Cadillac XLR

The Cadillac XLR is a convertible car which was manufactured and marketed by Cadillac from 2003 to 2009 across a single generation. It is a two-seat roadster and has a power retractable hardtop. The XLR was introduced at the 2003 North American International Auto Show as a halo model for Cadillac, and began production for the 2004 model year. The design was inspired by the 1999 Evoq concept.

The XLR shares much of its construction design with the C6 Chevrolet Corvette that was introduced one year later, including its GM Y platform, hydroformed steel perimeter side rails, folded steel backbone, tubular steel front and rear bulkheads, aluminum windshield structure, magnesium steering-column mounts, aluminum/balsawood composite floorboards and composite bodywork technology.[6] Unique to the XLR are its engine, bodywork, interior, suspension settings, and power retractable hardtop. Both Chevrolet and Cadillac were manufactured at GM's Bowling Green Assembly, with the XLR manufactured at a dedicated work station adjacent to the Corvette assembly line, engineered to facilitate routing of componentry to the XLR's dedicated assembly station.[7]

The XLR entered production a year before the Chevrolet, as the first production Cadillac with radar

Design

The XLR was marketed as a luxury roadster and offered numerous features either as standard equipment or as options, including a touchscreen GPS navigation radio with an AM/FM radio, CD changer, XM Satellite Radio, full voice control, Bose premium amplified audio system, adaptive cruise control, Bulgari-branded instrument panel cluster,[9] OnStar, High Intensity Discharge (HID) front headlamps, perforated luxury leather-trimmed seating surfaces with power-adjustable, heated and cooled bucket seats with a driver's memory system, luxury carpeted floor mats with embroidered 'XLR' logos, premium aluminum-alloy wheels, and wood interior trim.

The XLR featured adaptive suspension with magneto-rheological shock absorber fluid for enhanced ride control. The system, marketed as Magnetic Ride Control, used four wheel-to-body displacement sensors to measure wheel motion over the road surface and responds by adjusting the shock damping almost instantly. The shock absorbers were filled with a fluid containing suspended iron particles responsive to magnetic signals. The system constantly monitored motion and changed the damping forces at all four corners of the vehicle — to modulate body motion for quick maneuvers or uneven road surfaces.

Whereas the Chevrolet Corvette (C6) was powered by a 6.0 L GM LS2 V8 engine and offered with a six-speed manual transmission, the XLR featured Cadillac's 4.6 L Northstar V8 (supercharged in the XLR-V) and either a five-speed 5L50 automatic transmission, or a six-speed 6L80 automatic transmission. It produced 320 hp and 310 lbft of torque in the standard trim. Optional XLR equipment included polished aluminum-alloy wheels, exterior and interior color options, and different interior trim options.

The XLR's fully automatic power retractable top required less than 30 seconds[10] and 6 ft of vertical clearance for its operation, with its cargo capacity reduced from 11.6 cubic feet to 4.4 cubic feet.[11] The top, made of aluminum and magnesium with a composite plastic painted exterior, was engineered and manufactured by Magna Car Top Systems GmbH (Magna CTWS), co-located at Bowling Green Assembly,[12] the same firm that supplies numerous manufacturers, e.g., the Mercedes-Benz SL.[11] The system included a heated glass window and glass rear-quarter windows and opened remotely using the key fob, by pushing the dash-mounted button, or by a button on the trunk.

The XLR featured the traditional Cadillac, silver-painted upper "Egg Crate" (XLR) or chrome wire mesh (XLR-V) front grille.

For the 2009 model year, the XLR added a new front fascia, new rear fascia, and chrome side fender vents. Inside, Alcantara - a suede-like microfiber material - was added for the headliner. The interior added new instrument cluster trim rings with revised graphics, (removal of the Bulgari logo) and new wood dashboard trims. XLR production ended on March 31, 2009.

The base price of the XLR in the United States went from $75,385 at launch to $86,215 by the end of its run in 2009.[13]

manufacturer	Cadillac (General Motors)
production	2003–2009
model years	2004–2009
predecessor	Cadillac Allanté
class	Grand tourer (S)
body style	2-door roadster
layout	FR layout
platform	Y-body/GMX215
assembly	United States: Bowling Green, Kentucky (Bowling Green Assembly Plant)
designer	Tom Peters (prod. exterior: 1999, 2000)‡R1R‡‡R2R‡ Kip Wasenko (Evoq Concept: 1998; chief designer of prod: 2000)‡R3R‡‡R4R‡ Wayne Cherry (design director)‡R5R‡
related	Chevrolet Corvette (C5) Chevrolet Corvette (C6)
transmission	5-speed 5L50 automatic 6-speed 6L80 automatic
engine	4.6 L Northstar V8 4.4 L Northstar Supercharged V8
wheelbase	105.7 in
length	177.7 in
width	72.3 in
height	50.4 in
weight	3840 lb

Design

XLR-V

Sales

See also

External links

References