Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham

model years

1977–1986

manufacturer

Cadillac (General Motors)

assembly

Detroit Assembly, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

predecessor

Cadillac Sixty Special

successor

Cadillac Brougham

class

Full-size luxury car

layout

FR layout

platform

C-body D-body

wheelbase

1977–79: 121.5 in 1980–82: 121.4 in 1983–86: 121.5 in

body style

4-door sedan 2-door coupe

engine

250 cuin HT-4100 V8 252 cuin Buick V6 307 cuin Oldsmobile V8 350 cuin LF9 Diesel V8 368 cuin L62 V8 425 cuin L33/L35 V8

transmission

3-speed TH-400 automatic 3-speed TH-350C automatic 4-speed TH-200-4R automatic

length

1977–79: 221.2 in 1980–86: 221.0 in

width

4-door: 75.3 in 2-door: 75.4 in

height

1977: 57.2 in 1978–86 4-door: 56.7 in 2-door: 54.6 in

weight

4000 - 4500 lb

designer

Bill Mitchell

Cadillac De Ville Buick Electra Oldsmobile 98

The Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham is a luxury car manufactured by Cadillac from 1977 through 1986. In 1987, the Fleetwood Brougham name was shortened to simply Brougham, with production continuing through 1992 with only minor updates.

Cadillac used the "Fleetwood" name as a prefix between 1934 and 1976 on several of its most expensive models, always designating an elevated level of luxury. From 1957 until 1961, Cadillac used the "Brougham" sub-designation for its exclusive four-door Eldorado models.

In 1965, the "Brougham" name was first affixed to "Fleetwood" on the Fleetwood Sixty Special as an upgraded option package, which included a vinyl roof and special "Brougham" script lettering on the sides, but it was not a separate model. In 1966, the Fleetwood Brougham was added as a separate model, accompanying the Fleetwood 60 Special, which continued through 1970. In 1971, with the Fleetwood Brougham outselling the Fleetwood 60 Special by a large margin, the two models were consolidated into a single model, the Fleetwood 60 Special Brougham, and would continue with this name through 1976. The car's name was shortened to Fleetwood Brougham with the 1977 downsizing across the GM car line. The "d'Elegance" and "Talisman" sub-models were also sometimes used to designate upgraded option packages.

Evolution of the Fleetwood designation

Lawrence P. Fisher was the Fisher brother most closely involved with Cadillac

Fleetwood Brougham

For 1977, GM significantly downsized their full sized cars. The DeVille and Fleetwood Brougham rode on the same 121.5" wheelbase and were powered by the 425 cubic inch (7.0 L) V8. This engine was basically a de-bored version of the 472/500 (7.7 L/8.2 L) V8 of previous years. Compared with the 1976 Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham, the Fleetwood Brougham had a wheelbase 11.5" shorter and weighed nearly 900 lb (400 kg) less. The new Fleetwood Brougham, which had lost its exclusive longer wheelbase, was now virtually identical to the lesser Sedan de Ville. Other than the name, there were only subtle exterior differences between a Fleetwood Brougham and Sedan de Ville, including a slightly reshaped B-pillar and rear side windows. The 1980 refresh eliminated this distinction. The interior of the Fleetwood was more plush and offered more features as standard.

Size comparison between 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham and 1977 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham

In 1980, GM gave all of the full-sized B and C-body line new sheet metal to tidy up the styling and improve aerodynamics. The basic dashboard design was retained. Also new for 1980 was a two-door Fleetwood Brougham Coupe, which was based upon the Coupe de Ville but featured an exclusive formal landau vinyl roof. The 425 cu in (7.0 L) engine, a reduced bore 472, was further debored for 1980-81 to 368 cubic inches or 6.0 liters in order to comply with newly-enacted CAFE standards. For 1981, the 368 was provided with a modulated displacement system designed by Eaton Corporation, controlled by a digital computer, which locked off intake and exhaust valves to two or four of the eight cylinders, thus running effectively as a V6 or V4 under light load conditions when in third gear, and over 35 mph. This engine, called the "V8-6-4", was reliable, but the computer technology of the era was not refined enough for smooth operation and it was dropped from all models but limousines after 1981.

Both the 425 and 368 are small-bore versions of the durable 472 (which was introduced in late 1967 for the '68 model year). The larger 500 had the 472's bore but a longer stroke. This engine family was the last Cadillac cast-iron engine, and the last 'big-block'. During this period, an assortment of engines were offered in the interest of fuel economy. These included the Buick 252 V6, diesel Oldsmobile 350 V8, and of Cadillac's own "HT-4100" small block V8, an alloy unit with cast iron cylinder liners which was troublesome and prone to early failure. The first two were dropped in 1982 once gas prices began falling while the latter persisted through 1986.

For 1985, Cadillac introduced a brand-new front-wheel drive platform for DeVille and Fleetwood. This car featured two "firsts"; it had the first transverse mounted V8 ever (the HT4100) and it was the first car to have a high mounted rear stop-lamp that was federally mandated starting in the 1986 model year. The rear wheel drive 1985 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham continued on nearly unchanged from the 1984 model. 1985 was the final model year for the Fleetwood Brougham coupe. In 1986, the HT-4100 V8 was replaced with an Oldsmobile-sourced 307 cubic inch (5.0 L) V8 in the Fleetwood Brougham.

Production Figures:

Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham

Evolution of the Fleetwood designation

Fleetwood Brougham

Brougham

Engines

References