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Most cars start their story when they leave the factory. This one started at a charity auction, before the car was even built. The First Production 2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport Premium carries serial number 0001, and it is live on Bring a Trailer right now. The bid sits at $21,000 as of this writing, and the auction ends on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 4.
A $120,000 Right To Order
In the spring of 2013, GM donated the first production CTS Vsport to the SAE Foundation, which funds STEM education programs for students. Barrett-Jackson sold it that August at its Hot August Nights auction in Reno, and the no-reserve lot went across the block with every dollar of proceeds headed to the foundation. Motor Authority reported that the winning bid was $120,000, placed by Tim and Pat Whited of Nederland, Colorado, and that the package included a performance driving school.
Here is the detail that makes this Cadillac interesting. According to the seller, that money bought the right to order VIN 0001, and the car was then built to the buyer's specification. So the $120,000 was a donation with a Cadillac attached, not a sticker price. It is a very different thing from the first production 2020 Supra that sold for $2.1M or the C8 Corvette VIN 001, but the idea is the same: the first one off the line, sold for a cause. If you follow this kind of thing, Motorious has covered how Barrett-Jackson charity cars raised nearly $7.6M at a single event.
The Car Itself
Strip away the paperwork and this is still a very good car. The CTS Vsport pairs a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6 rated at 420 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque with an Aisin eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive, an electronic limited-slip differential, and Magnetic Ride Control. It is the kind of understated Cadillac sedan that sleeper fans tend to appreciate once they have driven one.
This one is finished in Red Obsession Tintcoat over Jet Black leather with Morello Red accents. It has an Ultraview sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, navigation, and a Bose sound system. The window sticker, which the seller includes, lists a total of $73,085 and initial delivery to General Motors in Detroit. The odometer shows about 13,000 miles.
The Paper Trail
The documentation is the real draw. The listing says the sale includes the window sticker, manufacturer's literature, correspondence from SAE and GM, service records, and a clean Colorado title. The seller also says the car was delivered to McCaddon Cadillac in Boulder, Colorado, and that original buyer Tim Whited, a longtime Barrett-Jackson bidder who nicknamed the car "Sister C," died in 2024, after which the title passed to his wife. That explains why CARFAX shows two owners with no sale to an unrelated party, according to the seller.
There are a few flaws to know about. The listing notes repaired paint chips on the body, and the rear differential carrier was replaced under a recall campaign. CARFAX reports no accidents or damage. Service in June 2026 covered a fuel system treatment and an oil change.
What To Make Of It
At $21,000, this is currently priced like a clean used Cadillac sedan, and that is the point. A first-production serial number is a collector's novelty, not a guarantee of future value, and bidders will have to decide how much the story is worth to them. The charity sale, the buyers and the $120,000 figure are confirmed by outside reporting. The details about delivery, the owner's later history and the family title transfer come from the seller, so ask questions in the comments before bidding.
Source and photos: Bring a Trailer
