fast life
My mother bought a ‘79 Seville when I was in high school…easily the most expensive (adjusted for inflation) car she’s ever owned. My step-father had a Buick Apollo which was a Chevy Nova sibling. That Buick was certainly closer to Chevy than Caddy in terms of appointments. And they drove pretty differently.
I’ve never seen the Gucci aftermarket treatment and it’s pretty awful but I can understand why it was done in the era of Lincoln designer cars. I don’t remember the leather seating having that exact pattern…I’ll have to check the dealer brochure on line. Everything else looks familiar. And as a very tall driver, I can vouch for the interior being…well, cozy.
Of course if you wanted an upscale Seville trim, you could have just checked the “Elegante” option which was a lot more tasteful (and deleted the vinyl roof!)
Lastly, Cadillac usually didn’t do “co-branding” with other luxury brands but they did do it with the XLR with Bvlgari branded gauges. And in the 1950s, Cadillac would do print ads with Tiffany jewelry (but not co branded in the cars.)
Mommy’s Seville was builted on tha Same tired old Chevy Nova also. Yep..Everything really old at GM is New Again! And a whopping 88 Horses! 88 Horses to pull a 4,400 Pound Car?!?!? Plus ur Mommy’s Cadillac Seville had an 350 Oldsmobile Engine in it. GM..still today does that Cookie Cutter Thing!
Mine too was pretty nice.
Tiffany was seen on Olds, not Caddy to my recollection.
I could see Rodney Dangerfield driving one of these in "Caddyshack".
Nah, Rodney was more of land-yacht kind of guy.
The interior is SO COOL! Thanks for sharing!
I also drove a dark green 79 Seville diesel that my dad gave to me as a company car
when he got the newer bustle back. The diesel would freeze up in the winter if left
outside without the block heater pluged in. Had the sun roof which leaked, it was
slow and left a trail of black exhaust but got good mileage.
I loved this design back then, and like it today!
My Dad had an '83 Bonneville that was basically the same car at that point. He loved that car. It had tons of power for it's size and was very luxurious inside. 6 months after he traded it for a '89 Crown Victoria he told me he'd made a mistake and missed the Bonneville.
This is why I love this channel. It serves as a reminder not to over-romantisize vehicles of the past (especially American), but at the same time to appreciate them as the cultural artifacts that they are. This was a totally ridiculous car, but it perfectly embodies a moment in automotive history, and perhaps American consumerism.
Yes Justin Biber, thats why this channel is here, to show you cars you shouldnt remember, 500 IQ, stay in your Civic
@@HelicopterDad-u5b you didnt get my point, Civic lover
You should see what most Europeans were driving in the '70s, it makes you love American cars of the era way more.
@@McVaio exactly, these cucks love to downgrade and drive Civics and whatnots
@@McVaioEuropeans in the 1970s were driving attractive, efficient cars with good handling, not land yachts with ludicrous bumpers and mandatory sealed beam headlights.
Love the Sevilles, very handsome in my view, thanks Adam
Adam I was 16 when they came out in 1975 and they created quite a stir. Everyone LOVED it. !!! In my Opinion one of the most beautifully designed cars ever. !!!!!
Exudes late 70s white loafer shoe class
Cousin Eddie has entered the chat.
Bada Bing, Bada Boom!
Those were my favorite years of the Cadillac Seville and in my opinion THANK GOODNESS they chose THIS design over those other prototypes.
Thank you Adam. The Seville did a lot. Thank you for sharing the design proposals. The last one looked like the 1992-1997 Seville. The first proposal looked like the 1980-1985 Seville. I appreciate each time you share design proposals.
I'm from UK and this Shape has always been my favourite shape caddy
The 1965 Corvair Turbo Corsa Coupe was a good car that’s given No Love(a poor man’s Porsche 911)
Thanks for your totally irrelevant comment.
@@danielc1417 well if you love the Olds Toranado give love to other GM specialty cars. The Seville bores me to tears. If you think about what you couldve had like a mercedes benz sl i1978-79. just like a late 70s nova is stale as bad milk or moldy bread
Thanks for this one, Adam.. I can't imagine paying crazy money for one of those. I prefer the factory finish. Your dripping sarcasm embedded into your remarks was duly noted. I think those mostly appealed to a (much) older generation of car buyer.
Man, those were the days!
I like, really. It is well done, the interior is pretty nice and the luggage is a plus.. The big hood ornament could have been toned-down somewhat, but, overall, it is a well executed upgrade. An excellent video, as always.
Great video! Looks can be subjective. Clearly… money cannot ‘always’ buy good taste.
GM has really done some cool concept cars, this La Salle included. This era Seville was very interesting, compared to other luxury offerings (scale, proportions, elegance, etc.) and still stands out when I see them.
My family owned a 1976 Seville from new, and a friend owned two within the last decade, fully restored. GREAT cars- easy to drive, excellent ride. The only complaints were related to the electronics/ computers and the rear self-leveling.
Thank god my Dad was unaware of this car back in the day. My Mom drove a ‘78 Seville Elegante and it was sharp. Still remember rides in it when I was a kid riding shotgun to the market. My Dad has always favored bling, and this would have been right up his alley. Woof.
Totally dolled up Impala!!!!~~I would love to find a nice clean one!!!!~
I believe I heard you mention that you owned a ‘79 diesel Seville which I also owned. However I was the second owner of the ‘79 and the seller said he had transferred to fuel but never informed motor vehicle department. It saved money in registration so I followed suit. 😎
3:32, I agree it really does remind you of the later Sevilles, especially the headlight forms.
This looks like something Lee Iacocca would green light.
Seeing that golden Seville reminds me of the CTS (I believe) that the local dealership has on display. It's all gold... 😂
👜How could you miss the LOUIS VUITTON SEVILLE from the 1977 MEL BROOKS movie HIGH ANEXITY driven by Madeline Kahn?
The filming (in 1976) predated the car here and probably inspired the cars you are showing.👜
I was about to post:
“Search: Cadillac Seville High Anxiety” but you beat me to it 😂
Love the headliner.
Check out/google the AMC Javelin Pierre Cardin edition. You will likely like it too.
You did it again. Adam, please keep it up. we are counting on you.
Please, please do a video about the Seville Opera Coupe! It was such a unique car. My neighbor had one, ‘78 or ‘79 I believe, and I loved it.
I liked the regular Sevilles. This one's pretty silly.
"We'll just call it a masterpiece for now."
Is it my fancy or do I detect and at the same time, admire the restraint accompanying your narrative describing this over-the-top offering from Cadillac? I am in agreement with your observation that the base design for this auto was both tasteful and understated, however, I find the very expensive (as I understand *$7,000.00* over the standard Seville) Gucci offering to be both ostentatious and distracting.
" . . . and the Gucci Seville would just fade into the (faux) woodwork."
Thank you for this entry.
That radiator is jam-packed full of green antifreeze!
My father in law had a first gen Seville. It was a very nice car indeed. Black on black -
3:24 First car I thought of was the Aston Martin Lagonda.(which arrived about 10 years later).
With the best dashboard ever.
Actually, it also came in 76… Or rather, was introduced in 76, first delivered was a year or two later…
Lagonda, a river in Springfield, OH, from which it was named.
This is the car I learned to drive in. Boy if I had one today....
By the 1990s, many of these cars were in self serve wrecking yards. I bought a few sets of the rear disc brakes off of them to adapt for use on my 60s-70s Pontiac GTOs. I still use them to this day. They work well. Also, my parents had one back in the day
Funky First Car, Adam! What was "klassy" to a depression era "white loafer " baby in '79 is become his grandkid's ironic showpiece. You should do a post about the next step up: the "pimpmobile."
Interesting deep-dive video, Adam! I guess the Gucci branding took interested buyers attention away from the Seville's misaligned body mouldings and huge panel gaps. Giggle :)
I do really like the Gucci Edition's unique pleats on the leather seating surfaces.
Under stated elegance from humble beginnings. Caddy engineers tweaked that nova chassis to caddy standards in my imho. Then the bustle back....good God GM
I like that LeSalle concept. My father and mother only drove Cadillacs when I was growing up in the 80s through about 94. We always had the big Fleetwood models and 1 Seville, but it was the hump back maybe 84?? It was pretty. Dark metallic blue with a white top. It went through 2 4100 engines, lol. These square Sevilles I thought were so ugly. They looked like a dolled up taxi cab. All of those Caddys we had couldn't spin their tires on ice. They were the slowest cars ever. They were a status symbol only. They all had major electrical and engine problems too. I became a Ford kid quick after seeing the Thunderbird and Taurus. That was the future for me as an early teenager. My 1st car was a 1970 Tbird 2 door with the fastback style roofline. 360 horsepower just embarrassed those old Caddys, lol. I will still stand by the fact that GM A/C is the coldest and GM ride quality was smooth as glass, but that 70 Ford was far more solid than those 80s Cadillacs. I love this channel! It's great to take a trip down memory lane. Keep up the great content!!!
Aweful kitsch but somehow awesome as well - definitely an eye turner thats for sure, and in many ways, in my opinion, these 'designer' editions (particularly the Lincoln Mark versions) are sadly missed in the modern era of blandness, uniformity, obscurity and the endless search for, and confusion of, performance over 'luxury'. Excellent and insightful review as always. Cheers from Doha.
I agree, even if this variant isn't to my taste, but like that it was offered. I get why someone might like it. The funny thing is, there are some people find my Dove Grey '77 Mark V Cartier too plain, color wise, for the type of car it is and its era (I think it's absolutely gorgeous) and prefer bolder palettes, not unlike what is done here in this Seville Gucci. Someone mentioned the black and platinum two-tone Seville in another comment here...that's my favorite version of these cars.
@@owlnswan4016 glad you own one of these 77 Mk V Cartiers. I grew up as a kid in Northern Ireland during "The Troubles" watching all sorts of American Cop shows and longed for the chance to own a Kojak Buick Century or Starsky Ford Torino but the one that topped my list was Frank Cannons Mk IV (although I think he had a Mk III in Series 1. I think it is probably the only time one of these was used as an 'off-road' vehicle!!!!!. Growing up with Ford Escorts and Vauxhall Vivas in the UK, these big American cars were more like spacecraft than cars.
@@Gaulty62 Yes, I'm grateful to have it, and growing up in my Dad's that was just like it, down to all the same options.
My favorite Cadillac.(76-79)
78- 79 grille looked the best.
The 76-79 Seville was a very good looking car...EXCEPT in that hideous gold/pea color on the car you showed at the beginning of the video.
My favorite Seville's were the 76 - 79s. Would have passed on the Gucci package and of course the Diesel motor. Loved the Brown color it was painted.
The interior is gaudy, in my opinion. But the exterior is very elegant!
Cadillac has always done these types of runs. This harks back to their roots of chassis building and partnering the coach building out. They even made the Snoop DeVille for Snoop Dog with a chandelier inside.
I remember my family test drove a 1976 Seville. Surprisingly, GM really did a good job on the car. It drove very well. It was luxurious and for a downsized Cadillac, it was a great car.
78 Seville pretty nice, could smoke a tire on the punch.
Pimp-mo-bile!
My thoughts exactly 👍
Bile-mobile! Seville was not bad had worked on several for a older gent who liked to buy autos wholsale fix them up and sell out of his house big differance between nova cady had about 2 inch sound deadening in each door panel also other areas 15 inch wheels revised suspensionfront and rear center link also had hydraulic steering damper plus usual cady niceties
The 1973 prototype Cadillac La Scala was one of the most beautiful car ever, with resemblance with Pininfarina and Giugiaro design of the time, like the Fiat 130 coupe of Paolo Martin for example or the perfection of the Golf, the series Seville strange that is not similar to the german sedan competitors like Audi Mercedes or BMW (that beats...) but is similar in lay out to a classical Italian british or Cadillac class design maybe also to Rolls-Royce
These cars were awesome 👌
I’ve had the “pleasure” of seeing one years ago. The interior treatments are neat, and aside from the gouache badging, not bad.
I always thought this was a classy design! Never knew about the Gucci edition.
I never owned a Seville. Three friends over the production years brought one. Only one of them kept it over two years and one less than a year. I guess it depended on if you got a Tuesday thru Thursday car. My 66 Deville was a very solid car for many years and the new ones kept getting more plastic everywhere.
One of my teachers in high school drove a first-generation Seville. Her husband probably had a great job.
I can't get the headliner out of my mind.
Love your posts, thanks!
Took the words out of my mouth. Always looked like a fancy Nova to me. Even new, their front/rear alignment was goofy like the Nova. They always looked like they were going down the road at an angle. 😂
Loved the Seville when it debut in the 70’s and still have an affinity for them today, it is however a rarity to see one today .
I personally find the Gucci Seville a bit over the top, but still I can appreciate it and of course it’s rarity as well….
Dad bought a new two tone Emerald Green '79 Eldorado. It ran and handled great. I remember getting lectured after slamming the trunk... He eventually bought a Pearl White Alanté he adored both.
I love that chocolate brown exterior on this 1979 Gucci edition Seville. It reminds me of my 1963 Pontiac Tempest's Cordovan Brown metallic. Yet another brilliant color on cars that we no longer see these days as we are inundated with boring white, silver, black and gray with the occasional dark blue and deep red. Where are all those beautiful Reef Turquoise cars of yesteryear?
That was one nice extendo Nova!
When I saw your thumbnail I eminently thought of the 1977 Mel Brook’s movie “High Anxiety” and Madeline Kahn’s Louis Vuitton Seville and matching jumpsuit. I know about the Gucci edition of the AMC Sportabout, but never heard of this Seville edition.
Adam, Did they ever do a Designer Series of the humble, "sow's ear" Chevy Nova with more of a working class theme? Maybe a Wrangler Jeans or Fruit of the Loom Edition would have
had a broader appeal. 🤔
Ford had a Fila edition Thunderbird in the 80’s.
I would love to see that as the Nova LN of 1975 is one of my very favorite cars.
@@2H2521 And there was a Levi's Gremlin too.
AMC had the blue jean editions of the Gremlin - Levi's if I remember correctly....
Dickies edition
Had a 1979 Seville Gucci Edition originally from Miami. I “deconstructed” the Gucci parts. Still have most of the items including the Gucci vinylized headliner fabric. It was a great looking car sans Gucci additions in my opinion…
Great video already very enjoyable how they are done and presented. I like the description and comparison here of the Seville vs the chassis it was based on. I had a continental once where the mechanic said oh that's just a taurus. I said well I guess except for the interior, suspension, drivetrain and body. The best was when he was checking for the rear shock mounts which were accessed from the trunk on one and interior on the other. I said hmm that's strange it's identical but the shocks aren't even in the same place haha.
I think the LaSalle could have if they wanted to passed roll standards with a sort of hidden roll bar(s) under padding. It almost has a look of a larger Citroen of the time.
First-gen Sevilles were gorgeous, but they had some rust issues--under the vinyl roof and in the upper B-pillar area. I'd pass on the Gucci /pimp stuff and I'd pass on the diesel. I had a friend with one and we installed a modified, carburetor-equipped, 350 that produced a smooth 300 to 325 HP. That really turned the car into a respectable luxury sedan. We also got rid of the hood ornament and filled in the remaining cavity. Then, years later, came that awful trunk treatment, and that was the end of the Seville to me.
This model of the Cadillac Seville was out standing but let us not forget about. What we call back in mid or late 70’s the baby Lincoln also the 1981 2 door Buick Riviera.
I would love to have one now!
It is a shame Cadillac and GM can not be as innovative anymore. Cadillac has lost what made it special.
By far, the 1976 through 1979, first-generation Cadillac Seville was absolutely one of the most gorgeous designs to come out of the GM styling studios. It was such a great success for Cadillac, even with its hefty, almost Seventy-Five Limousine, price tag. It is no small wonder that its overall design was so widely copied throughout the 1980's by GM itself and other domestic automakers. Our company car was a 1978 Seville. I drove the wheels off of that car, I loved it so much. It was the perfect balance of handling and luxury float of the larger Cadillacs. The Lincoln Versailles could not compete with a Seville in any way.
The 1979 two tone paint versions were one of the nicest. Black over silver and the dark apricot over light apricot were outstanding, especially with the real wire wheels option. But please, no on the continental tire kit!
I agree, I love the black and silver two tone Seville!
The new style 1980+ grew on me, again, with the two tone paint options plus the Elegante versions.
I remember riding in a diesel Gucci Seville that was a taxi in Geneva, Switzerland way back in the mid 70s where MB S600 and top of the line Volvos and BMWs with the ride meter in the glove box were and still are the city taxis.
This was my favorite design for the Seville (pre-bustleback), but it was at its best in standard trim. This thing is just an abomination.
The camouflage for the front reg-plate is special! 0:57
Nova Sevilles were the Cimarron before the Cimarron.
💯
Not exactly, cimmoron was garbage.
I think that AMC did a better job with the Gucci Sportabout.
When I see this car I'm reminded of the Gucci Hornet Sportabout of a few years earlier. It was tasteful for the day, I guess, and quite unique/exclusive. Which I'm sure was the point. Lastly, I'm reminded of the Louis Vuitton Seville that Madeline Kahn drove in High Society. With matching outfit, of course.
The initial production Seville was perfect in my estimation! I don't think the other renderings you showed were nearly as handsome and stylish. It was a perfect blend and more of a "personal size" luxury car and in that regard, I thought it's size and subtle luxury was much classier than most of the other American cars of the day but with a little more panache than a Mercedes. It struck just the right tone. The later models seemed to lose their way. The Gucci Edition was hideous, by the way.