Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Coupes & Convertibles Cadillac XLR and XLR-V Cadillac XLR and XLR-V
199 messages, Last post on Jun 06, 2009 at 9:02 PM
You are in the Cadillac XLR and XLR-V Forum. Your Host is claires
|
|
|---|---|
|
Replying to: 213xlrv (May 17, 2006 9:39 am) While I can't argue with your opinion of the ext/int designs of the SL/XLR I can, of course, disagree. I'm no fan of the "Mr. Peanut" headlights of the SL, but overally I find it to be a very handsome, elegant design. The interior may be a bit overwrought, but I prefer the flow/cockpit feel. And, to me, the XLR tail, while "chiseled" is no less flattering than the SLs rounded derriere. Beyond material choice, the desing of the XLR interior is what least impresses me about the car. The center stack is just too plain and obtrusive, a slab. Also, the vast and unadorned expanse of plastic facing the passenger. Just too much, inelegant. As I mentioned, the '06 upgrade of the XLR center stack helps immeasurably, imo. To me, the XLR is the most successful execution of the Caddy "Arts & Science" theme. Followed by the SRX (a handsome Station Wagon). The CTS started it all off, a wildly overdone design to me. The STS is a somewhat toned down CTS, dull. The C pillar back just looks very wrong to me. Nicer interior, though. But, too each. And, again, overall I find the XLR a desireable package (noting I've not driven either XLR or SL, why torture myself!) which is why I continue to hang around here. I look forward to XLR owners postings because one of these days... |
|
|
Replying to: merc1 (May 17, 2006 10:41 pm) On the weight issue I am not shooting in the dark. I've driven the SL500, 600 and SL55. It's an informed observation. I elected to buy the XLR-v. I accept the weight penalty for the category of vehicle -- the XLR-v is 600 lbs heavier than the higher performance and less expensive Corvette Z06! Cadillac is setting the current standard for controlling weight penalty in such a car. The Z06 is on the same platform, and comparable to a Porsche in mass, so that's the baseline to establish how much weight penalty is necessary to accept for luxury retracting hardtop GT. The further quarter ton incurred by the SL is just useless, pointless, accumulated pork. We know why it's there. It's just that the XLR/XLR-v architecture demonstrates by its very existence the lack of good reason for it. It's 500 pounds of penalty no matter how you slice it. If I were claiming 1100 pounds of penalty compared to true sports cars, you'd have a point. But I'm not. I'm only pointing out the unmistakable flaw imposed by all that extra mass that has no purpose. It exists only because Mercedes is too lazy or complacent to engineer it out. I've driven all the cars. I surely can say that the auto mags don't know what they're talking about or that their priorities are a miss. Are you kidding???? You think the auto mag reviewers are beyond reproach somehow? What they write are nothing more authoritative than their subjective impressions. If they choose to ignore a 500 pound penalty that infects the entire experience of driving the car, that's there call. But it gets no special reverence from me. There's no spin in characterizing the XLR-v interior as "honest." It's what I think, plain and simple. I prefer it. I have 360 degrees of leather, sourced from a euro supplier who also supplies your brands. The plastics are comparable quality to anyone else's. The metal and wood touch points require no defense. And on design, the Cadillac wins. The rest of whatever difference you cite -- and you really haven't cited exactly what those differences are -- is ephemeral. But we agree Maserati knows how to make an interesting car that successful people want to spend time in. Good for that. However, you still miss the point about the aluminum Audi. I'm not suggesting a Town Car and an A8 are equivalent vehicles other than both being large 4 doors. But AWD or not, an aluminum unibody ought not to exceed 2 tons. That's just lazy engineering again. No one builds a 500hp car without performance in mind. So citing weight as a non-issue in the class is specious. The XLR-v has no shortage of "pampering" assets, yet it's dynamically more agile due in part to its lower mass. Sure, for lots of people these are nothing more than ego cruisers. I'm not interested in those people, and neither is Cadillac's V division. The marketing is clearly performance directed. In the XLR/XLR-v, Cadillac leveraged a very strong but lightweight world-class sports car platform from elsewhere in GM, and built a new take on the luxury retractable hardtop GT. It's sensationally effective and I'd feel much less progressive and entertained in the corpulent SL range. Phil
|
|
|
Replying to: 213xlrv (May 18, 2006 4:52 pm) I've driven all the cars. I surely can say that the auto mags don't know what they're talking about or that their priorities are a miss. Are you kidding???? You think the auto mag reviewers are beyond reproach somehow? No of course I'm not suggesting that, but how can all of them be wrong about two competive cars is what I'm asking. You keep forgetting that there are many factors when evaluating 75-90K luxury GT cars, not just their handling how much weight they don't have. You're using this single viewpoint, something that most buyers don't care one whit about, to claim superiority for the Cadillac when in reality most people buying car of this ilk care about features, styling, luxury and other things with handling being in the mix for sure, but it isn't the primary criteria for these cars. There's no spin in characterizing the XLR-v interior as "honest." It's what I think, plain and simple. I prefer it. I have 360 degrees of leather, sourced from a euro supplier who also supplies your brands. The plastics are comparable quality to anyone else's. The metal and wood touch points require no defense. Sure there is because like I said before, design, looks all that jazz is debatable, but when I see cheapo parts from a 20K GM car in the 75K XLR there is a problem. Saying that the materials are "honest" is a cop out plain and simple. GM's plastics have never matched their competition in anything they've built, especially in their expensive cars like the XLR. But we agree Maserati knows how to make an interesting car that successful people want to spend time in. Good for that. Yeah its a interesting car - agreed. Not sure what you're trying to imply with the "successful people" part. Let me guess though, we're back to the Benz/BMW buyers are pretenders again? While Cadillac buyers are the real deal? However, you still miss the point about the aluminum Audi. I'm not suggesting a Town Car and an A8 are equivalent vehicles other than both being large 4 doors. But AWD or not, an aluminum unibody ought not to exceed 2 tons. Says who? Where is this written, in the Automotive Engineering Handbook? You won't allow yourself to possibly think what an A8 would weigh if it were not made from aluminum. Could they have done better with it overall in the weight department? Sure, but to say that Audi is lazy is the "specious" part. No one builds a 500hp car without performance in mind. So citing weight as a non-issue in the class is specious. True to a degree, but the problem is that in reality that statement isn't always that cut and dry. Just because a car has 500hp doesn't mean it has to be some type of lightweight either. You miss the point about the SL or XLR, they're GT cars not sports cars. Luxury sedans have 500hp nowadays and they aren't light either. Now because Cadillac decides to dress up a Corvette they're supposed to be considered some type of brilliant innovator? Not. The XLR-v has no shortage of "pampering" assets, yet it's dynamically more agile due in part to its lower mass. Sure, for lots of people these are nothing more than ego cruisers. I'm not interested in those people, and neither is Cadillac's V division. See this is my point exactly. How would you know who Cadillac's V division is interested in? You act like Cadillac's V series cars are seen at the local autocross and are only driving by the most elite real-world drivers in the country. This is nonsense because the XLR is indeed nothing more than another luxury GT crusier for the overwhelming majority of its buyers just like any other luxury GT in the price range. I can't believe you actually think that most or even a majority of XLR buyers look at the XLR like you do and that this somehow makes all the other cars in the class irrelevant or how all the rest are driven by pretenders and badge seekers. Buyers of the XLR-V and SL55 are probably a little more frisky at times than regular XLR and SL550 buyers sure, but they aren't racers either and most owers who pay 100K and 125K respectively for these cars aren't going to be ripping and racing all over the place. You might catch them taking a few ramps or curves at speed and doing a few high-speed runs on a good stretch of freeway, but this about what type of buyer Cadillac is and isn't interested in is just plain silly. The fact is that the XLR is a slow seller and Cadillac would love to sell one to anyone that wants one. Try selling this theory about who Cadillac is wanting to buy the XLR to a Cadillac salesman and see what the response is. M |
|
|
|
|
From watching Ebaymotors auctions: This weekend a low mileage '05 w/no reserve (Atlanta area) appeared to go in the mid/high $40s. It appears that more the norm for '05 prices are now dropping into the $50s. A few '06 are being offered "Buy Now" price around the "Employee Pricing" of last year, ~$69-70k. Unfortunately, the stock market is falling a lot faster than XLR pricing...  
|
|
|
|
|
then those are very lucky people, B/c the XLR seems to be holding its own in terms of pricing, GM is keeping volume low. Also, I bet you can get equally lucky with an SL, since there are so many of them. I prefer the style in side and out of the Cadillac, add in the weight advantage and mercedes becomes outdated. I wish the rest of GM's divisions could have such an advatage in the marketplace.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: exalteddragon1 (Jun 24, 2006 11:02 am) As far as GM keeping volumes low, I don't think that is by choice. When the XLR debuted as an '04, they were building 23/week. Due to lack of demand (imho due in no small part to the wildly high msrp and, as perceived by some, an interior not suited to that high price point) production was basically halved to 12/week. There is no shortage of MB SL for sale, but I don't think they are depreciating quite as fast as the XLR. As per my posts in this thread, I too, like the style of the XLR. Not as much as the SL, to be honest. But given the $ advantage and relative exclusivity I'm considering it as my mid-life (well into it, by the way. Wife won't let me have a proper one, though!) crisis-mobile. |
|
You are here:
Forums
Coupes & Convertibles Cadillac XLR and XLR-V Cadillac XLR and XLR-V
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2009 Cadillac XLR-V
2009 Cadillac XLR
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
