Cadillac's 1938 V-16 actually shrank — from 452 to 431 cubic inches — yet the new engine matched the old one's 185 hp exactly, while running nearly silent at idle.
Median 70 hp across 83 similar cars
Lead trim: V-16 Series 90 431 cu in L-head V16 (185 hp)
Cadillac V-16 Series 901938–1940
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Cadillac V-16 Series 90 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactCadillac's 1938 V-16 actually shrank — from 452 to 431 cubic inches — yet the new engine matched the old one's 185 hp exactly, while running nearly silent at idle.
The V-16 "Series 90" and V-12 "Series 80 and 85" were essentially merged for 1938 with the introduction of the new L-head V-16: a 431 cu in (7.1 L) in-block-valve (flathead) design with a wider 135° V-angle, twin carburetors, twin fuel pumps, twin distributors, twin water pumps and a nine main bearing crankshaft (compared to the OHV V-16's five-bearing crank), producing the same 185 hp as later versions of the original V-16 and nearly silent at idle. The wheelbase was reduced to 141.0 in (the body remained 222.0 in in overall length; 77.6 in wide, 69.6 in high, 5,200–5,700 lb). The "Sixteens" were basically Series 75 cars with the new V-16 engine, differing from the firewall forward from the V-8 cars, with instrument panels identical to and changing yearly with the V-8 cars (only the 1938 Sixteens had a horn button with "Sixteen" in art deco script). 315 were sold in the first year and 138 in the next; production of the 1940 models ended in December 1939 and the most expensive documented model was the 1940 Series 90 Town Car by Fleetwood at US$7,175. The Classic Car Club of America rates all V-16s as Full Classics.
Collectors Spotted in the Cadillac V-16 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Cadillac V-16 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V-16 Series 90 431 cu in L-head V16 (185 hp) | 1938–1940 | 7.1 L V16 | 185 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Cadillac's 1938 V-16 actually shrank — from 452 to 431 cubic inches — yet the new engine matched the old one's 185 hp exactly, while running nearly silent at idle.
Cadillac's own general manager planted a fake rumor about a V12 just to keep this car's real engine — a full V16 — secret until launch.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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