That's six more than I've EVER seen in person.

I think it's still a gorgeous car. Just needs to be updated, it is way behind the times. Give it the Z06 aluminum frame, brakes, and drop the LSA in it, with the current CTS interior upgrade...

 

Someone email this to Maximum Bob.

 

These are not lincoln logs, you cant just bolt different car parts together...

 

The old ones look a lot better.

 

I REALLY hope it gets better wheels when it comes out with this "revision."

I've never cared for the wheels on the base XLR. They aren't wide enough and the design itself is merely OK. The V-Series wheels are a better match, but even they could stand to be a bit wider (and I'd prefer a simpler ~5 spoke design).

The fake side vent is worthless. I do like the rear exhaust, though, and the grille isn't bad.



Not a car I'd ever consider, though, since the Corvette exists.

 

Yeah, the new vents look kind of odd. They're similar to the vents on the New Jaguar XK, and I didn't particularly care for those either for some reason.

 

We talked about that at the plant. The problem of course is the aluminum frame is tied in w/ a roof structure. And as far as the engine goes, the Caddy customers supposedly want the "higher tech" Northstar. That is why they don't drop the LS engines in them from the start, even though it would have much better peformance, be cheaper to build, and probably get better mileage. The CTS-V of the last generation was kind of an aberation when it used the LS6/2 engine, that was not a harbinger of things to come for the XLR unfortunately. LSA to me would be a far better option than the s/c North* that the XLRv has now, but I don't think it fits the cars image that Cadillac is trying to create for it.

 

I kinda doubt that people are passing on this in favor of the CTS. More likely they're heading down the Mercedes dealer.

 

You missed my point.

 

Looks like it.

I agree with you on the styling 100%. At the time of the debut the XLR was "ok" but this update doesn't seem to do much to enhance the car when compared with what is on the road today.

 

I wasn't aware that the aluminum frame tied into the upper structure at all. I was thinking of it as more or less a "base". Made me think of it as simpler to build into the existing C6. Even so, an XLR frame should be fairly simple to develop out of the Z06 structure.

Unless the N* is getting a replacement any time soon(pretty sure Ultra is dead ), they will have to go to the LSx in the XLR, eventually. Probably Gen V in the XLR replacement.

The N* is outdated by far by nearly any other V8 on the market.

XLR = Corvette convertible with N*

I'm pretty sure most everything you don't see besides the hardtop mechanism and underhood is exactly the same.

 

I'm pretty sure that you're oversimplifying things.

 

I am. But that doesn't mean that it is much of a stretch to apply developments for one to the other.

In all seriousness, I just don't think GM wants the XLR to be a true performance/luxury car in the sense of an AMG SLK. They are thinking more along the lines of the Lexus SC, and still falling far short of the mark.

 

If you're only selling 2,000 cars a year, it's extremely difficult to make a business case for any changes. Say it takes $10M for a given change (which is about enough to change the door handles - and I'm only half-joking). Over the five-year life of the car, you've now added $1,000 per vehicle!!!

In all reality, changing to a different frame material might run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, especially once the costs of crash recertification are factored in.

You also can't simply assume that the supplier of the Z06's aluminum frame is capable of building another 2,000 units/year.

 

You're no fun.