CamaroZ28.Com Message Board

Automotive News / Industry / Future Vehicle Discussion Automotive news and discussion about upcoming vehicles

XLR is soon the be the oldest Cadillac in the lineup.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-16-2006, 09:02 AM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Z28x's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 10,287
XLR is soon the be the oldest Cadillac in the lineup.
Yet still the most expensive, what upgrades are planned as it goes into its 5th model year. I'd like to see the XLR go onto the aluminum chassis.
Z28x is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 09:13 AM
  #2  
Super Moderator
 
JakeRobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,485
AFAIK, the XLR already uses the aluminum chassis.
JakeRobb is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 09:16 AM
  #3  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Z28x's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 10,287
Originally Posted by JakeRobb
AFAIK, the XLR already uses the aluminum chassis.
Nope, only the Z06 does. Remember the XLR came out even before the C6. C6 was rumored to have the aluminum chassis but they saved it for the Z06
Z28x is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 09:38 AM
  #4  
Super Moderator
 
JakeRobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,485
Originally Posted by Z28x
Nope, only the Z06 does. Remember the XLR came out even before the C6. C6 was rumored to have the aluminum chassis but they saved it for the Z06
A bunch of googling indicates that it has the hydroformed steel frame rails, but that the cross members and all of the suspension components are aluminum or magnesium.
JakeRobb is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 11:14 AM
  #5  
Registered User
 
CAMAROJOE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 146
I thought XLR was on C5 chassis?
CAMAROJOE is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 12:49 PM
  #6  
Super Moderator
 
JakeRobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,485
Originally Posted by CAMAROJOE
I thought XLR was on C5 chassis?
Nope, C6. I suppose that since the XLR came out before the C6, you could say that the C6 is on the XLR chassis.
JakeRobb is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 01:46 PM
  #7  
Registered User
 
CAMAROJOE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 146
Thanks for clearing that up. I was always baffled that XLR wasn't redone with C6.
CAMAROJOE is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 02:02 PM
  #8  
Registered User
 
Good Ph.D's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Mack and Bewick
Posts: 1,600
It definetly needs attention. That market is extremely finicky.
Good Ph.D is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 02:13 PM
  #9  
Prominent Member
 
Doug Harden's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,282
Can't use the aluminum chassis due to the drop top...same reason Z06's aren't targas...they need the rigidity not provided by the lighter weight aluminum frames.
Doug Harden is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 02:45 PM
  #10  
Registered User
 
91_z28_4me's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Pewee Valley, KY
Posts: 4,600
Originally Posted by Doug Harden
Can't use the aluminum chassis due to the drop top...same reason Z06's aren't targas...they need the rigidity not provided by the lighter weight aluminum frames.
Doug, the Z06s going down the line look almost identical to the coupes except they have aluminum extensions that come out(forward) from the hoop that forms the b-pillars. I think that GM could do the aluminum targa but I don't know how much rigidity the rear 'hoop' adds. It may be possible especially give that the XLR doesn't have to be able to handle the power that the Z06 does.
91_z28_4me is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 03:05 PM
  #11  
Registered User
 
Jim the Nomad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ********.com
Posts: 215
I was under the impression that corvette and XLR are the sixth generation Y-body...

I am pretty sure Doug Harden is right though... an aluminum XLR would have serious problems with doors not closing properly and panel gaps going crazy after a few years... take the top off of a car and it likes to cave in on itself... aluminum won't help that at all...

anyways, if they have the cash sitting around, the XLR could use a refresh pretty soon...
Jim the Nomad is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 03:09 PM
  #12  
Registered User
 
skorpion317's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,209
they could make it handle better and give it some more power.
skorpion317 is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 03:46 PM
  #13  
Prominent Member
 
Doug Harden's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,282
Originally Posted by 91_z28_4me
Doug, the Z06s going down the line look almost identical to the coupes except they have aluminum extensions that come out(forward) from the hoop that forms the b-pillars. I think that GM could do the aluminum targa but I don't know how much rigidity the rear 'hoop' adds. It may be possible especially give that the XLR doesn't have to be able to handle the power that the Z06 does.
The Z06's have a bolted in magnesium targa structure that forms the top side of the chassis. Believe me, the engineers would have a heart attack if you removed it.

Jim the Nomad's right, doors wouldn't open and eventually the frame would fail.
Doug Harden is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 04:18 PM
  #14  
Registered User
 
5thgen69camaro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Annapolis MD
Posts: 2,802
Ive never been too crazy about the XLR styling. The C6 Vette on the other hand
5thgen69camaro is offline  
Reply
Old 11-16-2006, 04:18 PM
  #15  
Member
 
GoFast908Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 1,697
wow its that old already?
GoFast908Z is offline  
Reply



Advanced Search
Quick Reply: XLR is soon the be the oldest Cadillac in the lineup.


Reply Closed Thread Share

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:29 AM.