| Clearly influenced by the styling the Mercedes-Benz | | | | Suspension is the familiar Corvette design of double |
| SLK, the new Cadillac XLR shares the squared off | | | | wishbones front and rear with transverse leaf springs. |
| look of other recent Cadillacs. It doesn't look bad at all, | | | | The result is a simple, lightweight system that gives |
| although the headlamps look as if they have been | | | | more roll stiffness - resistance to roll - than coil springs. |
| squeezed to fit alongside the wide grille. The | | | | Also, the spring rate is progressive, so it irons out big |
| performance puts it up in the supercar class. | | | | bumps in the road almost as easily as little ones. There |
| Top speed is limited to 155 mph, and it can get to 60 | | | | is also a front anti-roll bar. |
| mph in about 5.7 seconds - that's slightly quicker than | | | | To save weight, the double wishbones front and rear |
| the Jaguar XK, thanks to the larger engine. Other | | | | are aluminum; of course, the composite leaf springs |
| competitors include the Mercedes-Benz SL and | | | | are light, too. Leaf springs of this type - just one leaf - |
| Porsche 911. | | | | are actually quite advanced technology as they don't |
| Looks can be deceiving. The car is wide and low, and | | | | locate the wheels, and involve some clever |
| looks big. In fact, it is quite compact, just 177.5 inches | | | | manufacturing techniques. |
| long and 72.2 inches wide. The car looks pretty good, | | | | The dampers are the new continuously variable |
| particularly from the side. And you get a very practical | | | | electro-magnetic type, and the steering is speed |
| SLK-lookalike opening roof. I guess most convertibles | | | | sensitive, so you get more assistance at low speed. |
| will be 'metal' convertibles soon, and the rag tops will | | | | As this is a Cadillac, it comes with a high specification. |
| disappear - maybe not on all supercars. To save | | | | For Europe, navigation, and heated/cooled seats are |
| weight, the roof of the XLR is aluminum and | | | | standard as are adaptive speed control and a head-up |
| magnesium. | | | | display. The interior, with its wood, leather and aluminum |
| Good power output | | | | trim is quite pleasant |
| Also, the XLR has quite a lot of power: 326 bhp at | | | | On the road |
| 6,500 rpm and 312 lb ft (423 Nm)at 4,400 rpm from | | | | Built in the same plant and to the same concept as the |
| GM's Northstar 4.6 liter V-8, which could work a bit | | | | Corvette, the Cadillac XLR is best thought of a |
| harder - 350-360 bhp, which would not be difficult to | | | | softened up Corvette intended for those who want a |
| get from this engine, would make things more | | | | better ride. |
| interesting. | | | | Visibility is good thanks to slim pillars in the opening roof, |
| As it is, it is enough to give the car quite a shove, and | | | | and the almost flat hood. Like the Corvette both the |
| as the Northstar has an aluminum block and head with | | | | instruments and driving position are good. There is also |
| dohc and four valves per cylinder, it revs well. Variable | | | | a head-up display which shows only the speed and |
| valve timing improves the spread of power, too. | | | | which gear you're in, and you don't seem able to |
| The engine is coupled to a rear mounted five-speed | | | | switch off. Pity. I did not find it useful. |
| automatic transmission - 5 speeds put it at a | | | | The steering is not bad at all, and the XLR turns in well, |
| disadvantage against the European supercars which | | | | as you'd expect with that weight distribution, but once |
| mostly have six-speed automatics, but it is designed to | | | | you start pressing, you start to feel a little understeer |
| give sporty shifts. Because the box is rear-mounted | | | | coming in, which is not a bad thing for the market this is |
| and the engine is fairly well back, front/rear weight | | | | aimed at - more the luxury sports car that the hard |
| distribution is 50/50. | | | | charging supercar driver. But the car does not corner |
| New frame concept | | | | as fast as you could with more neutral steering. |
| Based on GM's new platform for sporty cars shared | | | | The automatic is good. In D, the performance is not |
| with the Corvette, the XLR has a fairly light frame of | | | | bad at all, and the kick-down is quite aggressive. |
| hydro-formed steel tubes. Hydroforming changes the | | | | There's also a manual mode. Push the lever across to |
| shape quite dramatically, putting in bends, changing the | | | | the left, and then nudge it forward for up, and back for |
| section to a rectangle and so on, making a lightweight | | | | down. This works extremely well, and actually is a |
| frame. The passenger compartment is aluminum, and | | | | manual. I mean, some of these actually shift up when |
| the body panels are composite plastics. This is a | | | | you hit peak revs. Not this one; it just lets you stay |
| structure that can compete with many a supercar. | | | | there till you're ready. |
| This is a fairly light structure, and despite the high level | | | | Overall, the Cadillac XLR is a good addition to the |
| of equipment, the car weighs a healthy 3,643 lb (1,654 | | | | ranks of sporty two-seater luxury cars, but not up to |
| kg) which is just 130 lb more than the new lightweight | | | | the standard of the Jaguar XK nor the Aston Martin |
| Jaguar XK, and of course quite a bit more than the | | | | V8 Vantage. Others to consider include the more |
| Corvette which has a lower spec but bigger engine. | | | | powerful and sportier Corvette and Viper SRT-10. |
| Double wishbone suspension | | | | |