Sometimes people actually buy fancy products because they like the product and not because they want to show off.

Most of my social network doesn't even know I own a BMW.

 

If you want to drive around on a plush velvet or leather sofa, the Caddy couldn't be beat.

Back in the day, when we saw a Cadillac, we automatically assumed the driver was rich

We were dirt poor so that's the context on that. Lol

 

Respectfully, I didn't totally agree. The Caddys consistantly outsold the Continentals and the Chrysler Imperial, but the Continentals actually had more of a magic-carpet ride. The Imperials sacrificed a slight bit of softness for a little better handling from the torsion-front/rear-leaf suspension.

 

For me it’s not about impressing other people, it’s about impressing myself.

The “magic carpet ride” is not the only goal, that’s the point. Clearly it’s not because look at the sales figures, like you said the Cadillac outsold those cars. Brand and heritage and design play a huge role in what makes somebody want to buy a luxury product. That’s not entirely about impressing other people, it’s more complex than that.

 

I’m with mmarshal on this, I remember and drove both the 4 th generation Lincoln with the suicide doors and the 5th with the retractable headlights. Those were the definition of a living room on wheels. My dad had a used Cadillac back in the late 60s and learned to drive in that a bit, I think the Lincoln was the smoothest and a bit scary in the twisties.
YMMV

 

Yet more people bought the Cadillacs…

 

I'm old enough to remember when Cadillac was THE brand. People would say things like "it's the Cadillac of" refrigerators, TV's or whatever. I never heard it's the Lincoln or Imperial of whatever. All were good cars and completive in their day, but Caddy was the standard at the time.

 

Exactly, nobody aspired to own an Oldsmobile 88.

 

Only think I know is that Cadillac mastered the "bling". Haha

 

Cadillac dominated Lincoln for the most part sales wise over the years, with a few exceptions. I was referring to the ride difference not popularity. Still maintain the Lincoln had the softer ride. I think I’m partly responsible for dragging this thread in a different direction, sorry for that. I’ll get back on task.

 

When I was a kid (late 70s, 80s), my dad was a parts department manager for a dealership. They sold Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Toyota, and Volvo. I remember seeing the big Cadillacs there as a kid, and I remember when they got their first Amante. But the day that Toyota MR2s started showing up on the lot (1985), that was all I would look at when I visited dad at work. Well okay, Celicas and Supras too...

 

That was the case long after that too, Lincoln’s today are better riding cars than Cadillacs.

 

Did you mean 98? The 88 was one step down in model-level, although there were several different versions of the 88 itself, including the LSS.

And, speaking of the 98, here's one reason for its eventual downfall in the 1990s. Would you want to try and decipher a dash full of identical buttons like THAT?

 

Either the 88 or 98 lol

 

these town cars were the best to be taken to the airport in!



cadillac also has the V division, lincoln has never even done anything remotely similar so i can see why they'd have more priority on absolute ride softness