http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/model/all.jsp

Click on the XLR-V

Granted I'm not the target demographic for the car, but I think they would have been better off pricing it in the $90K's

 

I knew it was going to be close to six figures, but I'm surprised it actually starts at an even $100,000.00. Figured it would be in the $90k-$100k range as well.

On the other hand, a non-AMG SL500 can approach $100k when loaded up, IIRC, and the non-AMG V12 version is well over $100k.

Definitely a sweet car!

 

I think that car will be somewhat popular based on pure novelty, but based on specs I just am not that impressed by it.

443 hp @ 6,400 rpm / 414 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpm in a 100k dollar 2-door convertible? Glancing at the interior pics it doesn't look befitting of a 100k dollar luxury sports car, either.

You can get almost that kind of power out of just a regular ol' C6 for half the price, on the same chassis.. so what features would you be missing? Enough to excuse 50k dollars in markup?

 

Looks like a loser to me.

Theres nothing there befitting of a 100K car.

 

for that thing to be worth $100k they better have shipped the thing to germany for the interior design then southern california for the interior build.

 

Yeah, but in those price ranges, you never get a linear relationship between increases in price and increases in features vs. lesser priced cars.

I just looked it up, and the '06 SL500 bases at $94k ($93675), with a 302 hp/339 lbft 5.0L 3 valve V8 and seven speed auto. The regular, 320 hp XLR starts at $77k, and the 443 hp version starts at $100k. Seems reasonable, as far as "reasonable" goes in the realm of six figure cars.

The next step up in the Benz class is the $126k SL55 AMG (493 hp/5xx lbft 5.5L s/c) or the $132k SL600 (493 hp/590 lbft V12 tt).

As far as cars for much less $$ offering similar stuff, Mercedes has within its own lineup the new SLK. The SLK350 has 268 hp from its V6 and a seven speed auto. The AMG version is only $62k and has a 355 hp 5.5L 3v V8, also with a seven speed auto. Is the SL500, with only 302 hp, really worth $30k more?

(By the way, I'm not remotely saying that only the engine/tranny combo matters at the given prices; I just mentioned them because you mentioned the Vette roadster having similar power to the XLR-V for a lost less dough).



By the way, those wondering about the interior should check out some pics. I think it is damn classy looking. It isn't as "warm", at least in the color combo chosen for the photo gallery, as the one in the SL500 gallery, but it is still a very nice, luxurious, classy interior IMHO.

SL500
XLR-V

 

vs




vs



SL55: 493 hp @ 6,100 rpm / 516 lb-ft @ 2,750 - 4,000 rpm
vs
XLR-V: 443 hp @ 6,400 rpm / 414 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpm

SL55: 8-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers with 14.2" perforated and internally ventilated front discs. 13.0" perforated and internally ventilated rear discs.
vs
XLR-V: 2-piston front, 1-piston rear calipers with 13.4" front and 13.0" rear cross drilled rotors




Now granted the XLR-V is 25 grand less, but also consider that it's also the contender or newcomer to this market, seems to be missing in quite a few key areas (performance specs, interior design, etc), and is missing some lux featutres that the SL55 has standard.

Anyhow... I'm not saying the XLR-V is a bad choice, but I'm just saying I don't think it's going to make as big of an impact on the market as some had hoped given its price...

 

I certainly don't expect a huge impact from the car, other than beginning to raise make people in that price range aware that Cadillac is becoming a player.

I still think that as an exclusive, high style ride, the V makes very good sense against a regular SL500 (which starts at $94k and can no doubt be optioned well above $100k, while the XLR is probably pretty much loaded as is at $100k). As for the interiors, I think it comes down to which style one likes better. I don't see a huge advantage for the Benz in terms of materials or features. In fact, I see the standard plastic dash (nice and soft, of course, but still normal fare) in the pics you showed for the SL (is that the AMG interior or the standard SL?). The V's dash pad is actual leather, and it also has a more unique/rare choice for the wood trim (and also uses it more sparingly).

For me personally, the current SL roadsters from M-B are among the most beautiful cars on the road, at least on the outside. But other than a style preference, I don't see all that much that would recommend the Benz over the Caddy, especially at those prices, other than the names themselves (Benz established and respected at the country club for the status slaves, while the Caddy is a newcomer in that market...). Which, of course, is why I too am slightly surprised that they didn't price it in the mid $90s. I guess they really want the six figures to push the Caddy name more upmarket in the heads of those country club status guys.

 

XLR sold 24.3% better than original sales goals in 2005, and 2005 beat 2004 sales. What % of XLRs is intended to be V-series? 20%? I bet they have no trouble selling that many.

I remember reading that the XLR is the best built car on the market somewhere (JD Power?) They went through a lot of trouble to make sure every car is built perfect. That is one of the reason volume is so low and price is kind of high. They will build so few XLR-V that they can make sure quality is extremely high.

 

The SL55 is moreso meant to compete with the XLR-V than the SL500 is. No doubt the Benze is more expensive but also better featured IMO.

And FWIW the SL's dash is covered in Nappa leather.

 

Ah, I see the stitching now. I thought they had used leather on their higher end cars, but I couldn't make out the stitching at first b/c of the dark leather and the lighting in the pics.



No doubt the AMG is more of the spiritual competitor for the XLR-V. As far as "intending" to compete, remember that the AMGs have already been here and priced as they are, so it is more up to Caddy as to who they are "intending" to compete with since they are the newcomers. Yes, the AMG offers some hardware advantages (particularly the engine - both are s/c'd and intercooled, but the AMG has a 1.1L displacement advantage), but at a premium price.

If I were looking at a regular SL500, I think it would behoove me to check out the basically equally priced Caddy offering a bit more sportiness and a lot more power (and rarity). If I were already looking at an AMG SL55 and can afford the big price difference, then yes, I might find the XLR's power and torque deficiency (plus the brakes, etc.) enough to keep me from going that route.

Hard for me to say anything for sure, though, since I don't shop in the $100k+ automotive price range.

 

On a different note about the XLR-v, it is a very dramatic vehicle. It has a presense that the SL500 does not have and to me looks more exotic. I really like the V exterior touches over the standard car. It really addresses most of the issues I had with the car.

 

I like the XLRv, but for the life of me, I still can't see paying that much money for a Cadillac... especially one based on a Corvette and made of fiberglass.

I know we're talking oranges to tangerines here, but this makes the alumunum & titanium structured, handmade engine powered, carbon fiber skinned, highly capable Z06 Corvette seem like a steal, and I'm even hesitant on the price of that car.

It seems like only yesterday I was recovering from the sticker shock of a factory (glorified Suburban) $75,000 Escalade!

 

At first, i was really surprised at its weight - 3800 lbs. That's a jump of around 600 from C6, and the power increase is only 43 HP from C6. A little disappointing, but then i realized that the MB weighs over 4000 lbs and realized that Caddy is not too bad.

For 100K, they should've made this car compete more with AMG, with 500HP.

 

yea its a great intial offering, but I hope GM steps up power wise.

The STS-v was the slowest in the comparo between the M5 and an AMG.. It was relatively dreadfully slow in the triple digits catagory.. I'm wondering if heat soak from being on the gas all that time with the supercharger slows the car's accel down when you go into triple digits... I was like a 10 second difference to hit 160 compared to the others.. the 6 speed gearing didn't look that bad either.. it was just strange.