Cadillac Fleetwood Models & History 1996
Cadillac bills its Fleetwood and companion Fleetwood Brougham as “traditional” luxury cars, which means they’re aimed at buyers who like big, rear-wheel-drive cars with conservative, upright styling. “A perennial favorite of diplomats and heads of state the world over.” Primary competition comes from the equally traditional Lincoln Town Car.
At 225.1 in., the Fleetwood is the longest production passenger car available in the United States. By comparison, the largest Mercedes-Benz sedan is some 20 in. shorter. Such size not only endows Fleetwood with the “commanding presence” that Cadillac says Fleetwood customers demand, but makes it quite functional. Passenger compartment volume measures an impressive 124.9 cu. ft., while the trunk measures a huge 21.1 cu. ft.
Underneath Fleetwood’s skin is a solid-axle rear suspension and a Chevrolet-derived 5.7-liter V8 engine making 260 horsepower and 330 ft.-lb. of torque. A 4-speed automatic transmission, antilock brakes and all-speed traction control bring this behemoth time machine into 1996 — its last year.
Inside, the Fleetwood coddles occupants with standard leather upholstery, automatic climate control with rear-seat heat ducts and a 6-speaker cassette sound system. Both models feature 6-way power adjustable front seats, while the Brougham adds articulated headrests and driver’s-seat-position memory for two drivers. An “antilockout” feature prevents the doors from locking if the owner forgets to remove the keys from the ignition.
Equipped with the optional towing package, the Fleetwood can handle up to 3175 kg (7000 pounds) — more than many sport/utility vehicles.
- In its final year of production, the revisions to the Fleetwood sedan and optional Brougham package model were mainly “creature comfort” in nature.
- Fleetwoods were again powered by the Gen II 5.7-liter V-8 paired with the 4L60-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission.
- Final drive ratio for Fleetwood was 2.56:1 while the Brougham’s was 3.42:1.
- Inside, the Fleetwood received “Electro-motor” electronic cruise control and a new center armrest with dual cupholder, coinholder and CD/cassette storage.
- Fleetwood models were also prewired to accommodate the optional Dual-Mode cell phone.
- Also new was a six-speaker entertainment system that could be upgraded with the factory-installed, trunk-mounted CD changer.
- Again, the Fleetwood could also be ordered as the V4U Coachbuilder Limousine Package.
- B9Q Funeral Coach Package, or RIP Heavy-Duty Sedan Package with heavy-duty components required for continuous commercial service.
STYLE
| Series No. | Body/Style No. | Body Type | Factory Price | Shipping Weight | Production Total |
| DW5 | W69 | 4-dr. Sedan | 36995 | 4461 | 15,101 |
ENGINE
| Feature | Fleetwood |
| Engine | 90-degree, overhead valve V-8 |
| Construction | Cast iron block and cylinder heads |
| Displacement | 350 cu . in. (5.7 liters) |
| Bore & Stroke | 4.00 x 3.48 in |
| Compression ratio | 10.0 : 1 |
| Brake Horsepower | 260 @ 5000 rpm |
| Torque | 330 lb-ft. @ 3200 rpm |
| Valve train | Roller hydraulic valve lifters |
| Fuel supply | Sequential-port fuel injection |
| Spark plugs | Dual-platinum tipped |
| Coolant | DEX-COOLTM long-life corrosion-inhibiting with “limp-home” engine coolant loss protection |
CHASSIS
| Wheelbase | 3085 mm (121.5″) |
| Length | 5717 mm (225.0″) |
| Width | 1982 mm (78.0″) |
| Height | 1451 mm (57.1″) |
| Front tread | 1568 mm (61.7″) |
| Rear tread | 1542 mm (60.7″) |
| Curb Weight | 2017 kg.(4447 lb) |
| Luggage Capacity | 588 liters (21.1 cu ft) |
| Fuel tank capacity | 87 liters (19.2 Imp. gal) (23 US gal) |
| Fuel Economy City/Hwy | 13.8 l/100 km – 9 l/100 km (20.4/31.2 mpg-imp) (17/26 mpg US) |
| Basic Warranty, Months/Distance | 48/80,000 km (50,000 miles) |
| Standard Tires | Michelin P235/70R15. |
DRIVETRAIN
| Feature | Fleetwood | Brougham |
| Transmission | 4L60-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic (includes torque converter clutch) with electronic shift control and altitude compensation | |
| ATF | “Filled-for-life” Dexron® III automatic transmission fluid | |
| Steering | Power-assisted recirculating ball, speed sensitive. variable assist | |
| Front Suspension | Independent with short/long arms, coil springs, direct acting shock absorbers and stabilizer bar | |
| Rear Suspension | Four link, coil springs w~automatic level control, direct acting shock absorbers and stabilizer bar | |
| Final drive ratio | 2.56 : 1 | 2.93 : 1 |
| Brakes | Power assisted front disc — rear drum w/Bosch anti-lock braking system | |
| Body Construction | Separate body on frame | |
| Trailer Towing Package final drive ratio | 3.42 : 1 | |
| Fuel Tank | 23.0 gas. | |
| 0-96 kph (0-60 mph) | 8.5 seconds | |
| Top speed | 175 kph (109 mph) | |
| Drive | Rear-wheel drive | |
| Frame | Full body frame construction | |
| Front Suspension | Short/Long Arm | |
| Rear suspension | 4-link | |
| Level control | Rear electronic level control | |
| Steering | Speed-sensitive power steering | |
| Brakes | Power front disc, rear drums | |
| Exhaust | Stainless steel exhaust system | |
| Standard wheel | 15″ x 7″ cast-aluminum | |
| Optional wheel | 15″ x 7″ chrome finish cast aluminum | |
| Standard Fleetwood tires | Michelin XW4 P235/70R15 all-season whitewall | Goodyear Eagle GA P235/70R15 all-season whitewall |
SAFETY & SECURITY
| Feature | Fleetwood | Brougham |
| Dual front air bags | Standard | Standard |
| Rear door child-security locks | Standard | Standard |
| Programmable power door locks with anti-lockout protection | Standard | Standard |
| Remote keyless entry system includes central door unlocking | Standard | Standard |
| Illuminated entry system | Standard | Standard |
| Audible theft-deterrent system | Standard | Standard |
| PASS-Key II personal security theft-deterrent system | Standard | Standard |
| Daytime Running Lamps and automatic light control includes Twilight Sentinel with delay feature | Standard | Standard |
| Brake/transmission shift interlock | Standard | Standard |
| Bosch ABS5 4-wheel anti-lock brake system | Standard | Standard |
| Bosch ASR5 full-range traction control | Standard | Standard |
EXTERIOR
| Feature | Fleetwood | Brougham |
| 2-sided galvanized steel body panels (except roof) | Standard | Standard |
| Clearcoat paint | Standard | Standard |
| Solar-Ray tinted glass | Standard | Standard |
| Composite tungsten-halogen headlamps with flash-to-pass | Standard | Standard |
| Front cornering lamps | Standard | Standard |
| Dual heated power remote mirrors | Standard | Standard |
| Power antenna | Standard | Standard |
INTERIOR
| Feature | Fleetwood | Brougham |
| Prestwick cloth interior | Standard | Standard |
| Dual comfort divided front seats with 6-way power adjusters and power recliners | Standard | Standard |
| Sunglass storage compartment | Standard | Standard |
| Automatic climate control system | Standard | Standard |
| Rear floor heat ducts | Standard | Standard |
| Leather-wrapped steering wheel | Standard | Standard |
| Tilt-WheelTM adjustable steering column | Standard | Standard |
| Variable delay windshield wipers | Standard | Standard |
| Cruise control | Standard | Standard |
| Digital instrument cluster | Standard | Standard |
| Message telltale center | Standard | Standard |
| Power windows with driver express-down and rear window lock-out features | Standard | Standard |
| Retained accessory power | Standard | Standard |
| Electrochromic inside rearview mirror | Standard | Standard |
| Illuminated visor vanity mirrors | Standard | Standard |
| Front and rear carpeted floor mats | Standard | Standard |
| Electric rear window defogger | Standard | Standard |
| Power remote fuel filler door release | Standard | Standard |
| Power remote trunk release with pull down | Standard | Standard |
| Cargo convenience net | Standard | Standard |
| Trailer towing package, with 3175 kg (7000 lb.) capacity | Optional | Optional |
| Full-size spare tire | Optional | Optional |
| Power astroroof | Optional | Optional |
| Full padded vinyl roof | Optional | Optional |
| Solar-reflective front windshield | Optional | Optional |
| Sierra-grain leather seating area | Optional | Optional |
| Universal 3-channel garage door opener | Optional | Optional |
| Dealer-installed cellular phone with hands free and voice recognition (fixed model) | Optional | Optional |
OPTIONS
| Security Pkg. | $360 | Theft Deterrent Syst. | $295 |
| Astroroof | $1,550 | Garage Door Opener | $107 |
| Coachbuilder Pkg. | ($755) | Funeral Coach Pkg. | ($910 credit) |
| Brougham Cloth int. | $1,680 | Brougham Leather int. | $2,465 |
| H.D. Livery Pkg. | $150 | Leather Seating (Fleetwood) | $3785 |
| Sungate Windshield | $50 | ETR AM/FM Stereo Radio w/CD & Cassette | $3200 |
| Full Vinyl Roof (Fleetwood) | $925 | Full-size Spare | $95 |
| Chrome wheels | $1,195 |
Keyword: Cadillac Fleetwood History 1996