General Motors giveth, and General Motors taketh away. Yesterday we rejoiced over news the the Cadillac CTS coupe would make it into production, and today we morn the death of the Cadillac XLR.
"A specialty sports car like this has a limited life cycle," Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell told Inside Line. "It is not unusual for them to have a less permanent life cycle. This will be the final year (for XLR)."
We’ll miss this Caddy, but we’re not surprised. It was a tough road for the XLR. While it stood as a flagship for the brand and had a nifty folding hardtop; it was a low-volume, high-dollar car that first started production at about the same time the whole Cadillac brand was just beginning a renaissance. Sales have never met full expectations, and the current economic conditions make the XLR an obvious martyr. Our only hope is that when the economy is resurrected, so is the Caddy roadster.
It looks like the Cadillac XLR may go the way of the Allante. According to LeftLaneNews, Cadillac is likely to kill the XLR by the time the new Corvette arrives in 2012 (the two cars share the Bowling Green, KY plant). Although there has been no official announcement, the Cadillac has only managed to sell 1750 copies of the XLR last year (well under the 6,000 annual goal.)
Hmmmm, a V8 coupe/convertible sports car with very low production numbers. That sounds like a future classic.
The 2009 supercharged Cadillac XLR-V is the quickest, most agile and most exclusive Cadillac ever offered, combining advanced technology with hand craftsmanship that harkens back to Cadillac’s origins as a custom luxury coach builder.
Its 443-hp supercharged Northstar V-8 is hand-assembled to exacting standards at GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich. Each engine is built from start to finish by a single expert craftsman. The engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control. This powerful combination enables 0-to-60 (mph) acceleration in less than five seconds. The XLR-V includes numerous chassis enhancements for outstanding performance, developed and tuned in some of the world’s most demanding environments.
The interior features extensive use of leather-wrapped surfaces, created by craftsmen who cut, wrap and sew leather components individually.
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Cadillac today revealed the new 2009 edition of the XLR Roadster, featuring styling and model enhancements providing more dramatic design and technology. For 2009 XLR will be offered in only two versions: luxurious XLR Platinum and the high-performance XLR-V.
The XLR Platinum is powered by a 4.6L Northstar V-8 engine that delivers 320 hp, while the XLR-V is powered with a 443 hp 4.4L Supercharged Northstar V-8 engine.
The 2009 XLR includes a new front fascia, new rear fascia and new side fender vents. The revised design is inspired by the award-winning CTS sport sedan, delivering more detail and aggressiveness to Cadillac’s roadster. The front fascia includes new fog lamps and specific upper and lower grilles for the Platinum and V-Series models. Also, both ’09 models feature the distinctive hood with a raised center section that was previously exclusive to the V-Series.
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Cadillac XLR-V, which has been available in Cadillac showrooms across Europe since April, is a further addition to the luxury nameplate’s growing family of high-performance V-Series vehicles. The XLR-V combines luxury with power, performance, personal amenities and style and is equipped with the Northstar V-8 supercharged engine, producing 331 kW (450 hp). Combined with a rear-mounted, six-speed automatic transmission, the XLR-V’s supercharged engine helps deliver 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in 4.7 seconds
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How it came to be is unclear, but Bloomfield Hills, Michigan is actually using a Cadillac XLR-v as a police squad car.
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The XLR roadster, Cadillac’s bold entry into the elite club of luxury convertibles, adds a dash of exclusivity to its unique combination of performance, advanced technology and dramatic design. The XLR is an icon for Cadillac’s ongoing renaissance, expressing the brand’s resurgence in the categories of serious performance, image, luxury and technical sophistication.
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Metal-roofed convertibles are sturdier, safer, and offer better handling and a dramatically quieter ride than any ragtop. They are sexy, unsafe, pricey, cramped, and eminently unsuitable for families.
As a result, many prospective car buyers just glance at them longingly in the showroom before driving off in a minivan or crossover. But safety is increasingly less of a factor. That’s because these days auto makers offer convertibles with the sensuality of a ragtop and the solidity of a (...)
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The XLR roadster has taken a starring role in Cadillac’s new emphasis on dramatic styling and serious performance. Now the XLR Platinum maximizes the elegance of Cadillac’s entry into the elite club of luxury roadsters.
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Cadillac XLR, a retractable hardtop convertible, is a striking presence in the automotive spectrum. A luxury roadster with performance car roots, XLR’s lightweight chassis and structure and 4.6L Northstar V-8 VVT (variable valve timing) engine deliver a remarkable blend of sporting capability and luxurious refinement.
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