1997 CADILLAC
This year marked the first time since 1988 (when the underachieving V-6-powered Cimarron was discontinued) that Cadillac offered something other than a V-8 engine.
- The all-new Catera used a 200-horsepower dual overhead cam V-6.
- The DeVille ranks were bolstered with the addition of the d'Elegance sedan joining the existing DeVille and DeVille Concours sedans.
- All DeVille and Catera models now featured side airbags as standard equipment and the exclusive-to-Cadillac OnStar communication system also debuted as an option on all front-drive models in 1997.
- All Cadillacs also received improved anti-lockout protection.
The 1997 Cadillac had a 17-symbol vehicle identification number (VIN) stamped on a metal tag attached to the upper left surface of the cowl visible through the windshield.
The code was as follows:
| POSITION | DIGIT | MEANING
|
|---|
| 1 | 1 or 4 | manufacturing country (United States)
|
|---|
| 2 | G | General Motors
|
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| 3 | 6 | Cadillac
|
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| 4 & 5 | car line series |
| V/R | Catera
|
|---|
| E/L | Eldorado
|
|---|
| E/T | Eldorado Touring
|
|---|
| K/D | DeVille
|
|---|
| K/E | d'Elegance
|
|---|
| K/F | Concours
|
|---|
| K/S | Seville (SLS)
|
|---|
| K/Y | Seville (STS) |
|---|
|
|---|
| 6 | the body style: |
| 1 | two-door coupe
|
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| 2 | two-door
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| 3 | two-door convertible
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| 4 | two-door station wagon
|
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| 5 | four-door sedan
|
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| 6 | four-door
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| 8 | four-door station wagon |
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| 7 | the restraint code |
| 2 | active (manual) belts w/dual frontal airbags
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| 4 | active (manual) belts w/dual frontal and side airbags
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|---|
|
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| 8 | the engine |
| Y | LD8 4.6L V-8
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| 9 | L37 4.6L V-8
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| R | L81 3.0L V-6
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|
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| 9 | check digit | -
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| 10 | model year | V = 1997
|
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| 11 | the assembly plant | -
|
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| 12-17 | the production sequence number | -
|
|---|
- Cadillac's model year production totaled 159,820 compared with 174,406 the year previous (this figure does not include the 25,411 imported Cateras).
- Based on sales of 182,624 automobiles in 1997 (vs, 170,379 the year before), Cadillac's share of the U.S. market was 2.2 percent compared with 2.0 the year previous.
- In May 1997, Cadillac announced the Catera would be produced domestically at its next redesign.
