Cadillac and Lincoln delivered classic luxury in droves with their late-nineties full-size sedans. Today we’re exploring the most opulent trim levels of the Lincoln Town Car and Cadillac DeVille. In their day, these vehicles represented the lap of luxury for shoppers seeking a traditional American luxury sedan.
1997 Lincoln Town Car Cartier
In the 1990s the Cartier Edition of the Lincoln Town Car was the crème de la crème for Lincoln’s flagship sedan. Positioned above the base Executive Series and mid-level Signature Series trim levels, the Cartier represented the pinnacle of decadence for the Blue Oval’s upscale brand. Its interior featured upgraded buttery-soft leather and plush carpeting and the exterior glistened with chrome trim and brightwork.
Based on the tried and true full-size Panther platform, the Town Car was a uniquely American interpretation of a luxury car. With a massive V8 engine, front bench seating, and dripping with chrome trim, the Town Car was proudly old-school. Its stoic upright styling set it apart from swoopier designs from Japan and Europe.
In 1997 the Lincoln Town Car Cartier had an MSRP of $43,200, the equivalent of $68,544 in 2018. Its closest competitor in terms of size and styling was the Cadillac DeVille.
1997 Cadillac DeVille d’Elegance
In 1997 Cadillac introduced the luxurious d’Elegance trim level on its full-size DeVille luxury sedan. The d’Elegance was the mid-level DeVille, slotting above the base model and below the sporty DeVille Concours.
As its name implies, the d’Elegance was focused on delivering elegance. It featured extra chrome adornments, gold trim, standard leather upholstery, and heated front seats. Like the Lincoln Town Car, it featured front bench seating. Based on a front-wheel drive platform, the mid-to-late 90s DeVille retained the traditional styling of its rear-drive predecessor. Powering this leather-lined conveyance was a 4.6 liter V8.
In 1999 DeVille d’Elegance had an MSRP of $42,930, the equivalent of $65,959 in 2018.
[Images: Lincoln, Cadillac]
