1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster
The 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster embodied the pinnacle of luxury and performance in the early years of the classic car era. As one of the most advanced vehicles of its time, the Cadillac Sixteen, as it was known, represented the creative possibilities of the burgeoning American auto industry.
At the heart of the V-16 Roadster beat a marvel of engineering – a 7.4-liter overhead-valve V16 engine producing 165 horsepower – remarkable output for the period. This prodigious powerplant propelled the elegant roadster to speeds exceeding 80 mph, according to period accounts.
Such performance was delivered with renowned Cadillac smoothness and quietness, thanks to the inherent balance of the 45-degree V16 configuration. The advanced drivetrain was completed by a three-speed synchromesh transmission – itself a cutting-edge innovation among luxury cars of the era.
The opulent V-16 range catered specifically to wealthy buyers in an age when such a small cadre could afford elaborate coachbuilt automobiles. Custom roadster bodies debuted in 1930, offering a more sporting and personal expression of Cadillac’s mastery of luxury transportation in the Art Deco era.
As Symbols of immense prestige and customization, surviving Sixteen roadsters are hugely prized by collectors as emblems of the roaring twenties and the last embers of Cadillac’s unfettered excess before the sobering years of the Great Depression.
In 1933, John Moir Sr. acquired the essentially nearly-new V-16, paying the bargain price of just $500. The Moir family, former owners of the Chase & Sanborn coffee empire, were no strangers to fine automobiles – making this impeccably pedigreed Cadillac a natural addition to their fleet.
Despite tough economic conditions, the gloriously indulgent V-16 remained in the Moir family for an incredible 81 years through multiple generations. For 35 years it served as practical transportation before a meticulous restoration in the 1990s preserved its unmatched originality. Authenticity was paramount – with almost every component intact as-delivered or proper date-coded replacements fitted where necessary.
Carefully maintained, sparingly driven and warmly appreciated during seven decades of single family stewardship, this Cadillac is known as “the Moir V-16” among serious collectors. Its unmatched longevity of sympathetic ownership is as much a mark of distinction as its status as one of the finest examples extant of the supreme Cadillac V-16 roadsters of the Classic Era.
Credit: RM Sotheby’s
