Cadillac Logo History & More

Cadillac was founded in 1902, and has since become one of the most iconic American car brands in automotive history. Throughout its long lifespan, the Cadillac brand has been defined by its iconic logo–a coat of arms related to the French founder of Detroit, Michigan. Although the Cadillac logo has undergone myriad changes in its hundred-plus years of history, the coat of arms has always been the centerpiece. Learn more about the Cadillac logo history and more with Holiday Cadillac! Then, head to our inventory to see what Cadillac models we currently have available in the Oshkosh area.

What is the Cadillac Logo?

If you’re unfamiliar with the Cadillac logo, you might not know what exactly it is at first glance. The Cadillac logo is a coat of arms divided into four sections, incorporating colors such as red, black, blue, gold, and white. 

From 1963 to 2014, the coat of arms was encased in a laurel wreath, making it the longest-lasting iteration of the often-changing logo. However, after 2014, the wreath was removed and the coat of arms stands alone with the Cadillac name in cursive beneath. 

Although the Cadillac logo has always featured some sort of coat of arms, it looked quite different when it was first unveiled in 1902. Read on for a bit of history behind the old Cadillac logo and how it morphed into the recognizable coat of arms today!

A Brief History of the Cadillac Logo

With fourteen different iterations and countless small variations on each logo, it would take far too long to go over the complete history of the Cadillac logo. For Beaver Dam drivers who just want to know a bit about how the logo on their vehicle came to be, here are the basics:

The coat of arms that makes up the old Cadillac logo dates back to the company’s founding in 1902. It is based on the coat of arms belonging to Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, who founded the city of Detroit in 1701 and was supposedly descended from French royalty. The old Cadillac logo featured elements such as a crown, a trio of ducks (representing the Holy Trinity), horizontal stripes, and a laurel wreath.

As the twentieth century went on, the Cadillac logo underwent several significant changes, but they all retained the coat of arms (with the exception of a short-lived variant in 1914). Whether it was poised at the top of a triangle, surrounded by a pair of wings, or encased in a circle of flowers, the coat of arms was always the centerpiece of the logo.

The longest-lasting iteration of the logo lasted from 1963 to 2000, and streamlined the coat of arms to remove the birds and replace them with black and gold stripes. This logo was altered slightly in 2000 and 2014, removing a few design elements and widening the coat of arms, but is mostly the same as the Cadillac logo of today. 

Shop Holiday Cadillac For All Things Cadillac

If you’re interested in all things Cadillac, you’ve come to the right place! Feel free to contact our office to learn more about our lineup of quality Cadillac vehicles. Our team is happy to answer any questions you may have. You can also stop by our dealership near Beaver Dam and Appleton to see an available model in person or take it out for a test drive. And don’t forget to check out our finance center if you’re ready to bring a Cadillac home for yourself!