Cadillac Automobile Company was formed on August 22, 1902 in Detroit by William Murphy, Lemuel Bowen and Henry M. Leland to succeed the failed Henry Ford Company. Named after the city’s founder Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, its first models were the Runabout and Tonneau with Leland’s single-cylinder engine, debuting at the 1903 New York Auto Show. Cadillacs pioneered precision-machined interchangeable parts and introduced the first U.S. V8 in 1914, setting the “Standard of the World” ethos. Acquired by GM in 1909, Cadillac went on to innovate electric ignition, clashless manual transmissions and steel roofs before its first Dewar Trophy in 1908. Today the brand’s portfolio spans the Escalade, CT4/5/6, XT-series and new Lyriq/Celestiq EVs, with bespoke Celestiq production limited to dozens per year.