2009 XLR and XLR-V

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by nferr

They pretty much had decided to look at the XLR since it's designed and based off the Vette. Both said it wasn't worth the extra money and both felt the Vette offered a lot more performance. Which might lend credence to your argument that they were predisposed to purchasing a Vette.

However I do feel that most (not all) potential buyers of an XLR are going to find out it's based on the Corvette, and are going to analyze whether or not it's worth the price differential. Considering the lesser performance and higher price I think the comparison really hurts it. In that respect the XLR does indeed compete with the Corvette.

nferr,

I agree anyone who compares the Corvette and is price sensitive will never choose a luxury sports car such as Cadillac's XLR or Mercedes-Benz's SL550 or Jaguar's XK or Lexus SC430. All of these luxury performance roadsters will loose to pure sports car enthusiasts or price conscious buyers.

I would suggest the vast majority of Cadillac XLR, Jaguar XK, Mercedes-Benz SL buyers are not as price sensitive or value conscious or performance focused as Chevrolet Corvette buyers.

In my view that takes nothing away from Cadillac's XLR or Chevrolet's Corvette convertible, buyers with different requirements will choose the best sports car that fits their needs and desires.

All of the XLR owners at the XLR Owner event last week knew that the Cadillac XLR and Chevrolet Corvette Convertible share GM racing chassis. And if for some reason they did not know or not care, the Cadillac XLR design clinic presentation the following day proclaims the advantage of having a superior car architecture which the XLR and Corvette share.

Again Cadillac's XLR and Chevrolet's Corvette are superb sports cars and depending on the buyers requirements both of these sports cars would be a fine purchase.

JLM

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by emh

jlm,

It's not unusual for compelling products to draw in buyers who see one and are impressed enough to buy without considering alternatives. From your experience, it sounds like the majority of XLR buyers fall in this category. But that's a fairly small pool of buyers. They are also very fickle -- that sort of appeal dies the moment the next "thing" hits the market (which likely explains why most of these folks bought a couple of years ago). Otherwise, sales should have increased over the years as more people are exposed to the XLR. For whatever reason, the XLR has failed to draw in the people who aren't buying simply on impulse. Which is where the brand cachet and dealership experience come in.


True, most buyers don't care about the sales performance of the vehicles they buy. But most of us on this site are also enthusiasts, so we care. But what is unfortunate for customers is that the lack of sales translates to a lack of updates and eventual death of the XLR, leaving them with less and less options in this niche.

emh,

Yes as auto enthusiasts we care about all aspects of the car experience. And do not get me wrong, I was not the only car enthusiasts at this event but most did not perform a detail comparative evaluation as I did. They simply liked the XLR over what was available from Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lexus or BMW at the time.

Yes, I believe the XLR sales suffer primarily due to awareness and I would think that is not going to change. It is what it is.

JLM

[nferr]

Originally Posted by jlmartin99

emh,

Yes as auto enthusiasts we care about all aspects of the car experience. And do not get me wrong, I was not the only car enthusiasts at this event but most did not perform a detail comparative evaluation as I did. They simply liked the XLR over what was available from Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lexus or BMW at the time.

Yes, I believe the XLR sales suffer primarily due to awareness and I would think that is not going to change. It is what it is.

JLM

The big difference is that those cars (the MB,Jag, Lexus, BMW) don't share a platform with a sports car that is markedly lower priced and from a much lower status brand (Chevy). If one could buy the Jag as say a "Triumph" with a slightly different body and more power for $35,000 less it would definitely enter into the picture as a viable alternative. Especially if the "Triumph" was already in the market for 50 years and was a desirable icon.

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by nferr

The big difference is that those cars (the MB,Jag, Lexus, BMW) don't share a platform with a sports car that is markedly lower priced and from a much lower status brand (Chevy). If one could buy the Jag as say a "Triumph" with a slightly different body and more power for $35,000 less it would definitely enter

into the picture as a viable alternative. Especially if the "Triumph" was already in the market for 50 years and was a desirable icon.

nferr,

Yes you are correct and for luxury buyers in this segment it simply does not matter. Several at the XLR owner event and I should be honest I am included, simply state Chevrolet's Corvette is a superb performance sports car but it simply would not be considered for purchase along with Cadillac's XLR, Mercedes-Benz's SL or Jaguar's XK and the Porsche 911 and Dodge Viper fall into to the same exclusion list as Chevrolet's Corvette Convertible. These products address different sports car requirements. In my view it is not good or bad or better or worse, but simply different

Cadillac's XLR, Mercedes-Benz's SL, Lexus's SC 430 and Jaguar's XK are meeting a different set of luxury sports car buyer's requirements. It is what it is and because some sports car buyers do not share these requirements will not remove them from this segment of sports car design. There is a market for this design of sports car though very limited in its total sales admittedly.

I said sometime back that my original preference for a sports car was Chevrolet's Corvette Convertible and Porsche 911 Cabriolet. But after experiencing Cadillac's XLR, Maserati's Spyder, Mercedes-Benz's SL and Jaguar's XK, I realized my sports car requirements were best satisfied with a luxury roadster versus a traditional performance sports car.

All I can say is that I am completely satisfied with my purchase choice of Cadillac's XLR and I would assume anyone selecting Jaguar's XK or Mercedes-Benz's SL550 or Chevrolet's Corvette or Porsche's 911 will be equally satisfied as long as it meets their requirements..

JLM

[fordsundevil]

Originally Posted by Branden

The other problem is..there is no prestige to owning a XLR. A Corvette is a Corvette..people grow up dreaming about buying one. On the other hand..no one has the same setiment about an XLR. In reality, if you buy an XLR...people will just snicker at you for spending Z06 money on a car that is slower, softer, and twice the price of a base Corvette.

The problem is that the XLR is a car for men with small, um, how do we say, thingies.

[eaton53]

In reality, if you buy an XLR...people will just snicker at you for spending Z06 money on a car that is slower, softer, and twice the price of a base Corvette.

A used XLR is a smart buy... you can get one for less than a Corvette convertible and it has a hardtop rather than a soft top.

I also like the seating position in the XLR a lot better than the Corvette. I bet this is the case for many older customers and is a very good reason to choose it.

Now, before anyone squeals "massive depreciation", I'm seeing that a used XK is actually way cheaper than a used XLR... probably 5 grand less for comparable years and mileage.

[nferr]

Originally Posted by eaton53

A used XLR is a smart buy... you can get one for less than a Corvette convertible and it has a hardtop rather than a soft top.

I also like the seating position in the XLR a lot better than the Corvette. I bet this is the case for many older customers and is a very good reason to choose it.

Now, before anyone squeals "massive depreciation", I'm seeing that a used XK is actually way cheaper than a used XLR... probably 5 grand less for comparable years and mileage.

Jaguar's have horrific depreciation. It's a function of the whole reliability factor. Add in the fact that the future of the marque is in always in question too.

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by nferr

Jaguar's have horrific depreciation. It's a function of the whole reliability factor. Add in the fact that the future of the marque is in always in question too.

Hi nferr,

In my total cost of ownership evaluation of luxury performance roadsters, none were very impressive from a retained value perspective. Buy the way, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Lamborghini all have less retained value compared to Chevrolet's Corvette and Porsche 911. Anyone considering any of these luxury or exotic sports car brand models must be aware of this financial consideration. But that said Cadillac‘s XLR/ XLR-V simply are gorgeous and owning and driving one of these world class sport cars is at extraordinary experience.

JLM