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 vs. Mercedes-Benz SL
63 messages, Last post on Mar 07, 2009 at 4:51 AM
You are in the Cadillac XLR and XLR-V Forum. Your Host is claires
Compare and contrast the features of the Cadillac XLR/XLR-V with those of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class models.
|
Replying to: laurasdada (Jul 08, 2006 5:40 pm) Price? The Cadillac is competitive. Their comment on price was a matter of it being Cadillac's first 6-digits car and the writers were still getting used to that. No doubt some people feel that way. But it's an irrational reservation having nothing at all to do with the car itself. On interior, wrong again. All the cars have interiors distinct from one another. The Caddy's is the most straightforward, cleanest in design aesthetic, has best ergonomics for its functionality. As for materials, well, there's leather, aluminum, wood, and high-grade plastics in appropriate places, just like in the other cars. The interior issue is a red herring, unless you're comparing all the cars to a Maserati. Phil |
|
|
Replying to: merc1 (Sep 15, 2006 12:41 am) Phil
|
|
|
Replying to: 213xlrv (Sep 18, 2006 12:51 am) Wrong, driving a car has absolutely nothing to do with judging the quality and build of the interior, uless you're looking for squeaks and rattles. You might have noticed that all GM interiors are improving rapidly with new model introductions. But if you haven't been in the car, then you don't know what you're talking about when you claim the interior can't be better than other GM interiors. Yeah GM interiors are improving and guess what, they're still behind the competition in most areas, as are Cadillacs. Again, I've been in the XLR/V more than a few times and I've examined the interior several times and it doesn't pass for 100K, it isn't even close. This isn't enough reason not to buy the car, to get the superior aspects of style and low mass with resulting handling character, compared to the the SL. For you maybe not, but this bs about low mass and a non-existant handling advantage isn't reason for many buyers to pick the XLR over its competitor eithers or so the sales numbers prove. You gloss over the interior issue with this design ethic excuse and trump up weight and some handling advantage that hasn't shown up anywhere yet. You've got the average buyer's priorities for this segment backwards! M
|
|
|
Replying to: merc1 (Sep 19, 2006 3:18 am) The XLR is too much of a toy and not practical. Our kids are grown. My wife drives a sedan and I drive the convertible. The XLR has no storage room and therefore, is almost a 3rd car ... a toy! They need storage behind the seat and a trunk big enough with the top down to go away for a weekend with the wife or go shopping. Many of us better off empty nesters use these luxury convertibles as our only ride. The storage area in the XLR is just enough smaller than then the others to make it almost unfunctional. Just some thoughts.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: carnut100 (Feb 13, 2007 8:02 am) Did you drive the XLR? How did it compare/contrast to your (which model/year) SL? Ride, handling, NVH? A great bone of contention: The XLR interior. Your thoughts? |
|
|
|
|
This is such a rediculous error on behalf of GM. I think its the only mistake they made with the car. THe interrior has almost no storage, and this really sucks. The good news is that I think its got the biggest trunk with the top up, but the deign of the car/top/whatever means that when stowed, it kills that room. And what about interrior storage elseware? At least provide something. I understand this is Cadillac's ultamate car but a little storage would be helpful. Anywhay, part of me hopes the Merc guy, and C&D precail, and many people overlook the car. In terms of style/perfoaance, and value this is head and shoulders above the Mercedes. Then the value goes down and I may be able to own one. It is the best car in the class if you travel light, or with the top up untill you get to the hotel  In terms of weight, acceleration, and everything else this is a better car. It is so many thousands cheaper (XLR-V vs SL55) that you must be hysterical to think the mercedes is better. The same is true for the base cars. Its just better, get over it.
|
|
|
Replying to: exalteddragon1 (Feb 20, 2007 1:41 pm) Its just better, get over it. No it's not. I know this is an old thread, but I found it interesting. Here's the latest review from Edmunds: http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/xlr/review.html As impressive as it is, the Cadillac XLR roadster is not quite the "standard of the world" -- far from it. Though its styling and Cadillac badge will appeal to those looking to roll up to the valet in something different from the status quo, the XLR comes up short in terms of maximum performance and especially interior detailing when compared to its similarly priced rivals from Germany and Great Britain. Furthermore, the XLR doesn't really offer that much more than a fully loaded Corvette, which is about $20,000 cheaper and 116-hp more powerful. |
|
I've always enjoyed XLR's unique style and sporty driving attitude.  The interior and powertrains need more polish to strongly challenge europe's best. XLR's interior is pleasant, but not deluxe enough for 80-100k. The engines are strong, but not powerful enough to make the Cadillac stand out from the competition. Cadillac had a chance to rectify this for 2009 but chose a mild refresh instead. http://www.leftlanenews.com/cadillac-xlr-future.html I suspect this mild update allowed GM to skip costly crash certification. If XLR received a truly new front, rear end, interior and bigger engines, NHTSA guidelines and crashworthiness would have to be re certified. This costs of millions of dollars per test! Too bad GM didn't at least slap some wood trim around the interior. BEFORE YOU FOLK SAY HOW TACKY THIS INTERIOR IS - be aware- I don't like the color of this wood or the extra piece on the bottom of the steering wheel. http://www.lgtautomotive.com/popup_image.php?pID=1760&image=1 http://www.lgtautomotive.com/popup_image.php?pID=1760&image=2 I think with darker richer wood finishes and expensive looking metal/billet pushbuttons instead of grey plastic, a dress up job like this would liven up the XLR interior. It wouldn't cost much more than the simple 2009 interior changes and would show some effort on Cadillac's part.
|
|
|
Replying to: ny3uvl714 (Jun 07, 2008 7:36 am) In my comments on Cadillac’s XLR and Mercedes-Benz’s SL550, I will address my key reasons why Cadillac’s XLR has a commanding purchase preference for my requirements in the luxury performance roadster segment. Let’s start with the basics, some of Cadillac’s XLR most advance technologies begin at a very fundamental level with chassis and body design. Cadillac’s XLR utilizes GM’s patented Performance Car Architecture, a pair of hydroformed rails with structural center tunnel, along with advance compound composites used in the XLR balsa floor construction and body panels. Additionally, extensive use of light metal alloys in aluminum and magnesium are designed into the XLR’s cockpit, suspension and roof. The key advantages of Cadillac’s XLR chassis and body design is, it is one of the most rigid, lightest high styled luxury performance roadsters existing in the world today, delivering one of the very best broad ranging dynamic driving experiences available. Another real life advantage of advance compound composite body panels are their durability and dent resistance properties when compared to steel or aluminum. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 unitized steel chassis and body panels create a superb rigid design. However, a SL550 similar optioned to Cadillac’s XLR, weighs in as the heaviest of the group and Cadillac’s XLR is the lightest by 400-600 pounds. In fact for comparison, Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 optioned similar to Cadillac’s XLR weighs more than Cadillac’s STS V8. On this design criterion alone, many would consider Cadillac’s XLR a superior design over Mercedes-Benz’s SL550. An additional key design benefit for the XLR other than weight savings is in Cadillac’s design decision to use advance compound composites for the XLR body panels. Cadillac’s XLR exterior design is simply breathtaking. In fact, some of the exterior styling of the Cadillac XLR is so exotic in their crisps lines, it would be virtually impossible to perform this in metal. When one does a visual walk around of Cadillac’s XLR and you see its gorgeous lines are uninterrupted, not even door handles intrude on the XLR exterior styling, it does create a formidable impression. GM’s engineers integrated all antennas within the composite body panels, again enhancing the exterior clean styling and modern design. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 displays traditional door handles and power antenna mast that exemplifies its more classic look in exterior design. In comparison to Cadillac’s XLR exterior design, the SL simply does not reach a level of exotic design in my view. Instead, the SL exterior design strikes me as a beautiful, sleek Mercedes-Benz coupe, not an exotic luxury sports car. Cadillac’s XLR exterior lines set a standard in contemporary exterior design and for my requirements; Cadillac’s XLR achieves a level of exotic style and design and is my first preference over any comparable luxury performance roadster. Lets transition to Cadillac’s interior, Cadillac designers and engineers have achieved an interior design in the XLR that exemplifies modern understated sophistication. This modern theme continues from the XLR’s exterior styling into its design of its interior. The XLR interior looks like no other, it is fresh and contemporary in its style with a mix of authentic soft and rich materials designed in such a way to enable a complex array of features and advance technology to feel simple and serene in its operation. No other luxury performance roadster so vividly creates such a wonderful experience with its understated graceful interior design as Cadillac’s XLR. Another design benefit, Cadillac’s XLR comes fully optioned which offered their designers and engineers a clear advantage by designing Cadillac’s XLR full complement of features and advance technology into the XLR’s exterior and interior without compromise. This is one of the key interior design advantages of Cadillac's XLR over the Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 that I evaluated. When you compare Mercedes-Benz's SL for example, the standard features with Cadillac's XLR are optional with Mercedes-Benz's SL550. This is not a problem per say, but as you add the optional features to the SL, some are integrated very well and others drastically change the appearance of the interior's operational controls and switch work, creating a more complex feel and in some cases it has an add-on appearance, feeling like an afterthought in its design. When I evaluated these performance luxury roadsters, Cadillac’s interior design is the most modern interpretation with minimal buttons and switchgear with some of the highest level of advance technology and features. Let’s continue on with advance technologies where Cadillac’s XLR strikes a powerful contrast to Mercedes-Benz SL550 in systems integration. Incorporating the world’s most advance technologies into useful and easy to use luxury, performance and safety features is one of the key indicators of superior engineering and the ultimate recognition of excellent design. And in my evaluation of Cadillac's XLR and Mercedes-Benz's SL550, both are world class in this regard. However that said, there are differences in Cadillac’s design approach versus Mercedes-Benz. In my case, again Cadillac’s XLR is my preference over Mercedes–Benz’s SL550. Some of the key applied technologies that enable an authoritative design for Cadillac’s XLR are in its advance body and chassis technologies with MRC (Magnetic Ride Control), Magnasteer and Stabilitrak systems integration. Advance Telematics designed by OnStar offering some of the most innovative features on the market today. Image information technology in the color Head Up Display (reconfigurable four color display), Driver Information and LCD Touch Screen Displays. Infotainment systems with its incorporation of Cadillac’s XLR advance seat design which utilizes Bose’s Personnel Surround Sound with True Space technology formulated to the XLR’s specific acoustic environment. These seats incorporate ceramic materials to offer another exclusive technology of cooled versus ventilated seats. And a real enrichment to some of these advance features in comparison to Mercedes-Benz’s SL550, is that some are exclusive in how Cadillac’s designers and engineers integrated them seamlessly into the XLR. And the result, Cadillac’s XLR displays a painstaking, highly integrated, easy to operate intuitive design in contrast to Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 more complex looking, old world styled design that can be complicated in its operation and does not integrate its features as we
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Coupes & Convertibles Cadillac XLR and XLR-V Cadillac XLR vs. Mercedes-Benz SL
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
2009 Cadillac XLR-V
2009 Cadillac XLR
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
