The first Cadillac was completed on Oct. 17, 1902 and was given its maiden test drive by Alanson P. Brush, the twenty-four-year-old Leland and Faulconer engineer who had contributed substantially to the car's design and who would later build the Brush Runabout.
In January the Cadillac was taken to the New York Automobile Show where company sales manager William E. Metzger (formerly of Olds Motor Works, later the "M" of E-M-F) took orders for an astounding 2286 cars before declaring mid-week that the Cadillac was "sold out."
Cadillac did not use the "A" designation in 1903; however, later Cadillac publications combined references to the 1903 "Cadillac" and "1904 Model A" and used "Model A" in reference to all single cylinder cars with two front springs and angle steel frame.
What made the Model A Cadillac such a best-seller, in addition to Metzger's super-salesman technique, was its refinement. Though the 10 horsepower developed by its single-cylinder copper-jacketed engine was exemplary, its two-speed planetary transmission and center chain drive via Brown-Lipe differential was conventional. Still, in a day when many automobile productions had a machine shop look to them, the Cadillac, comparatively, looked like a jewel from Tiffany's. And the price was just $750. The four passenger model sold for $850. The cars gained a reputation for reliability, ease, economy of maintenance, and remarkable pulling and climbing capability. Publicity shots show Cadillacs pulling heavily loaded wagons up slopes and climbing the steps of public buildings.
In January the Cadillac was taken to the New York Automobile Show where company sales manager William E. Metzger (formerly of Olds Motor Works, later the "M" of E-M-F) took orders for an astounding 2286 cars before declaring mid-week that the Cadillac was "sold out."
Cadillac did not use the "A" designation in 1903; however, later Cadillac publications combined references to the 1903 "Cadillac" and "1904 Model A" and used "Model A" in reference to all single cylinder cars with two front springs and angle steel frame.
What made the Model A Cadillac such a best-seller, in addition to Metzger's super-salesman technique, was its refinement. Though the 10 horsepower developed by its single-cylinder copper-jacketed engine was exemplary, its two-speed planetary transmission and center chain drive via Brown-Lipe differential was conventional. Still, in a day when many automobile productions had a machine shop look to them, the Cadillac, comparatively, looked like a jewel from Tiffany's. And the price was just $750. The four passenger model sold for $850. The cars gained a reputation for reliability, ease, economy of maintenance, and remarkable pulling and climbing capability. Publicity shots show Cadillacs pulling heavily loaded wagons up slopes and climbing the steps of public buildings.
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