Over at Driven to Write, jm2 (2025) recently offered a spirited defense of the first-generation Cadillac Seville. He called it a “shining star” that would “become a benchmark and gain the significance of an icon — one that would change the face of design in North America.” This is a well-argued essay, yet I find myself holding back from joining the parade. I wonder whether one reason why is that my automotive sensibilities have been heavily informed by living almost all of my life on the West Coast. By 1975 imports made up almost 40 percent of car sales in Pacific Coast [...]