1903 Cadillac owned by Hugo Vermeulen Bob English for The Globe amd Mail

A 1903 model exported to England won an award in a 1,000-mile trial and finished seventh in the tough Sunrising Hill Climb, beating bigger multi-cylinder cars. No doubt it exhibited the same slogging ability it did in my brief experience.

In 1908, Cadillac won the Dewar Trophy after three new cars were uncrated, dismantled, their parts jumbled, then reassembled. All ran, proving Leland’s production techniques and lending credibility to Cadillac’s “Standard of the World” slogan.

“I didn’t buy it and restore it to make money on, but to drive it and enjoy it. And I hope some day my kids will do the same,” Vermeulen says. “Cars like this will never end up in a scrap yard. They’ll be fixed and fixed again. They’ll be around for ever.

Full Article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/car-life/classic-cars/the-little-caddy-that-could/article1368642/

Cadillac started with this wonderful engine.  It was an improvement on the Oldsmobile engine, but Oldsmobile was not looking for an improved engine.  So when Leland was brought in to help value an automobile company that was going out of business, he recommended to the board that they stay in business, and produce cars with his engine.  Cadillac was born.