Cadillac XLR spied again (with interior shots)

[jlmartin99]

Greetings PAULSTS1,


I was looking for your original comments and could not locate it. But I wanted to respond to your comments in a thoughtful manner regarding Cadillac’s XLR and Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 comparative evaluation. It always nice to see your opinions and I am glad you had an opportunity to experience and compare these two world class luxury performance roadsters.

Before you read my comments regarding some of my comparative evaluations between Cadillac’s XLR and Mercedes-Benz’s SL550, it is worth saying, both of these luxury performance roadsters are world class and depending on your luxury sports car requirements either could be your purchase choice. For my requirements, Cadillac’s XLR ranks #1 for purchase easily over Mercedes Benz’s SL550.

For my comments on Cadillac’s XLR and Mercedes-Benz’s SL550, I will address your topics of preference first and then I will highlight my key reasons why Cadillac’s XLR has a commanding purchase preference for my requirements in the luxury performance roadster segment. On these general topics you mention, I am not sure we disagree in your focus areas of fit and finish or resale value when I evaluated Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 to Cadillac’s XLR. My terms were different, “craftsmanship” would replace fit and finish and in my evaluation. I also view Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 and Lexus SC 430 a degree better than Cadillac’s XLR and Jaguar’s XK in this area, but honestly not by much.

In regard to resale value I would not disagree, however I would suggest it is an incomplete financial statement of value for these two wonderful performance luxury sports cars. As far as resale value, again a different term I will use "retained value" over a five year estimate was my analysis scope. In addition, retained value is but one of the elements in “Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)” for my financial purchase evaluation. I should say the use of this financial value process is objective and does not consider the subjective value one places on the selected purchase; it is simply the total dollars I will spend on my purchase over a designated period.

In my case of Cadillac’s XLR when compared to a similar optioned Mercedes-Benz’s SL550, Cadillac’s XLR has a financial advantage over Mercedes-Benz’s in four key areas, purchase price, financial terms (GMAC), maintenance cost ( there are no out of pocket maintenance cost during the Cadillac XLR 4 year 50,000 mile Bumper to Bumper warranty) and insurance. The net financial impact equates to roughly a $30,000.00 advantage for Cadillac’s XLR compared to Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 similarly optioned over a five year period. And again in my case I rank the style and design of Cadillac’s XLR over Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 and with a TCO advantage for Cadillac as well, this strongly places the Cadillac XLR in the #1 purchase choice position for my requirements.

In regard to Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 "technological wizardry”, depending how one defines this, it may be the case, but I did not find this to be the results in my evaluation. However, I did find the Mercedes Benz’s SL550 feature list is the most robust of any luxury performance sports car in this segment. That said, I did not find the application of advance technologies or features and their systems integration as well executed when compared to Cadillac’s XLR.

Let’s start with the basics, some of Cadillac’s XLR most advance technologies begin at a very fundamental level with chassis and body design. Cadillac’s XLR utilizes GM’s patented Performance Car Architecture, a pair of hydroformed rails with structural center tunnel, along with advance compound composites used in the XLR balsa floor construction and body panels. Additionally, extensive use of light metal alloys in aluminum and magnesium are designed into the XLR’s cockpit, suspension and roof. The key advantages of Cadillac’s XLR chassis and body design is, it is one of the most rigid, lightest high styled luxury performance roadsters existing in the world today, delivering one of the very best broad ranging dynamic driving experiences available.

Another real life advantage of advance compound composite body panels are their durability and dent resistance properties when compared to steel or aluminum. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 unitized steel chassis and body panels create a superb rigid design. However, a SL550 similar optioned to Cadillac’s XLR, weighs in as the heaviest of the group and Cadillac’s XLR is the lightest by 400-600 pounds. In fact for comparison, Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 optioned similar to Cadillac’s XLR weighs more than Cadillac’s STS V8. On this design criterion alone, many would consider Cadillac’s XLR a superior design over Mercedes-Benz’s SL550.

An additional key design benefit for the XLR other than weight savings is in Cadillac’s design decision to use advance compound composites for the XLR body panels. Cadillac’s XLR exterior design is simply breathtaking. In fact, some of the exterior styling of the Cadillac XLR is so exotic in their crisps lines, it would be virtually impossible to perform this in metal.

When one does a visual walk around of Cadillac’s XLR and you see its gorgeous lines are uninterrupted, not even door handles intrude on the XLR exterior styling, it does create a formidable impression. GM’s engineers integrated all antennas within the composite body panels, again enhancing the exterior clean styling and modern design. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 displays traditional door handles and power antenna mast that exemplifies its more classic look in exterior design. In comparison to Cadillac’s XLR exterior design, the SL simply does not reach a level of exotic design in my view. Instead, the SL exterior design strikes me as a beautiful, sleek Mercedes-Benz coupe, not an exotic luxury sports car. Cadillac’s XLR exterior lines set a standard in contemporary exterior design and for my requirements; Cadillac’s XLR achieves a level of exotic style and design and is my first preference over any comparable luxury performance roadster.

Lets transition to Cadillac’s interior, Cadillac designers and engineers have achieved an interior design in the XLR that exemplifies modern understated sophistication. This modern theme continues from the XLR’s exterior styling into its design of its interior. The XLR interior looks like no other, it is fresh and contemporary in its style with a mix of authentic soft and rich materials designed in such a way to enable a complex array of features and advance technology to feel simple and serene in its operation. No other luxury performance roadster so vividly creates such a wonderful experience with its understated graceful interior design as Cadillac’s XLR.

Another design benefit, Cadillac’s XLR comes fully optioned which offered their designers and engineers a clear advantage by designing Cadillac’s XLR full complement of features and advance technology into the XLR’s exterior and interior without compromise. This is one of the key interior design advantages of Cadillac's XLR over the Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 that I evaluated. When you compare Mercedes-Benz's SL for example, the standard features with Cadillac's XLR are optional with Mercedes-Benz's SL550. This is not a problem per say, but as you add the optional features to the SL, some are integrated very well and others drastically change the appearance of the interior's operational controls and switch work, creating a more complex feel and in some cases it has an add-on appearance, feeling like an afterthought in its design. When I evaluated these performance luxury roadsters, Cadillac’s interior design is the most modern interpretation with minimal buttons and switchgear with some of the highest level of advance technology and features.

Let’s continue on with advance technologies where Cadillac’s XLR strikes a powerful contrast to Mercedes-Benz SL550 in systems integration. Incorporating the world’s most advance technologies into useful and easy to use luxury, performance and safety features is one of the key indicators of superior engineering and the ultimate recognition of excellent design. And in my evaluation of Cadillac's XLR and Mercedes-Benz's SL550, both are world class in this regard. However that said, there are differences in Cadillac’s design approach versus Mercedes-Benz. In my case, again Cadillac’s XLR is my preference over Mercedes–Benz’s SL550.

Some of the key applied technologies that enable an authoritative design presence for Cadillac’s XLR are in its advance body and chassis technologies with MRC (Magnetic Ride Control), Magnasteer and Stabilitrak systems integration. Advance Telematics designed by OnStar offering some of the most innovative features in the market today. Image technology in the color Head-Up Display (reconfigurable four color display), Driver Information and LCD Touch Screen Displays. Infotainment systems with its incorporation of Cadillac’s XLR advance seat design which utilizes Bose’s Personnel Surround Sound with True Space technology formulated to the XLR’s specific acoustic environment. These seats incorporate ceramic materials to offer another exclusive technology of cooled versus ventilated seats. And the real enrichment are these advance features in comparison to Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 some are exclusive in Cadillac’s XLR and Cadillac's designers and engineers have integrated them seamlessly into the XLR.


And the result, Cadillac’s XLR displays a painstaking, highly integrated, easy to operate intuitive design in contrast to Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 more complex looking, old world styled design that can be complicated in its operation and does not integrate its features as well as it should in my view. This is where Cadillac’s XLR interior design excels in that Cadillac’s XLR has some of the most advance features available in this segment, but its interior remains an inviting experience that is pure in its uncomplicated modern design elegance.



I have mentioned before, for my requirements, Cadillac’s XLR is my #1 purchase choice over Mercedes-Benz’s SL550. In fact, based on my most recent comparative evaluation, Jaguar’s XK Coupe (with Aston Martin’s Vantage coupe as my preferred exotic sports car) has replaced Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 as my # 2 purchase choice from a style and design perspective. Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 is the least attractive to my tastes and with their 2009 styling updates; Mercedes-Benz's SL550 is no longer on my final purchase list.[/font]

In my examination, Cadillac’s designers, engineers and builders have created a stellar luxury performance roadster in the XLR that is exotic in its design.

JLM

[MaxLegroom]

Perhaps Cadillac should not continue in this market segment. However, not for the reason wescoent mentioned. While I agree that the modern equivalent to the Eldorado is something like the 6 series, not a SL, I have a different reason for this. It is all too obvious that Cadillac cares little for this segment of the market. To first build the Allante, then discontinue it, then resurrect the idea of a roadster years later with the XLR means that the people like jlmartin99, who seem to be quite satisfied with their cars have no reliable place to go when it comes time to replace their cars, unlike Jaguar or Mercedes owners, who know that there will be another XK or similar, or especially another SL when it comes time to replace their cars. He may well buy the '09 model, but now he likely knows he will have to look elsewhere when that car needs replacement. A SL owner will be back at his local Mercedes dealer. In this end of the market, the half-hearted efforts are worse than nothing at all.

An interesting aside here is something I noticed:


Anyone else see a similarity?

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by MaxLegroom

Perhaps Cadillac should not continue in this market segment. However, not for the reason wescoent mentioned. While I agree that the modern equivalent to the Eldorado is something like the 6 series, not a SL, I have a different reason for this. It is all too obvious that Cadillac cares little for this segment of the market. To first build the Allante, then discontinue it, then resurrect the idea of a roadster years later with the XLR means that the people like jlmartin99, who seem to be quite satisfied with their cars have no reliable place to go when it comes time to replace their cars, unlike Jaguar or Mercedes owners, who know that there will be another XK or similar, or especially another SL when it comes time to replace their cars. He may well buy the '09 model, but now he likely knows he will have to look elsewhere when that car needs replacement. A SL owner will be back at his local Mercedes dealer. In this end of the market, the half-hearted efforts are worse than nothing at all.

An interesting aside here is something I noticed:


Anyone else see a similarity?

Hi MaxLegroom,

I would agree with you in regard to the purchase of Cadillac's XLR for 2009. And depending on how long I wish to keep this model, three to four years would place my next replacement in 2012 on 2013. Who knows what GM or Cadillac will offer by this time.

JLM

[2002 Caddy]

Originally Posted by jlmartin99

And depending on how long I wish to keep this model, three to four years would place my next replacement in 2012 on 2013. Who knows what GM or Cadillac will offer by this time.

If we believe GM's press releases the answer to this question is quite easy
1) Nothing with a 32V V8
2) No XLR (or replacement)
3) No SRX (or replacement)
4) No STS and
5) No DTS

We are hopeful for a COMBINATION replacement for the STS and the DTS which honestly scares the crap out of me... The STS was targeted as a Large Sports Sedan and the DTS was targeted as "old school" floaty Cadillac of yore.

If GM management looks at sales numbers to help design the new DTS/STS replacement (like any accountant would) they will WRONGLY conclude that they need to make the new STS/DTS more floaty then sporty...
THIS WILL KILL THIS CAR TOO.

Lets just hope that the STS replacement isn't as odd looking as the current STS. Full sized sedans should look "long and lean" The current STS looks too upright, too bloated kind of like CTS's overweight sister.

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by 2002 Caddy

If we believe GM's press releases the answer to this question is quite easy
1) Nothing with a 32V V8
2) No XLR (or replacement)
3) No SRX (or replacement)
4) No STS and
5) No DTS

We are hopeful for a COMBINATION replacement for the STS and the DTS which honestly scares the crap out of me... The STS was targeted as a Large Sports Sedan and the DTS was targeted as "old school" floaty Cadillac of yore.

If GM management looks at sales numbers to help design the new DTS/STS replacement (like any accountant would) they will WRONGLY conclude that they need to make the new STS/DTS more floaty then sporty...
THIS WILL KILL THIS CAR TOO.

Lets just hope that the STS replacement isn't as odd looking as the current STS. Full sized sedans should look "long and lean" The current STS looks too upright, too bloated kind of like CTS's overweight sister.

Hi 2002 Caddy,

I simply adore the Cadillac STS. So much so, I purchased a 2005 Cadillac STS V8 over my shortlist at the time which was BMW's 545i and Lexus GS 430.

I see comments regarding the STS being full size, it is a premium midsize luxury sport sedan. Cadillac's DTS is a full size luxury sedan and I would expect the DTS/STS replacement to more targeted for the DTS luxury buyer and the new CTS will be upgraded with the current feature content of the current STS. I would think it would be a perfect fit for my requirements. With the CTS-V already displaying a high performance V8 and MRC, it is 90% there.

But in reality all of these fine Cadillac luxury cars are being sold today and again no one knows what will happen by 2011, 2012 or 2013. My plans are very simple at this point, I will replace my current STS V8 and XLR with a 2009 STS V8/STS-V or CTS-V and XLR/XLR-V.

I am really looking forward to seeing the 2009 XLR in person and meeting the Cadillac team that brought this car to life.

JLM

[mgescuro]

Oh.... so today, I saw one of the coolest STS-V's I've ever seen.
Bright, fire engine red STS-V... with black and red interior....

It was definitely a head turner!

On another note.. my buddy is getting rid of his white diamond XLR-V.... for an electric blue XLR-V.... His reason? "I like blue."

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Oh.... so today, I saw one of the coolest STS-V's I've ever seen.
Bright, fire engine red STS-V... with black and red interior....

It was definitely a head turner!

On another note.. my buddy is getting rid of his white diamond XLR-V.... for an electric blue XLR-V.... His reason? "I like blue."

Hi mgescuro,

That STS-V must be custom. I priced a custom STS-V and XLR -V without a paint color change and it is not an expensive option. My dealership informed that me it is customized after it comes from Cadillac.

Do you know what year the Cadillac STS-V is?

JLM

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by jlmartin99

Hi mgescuro,

That STS-V must be custom. I priced a custom STS-V and XLR -V without a paint color change and it is not an expensive option. My dealership informed that me it is customized after it comes from Cadillac.

Do you know what year the Cadillac STS-V is?

JLM

It was in fact a custom 2008 STS-V. It had the side vents. No Cadillacs come in that fire engine red color, unless you specially order it, which as we all know is no problem for Cadillacs.

Red Adair (the oil fire firefighter) bought all his Cadillacs in a fire engine red color.

I wish I had gotten a better look at it. I had stepped out of my building, and it was at the curb making a turn.

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

It was in fact a custom 2008 STS-V. It had the side vents. No Cadillacs come in that fire engine red color, unless you specially order it, which as we all know is no problem for Cadillacs.

Red Adair (the oil fire firefighter) bought all his Cadillacs in a fire engine red color.

I wish I had gotten a better look at it. I had stepped out of my building, and it was at the curb making a turn.

mgescuro,

Just a quick comment regarding your friends reason for his new XLR, was he liked electra blue. I think most luxury buyers think like him, they simply buy what they like. As a luxury buyer, I am somewhat unique in how I may buy what attracts me but in addition the choice must meet my requirements for design and advance technology.

However, since I have completed my comparative evaluation and Cadillac' s XLR is my first purchase preference, all that is left is to choose a color. I have not seen this new electra blue after next week I will have see all of the 2009 XLR colors. However, I am somewhat classic in my color preference, I like the XLR in silver or black.

JLM

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by jlmartin99

mgescuro,

Just a quick comment regarding your friends reason for his new XLR, was he liked electra blue. I think most luxury buyers think like him, they simply buy what they like. As a luxury buyer, I am somewhat unique in how I may buy what attracts me but in addition the choice must meet my requirements for design and advance technology.

However, since I have completed my comparative evaluation and Cadillac' s XLR is my first purchase preference, all that is left is to choose a color. I have not seen this new electra blue after next week I will have see all of the 2009 XLR colors. However, I am somewhat classic in my color preference, I like the XLR in silver or black.

JLM

My friend's kind of strange. He's 28. He's kind of annoyed that people look at him strange when he's driving the XLR-V. And he works as a waiter and lifeguard because "he likes doing it." He keeps his Patek in his safe and wears his Seiko the rest of the time.
His winter car is his Aviator.

I didn't know XLR-V came in blue. (As if XLR-V came in white diamond anwyays...) I had to look it up. I love blue... but I don't like this shade.

[jlmartin99]

mgescuro My friend's kind of strange. He's 28. He's kind of annoyed that people look at him strange when he's driving the XLR-V. And he works as a waiter and lifeguard because "he likes doing it." He keeps his Patek in his safe and wears his Seiko the rest of the time.
His winter car is his Aviator.

I didn't know XLR-V came in blue. (As if XLR-V came in white diamond anwyays...) I had to look it up. I love blue... but I don't like this shadein




mgescuro,

I do not know if your friend is strange, it appears he simply has the financial means to enjoy some very nice luxuries. Nothing wrong in that.

Patek Phillippe timepieces are the some of the most admired by collectors. And it makes perfect since his watch sits in vault if he is not wearing it.


I am very interested in seeing all of the 2009 XLR colors first hand and shortly I will.

JLM