The Cadillac Motor Company, headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, was founded by Henry Leland and Robert Faulconer. The company’s first car, completed in October 1902, marked the beginning of a brand famous for its superior quality and technology. Henry Leland and Robert Faulconer, with their expertise in precision gear cutting, brought Cadillac fame from its earliest days, helping the company become one of the leading automakers in the United States.

The first Cadillac automobile, a simple car powered by a one-cylinder engine, was called the ‘Little Hercules’. This engine displaced 98.2 cubic inches, with cast iron cylinders and bronze water jackets, developing 6.5 horsepower. The vehicle uses a two-speed planetary transmission, with low speed operated by the left foot pedal and high speed and reverse controlled by the right lever. A single chain drives the cylindrical gear differential. The vehicle has a 72-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 9 feet 3 inches.

Cadillac produced 2,497 cars in 1903 and continued with 2,319 cars in 1904. By 1905, this number had surpassed 4,000 cars, and in 1906, Cadillac produced 3,650 cars. By 1906, Cadillac’s product line included the Model K, the Victoria Runabout, the Model M – a two-door Victorian passenger car and delivery vehicle, the Model L, and the Model H.

Featured Car Models

Model K: Has a 74-inch wheelbase and is listed for $750.
Model M: With 76-inch chassis, priced at $950. Model M is similar to Model K but has a body that is 2 inches longer.
Model L: A seven-passenger passenger car or limousine, priced at $3,750 for passenger cars and $5,000 for limousines, using a 392.7 CID 4-cylinder engine.
Model H: A five-passenger passenger car, sedan and coupe, with a 102-inch wheelbase, 300.7 CID inline four-cylinder engine, producing 40 horsepower, priced from $2,400 to 3,000 USD.

The K and M models use a two-speed planetary gearbox and mechanical brakes on two wheels. Wooden 12-spoke wheels are standard. The Model M had a spark control system on the steering column, straight side Dunlop tires and a mechanically driven oil tank from a cam on the flywheel shaft. Options include a bulb horn, lights and a convertible top for touring.

In 1908, Cadillac had just one model, the four-cylinder Model Thirty, with a 226.2 cubic-inch engine and 30 horsepower. The vehicle uses a three-speed transmission and two-wheel mechanical brakes. The four-cylinder model would continue production through 1914. In 1915, Cadillac introduced the Type 51 with a V8 engine on a 122-inch wheelbase. By the 1930s, Cadillac added V-16 and V-12 models, further asserting its position in the ‘cylinder wars’. By the early 1940s, Cadillac was only producing eight-cylinder engines, and in 1949 it introduced a new V8 engine with an overhead valve design.The 1906 Cadillac Model M Touring is not only a testament to advances in engineering and technology, but also a symbol of an important historical period in the automobile industry. With their outstanding quality and sophisticated design, Cadillac cars from this period laid the foundation for the growth and success of the Cadillac brand for more than a century.