I also own a 2007 Corvette Z06, though I’ve owned that for a very short time. With neither car would I be inclined to take turns (in normally bad South Florida traffic) where I need better seat support. My father has a Mercedes CL63 (which did get a good writeup here), and I can see the difference in the seats, and where the complaint is coming from. But that Mercedes is more than twice the price. One can get a deal on the XLR-V, but not so on the CL63.

That is part of the appeal. Do not compare cars with similar MSRPs. Compare cars with actual prices which are similar. For the $70k that I paid, I do not see a Mercedes which compares. And as indicated by the CL63 purchase, we are not closed-mindedly against Mercedes in general. But the SL series (which compares to the XLR-V) sure is commonplace.

In comparison, I see (with discomfort) that people often approach my parked car and do a 360. People start conversations at gas stations. In South Florida, it seems like everybody is generally unfriendly, so it’s odd for people to behave this way. On more than 1 occasion, I’ve had to ask the person inspecting the car to excuse me so that I can get into it. I have delayed returning to my car so that I would not have to interact with the person inspecting it. At the grocery store, a Publix employee (an older one) scared the hell out of me by sticking her head into my open passenger window to tell my that it (either my convertible top’s action or the car itself) was the coolest thing she’d ever seen. Other people (yes plural) have stopped dead while walking to watch the top move. As if they’ve never seen a hardtop convertible. This is not our first nice car. But I’ve never seen reactions like this. And my car is plain old unobtrusive black, and not some attention-getting color. That CL63 with its 20 inch rims, AMG emblems, and chrome on black doesn’t get as much attention.

We also have the Lexus SC430 and I’ve never seen someone stop to watch that top’s action.

So much of the car’s appeal is the coolness factor. The 443 horsepower is not bad, but it’s nothing impressive in today’s automotive world. Two different people told me that it reminds them of the batmobile. I don’t see it, but again, I’m only addressing how it compares to the ubiquitous Mercedes SL and Lexus SC430 hardtop convertibles. It’s all personal preference. And some incarnations of the batmobile were, after all, rather bad.

Yes there are negatives. Wind noise is bad with the top down at highway speed, but they do make a screen for that. I felt it was over-priced. I really didn’t like the interior at first, and I still don’t love it. But it grew on me. I like the Lexus and Mercedes interior better, but I think that Cadillac was shooting for understated.

Most people are not taking this car on the track, and I doubt that the seats will be inadequate for them either.

The trunk space? If you want more, put the top up. That’s the beauty, its versatility. And I doubt that the Lexus is much better when both tops are down. Unknown about the Mercedes.

The top? Well it is inefficient. The Lexus is much better designed. Less moving parts. Less to go wrong. Quicker. But I don’t think that the goal was a quick, efficient up and down maneuver. And when the rain comes quickly, and the traffic light is about the change, that quickness is what you want. But most of the time, it’s enjoyable to watch the dance as the top does it’s thing. Spectators seem to agree.

I have never had to do a panic stop, but from what I’ve read about the specifications, it’s braking is a little disappointing despite it’s relatively lower weight and corvette-based brakes. And this is where I much prefer the Z06. But as repeatedly pointed out, it’s apples and oranges.

The runflat tires. Yes they suck in certain respects. But they’re also on the Z06, and maybe even the Lexus. I forget. Heck, the Mini-Cooper S often have them. So even performance cars and German go-carts are seen to benefit from the convenience and mental comfort. Despite the negatives, I would put them on any car I owned if it did not already come factory. But if you want performance and better ride, one can easily change them out. In the forums I can see that Z06 owners often do.

Of the two, I prefer the XLR-V to the Z06. 505 horsepower? 443? Whatever. Either one is good enough. If memory serves, the XLR-V somehow matches a 500 horsepower Ford GT500 in a 0-60 sprint, and that’s quick enough. So what if a Z06 can smoke the same Mustang. I’m too old for that. When I’ve had bad day and want to light up the tires off a light, the Cadillac will do fine. Plus the XLR-V is unique, whereas the Z06 looks pretty similar to the standard Corvette.

In sum, the car gets looks without making the owner seems like they’re trying to get attention. It’s the opposite of a car with pickle jar exhausts and fake intakes. And it is also a sleeper, because the attention that it gets has nothing to do with it’s performance. I doubt that the average person would know what it can do, since even the “supercharged” emblems are smallish and only on the sides.

If not already clear, I recommend it. But it’s like Rocky Road vs. Vanilla ice cream. Most everybody likes Vanilla at least a little. Whereas Rock Road is maybe too different, and people will love or hate it.

Very wekk said and I purchased a Cadillac XLR and most recently reviewed Cadillac’s XLR-V and Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG which were my final two candidates for purchase.

I happen to adore Chevrolet’s Corvette/Z06, Porsche 911 and reviewed these as consideration for purchase. Simply said, these are world class sports cars. I thought that was what I wanted when I started, but as I reviewed luxury GTs, I found myself wanting these designed cars, fitting my requirements the best. That is where Cadillac’s XLR/XLR-V and Mercedes-Benz’s SL550/SL55 AMG became my ultimate luxury performance roadsters of choice, with Cadillac’s XLR/XLR-V as my selected luxury performance roadster.

Cadillac has created something very special in the XLR/XLR-V worthy of world class status. In my view this takes nothing away from Corvette in that they are designed for different sports car buyers. In my case, Cadillac’s XLR/XLR-V simply is the very best sports car for my requirements in the world, bar none.

JLM

Still, a cloth top is not a hard top. Putting leather on the Vette’s interior surfaces doesn’t make that interior equivalent to XLR-V. The magnificent 6.2L mill doesn’t match the smooth exoticar whoosh of the Supercharged 4.4L Northstar. So they’re still aimed at different buyers with different wallets.

No Corvette, including the Z06, gets the social reaction the XLR-V earns. Its dramatic, sharp design, sheer scarcity and aural mystery wins respectful attention. Not a single day goes by that I don’t receive one or more unsolicited compliments about my Cadillac, and the enthusiasm for it cuts across social categories. People I’d have no other social context to meet routinely chat me up about this car.

I know what you mean about Z06 drivers.

Phil

The XLR-V is a sports car, just not in the same league as a Z06. The reason I bought the XLR-V is it really is the best of both worlds. 443hp, yet a luxurious, hardtop convertible, and rare.
You can bet all those who bought the Z06 are wishing they bought the LS2 400hp convertible instead. Buying a XLR-V is just one more step up, to the annoyance of Z06 owners.

I do enjoy the guys in the Z06’s driving beside me, reving their engines and wanting to have a quick run. No kidding – they are ENVIOUS. Although the XLR-V is really a Vette beneath a Cadillac exterior, I am yet to see a friendly wave from a Z06 driver. My feelings are hurt.

It is more money, uglier in and out, slower, and handles worse than a Z06. Need I say more?

I won’t challenge your dislike of the XLR-V’s aesthetics compared to Corvette. I like them both and each makes a distinctly different visual statement. However, if you compare XLR-V to Z06 for value, then you misunderstand this car.

The Z06 is a hard-core sports car just comfortable enough for the street and usable as a daily driver. It only comes as a fixed-roof coupe. As a sports car, it sacrifices quiet and comfort and accepts high NVH, in favor of sheer road-wrangling competence. Of course it outruns and handles more adroitly than XLR-V. Z06 is a sports car.

XLR-V is not a sports car. It is a retractable hardtop coupe/roadster luxury GT. Because of this, XLR-V shifts its luxury performance axis toward comfort. To reduce NVH, XLR-V has narrower tires. It’s luxury features and hardtop convertible add more than 600 lbs. of mass over its platform stablemate, Z06. While XLR-V is a quarter ton lighter than its Mercedes equivalent, it is still about 20% heavier than the Z06 and carries its weight on a smaller tire contact patch. It is not going to handle as well as a lower, lighter, fatter-tired, more aggressively sprung Z06, and it’s not intended to.

However, Z06 doesn’t give you a retractable hardtop. It’s not as quiet, nor is its drivetrain as smooth. It’s not as supple on broken city streets. Z06 is a Corvette, so it doesn’t make the same impression as the scarcer XLR-V. Z06 will not leave you feeling nearly as fresh after a 1000 miles day on the road.

The two are simply different-purpose cars, derived from a common platform. I’d like to have both.

Phil

It is more money, uglier in and out, slower, and handles worse than a Z06. Need I say more?

I looked at the BMW Z4 and AUDI (must admit the 2008 TT looks hot), and had already precluded them as not being contenders for various reasons, but mainly as they were too small (I am 6′3″). I was looking for luxury over speed so I also didn’t consider the Viper.

I drove the SL550 (thought SL55AMG was too pricey)in April prior to driving an xlr. I was impressed at the quality, but not impressed with the aging exterior design. The interior left me cold, and thought the stereo was awful for a $130k cdn vehicle. Beyond my impressions, there are a multitude of gray SL550’s & AMG’s driving around my neighbourhood – dime a dozen in my opinion – and bland (what is with all these people buying gray cars).

I drove the Z06 in May at a local dealership. I was impressed with the speed, but wasn’t necessarily feeling that the Z06 was what I wanted – instead I wanted to pursue a luxury 2 seater – still thinking maybe Z4 at that time.

I then finally drove the base XLR. I had never been in one before unlike the Corvettes, Z4, SL550, etc. etc.

My first impression was that I felt the design was exceptional. There is no exaggeration is saying the design and flare is a welcome change from the boring looks of some of the contenders (like the looks of the Z4 – just too damn small).

The rectractable hard top I felt was fast and efficient (not bumpy), the seats I felt were firm yet supportive, the ride was firm and suprisingly solid in my opinion (very much like the Vette), fit and finish I thought was decent if not up to grade with the SL, and the stereo was excellent. And behold I could sit in a two seater without hitting my head on the headliner while the top was up(eg. BMW, Audi, SL, & Lexus). What blew me away was the looks from pedestrians and other drivers. Many had indicated that they were impressed with the design. As there are very few XLR’s around, it seemed to be a novelty.

Moreover, I was starting to have that “must have” craving like I had not experienced with other contenders.

So thanks to one test drive, I was leaning towards the XLR. At the end of May, I was still undecided (I was thinking Jag shockingly). However, once I read 213Cobra’s well written response to Robert’s review, I started realizing that I should look at the XLR-V and potentially go the used route to save on the big first year hit of depreciation. I had never seen nor driven in a “V” – I am not sure why but no local dealerships in Canada had them, and I had never seen one on the road. The V series finally won me over while searching the web and I ended up buying the XLR-V on-line (although I bought it as a dealership demo in the States with 12000 k’s for far under list price to compensate for going the extra step to the V).

The only big negative in my opinion is no pop up wind screen behind the seats as wind buffeting is severe at high speeds with the windows down. Otherwise I have NO COMPLAINTS especially since saving $35,000.00 off list by purchasing a 2006.

Which brings me to the conclusion of numerous others that if the XLR-V was priced in the mid $70 – 80 k’s, this car would be hard to resist (in comparison to the others) for those looking for a luxury two seater convertible with 443 horses. Yet then the XLR-V’s would be common place on the road and I would have to resort to buying a Vantage!

Anyways, thank you 213Cobra as your responses to Robert’s commentary helped in my ultimate decision.

I just wanted to comment saying in my six month evaluation prior to purchasing my Cadillac XLR, I came to many of the same conclusions you have, but certainly have not expressed them so vividly.

I simply wanted to say, thank you for your insightful comments.

JLM

I just wanted to comment saying in my six month evaluation prior to purchasing my Cadillac XLR, I came to many of the same conclusions you have, but certainly have not expressed them so vividly.

I simply wanted to say, thank you for you insightful comments.

JLM

I must admit, I came away in stark contrast in my impression of Cadillac’s XLR and more of the same with Cadillac’s XLR-V. In fact, I perform an evaluation of several luxury sports cars and decided on the XLR with Mercedes-Benz’s SL500 as my #2 choice. I would describe both of these luxury roadsters as wonderful high performance luxury sports cars.

I found positives and negatives with all of the sports cars that I reviewed, but I must admit, they all were depending on your requirements fun and very fine vehicles. But what set Cadillac’s above the other sports car is its style and design, systems integration and features. I found no other luxury sports car better in this regard. And I was expecting Mercedes-Benz’s SL to edge out the Cadillac in these areas and was surprise when that was not what I experienced.

At any rate, my experience has been so positive with the XLR, I have decided on Cadillac’s XLR-V to replace my current model. I did review Mercedes-Benz’s SL55 AMG and what a wonderful product, but it really offered nothing more to change my impression other than the increase in power, which is very impressive. But at the end of the day, the styling and design of Cadillac’s XLR-V is so far beyond any other product in its class, there does not seem to be any contest for my tastes. To each his owned, but for my requirements, Cadillac’s XLR-V is the best in class high performance luxury roadster, bar none.

JLM

Thanks for your response, and the compliment. I’ll follow-up on your invitation. My post was a stream-of-consciousness quick draft. For compensation, I’m sure I can do better. My opening wasn’t intended as a flame and I’m sorry it was interpreted as such. Perhaps I should have written, “..If I didn’t know better, I’d wonder whether anyone here actually drove the car…”

OK, a few points…

“The SL, however, is hardly ’stupidly porky.’ It’s very sexily porky. In fact, I believe it’s a classic design: the best looking Merc made.”

Clark Gable’s Merc 170V was sexy. Al Jolson’s SSK was sexy. In my lifetime, the Gullwing was sexy. But I don’t see any Mercedes of the last 45 years as “sexy,” though they do seem to be making a stab at a design theme that isn’t slab-sided and dull since about 1997. I’ll give you that the current SL is the best looking Mercedes in current production, but that’s like saying Howard Stern is good looking for a radio entertainer. We just don’t agree. To you the SL is “sexily porky,” but to me it looks bloated and vaguely squashed. “Pre-disastered” as Robin Williams described the house he was about to buy in “Garp” when the plane crashed into the 2nd story.

“…And inadequate seat bolstering…” OK, can’t argue your view of how your own body fits. For me, who is accustomed to deep bolstering in sports cars, the sueded inserts do an equally-effective job combined with the bolstering that’s there.

“A ’subtle sideways tail skittle on broken pavement in a curve’ is great writing but lousy reporting.In a turn, at speed, over a bad bump or broken pavement (especially off-camber), the XLR-V simply loses it. All handling fluidity and coherence disappear. If it’s bad enough, the car goes pavement surfing, which is also true of the C6 (see: my review).”

This is not my experience. Maybe 35 years of driving sports cars gives me a different perspective. All Corvettes have had this bump-skip characteristic since the transverse leaf spring suspension debuted. By the way, Triumph Spitfires did the same thing for the same reason. I’ve driven well over a hundred thousand miles in Corvettes, much at speed over difficult California secondary roads in less-than-optimum state of repair. I guess I’m used to it. I certainly have never experienced “pavement surfing” or anything close to it. In a Mustang, sure. Not in a Corvette. Swapping ends in a Corvette has been difficult since at least the C4 and my experience with this phenomenon has always been that recovery is nearly instant. What defines “fluidity” and “coherence?” I suppose there’s a measure of taste and preference. In the XLR-V, the rear skittle intrinsic to the platform is made a little more obvious by the hard run-flats, but even in the wet, I’ve not experienced anything I’d consider even mildly troublesome on our no-longer-maintained California asphalt.

“The SL is INCREDIBLY competent through the bends, no matter what kind of pavement’s it’s traversing.”

Maybe. I didn’t say the SL isn’t competent. I allude to the fact that it is by pointing out how well the car’s engineering compensates for its weight. But nevertheless, I feel all that tech fighting the weight of the car, and the result is exceptionally numb driving for a 2-seater.

“I’m not sure why you’ve got a problem comparing the XLR-V to a Porsche cabriolet, ’cause brother that car is one HELL of a GT. As is the SL550. I’ve driven both cars enormous distances at high speeds. They’re both more comfortable and competent and near-as-dammit as quick as the XLR-V.”

The Porsche is a sports car with fewer GT compromises than the SL/SC/XLR-V. It competes with Corvette and others. As a result it has more NVH than this class of cars, and an immediate feel that requires more attention. Good for its category, but a compromise for this one. As for whether it’s more comfortable, I can say for me it isn’t — ’cause I don’t fit in a Porsche but I do in the XLR-V and that makes all the difference. But if I were comparing a Porsche as a GT car, I’d probably consider instead the glass-roof Targas.

“..the differences aren’t small. They’re friggin’ HUGE. The XLR-V’s cabin looks cheap. It feels cheap. It IS cheap. Compare any piece of switchgear, any gauge, any moving bit of plastic (glovebox, headlight switches), any design. Game over Caddy.”

Nearly every Mercedes owner who has gotten into my XLR-V has commented that they’d read that the interior looks and feels cheap, and then said they couldn’t see it. I don’t either. If you say to me that the Caddy interior looks low-end for its class compared to the Maserati Gran Sport, you’d be right! But once you’re out of the Maser and into the German cars and the XLR-V, it’s all just different takes on metal, plastic and a little leather. My interior is handsome, tight, well-assembled and seems durable. On all of these cars, the switchgear feels cheaper by the generation. Plastic is plastic. I saw one of your writers savaged the interior of the Alpina B7, so at least you’re consistent. For me the SL interior doesn’t feel more luxurious, it just feels overdone.

“I agree with you that German luxury car interiors are fussy in comparison to the Caddy. If you read a selection of my reviews, you’ll see I’m vehemently anti-complexity. But I’d have to say the Caddy is too far at the hairshirt end of the spectrum. Let’s call that one a draw.”

Fair enough.

“I agree that light is better than heavy– except when it isn’t. The SL’s heaviness is actually advantage here. It gives the car a bank vault on wheels feel that makes it a far more imperious wafter than the skittish Caddy.”

If I wanted a bank vault on wheels I’d buy a Bentley. Weight is the enemy. Cadillac has the only uniframe car in the class, and is the lightest for it. If you expand to include soft-tops, the new aluminum XK is a mere 29 lbs. lighter and less rigid. Cadillac has pointed the way to building a luxury GT car on an efficient chassis that requires less power to move it quickly. You might like the SL’s mass, but it steals fun from the drive.

“The SL will run rings around the XLR-V on the ‘Ring. And the Porsche cab? Bye bye.”

Maybe stock, but change out the run-flats and you might be surprised. I hope the Porsche cab can do better — as can a Corvette convertible. They’re sports cars, not GTs with penalty of weight and smaller tires. In any case, I ain’t driving the ‘Ring.

“The XLR-V’s run-flats blow. Got it. So why are they OEM? Freedom from worry? Or maybe freedom from a heavy spare? Or perhaps it’s just a very bad engineering decision.”

Freedom from worry and to avoid a heavy spare, obviously. In the Corvette, the solution has been to put run-flats on the standard range, and stickier inflation meats on the hi-po Z06, along with an air pump and a can of goo. Most luxury car buyers aren’t satisfied with a goo can. The sports car crowd is socialized to accept more risk. Cadillac was frank about why they spec’d smaller rubber than the Corvette’s — NVH. The bigger Corvette and even larger Z06 rubber pumped too much noise into the cabin for this category of car. They also tramline on some freeways. Not right for a GT. But there’s plenty of room in the wheelwells for Corvette rubber if you want to move your XLR-V more in the direction of a sports car. Otherwise, the Euforis are the best run-flat I’ve driven on so far.

“And how many speeds does that gearbox have again? But hey, I too loved the XLR-V’s engine and brakes (which lacked feel but not power). Agreed.”

The 6L80 has six-speed, which you know. With an engine having such a broad powerband, that’s enough for me. Seven, eight gears….pretty soon you may as well have a CVT and where would the fun be in that? XLR-V braking feel, btw, improves significantly after several thousand miles of break-in.

“Like a fat woman who can dance your socks off, the SL is a fat car that can… dance your socks off. “…And if you want better handling, the AMG version is just plain AWESOME. If you’re not on a budget, and who is at $100k, the SL63 AMG is ten times better than the XLR-V.”

I’ve driven the SL55. It’s good but marred by the same weight penalty already cited. I haven’t driven the SL63. I’ll take your word for it that it’s exciting for its mill. But you won’t find me rewarding *any* manufacturer that can’t engineer a spectacular sporting GT for two people at under 4000 lbs.

“Even so, as I’ve said here ad nauseum, the SL kicks its ass. Don’t take my word for it; look at the sales figures.”

Sales figures? I live in California! 7/8ths of the people I meet who own an SL have no idea what’s in it or how it drives, or why it drives the way it drives. They just bought a brand. The XLR/XLR-V represent a 1st-generation outing to reclaim a market spot for the Cadillac brand. They did not intend to upend SL sales, nor did they plan enough production capacity if they did.

“While I understand your desire to defend your whip, the XLR-V is a deeply flawed automobile.”

Really, I’m not defending the XLR-V. People can make their own decision. I didn’t buy mine to impress others. I merely saw the original review and a number of comments which I believe mis-represent the reality of the car. I think the entire category of retracting hardtop GT roadsters are “deeply flawed automobiles.” But that doesn’t make them undesirable. As automobiles, yeah….they have too little room, poor efficiency of all types, depreciate like the gravitational pull of the Sun, weigh too much and are too isolating to be sports cars. For me? The basic architecture of the XLR-V can be worked into a best-in-class offering. Let’s see how the next two versions of the car evolve. FWIW, my views on the car are informed by 18,000 miles of driving.

Phil

Wow! You want a job? Email us for writer's guidelines. I mean, you might as well get paid for that kind of comprehensiveness– even if the cash isn't enough to fill up the tank of your XLR-V.

OK, a few points…

Of course I drove the car, and you know it too. While I appreciate your passion, TTAC has a firm policy on posting: no flaming the site, its authors or fellow commentators. Although that comment fell afoul of the rules I left it in. Next time you get a warning. After that, a ban.

Anyway, as for looks, I agree: the Lexus is mishapen and soft. In fact, it's a hideous blob. The SL, however, is hardly "stupidly porky." It's very sexily porky. In fact, I believe it's a classic design: the best looking Merc made.

The brand new XLR-V that I tested had exposed duct taped wiring in the trunk. And a rattling door panel. And inadequate seat bolstering. Them's the facts. I'm happy to concede that your XLR-V was properly assembled, but this one wasn't. Ditto the herky jerky top.

Again, I don't make this shit up.

A "subtle sideways tail skittle on broken pavement in a curve" is great writing but lousy reporting.In a turn, at speed, over a bad bump or broken pavement (especially off-camber), the XLR-V simply loses it. All handling fluidity and coherence disappear. If it's bad enough, the car goes pavement surfing,  which is also true of the C6 (see: my review).

"It has that slight tail skip on broken pavement that helps to make a sports car fun." The word you're looking for is "scary."

The SL is INCREDIBLY competent through the bends, no matter what kind of pavement's it's traversing. The Lexus is, as you pointed out, horrific.

I'm not sure why you've got a problem comparing the XLR-V to a Porsche cabriolet, 'cause brother that car is one HELL of a GT. As is the SL550. I've driven both cars enormous distances at high speeds. They're both more comfortable and competent and near-as-dammit as quick as the XLR-V.

"You can’t possibly think that the small differences in interiors is a reason to buy an SL or SC over an XLR-V."

You're right. Only the differences aren't small. They're friggin' HUGE. The XLR-V's cabin looks cheap. It feels cheap. It IS cheap. Compare any piece of switchgear, any gauge, any moving bit of plastic (glovebox, headlight switches), any design. Game over Caddy.

And while you might not care about such things, luxury buyers do, 'cause they're buying… luxury. Which is what, if it isn't a combination of stunning design and luxury materials and craftsmanship?

Oh, and that cheap shot– "The carping about the XLR-V interior strikes me as the cheap shots of people who decided to dislike the car before they set eyes on it."– make no sense if you read my first paragraph.

I agree with you that German luxury car interiors are fussy in comparison to the Caddy. If you read a selection of my reviews, you'll see I'm vehemently anti-complexity. But I'd have to say the Caddy is too far at the hairshirt end of the spectrum. Let's call that one a draw.

"What the open-minded driver realizes is that the essential goodness of the Corvette platform comes through to define this car."

Oh sir, you cut me to the quick! Anyway, I agree that light is better than heavy– except when it isn't. The SL's heaviness is actually advantage here. It gives the car a bank vault on wheels feel that makes it a far more imperious wafter than the skittish Caddy.

And again, the SL is ridiculously nimble and sure-footed through the bends. And that's what you're talking about here, isn't it? The SL will run rings around the XLR-V on the 'Ring. And the Porsche cab? Bye bye.

The XLR-V's run-flats blow. Got it. So why are they OEM? Freedom from worry? Or maybe freedom from a heavy spare? Or perhaps it's just a very bad engineering decision.

And how many speeds does that gearbox have again? But hey, I too loved the XLR-V's engine and brakes (which lacked feel but not power). Agreed.

Summary time? OK. The Lexus is a dog. Check. But you gotta get over your bias against the SL's weight.

Like a fat woman who can dance your socks off, the SL is a fat car that can… dance your socks off. And there ain't nothing wrong with the way that sucker looks. And if you want better handling, the AMG version is just plain AWESOME. If you're not on a budget, and who is at $100k, the SL63 AMG is ten times better than the XLR-V.

And the Porsche Cab.

And the Audi R8.

As for the trunk issue, what can I say? Cavernous? You're not bothered? OK. If you say so.

But the real problem is your insistence that the Caddy's folding hardtop precludes comparison with anything other than a two door retractable hardtop. Even so, as I've said here ad nauseum, the SL kicks its ass. Don't take my word for it; look at the sales figures.

While I understand your desire to defend your whip, the XLR-V is a deeply flawed automobile.

"Yeah, I’d like better carpet and a leather headliner would be appreciated at this price."

And, presumably, everything else as well. You and me both kid. 

Against the steel-top luxury convertibles, this XLR-V is a great car. By comparison, the Lexus is misshapen and soft, and the Mercedes is stupidly porky and dated by its Camaro-like long overhangs.

First, a couple of specific notes: The exposed wiring in my trunk is not duct-taped. It is routed through ribbed plastic tubing. The top does not raise or retract with any jerkiness whatsoever. And the door window switch panels have no discernible play and do not vibrate independently of the door when it’s slammed. The seats may not have aggressive sports car bolstering (it’s not a pure sports car after all) but the sueded inserts in the seats are effective at keeping me in place during hard cornering or swift direction changes.

Yes, being built on the Corvette platform, the XLR-V does retain that car’s subtle sideways tail skittle on broken pavement in a curve. So what? It is a slight quirk that immediately recovers grip and is a small part of the car’s entertaining character. I’ll take it as a plus over the numbness of an SL or the mush of the puffy SC.

And let’s understand that comparing any car in the tiny range of “luxury retracting hardtop roadster GTs” to a Porsche or a Z06, or even a standard Corvette, is a basic error in judgment. The XLR/XLR-V is the lightest car in the segment and yet is still about 600 lbs heavier than a Z06. XLR-V, SL, SC, Maser Coupe, Aston V8 are not pure sports cars. They are sporting GTs, carrying the weight penalties of luxury and each representing its maker’s bias in compromises. If you want a sports car, great! Don’t buy anything in this class. You’ll get more sheer performance for less money from a Z06, plain and simple. But the ZO6’s top won’t retract, it will let a lot more heat into the cabin, and it won’t be the comfortable 1000 miler that the XLR-V is.

Before I get to the dynamics of the XLR-V, let’s look at the interior. I’m in L.A. and work in a field where German iron is as ubiquitous as Camrys. Nothing but a sea of black or silver German iron, and white or black Lexi on my commute. I am in and out of all the Cadillac competitors every week. The carping about the XLR-V interior strikes me as the cheap shots of people who decided to dislike the car before they set eyes on it. Every car has plastic, leather and metal in various measures, including the perceived market leaders. Having been in ALL of them, I’m here to say, they ain’t that special! The exception is the Maserati Gran Sport. No question, the Italians craft compelling visual and tactile traits in their interiors. The Aston is just behind it, but a significantly less distinctive experience. But in exchange, neither offers a retracting hardtop, both are slower, North American dealer service outlets can be counted on your fingers and toes, and both cost more. Against the Germans and the Japanese, you have to be kidding me, right? You can’t possibly think that the small differences in interiors is a reason to buy an SL or SC over an XLR-V….

The Caddy has 360 degrees of leather at shoulder level. The seats are firm, adjustable, comfortable, gripping. The few hard plastics are substantial and absent brittleness. The Zingana wood trim is authentic. The metal trim is real, not faux, and nicely textured. The soft plastics are as suitable as the soft plastics in the other cars. Switchgear is functional substantial. What I like about the XLR-V interior is its straightforwardness. It is masculine and direct, with better technology integration than its competitors. The operation of functions are absent obtuseness, and everything is in easy reach. The ergonomics are mostly well-executed. Compared to the overwrought and technically fussy German interiors, the Caddy is refreshing. Mine is tight.

Dynamically, the XLR-V does differ from the feel of a Mercedes, Lexus, Jaguar, Aston or Maser. This is a good thing. What the open-minded driver realizes is that the essential goodness of the Corvette platform comes through to define this car. The SL-AMG, which is the performance competitor to the V, weighs almost a QUARTER TON more than my Cadillac. I…uh….on principle have to draw the line at a car for two people weighing more than 4000 lbs. That’s just lazy engineering in the 21st century. The spec weight of the XLR-V is 3810 lbs. and I’d like to see that come down. Oh, sure, the Merc has plenty of technology to keep all four tires planted against the pavement, but the feel of that technology fighting that surplus quarter ton in a corner is vividly numbing and disappointing. Let’s not even bother with the marshmallow sponginess of the Lexus SC. The standard SL is over 300 lbs. heavier, and you feel that too. Do you give up a trifle of the bank vault feel of the Merc to get the uniframe lightness of the Caddy? Sure. But way less than you think. Guess what? They’re all open cars at the end of the day, and even the Merc loosens up a bit with a squiggle here and there, as time, potholes and road ripples rack up. Drive a 100,000 C5 or C6 Corvette and you will see how tight this platform stays over its life.

You do pay a ride and NVH penalty for the safety and convenience of run-flat tires. No doubt. If you want an even quieter, smoother XLR-V, put some nice Z-rated performance rubber on in place of the Pirelli Eurfori runflats. Unsprung weight will go down, rolling noise will decrease, grip will hold more Gs, and your ride will be more supple. But that said, part of the luxury experience is never having to worry. The Euforis are the best run-flats I’ve driven, especially for wet traction, and it looks like I’ll get more than 20,000 miles on original set. But I digress.

For me the XLR-V steering is communicative (if not intimate), handling is predictable and at its limit degrades progressively. Braking is near-heroic with the Vette Z51 package onboard, and the drivetrain plain kicks butt. Quick, fast, and with the 6L80 transmission, smart.

Overall, the contenders in this niche each have a very different feel. The Lexus SC is all surface but isn’t a serious car. It’s proportions are strange and visually inelegant, it suffers from a sloppy suspension, and it’s porky. The Merc SL is frankly a pig that’s engineered to feel much better than it is. Good job disguising the car’s useless lard. But elementally, the excess bulk defines the car and it ends up being sort-of-posh and sybaritic, but nobody’s idea of a crisp-handling car. Moreover, while some may like its fat-butt melted form, it looks old now, and unprogressive. The XLR-V is the luxury retracting hardtop roadster GT here for the person who likes sports cars. It feels light and tossable compared to the others. It has that slight tail skip on broken pavement that helps to make a sports car fun. Its power is well matched to its weight. And it’s quiet, comfortable and solid inside. The Caddy’s straightforward American design sensibility inside is a welcome alternative to the underthought ergonomics and overdesigned themes of the others. And no doubt the next version will be even better. Yeah, I’d like better carpet and a leather headliner would be appreciated at this price. But frankly when the hand-wrenched 4.4L mill is on boil and churning thrust, I’m just not thinking about those minor slights. If I wanted to dial up the dynamic performance a little further, I’d change out the run-flats. But this is a GT and not a pure sports car, so I’d rather in this case not be changing a flat at 3am.

The trunk, by the way, is cavernous for the size of the car, just like in a Vette coupe. So what if it shrinks dramatically with the top down? I can fit two small weekender bags or a briefcase and a weekender with the top down. Plenty of space to travel light. Reality: you’ll drive to your destination in coupe mode, unload at your destination, then have all the top-down driving you want. It’s not an issue. I’ve been driving convertibles for over 30 years and do not find the XLR-V inconvenient in any way.

As for the price, yup it’s a Hundred Large. People who think this car can be brought to market for $75K are not thinking realistically. You have the base XLR there, and it’s competitive. The V is a low-production vehicle, with a factory custom mill, and plenty of added value over the base XLR. Sure, it’d be nice to see the V at, say, $92,000 but the buyer at this price level isn’t driven by that difference. Perception is what rules. That’s what drives the depreciation too, but there are much bigger things to worry about in deciding how to allocate a large purchase that has macro-economic consequences.

If you’re buying in this class of cars, drive the field and decide. The Caddy is a real alternative and for me, it won the decision. If you’ll accept a cloth top, the field widens, but really that’s not the same.

Phil

Newsflash: all mainstream luxury cars (with Lexus being the notable exception) “drop like a stone”.

Just doing some quick looking around on the web.

All prices Canadian

2006 XLR-V $99,000
2007 XLR-V $113,670

Drop= 23% in value

2006 Mercedes SL55 $144,900
2007 Mercedes SL55 $176,500

Drop= 28% in value

I also looked at buying and `04 XLR and a `04 SL500 versus new (the first year for the XLR). The Caddy retained 55% of its value on average (based on 4 offers) versus 63% for the Mercedes.

My point is not that the Caddy loses value but they all do to varying degrees.

I am sure others can come up with other stats to refute the above but what do you expect for 30 minutes of searching!

Don’t even get me started on Jaguar (grumble, grumble).

Take it from me – if you want GM performance, buy a Vette. Period!! If you want status (and quality) buy a Lexus. If you want both, cough up the extra dough and get an SL. Or don’t complain when the bottom drops out on XLRs – which it will!!

Then the external supplier is expected to hold some insane tolerance at “best in world” (read China) prices. If the foundation is completely F’d up the best carpenter in the world can’t build a straight house.

I challenge anyone – and I mean anyone – on the outside to get a Detroit carmaker to give up the dimensional data (deviation from design) on their body build. You’ll never see it.

As for the Honda example above – Detroit will never pay for a secondary operation like using a cooling fixture. It just doesn’t meet “best in world” pricing.

Sorry about the hijack. Off my soap box now.

Comparing the XLR-V and the Z06 is the ultimate apples to oranges comparo. The Z06 offers far more performance and far less comfort/luxury of its Cadillac cousin. Trust me….no one who has driven both these cars is cross shopping them.

It’s interesting to note that I was in the market for a V last year, at invoice ($86k)….but after sitting in it and seeing so much switchgear shared with my Corvettes, I came to the same conclusion as RF. Hell, the Driver Information Center is actually the low res dot matrix variety from the 1997-04 C5 Corvette, not the better looking C6 Corvette piece.

You do have to applaud the weight savings of the XLR compared to its portly European competitors, though.

Nice to see you’re not dead! If I look at your list of vehicles, you aren’t in the market for anything even close to a XLR (SL or XK). You want a sports car!

Hey, I agree with you, I’m not attracted to the high-end luxury two-seater market either (unless it happens to be an Aston but that’s just idle fantasy).

However, just because we’re not doesn’t mean someone else isn’t!