Well, you see, if you check official Cadillac factory records, view every 1988 Cadillac brochure, and watch every Cadillac commercial, you will not find a single 1988 STS sedan.  Why? Because they didn't exist!  Both of Larry's cars are prototypes that were part of a group produced and erroneously released to the dealer network in error.

First and foremost let us clear the air about the 1988 Cadillac Seville STS!

It is a known fact that Cadillac produced an upgraded Seville in 1988 that had a Touring Suspension and a larger engine. This is well documented in all the 1988 Seville reviews for the year of 1988, and that this 1988 Seville with the Touring Suspension spawned the 1989 STS.

This is quite correct, but set some confusion in latter years to all, as Cadillac Dealers have inadvertently ordered wrong body parts for my two 1988 STS’s.

It was then, that we found out about the 1988 Seville with the Touring Suspension and it is NOT a Seville Touring Sedan, a.k.a. STS.

This led to a great deal of confusion for Cadillac dealers who were trying to get parts looking under the year 1988. Cadillac dealers have complete parts listings as well as photos to confirm the vehicle that they are working on. Even enthusiasts were confused, not to mention the novice.

Viewing the accompanying parts blow up for the 1988 Cadillac Seville with the Touring Package as depicted in the Cadillac General Motors Parts guide for the 1988 Seville with the Touring Suspension the marking are clear as to the model name.

It is also well documented that the first year for the Cadillac Seville STS was in 1989. Looking at the initials of both vehicles it obvious what caused the confusion.

However, the 1988 Seville with the Touring Suspension was an upgraded 1988 Seville sharing the same exterior and interior amenities of the base Seville. The only difference between the standard Seville and the upgraded unit with the Touring Suspension was the suspension and the upgraded 4.5 liter engines.  Unlike the STS’s that were only available with the four (4) passenger, Peanut Butter colored interior and lacked many exterior moldings and driver illumination markers to eliminate drag, the thoroughbred STS was a physically cleaner model with many electrical, body, and interior differences.  Just the rear lighting alone one could not change a standard Seville into an STS.

It seemed that a 1988 STS was nothing but urban legend (internet rumors), you know like alligators in the sewers.

More legend prevailed over the years.  One that a daughter of one of Cadillac’s Late Engineers left her a 1988 STS in a garage on blocks. Tracing and e-mailing this person lead to no such email address or car.

Another stated that Cadillac put the 1988 STS in the third edition of the repair manual reprinted in 1992. No one has seen this edition as of this writing.

Well, now we have the world renowned Cadillac & La Salle Club with members world wide and contacts with Cadillac Motor Division. (This is a club of Cadillac owners and non owners, world wide, that provides information to member about every conceivable model, repair hints, and a monthly color magazine to its members, who do and do not own a Cadillac - for an unbelievably inexpensive annual dues.) It was the Cadillac & LaSalle Club that researched the production line numbers for 1988 with Cadillac (GM), to confirm that there are no production numbers for a thoroughbred 1988 Cadillac Seville STS  and that the two 1988 STSs in this article (and in my possession!) are 1988’s - the VIN numbers confirmed their manufacture date. (What a club this is!) 

But a manufacturer just does not just make a car and put it on the market. It must be tested. Hence, the manufacture of the 1988 STS’s for internal experimental purposes only. I have found out that the 1988 STS were crashed and or gutted. The gutting was to experiment with air bag design. Well, enough talk, you can now see photos of two real 1988 Cadillac Seville STS’s. They do exist, even though Cadillac Motor Division states that they do not. At least for the public.  So enjoy seeing a legend become reality, do enjoy.