Кадилак автомобильдерінің тарихы және алғашқы үлгілері

The first Cadillac automobiles were the 1903 Model built in the last quarter of 1902. These were 2 seater "horseless carriages" powered by a reliable and sturdy single cylinder engine developed by Alanson Partridge Brush and built by Leland and Faulconer Manufacturing Company of Detroit, of which Henry Leland was founder, vice president and general manager. Reformed as the Cadillac Automobile Company in August 1902, it began manufacturing the runabouts and named them "Cadillac" after the city's founder Antoine Laumet, the self styled Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac at the re purposed Detroit Assembly. The 1904 Model B was a refinement of the 1903 and while still a mid engined, one cylinder automobile, it now had an extended front and transverse front suspension. With the introduction of the Model B, the 1903 style became known as the Model A Both the Model A and B were available as a two passenger runabout or four passenger rear tonneau. Catalogs also show a light delivery. The one cylinder Cadillac continued to be offered through 1908 in the runabout, tonneau or delivery bodies under a variety of Model designations which are delineated below.

The Models A, B, C, E, and F shared a single cylinder engine rated from 6.5 to around depending on model. The cylinder was horizontal, pointing rearward, and was cast from iron with a copper water jacket. Bore and stroke were square at The engine was named by its manufacturers, Leland and Faulconer, "Little Hercules". The engine employed a patented variable lift intake valve licensed from Alanson Partridge Brush. The restrictions of this design using Brush's patents led the company to develop their own four cylinder engine for the later Models D, L, G, and H.

When the street was muddy or dirty the car would be backed up to the sidewalk so tonneau passengers did not need to walk in the mud.

The Cadillac earned a reputation for reliability, ease and economy of maintenance and for being a car with a remarkable ability for climbing and pulling. In 1903, F. S. Bennett, Cadillac's importer into the UK, entered the car in the Sunrising Hill Climb, where it was the only single cylinder car to finish, and in the 1,000 Miles Reliability Trial, where it came fourth in its price class in overall points but first in its class in points scored for reliability. Production continued into 1904 but with an engine. A pressure fed multiple oiler was added.

Introduced in January 1904 Cadillac's Model B was similar to their Model A, sharing its engine but using a pressed steel frame and axles and the Model B was on a longer wheelbase. The front axle is described as girder style. It supported the car through a single transverse half elliptic spring. The sloping dash was replaced by a detachable box like front to the body and a vertical radiator. All body styles lost as much as 70 pounds weight. Prices went up $50. The car was advertised as having but there were no changes to the design of the engine. The Model B was available as a runabout or a touring car with a detachable rear entrance tonneau and optional surrey top, or with a delivery body. The passenger cars were both priced at $900 and weighed roughly Options now included a bulb horn and a deck to replace the tonneau. The Model B continued in production through 1905 when an alternative tubular front axle was available and the power was advertised as .

The Model C was a short wheelbase car intended to replace the old Models A and B for the summer of 1905. It shared much of the Model B chassis components, but used the hood and radiator of the Model F. The tonneau was detachable, unlike the Model F.

Riding on a wheelbase, Model C was available as either a runabout, priced at $750, or touring car, priced at $850, with a detachable rear entrance tonneau and optional surrey top. The lightweight runabout weighed just , less than the touring model.

The Model E was released in January, 1905. It was a featherweight runabout model with seating for two, priced at $750 in 1905. It used a wheelbase, splitting the difference between the C and the B/F. No detachable tonneau to make it a four seater was available. The arched front axle was tubular. The axle was given a truss and added mid year was a rocker shaft between it and the spring. Single cylinder engine with an advertised output of 9 horsepower. The planetary transmission which had balanced linkage on its bands provided two speeds and reverse. Drive was taken to the back axle by chain. One of the first closed body coupes was first built using a Model E, called the Cadillac Osceola, at the C. R. Wilson Company. The Osceola was requested by Mr. Leland to determine the feasibility of a car body that was closed to the elements, and the construction was supervised by Fred J. Fischer, who, with Charles T. Fisher and his other brothers, later founded Fisher Body. Named for a Seminole Indian Chief whom Henry Leland admired, the Osceola remained with the Leland family for years.

The Model F was the primary new Cadillac model of 1905. It had a sharper hood and radiator, prompting the update of the Model B (which became the Model C) and even spawning an aftermarket of updates to existing Model A and Model B cars. Models E and F shared the same chassis, though the latter was lengthened by two inches

The Model F was available as either a 4 seater 2 door touring car with side entrance to the fixed tonneau or a 2 seater delivery vehicle. Both were priced at $950 in 1905. The Model F shared the same wheelbase as had been used on the Model B.

Cadillac's single cylinder lineup was consolidated into two models for 1906, the short wheelbase Model K and long wheelbase Model M. Priced at $750 for the Model K or $950 for the Model M, 3,650 units were sold that year. The K and M were essentially similar to the Models E and F from 1905 but with updated bodies. Production and sale of the Models K and M continued in 1907 in both the Tulip and straight lined body styles. The Model M was offered with a delivery body in 1906 and again for the 1907 model year. Three 1907 Model Ks were used in the famous Dewar Trophy test of the Royal Automobile Club in England. They were disassembled, the parts mixed, and then reassembled without problems. This test cemented the Cadillac's reputation for precision and quality and brought fame to the marque. The Model M continued only as a commercial delivery vehicle for 1908, priced at US$950 ($ in dollars ).

The Model S and Model T of 1908 were essentially versions of the K/M from previous years with the wheelbase extended to These would be the last single cylinder Cadillacs. For 1909 the lineup standardized on the four cylinder Model Thirty. The main difference between the S and T was that the latter lacked running boards.