In December 1929, Cadillac’s Division President Lawrence P.

Fisher announced to dealers that Cadillac was going to debut the ultimate in automotive luxury.

Unveiled at the 1930 New York Auto Show, the marque’s shocking V-16 engine was a trump card that not only raised the stakes in the luxury car market but so stunned its contemporaries that few even attempted to design a rival sixteen-cylinder.

Despite the deepening Great Depression, orders surged for Cadillac’s incredible new automobile.

But even the undeniable magnificence of the V-16s was not completely immune to the economic parrels gripping the country.

As the 1930s progressed, the great V-16 Cadillacs became more and more difficult to sell.

Consequently, ownership of such limited, pricey automobiles was generally reserved for the truly wealthy elite, a clique which saw its numbers dwindle as the decade progressed, leading Cadillac to retire the legendary engine in December 1939, ahead of the 1940 model year.

Wearing opule...