All Cadillac models offered the year previous were carried over to 1998.
The all-new 1998 Seville, not available until December 1997, was designed to lead Cadillac into the “global” market, with exports to 40 countries
Both left-hand and right-hand drive versions were built at Cadillac's Detroit Hamtramck assembly facility.
StabiliTrak was now offered on all front-drive Cadillacs.
The Catera joined the rest of the lineup in offering the Onstar communcations system as optional equipment
I D DATA
The 1998 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
W = 1998
11
the assembly plant
-
12-17
the production sequence number
-
HISTORY
Cadillac's model year production totaled 162,715 compared with 159,820 the year previous (this figure does not include imported Cateras).
