Who Owns Cadillac And Where Are Its Cars Made?

Few names in the automotive world evoke luxury and prestige quite like Cadillac. For over a century, the brand has maintained a global presence while staying true to its American roots, producing some of the best Cadillac models of all time, like the famous Escalade and the CT5-V Blackwing. 

Founded in 1902 in Detroit, Cadillac emerged from the Henry Ford Company, which was Ford's second failed attempt at vehicle manufacturing, and quickly established itself as a leader in the industry. Over the decades, Cadillac has introduced fast, powerful, luxurious, and even some of the best-looking models, like the Series 62 Club Coupe, the Fleetwood Eldorado, and the high-performance CTS-V. 

Today, Cadillac operates as a division of General Motors (GM), alongside Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC. While Cadillac once had a headquarters in New York for a four-year period, the brand has since returned to Warren, Michigan, to be closer to GM's design and engineering hub. As Cadillac moves into the future with models like the all-electric Lyriq, it continues to uphold its reputation as one of the world's most distinguished luxury automakers.

Cadillac's story began in 1902 when engineer Henry M. Leland founded the company, naming it after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the French explorer who established the city of Detroit in 1701. 

Cadillac introduced its first car, the Cadillac Runabout, in 1903. This two-seater vehicle was powered by a 10-horsepower single-cylinder engine and featured a sloped-down rear end. The car was well-received at the New York Auto Show, resulting in over 2,000 orders. It was later renamed Model A before upgraded Model B emerged in 1904 with transverse front suspension and an extended front. 

Cadillac's logo has undergone many iterations over the past couple of decades. From its initial design with the pearl-studded coronet, the emblem incorporated a shield and coat of arms in 1906. Cadillac's success led to its acquisition by General Motors (GM) in 1909, securing its place as one of America's premier luxury carmakers. While Cadillac is less prominent than it was in the 1960s, it still produces some of the best vehicles available. Cadillac's new logo is a black-and-white version of its crest that appears on electric Cadillacs, including the electric Lyriq SUV, while the colored crest remains on gas-powered models.

General Motors serves six continents, with only a few factories dedicated to Cadillac production. Some Cadillac vehicles are built in the United States, while others are produced in China. One of the brand's best-known plants is the Lansing Grand River Assembly in Michigan. Opened in 2001, this facility is responsible for manufacturing premium sedans, including the Cadillac CT4 and the CT5. For Cadillac's full-size SUVs, production is at the Arlington Assembly plant in Texas. Opened in 1954, this facility assembles the Cadillac Escalade and its extended variant, the Escalade-V, two of the brand's most iconic models.

The Cadillac XT4, the brand's compact luxury crossover, was produced at the Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas. GM recently ended production of the XT4 at this facility to produce EVs. Cadillac also operates the Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee, which assembles the Cadillac XT5 and XT6 crossovers and is also home to the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq. As Cadillac shifts toward an electric future, the Spring Hill plant is anticipated to handle increased EV production.

Outside the United States, Cadillac vehicles are manufactured in Shanghai, the brand's second-largest market. SAIC-GM, a joint venture between General Motors and SAIC Motor, produces the CT4, CT5, and CT6 sedans, as well as the Cadillac Optiq, XT4, XT5, and XT6 crossovers. Production of the all-new 2025 Cadillac Optiq began in the last quarter of 2024 at the GM Ramos Arizpe plant in Coahuila, Mexico. This facility primarily serves North American markets, as well as the Middle East, Europe, Oceania, and select Asian countries.

Former Cadillac production facilities include the Clark Street Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan. This plant operated from 1921 to 1987 and built cars like the Coupe DeVille. Clark Street was a key site for Cadillac vehicle assembly before being demolished and redeveloped. The Cadillac Stamping Plant, also in Detroit, was largely abandoned in the 1980s, and fully vacated by 2015, with demolition work staring in 2021. In Italy, the Pininfarina Plant in San Giorgio Canavese produced the Cadillac Allanté from 1986 until GM discontinued the model in 1993. The facility was later used for other vehicle production.

Cadillac vehicles were previously assembled in Kaliningrad, Russia, under a licensing agreement with the Russian company Avtotor. In 2015, General Motors (GM) ceased vehicle production in Russia, and began production of vehicles intended for the Russian market at its plant in Belarus. During this time, Cadillac maintained a network of dealerships across Russia. In 2018, GM closed its Belarus plant and shifted to exporting vehicles directly from the United States to Russia. In 2022, GM suspended sales and exports of vehicles to its dealerships in Russia due to the war in Ukraine. Currently, Cadillac production primarily takes place in the USA, Mexico, and China.