Difference between Cadillac and BMW
Of all the automotive manufacturers that have or currently exist, Cadillac and BMW have to stand out at the top of the list. The names to beat as far as high-ticket luxury automobiles go and these two brands are the subjects of this comparison article.
Profile
Cadillac is a line of luxury vehicles under the ownership of General Motors. Various types of vehicles bearing the Cadillac brand are sold in 50 countries all over the world, although much of its market is in North America. The company is currently the second oldest automobile manufacturer in the United States after Buick, and one of the oldest automobile companies in the world.
BMW is an automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company based in Germany. The company was founded in 1916, and it is today also the owner of the Mini brand of vehicles, as well as the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars division. BMW also manufactures motorcycles under the BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands.
Origins
Cadillac was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company after the latter was dissolved after the departure of Henry Ford and most of his partners. An appraisal of the Ford Company’s equipment and facilities was made for purposes of liquidating its assets. The appraisal was undertaken by Henry M. Leland of Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company under the direction of William Murphy and Lemuel Bowen, who were then the major financial backers of Ford. Instead of selling of the Ford equipment and facilities, the two were convinced by Leland to continue on in the automobile industry, but this time using Leland's own single-cylinder engine. By August 22, 1902, the company was reborn as the Cadillac Automobile Company. The company would later merge with Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing in 1905.
BMW was formed at the end of World War I, when it was required to cease the production of aircraft engines, as mandated by the Versailles Armistice Treaty. The company then began to manufacture motorcycles upon the lifting of the treaty restrictions in 1923. Production of automobiles followed in 1928 to ‘29.
Claim To Fame
Cadillac has always been known for its precision engineering and stylish finish, and this has given the company a reputation for producing some of the finest cars in the United States. Among the company’s most notable innovations is the use of interchangeable parts, which it introduced in 1908. Cadillac was also the first company to produce vehicles with fully enclosed cab in volume, which it began doing so in 1910. By 1912, the company had begun to utilize an electrical system that was capable of starting, ignition, and lighting the engine.
BMW for its part is known for high performance luxury vehicles of extremely robust design. To this day, the company is one of the biggest premium car manufacturers in the world.
Similarities and Differences
Cadillac
- A line of luxury vehicles under the ownership of General Motors
- Formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company
BMW
- One of the biggest premium car manufacturers in the world
- Formed at the end of World War I
