Cadillac DeVille History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
Start with a make and model. Add a year where a detailed guide is available.
Model history available. Detailed year guides are not published for this model.
Browse this model's history and yearsHistory
The de Ville name began in 1949 as a trim on the Series 62 (the Coupe de Ville) and became a standalone Cadillac series for 1959, splitting into the Coupe de Ville and Sedan de Ville. For decades it was Cadillac's best-selling line — the car most buyers pictured when they thought 'Cadillac.'
The DeVille moved to front-wheel drive in 1985 as part of GM's downsizing, and the final generation (2000–2005) was a thoroughly modern Northstar-V8 luxury sedan — among the first production cars with LED tail lamps and an available infrared Night Vision system.
The DeVille nameplate was retired after 2005 and replaced by the DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) for 2006, ending one of the longest-running names in American luxury cars.
Body styles
- Hardtop
- Sedan
- Coupe
- Convertible
Notable special editions & performance variants
Coupe de Ville
The two-door hardtop de Ville — the original 1949 car that started the name, a 1950s–60s style icon.
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Cadillac DeVille
Search Amazon across available years, colors, and scales. Exact releases vary, so confirm the listing before ordering.