Produced from 2004 to 2009, the Cadillac XLR is a classic case of a car that had a lot going for it but never quite got the love due to stiff competition and a stiff price tag. Let's face it, battling the iconic Mercedes SL is like trying to beat Superman in an arm wrestling match. The upside is that used XLRs for relatively short money are plentiful. Note that I'm focusing on the standard XLR here. I purposely left out the ultra-high performance XLR-V as it is much more expensive, much more rare and much more than most luxury roadster fans could possibly need.
I'd bet that not many folks realize that the XLR shares much of its platform with the current (C6) Corvette. Though this may seem to promise sports car-like performance, there are some key differences. The XLR has Caddy's 4.6-liter "Northstar" 4-cam V8, so you'll have to live with "only" 320 hp rather than the 'vette's 400-436. There is no manual transmission option. And lastly, the adaptive suspension's tuning is more grand tourer than sports machine. That all said, the XLR is still more than quick enough (0-to-60 in less than 6 seconds). And though not as athletic as the SL when pushed hard on a twisty road, makes for a comfortable companion on a weekend getaway to the mountains or the coast.
In addition to the handsome, sharp-edged exterior styling, the XLR has an inviting cabin with Eucalyptus wood and real aluminum accents. Adding to the XLR's appeal is the standard retractable hardtop that provides all the security and comfort of a coupe when the top is up and the full open-air experience of a roadster when the top is cleanly stowed.
Though the XLR typically listed for $76,000 - $86,000, nice, very low-mileage examples can be had for $35-40,000, such as the ones I saw on eBay. In other words, you can find a barely used (less than 20k miles) XLR for less than half of what it cost new.
By kingkhalas
on May 13, 2010
11:20 AM
Carmax has one for 27K.
By 1487
on May 13, 2010
12:02 PM
IL should get one. Its a sharp looking car except for the dull 18" rims.
By estreka
on May 13, 2010
12:50 PM
I was under the impression that the XLR had a cheap interior unbecoming of a $80K roadster.
The nice thing about this car is that parts are relatively cheap and readily available. You could also get it serviced just about anywhere (unlike Audi).
By vwblues
on May 13, 2010
12:56 PM
I always liked the look of these. They really are eye catching in person.
By kingkhalas
on May 13, 2010
01:43 PM
The wood trim looks cheap.
By bodyblue
on May 13, 2010
02:06 PM
"IL should get one. Its a sharp looking car except for the dull 18" rims. "
Yeah, just imagine all of the exciting "went back to the dealer for yet another squeaking seat" stories we could read!
By joemt
on May 13, 2010
03:18 PM
Boring!
By greenpony
on May 13, 2010
05:51 PM
May as well get a '02-'05 Thunderbird.
By blueguydotcom
on May 14, 2010
02:51 PM
Just seems like an odd way to spend a load of cash. For 35-40k why not go with a used 911 cab and get everything the caddy doesn't have?
By epbrown
on May 16, 2010
01:48 PM
I've always liked the look of these, from a distance, like a pretty girl across a dark nightclub. Everytime I start to get closer, I get leery about some of what I'm seeing...
By wrinklebump
on May 23, 2010
09:03 AM
Always like the sheetmetal on this thing