The Confusing Story of the Cadillac Allante - Bold Ride Blog (blog)

Here’s a bit of auto trivia for you: what does the term “Allante” mean in Italian. The word was created randomly by a GM computer as a way of concealing any details about the Cadillac by the same name. However to many of those who worked feverishly to bring the luxury car to these shores, the word might as well have meant, “pain in the a**. ” That’s a good metaphor to sum up the trouble and expense the project entailed. The suits at Cadillac want a vehicle that can hold its own with Europe’s finest. He agrees to help build the new car, which will fit on a chopped-off El Dorado frame. PHOTOS: See More of the 1987 Cadillac Allante. First challenge is getting the frames to Italy. The crew in Italy welded the chassis components into one piece, installed their own bodies and interiors, and topped everything off with a paint job. But, when they told the news to the suits at Cadillac, the Americans said, “no way. ” So the semi-finished vehicles were returned to Detroit, where Cadillac installed the sub-frames, drive train, fuel tanks, and wheels. 18-wheelers with special covers shipped the new vehicles to dealers across the country. PHOTOS: See More of the 1989 Cadillac Allante. Source: news.boldride.com