An article in D Magazine from August 1981 caught my attention. In it, a GM dealer said “If you’re really concerned about safety, you should just get a ’68 Cadillac and say to hell with the newer cars.”
The reasoning was that a 1968 Cadillac was physically larger than a then-new 1981 model, and any defects it had would have been fixed and recalled long ago. In addition, 1968 was the first year that 3-point seat belts were mandatory. 3-point belts were by far the most effective, and highest visibility, individual safety item that was required by safety standards up to that point.
But even though it wasn't often marketed in the era, 1981 cars were in a completely different league on safety than 1968 cars. For an apples-to-apples comparison, I'll be comparing a 1968 Cadillac to a 1981 Cadillac (be sure to pull the fuse on the V8-6-4!)
-If you got rear-ended in a 1968 Cadillac, the car would likely leak fuel and possibly catch fire. In that era, it was commonplace for manufacturers to put the fuel tank at the very rear of the car. Most cars shared the same problem as the infamous Ford Pinto. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 301 went into effect for the 1977 model year, requiring cars to survive a 30 mph rear impact without leaking fuel. Any 1981 Cadillac exceeds this standard.
-The 1968 Cadillac had no crumple zones. The 1977 redesign of the full-size Cadillacs (de Ville, Fleetwood) added rudimentary crumple zones. By 1981, the full Cadillac lineup had crumple zones.
-The 1968 Cadillac had no head restraints, bad news if you're rear-ended (and that's if the car doesn't explode). All 1981 Cadillacs had head restraints.
-The 1981 Cadillac's interior was far more extensively and effectively padded than the 1968's.
-The 1980-1985 Cadillac Seville scored 4 stars for the driver and 5 stars for the front passenger in the NHTSA full frontal test (pre-2010 standards).
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