Cadillac XLR Killed Off

[HarleyEarl]

The Cadillac XLR will be history in the spring of 2009.

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2009/01/gm-re...dillac-xlr.html

[DBeaSSt]

Just saw a similar article on Autoblog. Sad to see really as I quite like the car. But, as many have commented, for it's price tag, it's just not worth the money.

There is still an 08 XLR (v I think) sitting on the showroom floor of my local Caddy/Chevy dealer. If it wasn't white, might be worth snagging it with the huge discounts they've got on it.

[z28luvr01]

It's a nice car, IMO. When it came out, it was a better car than the competition. Unfortunately, time has passed it by, and the "refresh" does nothing for it.

Combining Kappa and the Y body makes even more sense now that the Corvette doesn't have a platform mate.

[the_yellow_dart]

Surprise, surprise, surprise.

The dealer I bought my Cobalt from had a heavily discounted demo XLR that sat in the showroom for 18 months, last I had seen it. Not sure if that thing ever sold.

[CSpec]

That's a shame; the XLR was always very good looking, but the interior was never good enough.

[smk4565]

Not surprising since it doesn't sell. However Cadillac isn't a legit competitor to the Germans without a convertible or without a coupe, and they delayed the CTS coupe another year. So they are now 0 for 2 (Allante and XLR) at going after the Mercedes SL. I have a feeling they won't try a third time, and will keep Cadillac as a producer of $35-50k midsize sedans and Chevy based SUVs.

[buyacargetacheck]

You're probably right about Cadillac staying in $35K-$50K range. And why not? There's zero chance Cadillac will rival BMW and Mercedes across the board consistently. They're handicapped in too many ways. For starters, luxury buyers view expensive European cars through a different lens -- they're "luxury" because they're expensive and European (preceived images of old world craftsmanship). On the other hand, "American" and "luxury" are cultural opposites. Add to that GM's lack of capital, it's lack of persistence, and Cadillac's integration into the rest of GMNA.

BUT, Cadillac has excellent potential to expand down into Buick's territory. The Enclave and new LaCrosse would make excellent "comfort" Cadillacs. There's no reason why the slightly more expensive CTS variants couldn't also remain as a rear-drive BMW challenger. As much as I like Buick I think the name is irreversibly tarnished and will have trouble "out-cache'ing" Lexus and Lincoln.

Maybe GM should encourage Cadillac and PBG dealers to merge with the goal of phasing out Pontiac and Buick as their individual models run out their lifecycles?

Not surprising since it doesn't sell. However Cadillac isn't a legit competitor to the Germans without a convertible or without a coupe, and they delayed the CTS coupe another year. So they are now 0 for 2 (Allante and XLR) at going after the Mercedes SL. I have a feeling they won't try a third time, and will keep Cadillac as a producer of $35-50k midsize sedans and Chevy based SUVs.

[longtooth]

My late Uncle had an XLR V done in Infrared, an '07. It is truly a kick to drive and at age 68 my Aunt finds that it has limited appeal for her ( I believe that she fears it). She gets around in her '07 DTS (also a fine ride btw) when she does venture out to go to the stereotypical seniors activities and Atlantic City, NJ. The couple was childless and I see my Aunt 3 or 4 times per month and get her vehicles serviced as needed, take her to lunch if she wishes and do the little odd-jobs she can't do for herself.

Suitors for my Aunt's attention/affection have begun to come out of the woodwork as it's been 18 months since my Uncle went to his eternal reward and the 'boys' (there've been a few) all want to take the XLR out for her to keep the 'seals wet'. I guess that's what they're calling it these days. I won't even ask if she wants to sell it to me as much as I'd care to have it but she never fails to mention to me that she doesn't care to have it around any longer. In nearly the same breath though she'll say that she can still see her late-husband (my Father's younger Brother) coming up the drive in October '06 when he'd bought it from Kerbeck in Atlantic City. So I'd say that the car is something more to her than just a car. It does look great parked on her sparkling-white driveway near the freshly-cut lawn in Spring, Summer and Fall. That is how I first saw it when I transferred up from Doraville assembly late in '06. Perversely as I've gotten older I've gotten more indifferent to cars and trucks and such but that car is as a 'living' expression of temptation. I'm somewhat saddened to hear that XLR's going to be discontinued but GM needs to do what it deems wise and continue valiantly to hang on as best as it can. But the angular XLR is going to continue to remain popular within it's core constituency of those drivers that wanted a suave anti-'Vette I would guess.

[saturnd00d]

I love the XLR. I still, to this day, look at it and think clean and timeless design. I'll be saddened to see it go, but I know that it's a car that's not really a necessity for GM right now.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Sad to see it go, but it was always a half assed effort anyway... Of course, it might've helped if GM had promoted the car any.

I'm worried about Cadillac. It should strive to be the standard of the world again (a position they can attain IMO). But so far we've got a cancelled XLR, a cancelled SRX in favor of a GM corporate product (although i think this was a good move, most are divided on it) NO replacement for the STS or DTS and Epsilon being debated AS the replacement, the CTS coupe on hold, Alpha and any prospect of a BTS on hold, NO Northstar replacement, no architecture for the CTS to graduate to and a rumored Lambda Escalade.

Sounds like Cadillac is about to be sh*t again...

:angry2:

On a positive note, I'd like to see either a Cien type car or a convertible CTS. And I do think that Cadillac, especially now that it's name is pretty good, needs to concentrate on getting the core stuff right first and then stuff like the XLR. We need a super Alpha line, a CTS that is fresh every 2 years and a true 7 series competitor. Then we can work on stuff like the XLR.

Edited January 27, 2009 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[Intrepidation]

I always thought the XLR was handsome, but too expensive for what you get...an interior not befitting the price tag and handling that's not as good as the Corvette.

Now if it looked like it does, had an interior befitting of a flagship luxury car, and handling like the ZR1 with as much power...well then it'd be worth it.

[smk4565]

Sad to see it go, but it was always a half assed effort anyway... Of course, it might've helped if GM had promoted the car any.

I'm worried about Cadillac. It should strive to be the standard of the world again (a position they can attain IMO). But so far we've got a cancelled XLR, a cancelled SRX in favor of a GM corporate product (although i think this was a good move, most are divided on it) NO replacement for the STS or DTS and Epsilon being debated AS the replacement, the CTS coupe on hold, Alpha and any prospect of a BTS on hold, NO Northstar replacement, no architecture for the CTS to graduate to and a rumored Lambda Escalade.

Sounds like Cadillac is about to be sh*t again...

:angry2:

I would agree, and this is a reason I was never glad about the Lambdas or GM's constant SUV push and trying to fund 8 brands, because they stopped spending money on cars and Cadillac. An Epsilon Cadillac would be an absolute joke, but with a 2010 or 2011 lineup that could be CTS, SRX, Escalade, I could see them doing it.

On the plus side, Jaguar has an XF coupe, F-type roadster, new XJ, refreshed XK and an XE supercar that goes 225 mph coming. Too bad Tata didn't buy Cadillac.

[regfootball]

maybe they will do a convertible CTS to replace it at some point. the XLR was nice but the interior sucked and the corvette outperformed it.

i think GM needs to allow caddy dealers to sell the corvette (and give it a nicer interior too)

[David]

STUPID STUPID STUPID

Due to two kids in College, I have put on hold buying any other vehicle, but I really love the XLR and was hoping in two years once they are out of college to get one for my wife and I. GM will never get back to the standard of the world with doing idiot mgmt decisions.

The XLR could be so much more and easily beat the SL from Mercedes. They truly have missed the boat about trying to keep every product line going when in the last 8 years they should have eaten the cost of closing down Pontiac, Buick & Saturn and focused on selling Chevy as an entry level, GMC as the upgraded mid lux level and Cadillac as the top of the world. They could have so eaten everyone lunch if they just changed and stopped moving at a glacial pace.

I will miss the XLR and hope I can find a new one next year if I can make it work for the budget.

Sad

[gm4life]

Loved the outside styling. The refresh was good but it never could sell like an SL. Having said that I am very said to see it go because the MCE helped alot, but honestly I see why it is going. If the priced it right like in 60's they actually might have sold better.

[gmcbob]

Wow, I'll sort of miss this Caddy - but I think it was always the wrong direction for Cadillac. Instead of investing in this car, GM should have spent the money on a Caddy styled Zeta rear driver (called Cadillac Fleetwood or Cadillac DTS perhaps?????) to compete with the LS460 and 7 Series. It would have sold better, and would have made more sense keeping in mind what most people think of when they think "Cadillac". I know personally I would have been really, really excited about Cadillac having a true, large rear drive flagship. Let's face it guys, compared to the large luxury rear drive imports, the current DTS totally sucks. GM could have utilized the Zeta platform at Caddy- making a truly competitive large sedan which would have made waaaaaaaay more sense than the XLR.

At the end of the day right now though, I'm worried about Caddy too - I want Sigma to live on and I want an "Alpha" someday too. Caddy needs to continue to have a couple of good, sporty, powerful rear drivers for years to come to remain competitive. No matter what happens with CAFE, there will still be high end rear drive imports that Caddy can compete with. If GM goes too far with depriving Caddy in the future, and drops Sigma too, this brand will totally falter.

Edited January 28, 2009 by gmcbob

[HarleyEarl]

I believe that the Cadillac XLR-V will be a very hot collectible. It's one of those rare cars that is an instant classic. I'm sad to see it go. I've always liked them.