Cadillac

6/13/11

Cadillac Motor Car Division

5th Winner of the Malcolm Baldrige Award

Brief Overview

Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors (GM). Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM brand Buick and is among the oldest automobile brands in the world.

Cadillac was founded in 1902 by Henry Leland, a master mechanic and entrepreneur, who named the company after his ancestor, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the founder of the city of Detroit. General Motors purchased the company in 1909 and within six years, Cadillac had laid the foundation for the modern mass production of automobiles by demonstrating the complete interchangeability of its precision parts while simultaneously establishing itself as America's premier luxury car. Cadillac pioneered many accessories in automobiles, including full electrical systems, the clashless manual transmission and the steel roof. Cadillac is the first American car to win the prestigious Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club of England, having successfully demonstrated the interchangeability of its component parts during a reliability test in 1908. It won that trophy a second time, in 1912, for incorporating electric starting and lighting in a production automobile.

In 1990, Cadillac won the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Award for Quality. Cadillac was, and remains today, the first and only automobile manufacturer and brand to win this most difficult competition. Sponsored by the United States Department of Commerce, the award was personally presented on December 13, 1990, to Cadillac by President George H. W. Bush. This award best signifies the determination of Cadillac Division to demonstrate the finest in automotive quality and the commitment of Cadillac employees to this ongoing objective.

How they won the award

Cadillac's turnaround began in...