Great Machines: Annual Report: One More for the Road
06/01/2008
When Cadillac presented their daring 2004 XLR to a community of jaded automotive journalists, the General and its development team had to know that their task paralleled that of Sisyphus. For no sooner had their designers pushed that sports car to the pinnacle of cutting-edge design—as a styling exercise it is brilliant—than it rolled back to the drawing board begging for a more powerful drivetrain; one that could deliver performance commensurate with the XLR’s groundbreaking shape.So the XLR-V—the high-performance version introduced in 2006—was eagerly received by those who admired its precursor but prefer their performance cocktail spiked with a little more horsepower. Four hundred and forty-three, to be precise, spooled up quickly by way of a supercharger feeding a proven 4.4-liter, 32-valve, all-aluminum Northstar V-8.
Flagship really is the most appropriate term to describe the XLR-V. With the XLR-V, Cadillac takes aim at two-seat Euro-benchmarks like Mercedes-Benz’s SL, and four-seaters (in name only) like Jaguar’s XK. Not only does the XLR-V represent the best General Motors has to offer, at $100,000, it is the most expensive series-production automobile—except for perhaps the upcoming Corvette ZR1—ever marketed by the Detroit giant. Expectations and stakes were set high.
It’s no exaggeration to say that everyone at Robb Report was looking forward to a long-term relationship with the new personal sports-luxury Cadillac. And what a year it has been. After enduring some less-than-delicate right-foot treatment by our editors (and they having been subjected to some bad behavior on the part of the XLR-V), reviews reflect everything from "I love you" to "I want a divorce." Thankfully, neither party called the police, though the mechanics were occasionally summoned.
The XLR-V looks like no other car, and it is beautiful in the bargain. Its Crystal Red metallic paint job is superb; easily the equal to some very expensive automobiles. Love it or not, its crisp and unpretentious shape is tasteful, exquisitely proportioned and simply unmistakable. Drivers and pedestrians stared in approval. Observers with a mature eye for design—those who have tired of BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes festooned with gills, slats, cartoon air dams, and splitters—will find the XLR-V’s clean lines refreshing.
At the same time, drivers spoiled by today’s crop of 400-plus hp GTs will find the XLR-V every bit as exciting and capable under the hood as anything short of a Bentley Continental GT. Additional compliments must be paid to the 6-speed automatic transmission and a sophisticated electro-magnetic suspension system that rewards capable drivers with excellent handling, and makes the two-seater a perfect choice for passengers on long-distance drives. Here, we shall end the chapter entitled "Glass Half Full."
The other half of our tale recounts a litany of greater or lesser frustrations that began with our first drive. Initial impressions of the XLR-V’s interior will not reassure those who have experienced the competitions’ cabins. The XLR-V eschews rich leather seats in favor of velour-like upholstery, more to be expected in an economy sedan than a luxury automobile, and a huge expanse of rubbery dash, where leather and pleasantly tactile synthetics are expected.
Then the nagging set in. The Traction Control light indicated service was required at 700 miles. Errant warning lights were a recurring theme. The keyless entry fob failed to open or start the car on numerous occasions. At 1,002 miles, the driver-side fog lamp disgorged the entire assembly from its socket, hanging like one of Rat Fink’s eyeballs. We’d smack it back in place every week or so.At 5,590 miles, the car went to the dealer for five days to correct the aforementioned issues, including a driver’s door that had become so misaligned it scraped the front fender’s leading edge every time it was opened and closed. In again at 9,070 with a defective battery. At 10,784 miles, the retractable roof stuck in mid-position; the rear decklid cracked and required complete repair. Lots of road trips accounted for the next 10,000 miles, during which drivers elucidated numerous complaints about non-serious irritations, while most continued to praise the remarkable engine and the car’s novel, retractable roof.
Finally, at circa 21,000 miles and on a trip from Phoenix, the engine shut down to about 10 percent power after a downshift during a freeway lane change. Limping to safety at 20 mph, warning-light ablaze notifying the driver of "reduced power." After two days, the receiving dealer was unable to locate the problem. With 21,400 miles on the odometer and a year of love/hate under our collective seatbelts, we returned the XLR-V to its maker. The Eau de Oil Well new-car smell lingered still.
Despite its shortcomings, I could use this car as a daily driver, but would not be willing to pay $100,000 for the privilege. Too many better-built and well-behaved alternatives exist at—or slightly above and below—the six-figure threshold, to make the XLR-V uncompetitive against our shortlist of favorites. But the ingredients for greatness are there, and if the irritating real-life flaws can be corrected for the next round, the XLR-V will deserve serious consideration.
Cadillac, www.gmusa.com
2007 Cadillac XLR-V
Price As Tested:
$100,000
Engine: 4.4-liter supercharged V-8
Power: 443 hp at 6,400 rpm
Torque: 414 ft lbs at 3,900 rpm
Test Period: 12 months
Odometer: 21,400 miles
Non-Warranty Expenses: None
Fuel Economy (EPA city/highway): 15 / 22 mpg
Observed Mileage: 17.3 mpg