Cadillac Cimarron (1982-1988): Top 10 Facts About Cadillac's Most Unloved Car

[@daydayy]

Take pride in knowing that you have created now the most comprehensive and knowledgable synopsis of the Cadillac Cimarron.

[@matthewbrock6338]

Back in 1983, I was 23 years old and had just been promoted to regional manager at the company I worked for and I was looking at buying a new car. I looked at the BMW 3 series, but I was always an American car guy and I had heard about the Cimarron from the previous year. I didn't really like the looks of that, but I saw the sales brochure for the 83 and I really liked the looks of the 83 with the better tail lights, Wheels, etcetera. I special ordered it from Cadillac and got the dark charcoal grey with light grey leather interior like in the sales brochure. I also wanted to make sure I had the five-speed manual rather than the automatic. It came in and when I went to the dealership to pick it up, they had another car in there that I really like the looks of. I don't know if you have ever run into this, and it seems like most people don't know about it, but they had a special version of the Cimarron called the d'Oro. It was black with gold accents, gold dash, Etc and it looks really nice actually. I loved it and they offered to sell it to me for the same price, but it had an automatic and I just did not want to give up the 5-speed. I actually really liked that Cimarron and it was a great and very reliable car and it got great gas mileage. The performance with the five speed was actually pretty Peppy. Remember this was in the 80s when everything performed like a dog, so it seemed fairly peppy. Anyway, I liked the car and I got super gas mileage with it and enjoyed it for quite a while before I sold it.

[@sergioleone3583]

Adam even makes videos about the Cimarron interesting.

[@mikewright67D]

I worked at a Detroit Cadillac dealer back in the 80's and I had a beautiful dark brown with tan leather 88 Cimarron with a 4 speed manual that both myself and especially my wife loved. It had just about every option including GM/Bose sound system, digital dash and aluminum rims. I'm not sure how many were built with manual transmissions but this one was turned in to us by an executive from Central Office. If you stop this video at the 6:19 mark you'll see the 4 speed gearshift knob. Had a nice and firm ride, great handling very peppy, with very comfortable seats. GM finally got the Cimarron (and all the J bodies actually) right by 1988 so of course they stopped making them.

[@kevinfestner6126]

It was offered in manual transmission. I had thought, so.

[@howebrad4601]

I respectfully disagree. If they were still using a 4 speed in 88 when everything else was 5 speed by that time, that didn't have the image to be a Cadillac. By 85 to 86 where cimarron was actually a good car the brand image was so tarnished there was no coming back.

[@TorCow1234]

@@howebrad4601 I know that there was definitely a manual transmission option, and that it was a 5 speed by 1988. My Boomer era Dad occasionally defaults to calling manuals with a floor shift "4 speeds", even after they went to 5-6-7 speeds.

[@manoman0]

Quote: "...got the Cimarron (......) right by 1988 so of course they stopped making them". Well said. GM in a nutshell.

[@JoJoJoker]

Get it to Market. Perfect it. Discontinue it. - GM

[@timsmith2525]

I had a teacher in HS who bought one of the first Cimarrons. He absolutely loved it. He was ecstatic that he could afford to buy a Cadillac. He loved the handling of this car. Couldn't have been happier.

[@kirksway1]

I purchased an '87 (non running) in 2001 at an estate sale for several hundred dollars, It had about 30k miles on it. I put a new fuel pump on it and drove it for a summer before reselling it. I had a blast with it. if you look at it as a Cadillac it was bad but if you look at it as a REALY nice Cavalier, it was amazing!

[@DanT271]

That Eldo you showed us is absolutely beautiful The Cimarron..... like I was told as a kid If you don't have nothing nice to say....

[@markst.germain9286]

I remember someone with a loaded Cavalier saying it's almost a Cimarron dude.

[@BeingMe23]

Change the grille and taillights

[@kjisnot]

I think the Cimarron has nicer dash vents.

[@texan903]

Well, they weren't wrong.

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

I remember back in the early 80s. My late father telling me that Cadillac is coming out with a four-cylinder car. I never forgot that.

[@zythr9999]

If it had to have a 4, it should have been an engine exclusive to it. That being said, GM had the know how to make a small 6 like Mazda did for their MX-3 several years later.

[@valengreymoon5623]

Back in my mechanic days in the 90s, we called it the "Crapillac". However, compared to a lot of the junk they call cars these days, I'd take a Cimarron.

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

I called it the Cadillac Cinnamon

[@hachiroku8677]

@@TheCarCrazyGuy 😂

[@JohnEvans-ct6mz]

I was a GM tech for a while. I’d take a Cimarron over a Catera or an ATS.

[@turnne]

@@TheCarCrazyGuy We called them Cinnamon roll

[@robertmassucci1]

you're just nostalgic and mistaken.

[@thom-mark6443]

Bought one new for my wife in 86' (white over silver like the one shown except a oxblood leather interior). V6 with every available option for that year including the digital dash and 15" Eagle GT white letter tires with the suspension upgrade. Aside from the torque steer inherent to all front wheel drive cars of the era, I thought it was a nice, reliable, trouble free, fun to drive car. American buyers just weren't ready for a Cadillac that wasn't a floating barge. Fun fact: the pin striping was actually painted on and not just the typical tape on most other cars.

[@JoJoJoker]

Interesting to read a contemporary perspective. Looking back now, the Mercs and BMWs of the time are now legendary for their quality, design, and driving engagement. Was it mostly a loyalty to American cars thing?

[@matthewbanta3240]

I'm a glass half full kind of a guy. I think of the Cimarron as the best J-body ever.

[@kellismith4329]

If you must have a J body, make it a Cimmaron

[@dmandman9]

I think that only applied to the 1985 and later editions. The early editions don’t differ enough from their lesser stablemates to really make a difference in my opinion. The later versions were different enough to be considered a true upgrade.

[@dmandman9]

@@kellismith4329An 1985-88 is required to make the upgrade worth it. 😅😊

[@WinkelManBearPig]

I very much loved my Gen 2 Phase 2 3.1L Z24 auto

[@fourdoorglory]

True

[@vinmarz]

Once again, your presentation was top tier. Keep them coming

[@lagonda77]

Strong T-Bird SC vibes from those tail lights on the design proposal for the 2nd gen Cimarron.

[@777jones]

Thank you. That was bugging me for 40 years and you cleared that up for me.

[@agostinodibella9939]

That’s what I was thinking when I saw the tail lights!

[@Chevroldsmobuiac]

Great summary of the Cimarron program. Also a great example of a rare instance where a car company should not have listened to their dealers and should have taken the time to put something decent on the market.

[@shnorth888]

I agree. GM could still used the J platform but design a completely different body for the car so it wouldn't look too much like a J car.

[@paulchappell]

Yup. ‘If you want it badly, that’s how you’ll get it’ as the saying goes.

[@danielberning1240]

I am a very proud owner of a stunning dark red over silver with red leather 1988 Cimarron in mint condition, including all 4 bumper end caps in great shape. I think most of the people who bash on the Cimarron are also people who have never spent any time in one or maybe just a short drive. They are great little cars. Maybe you don't think it's a real Cadillac, but we can say that about the box gas hog Escalades from today. Not much differnt from a Tahoe High Country. Back in 1985, my parents purchased (for me to drive) a brand new Cavalier CS sedan in gray with gray cloth and auto with the 2.0 L engine. Very nice car. After that, I really wanted the performance 2 door and ended up with a 1987 Cavalier Z24 in blue with gray cloth. That may still be one of my favorite cars ever. I really want to find one of those again.

[@Mark-xh9ne]

The Escalade! So true! I am surprised more people don't see through that.

[@Balrog-tf3bg]

Cavaliers must have been better back then, because my 02 cavalier was a deathtrap

[@MUUKOW3]

In 1985 I purchased a 1970 Pontiac T-37 with the 400 ,it would have wiped a cavaliers hiney clean!

[@nikkimagnusson9437]

If a cavalier is your favorite all time car.. I would encourage you to drive more cars..*wink

[@Chevroldsmobuiac]

@@danielberning1240 I think the complaints about the Cimarron are mostly about the early models, which were just Cavaliers with different grilles. By the time they made your ‘88 model they were greatly improved.

[@elicaul6506]

We had a few customers at the shop that had Cimarron, and I remember a late model 5 Speed V6 car that I really enjoyed. It belonged to a regular customer that lived on a very nice mountain road, and that car was a blast to drive when I was sent to drive the customer home or pick him up.

[@vulekv93]

In Europe these were Opel Asconas, people really loved them. They were considered luxury and big here in Balkans.

[@AB-pl1ko]

- Yes, the basic underpinnings/chassis design on this generation of Cavalier/Cimarron was also used on the Opel Ascona C in Europe. When you look at side view shots of both, the roofline and door shapes are identical.

[@alastairward2774]

My father had two Vauxhall Cavaliers from that era, both an SRi, he remembers them fondly.

[@carlsaganlives6086]

That's Borat - 9:50 - putting one through it's paces back in the old country as a struggling actor in one of their commercials.

[@paulparoma]

The Ascona was never a luxury car. Your standards in the Balkans are irrelevant.

[@OwenOReilly-d2w]

​@@paulparoma the Ascona was definitely a step up from a kadett of it's day.. in Ireland anyway it would have been considered a luxury family car.. bigger opels like the commodore were rare..

[@christianbugatticg]

Don't ask me why, but I LOVE these!

[@robertd9850]

Why?

[@kurtvanluven9351]

I do as well.

[@robytar]

Nostalgia, same reason the Andy Griffith show is still on TV. Nostalgia, the American drug of choice.

[@robertd9850]

@@robytar Drug?

[@rogergoodman8665]

The Cimarron could be the poster child for the phrase, "Be careful what you ask for"

[@rogerhinman5427]

I'd happily own a Cimarron.

[@buckshot6481]

Cavalier wasn't a bad car it's just considered a bad Cadillac. They were trying to get buyers of early, small, BMW's and those little baby Benz's.

[@Nookdashiddole]

Seppo garbage

[@kevinbarry71]

Single stage paint was used for the simple reason that since it is a cavalier, it was made on the same assembly line as all the other Cavaliers. They were not going to change the painting process just for a few of these

[@JTA1961]

Clearly...😂

[@12345682900]

Love your videos.... I hit "like" before your first word.

[@maxr4448]

I as well!

[@ohguy1991]

Now I want a Cimarron.....Thanks Adam

[@TheMW2informer]

Proudly Built in Janesville, Wisconsin! After building these and the Cavalier plus some SkyHawks, the plant switched to building full size GMT-400 SUVs on the main assembly line. From the smallest to largest vehicles GM made.

[@AtlantaGymFan]

A friend of mine had a Cimmaron and the seals around all the windows, leaked, the fit and finish was just like you would expect in a Chevrolet

[@TalismanPHX]

Ahhh, a final year Cimarron and Fiero GT, both with the V6 engine and well optioned. Perfecto

[@garywalters3007]

GM's predictable move every time. right when a car gets perfected, they pull the plug.

[@sm2775]

Ford did the same thing with the Edge

[@zythr9999]

too little too late for both

[@zythr9999]

@@garywalters3007 that is what was frustrating about them. Why could they not follow what they did with the Riviera (79-85)?

[@joshlewis5486]

Very good cimarron video. Never heard about possible second gen!

[@richard169]

That was more interesting than I originally expected! And I see I wasn't the only one who gingerly crept into dealerships, as a 14 or 15 year old, asking for brochures.

[@ralphl7643]

It was annoying that you had to ask at Cadillac, unlike cheaper makes. I've never bought a new one, but I'm on my 5th used one.

[@Dbear1977]

I’m also a proud Cimarron owner. Picked one up last summer for a steal, with ~95,000km. Blue on blue cloth, like yours, though mine has the digital dash. The “second gen” Cimarron tail shot, reminds me of the Chevy Corsica

[@Cadillac61]

I’ve always liked the Cimaron after years and years of Chevy getting styling cues from Cadillac to me, the Cimaron had the best of both worlds. Great video Adam!

[@brianwarner308]

I had a 1987 Cadillac Cimarron with a V6 when I was 18 years old and I loved it! Me and my friends thought it was great riding around in the caddy. Then one day my dad’s friend called it a Cavalier with a digital dash and knocked me down a few pegs lol

[@gregt8638]

Oh boy! I see Adam posted a new car video that I can watch after work this evening! I've already given it the thumbs up and will continue watching as soon as I finish this comment! Turn off the normal boob tube and watch this instead! I always feel better after watching these! - Greg in California

[@MrPoppyDuck]

Ah yes. The fancy Cavilier. Not too bad for a small car. Thanks for another interesting video Adam!

[@charlesdalton985]

I have an interesting perspective on this. I briefly dated a woman who owned an 86 Cimarron V6. At the time I had an 86 Z 24, shortly thereafter I bought an 85 Cavalier. Such that, I could evaluate all 3 simultaneously. Laying underneath the cars, there was no comparison between the Cimarron and Z 24 to the standard Cavalier - honestly - it was hard to believe they were the "same car". The interior appointments of the Caddy were obviously much better. Overall I was impressed with the Cimarron. Funny story - her house had a 3 car garage. When she came home from work she'd park in the first bay. In the morning she'd turn in the garage and pull out the third bay. Thanks as always - great insights. P.S. - I think La Salle would have been a good choice.

[@douglasdowns4846]

My older brother thought the Cimmaron was such a joke that he purchased one, drove it to the ranch and parked it. When the whole family gathered at the spread we all would get drunk and drive the hell out of that car on the dirt roads. I still can hear my older brother laughing maniacly as the thing slammed in to pits and bounced wildly. The thing did take a beating and ended up just rotting in one if the barns!

[@JoJoJoker]

A new one or when they got cheap?

[@philstewart2245]

I have always been a fan of the Cimarron and the Lincoln Versailles as odd ball luxury cars.

[@johnandrus3901]

They were both nice, little cars. At least the Versailles was on a larger platform.

[@sgtalstrafficticketblog2452]

@@johnandrus3901I could only imagine the more intense blowback had Versailles been put into/onto a Ford Mercury Escort/Topaz or Pinto/Bobcat. Fiesta?

[@johnplovanich9564]

Another great review Adam.Your automotive knowledge knows no bounds and your channel is GREAT!!!! You also have a pedigreed bio.Vice President and Controller for Eaton.You have a very impressive educational background.If someone would have asked me 10 years ago would I watch a 20 minute review on a Cadillac Cimarron I would have told them they were crazy.Keep up the good work and as always cheers from Eulethra.

[@iliketowncars]

These cars are underrated.

[@georgetown8986]

These cars are overrated.

[@iliketowncars]

@ yes, now, sure, as a compensation for the historical general underrating.

[@michaelsimko7694]

The first design proposal you showed right away had me thinking of the Allante and fourth gen Seville

[@mattskustomkreations]

There was one in my neighborhood. Even as kids we knew it was a Cavalier with leather seats , was a ripoff and was just plain stupid. We openly mocked the car when we walked by it, and laughed at the owner when he drove by. Since all the Cavaliers are gone, and they now have their own kitschy niche, I probably wouldn’t mind having one today.

[@homebuilthappiness2919]

@@mattskustomkreations same, that's always how I felt seeing them as a kid. I felt like the owners were suckers. You could've had a Regal or a Caprice classic but instead got a dolled up caviler.

[@mattskustomkreations]

@ That’s the perfect word for the situation - sucker! 😅

[@oliverrojas3185]

Thanks, It's helpful to hear some of these facts. I learned that in the early 80s, Cadillac dealers were initially pursuaded to market the Cimmaron by owners of dealer franchises wanting to offer their customers a vehicle to compete with high price German imports. In addition, learned that Cadillac wanted the X-body for the Cimmaron, but was unable to find enough space to produce it on the X-body production line. Also like the second generation Cimmaron's rear end. Agree that Cimmaron might have been more successful had it been built on a X Body platform.

[@Jack_Stafford]

Another one of the incredibly puzzling decisions was not offering a coupe version of the cimarron, since the primary cars it was meant to compete with at the time were the hyper popular BMW 318 and Mercedes-Benz c-class, the coupe versions were particularly in huge demand by yuppies, truly the iconic Yuppie cars of the time, and the idea of a mini El Dorado would have worked better, it also would have been easier to disguise the Cavalier sourcing without that very characteristic J body back door, if anything the Cimarron, if it could only have one body style, should have been a two-door coupe which suits this small of a car better anyway. The larger door makes it easier to get in and out of and of course offers sleeker and sportier looks. And of course was far more appealing to young people and the new buyers at the time that they were targeting who were not as interested in the stodgy four-door sedans. Finally, it would have allowed for a convertible Cimarron variant of the Cavalier convertible, and Cadillac convertibles always sell well, particularly in Southern California and again this would have competed better with the BMW and Mercedes Coupes which offered convertibles at the top of their model lines.

[@ralphl7643]

They were a little too ahead of their time in not having a coupe. It seemed like the four door 3 series quickly outsold their coupe.

[@Jack_Stafford]

@@ralphl7643 I'd have to see the sales figures on that, sedans of the 5 and 7 series were more popular, being big enough to be proper family cars, but the compact 3 series, I think the coupe was much more popular, especially for the young and single buyers that Cadillac was chasing. At least offer the option, like BMW and Mercedes did, it would have cost no more since the grille inserts, taillights and interiors would be the same in 2 and 4 door versions.

[@user-pgchargerse71]

Mercedes didn't have a coupe version of the C Class in this time period. The CLK coupe came out in 1998 but was a big jump in price compared the C Class.

[@InTeCredo]

Your comment is fraught with so many factual mistakes...my head hurts. Mercedes-Benz didn't offer C-Class (W202) until 1993, and W202 was also never offered with coupé body style. That went to W204 introduced in 2006. I think you meant 190 E and 190 D (W201) that was built as four-door saloon form only during its entire production run. The coupé models from Mercedes-Benz during the 1980s were intermediate-sized 300 CD TURBODIESEL and larger flagship 380 SEC/500 SEC/560 SEC. Mercedes-Benz had just one convertible during the 1980s: 380 SL/560 SL (R107). All of them were too expensive for the yuppies. BMW eventually added four-door option to its E30 3-Series in 1983, which outsold two-door version due to its practicability. The E28 5-Series was also popular with the yuppies. Lastly, Volvo ended the production of two-door sedan in 1984 one year after the yuppiedom started. The four-door sedan, 244 and 264, was quite popular amongst the yuppies. The 200-series was significantly larger than Cimarron, by the way.

[@Jack_Stafford]

@InTeCredo you got caught up in the number nomenclature, I was using the C-Class as a catch-all for the competitor in this class, as it is often used to roughly define a class of cars as compact, but yes the names were different. There were also two-door versions from other European makers but that is not the point that was trying to be made, that small compact sedans with two doors were by far considered sportier sleeker and more desirable by the yuppies, it personified the young urban professional with no kids, (that's where the word Dink got popular for a while meaning double income no kids) and a four-door just screamed family car no matter where it was made. There were generations of Young Americans that wouldn't be caught driving a four-door car, and the yuppies was one of them, it was all about style not about practicality which is why they were buying overpriced expensive 4 cylinder European cars in the first place. Literally some people would walk before driving a four-door family car. I'm not saying it's practical, I'm saying it was a very style conscious time and GM missed the mark by a mile. And yes, Germans were infamous for changing the names of each model/trum of each car depending on engine size etc, but besides the pedantic semantics I think most people understood what I meant by c-class, meaning compact class sedans from Mercedes and others, all of about the same size, including Audi and Saab. There were other cheaper better alternatives to the cimarron, some with German pedigrees like the Jetta Coupe (which was considered a poor man's BMW 3 series by many), the Audi derived VW Fox, as well as look alike 2 door sedans from Nissan, Renault and others. Many of these were even tested directly against the benchmark BMW 3 Series and several of them were considered nearly it's equal for much less money. But once again, this was about style and prestige not economy or practicality! All were much cheaper than the low quality, economy car derived Cimarron which was the point you missed when you got lost in name plates. GM would have been better off simply buying and rebadging a Jetta , Celica or any of the other similar high quality small cars, adding their leather interior and it would have been a much better alternative to the low quality cookie cutter low reliability pieces of junk they ended up turning out.

[@ChironGill]

Outstanding production, great explanations as to how the car came to be and the mistakes which led to a missed opportunity ...thank you

[@dwensinger]

Your quest for bumper fillers is felt with me trying to find fillers for my 78 Century aeroback.

[@tkewrestler2662]

I have a good friend who comes from a very affluent and upscale family. His brother bought a first year Cimmaron. He decided on the Cadillac over a new BMW in 1982.

[@kurtvanluven9351]

I just picked up a 1982 with the muncie 4 speed. It sat about 13 years. I put new tires on it and a battery, drove it home! Working through the normal electrical gremlins in it. It may have an ECM in it, but they can be purchased for under $200.

[@pcno2832]

My favorite unexpected fact about the Cimarron was that the '82, and possibly some '83 models had a rear seat that was split by an open plastic bin. This was GM's way of not-so-subtly telling buyers that their car was only rated for the weight of 4 passengers. GM employed a similar obstruction in the X-cars to keep the passenger count at 5, even though there was room in those cars for 6. With the Cimarron, as with all the domestically produced J-cars, the brakes were upgraded and all the '84s had 3-across seating in the rear.

[@CDKDC]

My girlsfriends girlfriend back in the early '80's, two young teachers, bought a new car. Asked what it was, she said she got a Caddy. This was not what I pictured. I only saw it a few times, she loved it. It was perfect for her. These reviews are great.

[@MarinCipollina]

Thanks for this one, Adam ! I had a light jade metallic colored 1982 PONTIAC J2000 coupe (later Sunbird) as a company car issued to me in July of 1981.. It had a 4 speed, which was notchy, but not horrible.. It was really a fun car to me at the time. However, to me one of the worst things about the Cimarron (and much of the entire GM fleet for the decade of the '80s) was that nasty cheap plastic multi-function turn signal stalk that included cruise and wiper functions, along with headlight dimmer. I hated that thing. Cheap cheap cheap !!

[@toothrestorer6588]

The 5 speed was much better.

[@pcno2832]

That multi-function lever felt as if it were snapping in two every time you made a turn. I wonder how many of them actually broke.

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

My buddy had an 80 Sunbird, he stuck a 350 in it! I didnt care for too many cars in the 80s either, I drove a '78 Ttop Z28 in Hi Skool early '80s but did get a new Bandit Edition Trans Am in 1985 that I drove until 1998

[@MarinCipollina]

@@toothrestorer6588 There wasn't a 5 speed offered in 1981.

[@toothrestorer6588]

@@MarinCipollina I don’t believe that I ever claimed that there was, but the Getrag five speed was much better.

[@scottmiller8791]

I had an 86. With the V6 and a beautiful leather interior I loved it. Bought it for 150 bucks back in 2008. All in I had about $400 into the car and drove her for a year then sold it for 700.

[@richmcdevitt9236]

Very good review of this one. At that time, the GM divisions were marketed as separate Divisions. Though they shared many parts, they were given different looks. Thus it created a very Chevy looking car. Most of the people that viewed these vehicles never driven them.

[@shopwithaaron]

Only thing I remember from riding in a friend's mid cycle model....Had a great stereo! thx

[@allenkoivisto3456]

A very good video. Nice info I was not aware.

[@dznr723]

Thanks, Adam. Well done as usual. All I can say is you had to be there.......

[@LaPabst]

I've commented reguarally on your channel... I love it, these are very good vids. I was a young wrench starting in the late 70's. We had a customer with one of these, it was average at best,,, the one we dealt with had horrid, HORRID fit and finish.The rear seat did not fit because the body welds were not correct. The trunk lid could not be adjusted as well, assuming that the welds in that instance were not correct. The owner dumped it and took a bath.

[@929cbr_rr]

At the time I thought it was cool that you could get a Caddy with a manual transmission !

[@michaelgarvin8621]

WOW!! very helpful information 👍👍

[@judsonr1]

My friend’s father traded in his Seville to get the first ‘82 Cimmaron in Colorado Springs. It was black with red interior and I’m guessing every option possible, including the grill cap with hood ornament. During the first week of ownership, he started to wash the windshield and the stalk broke. It didn’t stop spraying until the tank ran dry and he couldn’t turn the wipers off: I believe that was the highpoint of ownership. I got to drive it multiple times, and even at 16, I was not impressed.

[@dueljet]

People like to beat up the 1986-1991 Seville too. I have a 1988 STS and I love it. Maybe I love it because it reminds me of the 1988 Seville my dad had when I was a kid.

[@TeeroyHammermill]

I had an 86 Seville. Simply not a good design.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you Adam. The interesting thing is this car paved the way for the Cadillac ATS/CT4 today un 2024. Cimarron lives. It just does not go by that name. The car served its purpose. The list of facts were interesting as well. I knew many of them especially the one about the seats. The video was still quite good. I liked seeing the design proposals you shared. The car had potential. The only issue were the door handles. GM was putting those door handles on everything in the 1980's. I hated those door handles and I still do in 2024. They look old fashioned and outdated. The proposal really had potential from the rear and more. I like the Cimarron script.

[@morgandollar7146]

My in-laws had a red 1982 and a white 1988. They let my then girlfriend drive the '88 out to dinner. I thought we were so FANCY!

[@jefffixesit60]

Thanks Adam, another great video on a car with lots of growing pains along the way to becoming a great car. The 82 J-cars were really hamstrung by the 1.8l engine. I was working as a mechanic for Montgomery Ward in 82-83, and we were installing aftermarket cruise control systems on a lot of cars at that time. The speed limit was only 55mph at the time, and the 1.8l engine was so anemic that it would not produce enough manifold vacuum to operate the vacuum throttle servo when climbing even a slight incline, causing the cruise control to self cancel. Within a few months of the J-car’s launch, we were told by management to discourage J-car owners from purchasing our cruise control systems. It was the only time M-W management ever asked us not to sell everything to every customer. The 2.0l was better, but not as good as similar sized engines from Japanese rivals. The 2.2l finally hit the sweet spot for the J-cars. Thanks again, and I hope you find some bumper fillers for your fleet. Maybe you can find a 3D print shop that could make them for you: being a finance specialist, you might find a way to produce enough for economies of scale to kick in and sell them online! Looking forward to seeing your next project, Happy Trails!😎❤️

[@kurtvanluven9351]

I have an 82 with cruise. But it also has a vacuum pump under the battery box.

[@jefffixesit60]

@ the factory installed cruise control had an auxiliary vacuum pump as part of the system, and it worked well. The “one-size-fits-all” aftermarket system (as sold M-W and others) worked ok on bigger engines, but wasn’t designed with small 4 cylinder engines in mind. Chevettes and several Japanese cars had similar issues with the aftermarket cruise controls, especially when equipped with air conditioning (I live in Texas, and most cars sold here have factory a/c, even as far back as the mid-70’s). The Cimarron is one of my favorite cars from the 80’s, and deserves more respect than a lot of people gave it. 😁❤️

[@hollybirge4087]

I agree with you Adam. I haven’t driven one, but I’d love to try out one of the V6 models

[@DavidNaquin]

added bonus your treatment at the Cadillac dealership was very nice indeed.

[@Cheezwizzz]

It should have more appreciation, it’s a footnote in Cadillacs history. I’d be more than happy to own one

[@stanleybest8833]

I rode a bunch of times in a very early Cimmaron and just plain liked it.

[@stevesmith6554]

Really a great video with some insightful stuff on the early Cadillac history. Do you have anything similar to show us on the more recent Cadillac Sedans? That would be cool. Thanks!

[@AmericanGypsy206]

While far from my favorite Cadillac, if I had a very well kept Cadillac Cimarron with low miles, I would love to drive it, and I would not be embarrassed because a clean car with low miles is something I truly respect…

[@aaron.hudacky]

As a new Cadillac, these hurt the brand. But, now, as small, older cars, I think the 2.8 V6 cars are especially nice. Their size adds a lot of appeal relative to most current cars.The front with composirlte headlights looks great, and reminds me of thec89-90 deVille and Fleetwood, which I really like. The 2.8 has a really nice growl as well. I think if they'd started off with an injected 2.8 V6 only and a little stronger front for brand identity like the later cars, they'd have done much better sales-wise. But, the luxury of hindsight always makes thind obvious.

[@robertehlers3757]

Very informative.

[@staffy73]

Wow!! I see a lot of Corsica in that final mockup. And Majorca in some Latin cultures means corn. 🌽A fitting name indeed!

[@kellismith4329]

Kinda what it looks like after digestion

[@UHF43]

I think you mean mazorca. Majorca is the biggest of balearic islands, hence the 'major'.

[@staffy73]

Perhaps. But the way some pronounce it they don’t say the “z” like Americans and being Puerto Rican myself (albeit over Americanized though always trying to learn my culture) i only heard of the word a couple of years ago. 😂 BTW thanks for the info on Balearic Islands. When I was a kid I would imagine thSomewhere at GM there is a guy in an office with piles of books about exotic locations, a dictionary and a couple of thesaurus’s along with photos pinned to a board whose job it was to name cars lol

[@aaroncostello8812]

I have read several accounts claiming that the Cimarron was extremely popular with Cadillac's elderly FEMALE clientele. It was small,easy to drive, easy to park...and still a Cadillac.

[@rpf6562]

For me the worst thing this car had, was the price.

[@PTTM2006]

They did exactly the same thing with the Pontiac Fiero. They launched a car with terrible brakes , weird handling , no way to get any sort of power. But the last Fiero GT were fun little cars with enough power and good handling

[@Sulfuron41]

So, I owned a 1985 Pontiac Sunbird convertible (same platform). I really loved that car, but it, as well as the others that share the platform like the Cavalier, currently have a huge Achilles heel. There are almost no parts available. I very seriously considered buying and keeping a spare parts Sunbird in my backyard just to rob parts from. It had that 1.8l Brazilian engine that you mentioned (naturally aspirated version), and it was quite problematic for me. I had a head gasket fail, bought the only head bolt and gasket kit left in stock in the country (the box was extremely dusty lol), and got a few more months out of it until it spun a bearing and developed an awful rod knock. I owned it for about 5 months total unfortunately. Still, I really enjoyed the car. I stole parts from Cimarrons to keep my Sunbird alive lol.

[@kmlynden1]

great video. i always liked that car

[@jimellison6157]

Adam. Just thought I’d let you know that I like this series that you have started? I always like to know more about any vehicle.

[@Stan-rj8ki]

Adam. More facts: The Cimmaron shared many leftover parts from the 84-87 Cutlass Cieras. The bumper and side black/faux chrome rub strips. Climate vents (mounted vertically vs horizontal) and without chrome glazing. They also shared the front and rear door panel layout and stitching and door locks, chrome interior door handles, and bezels.

[@elplata7224]

My mom had a max optioned Cavalier of that era. One of her favorite cars

[@tinalefauve3698]

I was very fortunate to get a summer engineering job at the GM Tech Center during 1984. I was assigned to the J Car Production Engineering dept. I was tasked with closing the trouble reports from the extensive pilot car build for the 85 J Car. I attended the "Under Hood Meeting" where issues relating to fitting the V-6 engine were reviewed by the platform manager. After watching your video I recalled a moment at one of these meetings where a senior engineer turned to me and somewhat sarcastically asked "the student" if I thought this would compete with a BMW. I didn't feel that he expected an answer. Also your comments about the suspension tuning are consistent with conflicts I observed between the wider vehicle team. The Cadillac guys wanted lots of features to make it "more of a Cadillac" and less of a hip European sports sedan. I can also confirm the general feeling that the V-6 Cimarron was being rushed into production. I never drove one during that summer. I did get to drive a Z-24 out to Milford once. Years later I had a close friend who owned a red Cimarron. She was delighted that I wanted to drive her car. She was a Japanese interrupter and she took special joy in picking up Japanese business men in her red Caddy. I am a first time commenter, long time viewer of your work and find your take on how the auto industry works to be very insightful.

[@RareClassicCars]

Awesome. Thx!

[@brucebeamon5460]

That last rendering looks a LOT like a Chevy Corsica from the rear. ! I had an 89 model year that I REALLY ENJOYED OWNING !

[@byronpink9061]

Great history behind the creation!!

[@tonyscarcare5657]

I like that red F150 in the background.

[@fleetwin1]

Yeah, how bout that! Tony has one just like it!

[@mikee2923]

Everyone makes fun of this car. But if you remember, the early Acuras made by Honda were basically the same strategy. Nobody makes fun of those.

[@howebrad4601]

Because the base car they were based on had a good image of their own. Secondly the acuras were just enough different. Might have had same platform but not identical looking structure, doors, dash, etc

[@spidersdiecast]

Those Acuras still had different designs than the basic Hondas, plus they still had better build quality than the Cimarron. However you can't just take a Chevy Cavalier and turn it into a Cadillac.

[@andrewmaximo4485]

That's because Integras are awesome cars. These are crap.

[@howebrad4601]

@@andrewmaximo4485 As the owner of several 80s GM cars, several 80's Honda vehicles, several Toyotas I think I'm qualified to comment. They each have their strong points. Hondas are smooth and well assembled, but the body structures themselves are weak weak weak. You don't want to get hit in any 80s Honda. They also rust horribly. I've also had head gasket issues on nearly all my Hondas and not so on my GM vehicles. Honda and Toyota werent forced by government to totally reinvent their company and entire product line between 1975 and 1985 either like GM, Ford, and Chrysler had to do. Lastly in the 80s, between Honda and acura what did they have to manage 8 or so different nameplates? GM had 7 divisions with many models, and even more submodels to manage, update, and produce. Managing GM at that time was like managing Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Nissan all at the same time just in terms of the sheer number of models to keep track of. As to the J cars, they were strong and tough, chassis wise, and the interior material quality such as fabrics, carpets, and all that was way way better than any Japanese brand. They just weren't as refined.

[@jody8526937]

My uncle owned Cadillac models from the sixties up until Cadillac decided they didn’t want to be Cadillac anymore. The Cimeron seemed, at the time, like a deluxe K Car. It really lowered the bar of American luxury car and in my mind helped pave the path for foreign luxury car acceptance in the American market.

[@onekoneb]

Just look at that wavy trim piece under the front grille!

[@thomastoler2397]

I kept looking at that.

[@kellismith4329]

Ground FX

[@alexanderspenser4960]

WOW, awesome with a power sunroof. Certainly the Cimarron was painted not to far from a Cavalier as were the cloth seat which was applied to almost every GM body line. After watching your vid, I am shocked it wasn't named Chevette, with all the parts bin add-ons. As you mentioned, the roomier X body with the same styling theme certainly would have been most classy.🏁

[@BK-uw2uk]

The original concept looks like something I’d purchase today but the mockup looks curiously like a Saturn sedan. Shared designers ? Would love to know. Another great video ….keep ‘em coming

[@FaithSaraG]

My first car was an '82 J2000 with the 1.8 OHC and the 3 speed automatic. I can confirm it was a fun little car in the corners. The previous owner had installed wider and lower profile tires and it cornered like it was on trails. I always felt it would have a much better car with a 5 speed manual. The little 1.8 had decent power for the day if you wound it up, but the wide gear spacing of the automatic dragged it way down below the torque peak and it just bogged along until it got wound up again.

[@rlg1976x]

The Cimarron suffered from the typical GM mentality--put out a subpar car that leaves a bad first impression, upgrade it over the years, then cancel it when it becomes a respectable vehicle.

[@pauldavis1943]

Wow! Unbelievably henous looks

[@Lasuvidaboy-jp4xe]

I remember seeing a rendering of what I believe was a Cadillac X Car in Car & Driver magazine. As I recall, it resembled an Olds Omega X Car but with thinner Cadillac style vertical taillights and wrap-around cornering lights at the front.

[@evanthompson8925]

Great historical view back of the thought process of GM. History will tell if they learned any lessons.

[@homebuilthappiness2919]

Adam, I love how you've always went to great lengths to defend this vehicle. Deep inside you know this was a horrible idea. Cadillac division was embarrassed by this vehicle and didn't even want it in their promo material. They should've waited a few years and designed a 4 door G body cimarron. If I was a late 80's buyer, I would've bought a g body regal and never looked back

[@fleetwin1]

Seems like this time, GM should not have listened to their dealers...

[@cesargonzalez-wu2xy]

I was 16yrs old when my parents gifted me my mom’s 1982 Cimarron. Her Buick Electra Limited had been hit so they decided let’s try a Cadillac…Sable blk w/saddleback leather interior. 4 speed w/the Rolls Royce option grill. I absolutely loved that car. And SO regret not appreciating it like I should’ve have. My parents went in to replace it with/another 1982 Caddy… a Sedan de Ville. Took that to prom 😁

[@kurtvanluven9351]

I had no idea that the grille I have was a factory option. Thanks.

[@markbehr88]

I love my cream 86 Cimarron V6 with 28,000 miles or so. 👍

[@dragon81heart]

I’ve always liked the later Cimarrons, and I never even knew there was to be a second generation of it so thank you for that fun fact! I wonder what chassis it was to be based on? The greenhouse kinda puts me in mind of the 92-98 Olds Achieva, Buick Skylark, Pontiac Grand Am body, and maybe even a hint of first Gen Saturns (I think they were just called “S” but don’t quote me lol)

[@JeffW77]

I knew a fellow who had a Cimarron with a 5-speed transmission. His tone when he talked about seemed to be one of regret.

[@TheodoreWeiser]

My mom had a Cimarron back in the day. I drove it a few times. The Toyota Corrola she had previously drove much better

[@ryanthompson2893]

What year was it?

[@TheodoreWeiser]

@ryanthompson2893 I don't recall precisely. Had to be from the first couple of years

[@HAL-dm1eh]

I got my license in my sister's 84 Cavalier Z24, rest of the family owned Toyotas. Saying the Corolla drove better than those is a stretch.

[@TheodoreWeiser]

@HAL-dm1eh Well, she didn't keep it for very long, as I recall. She traded up for a bull-nosed F150 with the 300 straight 6. She kept that forever

[@onepingonlyvasily]

​@@HAL-dm1eh must have been an 1985, 1984 only had the Type 10 for the sporty model