Cadillac XLR.
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Should a sportier 2-seater Cadillac make a return as a new EV based on the GM Ultium platform?
The XLR came out in 2003. Its design was based on the 1999 Cadillac Evoq Concept. The production model stayed surprisingly close to the stunning concept and GM designers did a fantastic job on both cars.
Of course, the XLR was never intended to be a huge hit and Cadillac didn’t have a suitable platform for a 2-seater car. GM decided the Chevrolet Corvette platform would make a great sporty Cadillac. And why not?
GM threw everything into the XLR. All the tech and luxury they could imagine. That included adaptive suspension, touchscreen GPS, Bulgari clock and instrument cluster, heated and cooling seats, and more. Including, of course, a powered hard top.
The XLR didn’t inherit the Corvette’s V8 and instead used the Northstar V8 used in other Cadillac models. With 320HP it was probably more than enough for a luxury car. However, an XLR-V trim was introduced in 2005 with 443HP from a Supercharged Northstar engine.
I think the XLR still looks great today. However, they are getting very rare. Total sales of the whole production run until 2009 were only 15,460 units. At over $75,000 in 2003, it was an expensive car, as a fancy Cadillac should be. Equivalent to around $122,000 today. But not nearly as crazy as the new Celestiq starting at over $340,000.
I really think Cadillac could use another flagship. One much more realistically priced, yet still expensive. Something like a new XLR for the EV age would be pretty nice…
Yes, they should. But not on the Ultium platform. If they do it, it should be on the next generation system.
Cadillac Eldorado IQ… Cadillac Tropiq…
Cadillac Escala IQ. I mean, they did make that Soleil concept!
Yes! I own a 2006 XLR WITH 58000 MILES AND I Love, love it .!!!
No it should be based on a supercharged or twin turbo c8 vette like the last one was vette based …. and then they should really invest in it and take it racing like they did with the cts-v and dominate again ….. just my opinion (although I do think it’s a great opinion and opportunity for caddy to dominate some races like the absolutely epic run they had with the V series)
No, Cadillac needs to focus on putting the Eldorado back on the road.
I have a 2008 XLR-V and think it’s a fantastic car. I have been following the renderings of the new XLR and hoping that Cadillac builds one.
Cadillac excels in making concept but fails in turning them to an actual, drivable vehicle.
Or how about GM gives Buick the Wildcat EV and stop hindering them for the sake of Cadillac. We should’ve gotten the 2015 Avenir and 2016 Avista, and the last Gen Regal GS was supposed to get the ATS-V’s TTV6 but it was all shut down
Love it.
I REMEMBER MY XENON BLUE XLR 💙 AND I REALLY LOVED THAT BEAUTIFUL COLOR AND THE SPEED AND HANDLING OF IT AT 130 MPR !!! THEN HURRICANE 🌀 IRMA CAME AND IT WAS DROWNED BECAUSE OF THE COMPUTER BEING UNDER THE FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE… I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED WHEN IT HAPPENED AND THAT YOU COULD NOT EVEN REPAIR HER… WHY WOULD YOU 😕 PUT IT IN THE FLOOR OF THE XLR??? THE 2025 IS NICE LOOKING BUT NOT AS NICE OF A DESIGN AS THE 2009 …
I have owned two and they are the best design. I have a 2004 and when I drive it people walk up to me and tell how beautiful it is and what kind of car is it and I tell them it’s a Cadillac and they say wow it’s very beautiful. And I have 2006 XLRV that’s my favorite it’s so powerful and has only 18,000 miles I love it. Can’t wait for the next XLRV to come out.
I’ve owned 3 XLRs. The last 2009 beautiful candy apple red with pin striping we sold because parts were no longer readily available.
It is now in owned by a man living in the Canadian Rockies who loves it.
I want another one!
I have an 07 XLR, 32k miles, best car ever!!! Sold my Vette to get it. Currently driving my 5th Eldorado, great ride, 25 mpg. Like to see a 2025 XLR.
If you look back at Cadillac history, each and every time they try to build a super Cadillac: Starting with the V 16 Cadillac of the 30s, the El Dorado Brougham of the 1950s, the Allante in the 80s, I’m finally the XLR in the 2000s, they’ve all been failures. People who have the money to buy very expensive cars usually by the European imports, Cadillac was the dreamboat car of the world war 2 generation, simply because it was the only real American fine car brand to survive the great depression. Lincoln’s of the era were mostly mediocre cars, and the post were packs were just horrible. Cadillac seems to be making out somewhat of a comeback which will be a momentous event if they succeeded because usually when a product is brand damaged, it never recovers.