The 1988 Cadillac line featured a new 4.5 liter V-8 for the Seville, Eldorado, Fleetwood and de Ville models. The Eldorado was extensively redesigned and detail changes were evident in the Allanté, Brougham, and Cimarron. The acceleration of Cadillacs with the new V-8 was better than any comparable Cadillac of the last decade. The Allanté offered a new analog instrument option as well as new colors. The Seville was given a new front end look and was available with anti-lock brakes. It also had improved fuel economy.
The Eldorado’s sheet metal, except for the roof, was all new. Both the Fleetwood Sixty Special and D’Elegance models had added standard equipment features The best selling of all Cadillac’s models, the deVille coupe and sedan, also had their standard equipment list extended. The traditional Brougham sedan was changed only in minor details while the Cimarron, in its last year of production, had its list of standard features expanded.
V.I.N. DATA
The 1988 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:
the first digit, “1,” represented the manufacturing country (United States)
the second, “G,” represented General Motors
the third, “6,” represented Cadillac
the fourth was the car line, GM body, as follows:
C-DeVille and Fleetwood
D-Brougham
E-Eldorado
J-Cimarron
K-Seville
V-Allanté
The fifth symbol was the series identification:
G-Cimarron
D-de Ville
B-Fleetwood
S-Fleetwood Sixty Special
W-Brougham
L-Eldorado
S-Seville
R-Allanté
Digits six and seven represent the body style:
47-two-door coupe
69-four-door sedan
57-Eldorado coupe
69-Seville four-door sedan
67-Allanté
The eighth digit identifies the engine:
“P” – L4-121
“Y” – 307 cu in. (5.0 liter) V-8
“8” – 273 cu. in (4.5 liter) V-8
The ninth digit is a check digit
The tenth digit represents the year where “J” means 1988
The eleventh digit is the assembly plant
The last six digits represent the production sequence
Cimarron: 500001 and up
Seville: 800001 and up
DeVille, Fleetwood, and Sixty Special: 200001 and up