1931 Cadillac V-16 Roadster
On January 4, 1930, Cadillac introduced its V-16 at the New York Auto Show, becoming the first manufacturer to offer a true 16-cylinder engine designed as a complete unit rather than two inline-eights joined together.
Owen Nacker directed development in strict secrecy, with GM engineering departments deliberately misled through cover stories and blueprints falsely indicating the project served a bus program.
The 452-cubic-inch overhead-valve V-16 produced 165 horsepower while maintaining a relatively narrow profile through its 45-degree cylinder bank angle. External manifolds provided convenient engine compartment access.
Depression economics severely limited production. Fewer than 100 V-16 roadster bodies were built between 1930 and 1931, with each commanding more than ten times the price of a contemporary Chevrolet convertible.
GM’s substantial financial backing alone made such limited-production luxury possible during increasingly difficult market conditions.
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