1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
This was the last true Fleetwood-bodied Cadillac….
The 1975 & 1976 model years were the last of the breed….
The new look of Cadillac for 1975 was accented by rectangular headlamps, a beveled hood and lower front fenders. The styling was more dramatic with the elegant Fleetwood Brougham. This was the most luxurious owner-driven Cadillac sedan.
The Fleetwood Brougham augmented the Cadillac model hierarchy annually. With its individually longer wheelbase, body and interior by Fleetwood, it was the most majestic manner in which to drive the formidable “Standard of the World.” The Fleetwood Series Sixty-Special Brougham was the very essence of Cadillac luxury; it was the epitome of elegance and opulence.
With new technology and innovation, and the powerful 8.2 litre Eldorado V8 engine standard, the 1975 Cadillacs were among the most efficient in Cadillac’s history. Through a series of refinement Cadillac engineers scored gains in gas mileage for the 1975 model year.
Historically….this was the last true Fleetwood-bodied Cadillac. The 1975 Fleetwood Brougham carried on the tradition with a poised dignity that was the hallmark of every Cadillac…..and now we begin the next successful episode in the continuing saga of “As the Standard of the World Turns.”
The 1975 Fleetwood Sixty-Special Brougham was one of the world’s most elegant sedans. It had touches of luxury such as the new European inspired shirred design of its sew style to the lounge seating. Whether it was upholstered in the new glove-soft leather, the lovely new Monticello Velour, or a rich knit fabric called Moselle, the effects of the shirring technique were evident.
Everywhere inside the 1975 Brougham had the emphasis on luxury. It was a true Cadillac Flagship in every respect. In spaciousness and stature the Brougham was without conjecture one of the world’s great sedans. There were thoughtful touches such as reading lamps for both driver and front passenger.
Cadillac’s signal seeking AM/FM radio with power antenna, power windows, power door locks, Automatic Level Control, Automatic Climate Control, rear seat reading lamps, rear seat carpeted foot rests, a fully padded Elk Grain vinyl roof with coach lamps, remote control left-side rear view mirror, tinted glass, and Dual Comfort front seat with driver’s six-way adjustment, were all standard equipment.
Cadillac offered more features as standard than any other luxury make. Model code #6B B69/P Fleetwood Sixty-Special Brougham had a base price of $10,414, a price increase to $10,427, and finally to $10,843 with 18,755 built.
Special limited edition option packages for the 1975 Fleetwood Brougham included the Fleetwood Talisman option, it escalated luxury to new heights in the grandest Cadillac manner. The sumptuous Fleetwood Talisman returned for its second model year with a full width rear seat shedding the center console as equipped for the 1974 model year. Front individual lounge seats remained with their Medici velour trimmed locking center console.
Medici velour trimmed the upholstery and upper door trim panels and was available in four colors. Signature features included a fully padded Elk Grain vinyl roof with “Fleetwood Talisman” script on the sail panels and the classic jewel-like stand-up laurel wreath and crest hood ornament. The Cadillac Fleetwood Talisman was the most eloquent manner in which to travel Cadillac style for the 1975 model year.
The Brougham d’Elegance option was so majestic it attracted admirers wherever it was driven. Exterior signature features included a fully padded Elk Grain vinyl roof with “Brougham d’Elegance” script, and a jewel-like stand-up laurel wreath and crest hood ornament. The interior had a choice of four luxury trim combinations that included the upper door trim panels and seatback storage pockets.
Supple Sierra Grain leather was available in nine color combinations. Medici crushed velour enhanced the Euro-shirring effect with four dramatic colors. Six-way power seat, deep pile carpeting, opera lamps, and special turbine vane wheel discs were also standard for this optional trim package. The Brougham d’Elegance was one’s own personal limousine.
The luxurious 1975 Cadillacs were powered by Cadillac’s 8.2 litre 500 CID 16-valve OHV V8 engine equipped with a Rochester 4-bbl down-draft Quadrajet carburetor and GM’s Turbo Hydra-Matic THM 400 3-speed automatic transmission. A new electric choke was added to improve fuel economy. Cadillac also introduced a new solid state HEI electronic high-energy ignition system that eliminated the rubbing block, points, and condenser. This provided quick starting. The engine produced 190 hp @ 3,600 rpm with 488 Nm of peak torque @ 2,000 rpm.
Performance was rated as 0-60 mph in 12.9 seconds, 0-100 mph in 43.9 seconds, with a top speed of 114 mph. It did the ¼ mile @ 75 mph in 19.2 seconds. The engine was now equipped with advanced exhaust emission control systems including a catalytic converter. The combination of the HEI and catalytic converter with the use of unleaded fuel extended tune up requirements up to and including 22,500 miles. The transmission torque converter was refined making it tighter resulting in immediate positive responses with improved economy. The 1975 Cadillacs were as efficient and they were beautiful.
The 1975 Cadillacs were built as body on frame construction. They were built on Cadillac’s rigid perimeter frame with heavy gauge boxed side rails. The front suspension was the traditional upper and lower control arms with integral steering knuckle, independent helical coil springs, and rubber mounted strut rods with rubber bushings to absorb impact and isolate road noise. Shock absorbers with Teflon piston rings were fitted to the front and rear for consistent handling. The rear suspension had the self-leveling network, four-link drive, helical coil springs and large rubber bushings to improve ride quality.
Standard was Cadillac’s power braking system with dual hydraulic master cylinder providing independent front and rear operation, and was equipped with a large two-piston power booster. This sophisticated system provided smooth, straight, effortless braking under any driving condition.
The parking brake had an automatic release when transmission was placed into gear and could be used as a true auxiliary brake since it would not lock with the engine running and the car in gear. Cadillac Variable Ratio Power steering was also standard. It had a high-capacity pump which provided faster response. The 1975 Cadillacs were as rugged as they were rewarding.
The 1975 Cadillacs were the most technologically advanced in history. The highly efficient 8.2 litre 500 CID Eldorado powerplant was standard for all Cadillacs for the 1975 & 1976 model years. The engine was equipped with a Quadrajet carburetor with electric choke and a new catalytic converter reducing exhaust emissions, thus, creating improved fuel economy and cleaner air at the same time.
The 1975 Fleetwood Series Sixty-Special Brougham was not only the epitome of Cadillac luxury; it was the “Standard of the World” in technology and engineering excellence. The Fleetwood Brougham was another extremely successful endeavor in the continuing saga of “As the Standard of the World Turns.”
The Classic 1955 Fleetwood Series Sixty-Special
Will there ever be another “Standard of the World?”
NotoriousLuxury 
I own and drive a 1975 fleetwood broughm and it truely is a comfortable driving and an engineering masterpiece
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My father owned a 76 Fleetwood Brougham D’Elegance. It was a beautiful, comfortable and powerful vehicle. I had a few opportunities to drive it when I first got my drivers license. It was a massive vehicle to drive. I once fit 10 of my friends in it (without my father’s permission of course). He purchased it from a GM dealership in Montreal. When the price of gas went up in the late 70’s early 80’s it cost nearly $70 US to fill it up… The family caddy sat in our garage for nearly 10 years. He sold it in Dec 94 for $12K. It had 49,000 miles on it. The vehicle was in mint condition; my dad was a mechanic.
The term usually used to describe the upholstery on those mid-seventies Fleetwood Talisman and d’Elegance editions was “loose pillow” seating, a style actually introduced by Oldsmobile on their 1972 Ninety-Eight Regency that was soon picked up by US luxury models and probably reached its apogee with these Cadillacs, though the mid-seventies Buick Electra Limited Park Avenue was exaggeratedly sumptuous as well. The style was in imitation of popular furniture from the era.
You are quite correct! See my previously written article on this site for Oldsmobile’s 75th Anniversary and the 1972 Ninety-Eight Regency hardtop sedan.
1974, 75 and 76 Cadillacs are perfection on wheels. Cadillac ENDED in 1976.
Deang;
I have owned several Buick Electra’s and Park Avenue’s, their interiors were always superior to any Oldsmoblie. My Park Avenue’s were 1975, 1977 and 1980 models. They were great cars and great looking cars, I still own my 1975, it is black with dark red velour interior, like new still to this day. Buick is now the oldest American brand in production today, long live Buick.
Have you heard? BUICK is taking their name off of their vehicles to do a subtle rebranding! They are starting with the rear of certain SUV models. The Buick emblem will be there for a minute then it will change as well. GM is playing copycat to European branding – since their GM products are far superior to the domestic versions!
You will love this: Shanghai GM in China marketed a big Buick sedan the US never got. The affluent use Buick as a status symbol in China. They only buy Shanghai GM Cadillac and Buick because they say the quality sucks with American made cars! Their now defunct Buick Royaum wasn’t even available in the US. It was also marketed under the Holden brand name at the time. Google Buick Royaum and you too will be pissed off to see the Chinese drove better bigger Buicks than we do here in the USofA!
Buick is trying to change their image. Most people identify this car with the older generation. In order to bring it into the 21st century they are going to rebrand it. I know, crazy right? But look what happened to Oldsmobile! They couldn’t make a fake car AND it was identified with the older generation. Well, what’s wrong with the older generation? We all have relatives, and we too if we live that long will be defined as “the older generation.” This is a crazy world we live in. Our domestic automobiles have undergone an existential identity crisis…they don’t know what they should look like nor how they should perform. Cadillac is riding the coat tails of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Chevrolet looks Chinese in this country and Buick will be Chinese in this country. The last of the great American Marques – have disappeared!
Hello, I love reading this site and your write-ups on all these awesome older cars. I owned a 84 Fleetwood Coupe as my first car in the 90s. Best car I ever had and wish I still had it. I went on to own more newer Caddys but nothing came close to the beauty and elegance of that car.
I always liked the 71 to 76 style and maybe someday will be able to get one. I know there is an extra 3 inchs on the wheelbase but my question to you is where is the extra 3 inch length on Fleetwoods of this era? Other then the different roof treatment it looks just like the Sedan Deville. Is the bumper longer or dose it have a longer rear overhang?
Last question is have you ever come across a fully loaded 75 or 76 Talisman with a original window sticker? A car that had every single option the car could have that year. Trackmaster,,fuel injection, auto door locks etc.
That extra 3″ was discreetly incorporated into the wheel base and hidden within the doors. Cadillac used to be a real car manufacturer with expertise building more than one wheelbase at a time. The DeVille/Calais had one wheelbase and the Fleetwood was given the extra inches for the rear compartment which even left room for rear seat foot rests. The nose clip was the same for DeVille/Calais and Fleetwood models. The difference was the body after the nose clip. The Fleetwood had its own roofline different from those of Calais/DeVille. But they all shared hoods, front fenders, rear deck lids, fender skirts, and bumpers. GM did the same thing with the Buick Electra and LeSabre; and Oldsmobile had series Eighty-Eight and series Ninety-Eight. Pontiac built the Bonneville and Catalina in the same manner. GM used to be the auto manufacturer that offered the luxury of choice within every model series. As for contemporary times…Chevrolet seems to be the strongest of the GM makes. Cadillac and their make-believe luxury cars had better watch out or they shall meet the same demise as Olds and Pontiac…
Thanks for the response. I never took time to think that the doors and wheelbase would help give the Fleetwood the 3 extra inchs in length but it makes perfect sense. Even in looking at pics of the Fleetwood and Deville rear compartments, you can see a small difference in how the Fleetwood looks bigger. I agree that this era was the last of the grand Cadillacs. 77 to 92 all look the same other then rear and front light and grill changes and as you pointed out they all shared the same wheelbase and there was no longer a fleetwood exclusive model.
As far as GM and Cadillac now, I have become disenchanted with both altogether and no longer care anything about either. If in the market for a new luxo flagship I would assume buy a new Benz before anything GM makes. GM is a former shell of itself and what it was from the 70s and prior.
I am in the market for a fully loaded 75 or more preferably 76 Talisman. I still see some for sale however they are all not fully loaded and are missing a few options. I have yet to see one that has every option checked off.
My grandfather had a 75 Fleetwood Brougham with driver and passenger air bags. I’m guessing this was a super rare option, as I can’t seem to find this option mentioned in any articles I have read. Has anyone here seen one with air bags? Just curious. I’m sure the production numbers were super low.