Cadillac XLR is Good, but not Great
This XLR is one more attempt to take on the mega-luxury brands coming out of Europe and Japan. This two-seater is Cadillac’s pride-and-joy. Though it shares the same platform as the current Corvette, the XLR variant is not a simple case of corporate badge engineering. This caddy has more in common with the luxury boat cruisers than sporty little roadsters. This Caddy is not swift in the response, so the ride is a bit smoother. It also uses a more subdued 4/6-liter, 320-horsepower V8 engine rather than the Vette’s edgier 6/2-liter, 436-hp V8 power plant.
The XLR makes good use of lightweight parts, such as aluminum suspension pieces, that keeps the XLR’s weight pretty reasonable. Also, the standard Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension system thinks for you, adjusting ride smoothness automatically. With all of this taken together, you get smooth and responsive maneuvers. The mash-up of the cutting exterior and bold interior with catching accents do make for a compelling presence. The XLR’s hard top is retractable, providing the best between the secure hard top and cruising with the top down. Whenever you put the top down, you should already have in place a Cadillac windscreen.
This Cadillac XLR does indeed turn heads, but it’s not worthy all of the hype GM is giving it – far from it. . If you’re looking at the XLR, then you might as well be looking at the Corvette, which costs $20K less and provides 116 more horse power.
The XLR is certainly a fast car, but, well, it’s just not sports car fast. The acceleration is notable, but still underneath what one hopes for in this sort of rod. The XLR isn’t notable on the chassis, which rolls to heavily into curves and pitches to far down when breaking fast. Even with its adaptive suspension’s split-second response, the Cadillac XLR still feels less willing to tackle turns than the more athletic European contenders. On the open highway, the roadster hits its stride, delivering an undisturbed ride with effortless tracking. If you ever want to talk on your cell phone, then you better get a Cadillac windscreen.
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When the author isn’t driving her XLR around town, she’s a fan of psychic reviews, the Seattle HCG Diet Center, and the Cadillac XLR windscreen windblocker wind deflector.
Tags: Cadillac XLR, Convertible, Top Down, windscreen