The Cadillac V-16 became the first production car with a V16 engine when it launched in 1930.
Cadillac developed the V-16 as an ultra-luxury flagship during the early years of the Great Depression. Its 7.4-liter V16 engine delivered unusually smooth power, while custom coachwork allowed buyers to choose among numerous body styles supplied by Cadillac and independent body builders.
The car was technically related to Cadillac’s V8 and V12 programs, but its sixteen-cylinder engine gave it extraordinary prestige. Cadillac’s aim was not high-volume sales; it was to establish the brand at the summit of American luxury motoring.
The Cadillac V-16 is sometimes confused with the Marmon Sixteen, another American V16 luxury car introduced later in 1930. Cadillac’s model appeared first and is generally credited as the first production automobile powered by a V16 engine.