Cadillac had a resounding 1965, producing close to 200,000 cars. But it was a banner year for all Detroit, so that was only good for 11th place. The "budget" Series 62, a fixture since 1940, was renamed Calais. Eldorado and the Sixty Special were officially Fleetwoods, like Series 75, bearing the requisite nameplates, wreath-and-crest medallions, broad rocker panel and rear-quarter brightwork, and rectangular-pattern rear appliqués. A new Fleetwood Brougham sedan, actually a Sixty Special trim option, offered a vinyl roof with rear-quarter "Brougham" script.

Another body change gave the '65s a longer, lower silhouette, with fins planed absolutely flat, though a hint of them remained. Also new were a straight back bumper and vertical lamp clusters. Up front, headlight pairs switched from horizontal to vertical, thus permitting an even wider grille. Curved side windows appeared, and pillared sedans returned in the Calais and DeVille series. Sixty Specials likewise gained roof pillars, while six-window hardtop sedans were dropped. The Special also reverted to its exclusive 3378mm wheelbase after riding the standard 3289mm chassis for 1959-64.

Though Cadillac's V-8 was unchanged, the slightly lighter '65s offered the luxury market's best power-to-weight ratio. "Dual driving range" Turbo Hydra-Matic and full-perimeter frames (replacing the X-type used since '57) were adopted except for 75s, and all models came with a new "sonically balanced" exhaust system. Amazingly, prices weren't far above what they'd been in '61.