1908 Cadillac Model S

Sold $19,040 USD

• A tangible link to the formative years of one of Americas most important automotive brands
• Powered by a 10-hp single-cylinder engine, paired with a two-speed transmission, Brown-Lipe differential, and 82-in. wheelbase
• Offered after seven decades of continuous family stewardship on Marthas Vineyard
• Mechanically restored in 2016 by Keysor Automobile Works in Bouckville, New York

Few automobiles capture the dawn of the American motor car quite like this remarkable 1908 Cadillac Model S Runabout. Representing Cadillac at its most elemental, it emerged during a formative period in Detroits automotive history, when precision engineering and innovative manufacturing were beginning to transform the automobile from a novelty into a viable means of transportation.

Cadillac was established in August 1902 from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company, following Henry Fords departure after a dispute with his financial backers. Investors William Murphy and Lemuel Bowen initially retained engineer Henry M. Leland to assess the factory and equipment for liquidation. Instead, Leland persuaded them to continue automobile production, bringing with him exacting manufacturing standards and a proven single-cylinder engine. The resulting Cadillac Automobile Company took its name from Antoine Laumet de La Mothe Cadillac, the French explorer credited with founding Detroit in 1701.

From its earliest days, Cadillac distinguished itself through an emphasis on precision and quality, quickly earning a reputation among Americas finest automobiles. That commitment culminated in one of the marques earliest great honors: the Dewar Trophy, awarded for outstanding advancement in the automobile industry.

Introduced in November 1907, the Model S represented the maturation of Cadillacs pioneering single-cylinder formula. Built on an 82-inch wheelbase, the two-seat Runabout was equipped with a Leland & Faulconer single-cylinder engine, two-speed transmission, Brown-Lipe differential, larger 24-inch wheels, and distinctive extended running boards.

According to Cadillac build records, this example was completed on 4 April 1908, finished in blue with contrasting light-blue and white striping, and sold new to Joseph D. Rourke of Brooklyn, New York. For approximately seven decades, it has remained in the care of the same family on Marthas Vineyard, where it has been continuously owned and garage-kept. The Cadillac was mechanically restored in 2016 by Keysor Automobile Works in Bouckville, New York, later earning 2nd Place honors at that years Marthas Vineyard Tisbury Car Show and was subsequently featured in the islands Vineyard Gazette.

A genuine artifact of the Brass Era, this 1908 Cadillac offers something increasingly rare: the opportunity to acquire not merely an automobile, but a tangible piece of American motoring history.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/hf26/.