US$415,000.00 “The Standard of the World” was not only Cadillac’s advertising slogan, but it was a doctrine for its engineers and designers to live by. During the 1930’s, the company went to great lengths to live up to that claim, building ever more exclusive and stylish models. Despite the economic hardships, the junior LaSalle brand and entry-level Cadillac V8 models were selling well, and some much-needed cash was swelling the coffers. Cadillac decided the time was right to add a bit of excitement to the “multi-cylinder” engine race that was going on between high-end manufacturers around the world. In 1930 they shocked the motoring world with introduction of both a V12 and an unprecedented V16 engine displacing 452 cubic inches. This put Cadillac right into the thick of the battle with such prestigious manufacturers as Hispano-Suiza, Lagonda, Rolls-Royce and their chief rival, Packard. Both engines were designed simultaneously by Cadillac engineer Owen Nacker, and they shared the same basic layout as well as many common components. The V12’s output was a healthy 135 horsepower, while the V16 put out a full 175 horsepower – a headline grabbing figure for its day. In 1933, a V16 Imperial Cabriolet started at $6,250 and stretched to a whopping $8,000 for the top line All Weather Phaeton. The starting price was a full $3,000 more than a comparable V12 model, keeping in mind that a 1933 Chevrolet cost $445. Of course, a whole range of custom and semi-custom bodies were available from within GM and outside coachbuilders. The Cadillac LaSalle Club has put the number at approximately seventy different combinations of chassis and body options, which undoubtedly allowed a high degree of exclusivity, considering just 125 of a planned 400 examples were built. The V16 Cadillac remains to this day one of the most...