This year marked the first time since 1988 (when the underachieving V-6-powered Cimarron was discontinued) that Cadillac offered something other than a V-8 engine.
The all-new Catera used a 200-horsepower dual overhead cam V-6.
The DeVille ranks were bolstered with the addition of the d'Elegance sedan joining the existing DeVille and DeVille Concours sedans.
All DeVille and Catera models now featured side airbags as standard equipment and the exclusive-to-Cadillac OnStar communication system also debuted as an option on all front-drive models in 1997.
All Cadillacs also received improved anti-lockout protection.
I D DATA
The 1997 Cadillac had a 17-symbol vehicle identification number (VIN) stamped on a metal tag attached to the upper left surface of the cowl visible through the windshield.
The code was as follows:
POSITION
DIGIT
MEANING
1
1 or 4
manufacturing country (United States)
2
G
General Motors
3
6
Cadillac
4 & 5
car line series
V/R
Catera
E/L
Eldorado
E/T
Eldorado Touring
K/D
DeVille
K/E
d'Elegance
K/F
Concours
K/S
Seville (SLS)
K/Y
Seville (STS)
6
the body style:
1
two-door coupe
2
two-door
3
two-door convertible
4
two-door station wagon
5
four-door sedan
6
four-door
8
four-door station wagon
7
the restraint code
2
active (manual) belts w/dual frontal airbags
4
active (manual) belts w/dual frontal and side airbags
8
the engine
Y
LD8 4.6L V-8
9
L37 4.6L V-8
R
L81 3.0L V-6
9
check digit
-
10
model year
V = 1997
11
the assembly plant
-
12-17
the production sequence number
-
HISTORY
Cadillac's model year production totaled 159,820 compared with 174,406 the year previous (this figure does not include the 25,411 imported Cateras).
Based on sales of 182,624 automobiles in 1997 (vs, 170,379 the year before), Cadillac's share of the U.S. market was 2.2 percent compared with 2.0 the year previous.
In May 1997, Cadillac announced the Catera would be produced domestically at its next redesign.
