HTF Car of the Week (12/12): 2004 Cadillac XLR (1 Viewer)

[Chuck C]

2004 Cadillac XLR

Just take a look at it. What a beauty. Neiman Marcus is selling a handful for $85,000 I believe. Too expensive you say? Probably....but consider this: the XLR has an updated 4.6L Northstar V8 @ 315hp, retractable hardtop, and uses parts from the Corvette (both of which are assembled in Bowling Green, KY). One complaint that will rock the car world is "where's the manual transmission?" I think this one is up for grabs. Discuss.

 

[AviTevet]

I think it's cool, and I think it's cool that Caddy is finally producing cool cars again.

 

[Josh Lowe]

saw one in person in october. pretty slick.. based on the 6th generation corvette platform. too bad they're automatic only.

but for $85k that puts it at the same price as a Benz SL500.. a much nicer looking and better built car.

i'd take the benz over the caddy any day of the week.

 

[Todd Hochard]

Cost is too high. $60K, TOPS. It's essentially an upscale Vette.

The Northstar has always been an interesting piece of technology, but the LS1/LS6 is really defying the laws of physics as applied to pushrod engines. It is truly amazing what you can do with them.

Todd

P.S. Weren't they originally going to call it the Evoq?

 

[Tim Markley]

Save $40k and just buy a Corvette.

 

[Chuck C]

Without all the Neiman Marcus flare, I bet list price will be a few grand lower, but still....

 

[Bill_D]

It's a winner!

 

[Shawn C]

Be aware, what you are looking at is NOT based on the current C5 Corvette. Underneath, it's really the NEXT generation C6 Corvette.

I believe it is priced in the 60's without the Neiman Marcus crapola.

 

[Andrew W]

No Stick, No SALE!!!!

 

[RobertR]

Is that OSM (Original Shifting Mechanism), Andrew?

 

[PatrickM]

Not bad looking but $85K is steep. Put me down for the Merc SL500.

Patrick

 

[Philip_G]

no thanks.

 

[Brandon_T]

I'd take an M3 convertable, pocket some change, and still smoke it at the line.

 

[DavidAM]

If it depreciates like all the other Caddy's, just wait and buy a year old one for $35K with 5,000 miles on it.

 

[Scott L]

ehhh, the car of the previous week had a 280hp V6. A 315hp V8 seems kind of lacking in comparsion, especially with the difference in price. I honestly think you'd have to be nuts to pick that over a Z06 which is more stylish, more powerful, and $35k less.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

The Northstar has always been an interesting piece of technology, but the LS1/LS6 is really defying the laws of physics as applied to pushrod engines. It is truly amazing what you can do with them.

how about the bmw M3 engine, 333 hp in a 3.2L, with no turbo. or a 394 hp 5.0 liter with no turbo. BMW is always at the frontier of power tweaking and engine output, all other motor manufacturers are years behind. dont mean to be a thread farter here, but BMW's bragging rights are well deserved here.

CJ

 

[Todd Hochard]

To be sure, the BMW engines are fine, but what can be done with a decidedly low tech piece like the LS1/LS6 is amazing. No double vanos, no individual butterflies, none of that. Look at these dyno numbers- http://www.z06vette.com/dyno.php
Those are rear wheel HP and TQ, BTW. Add 17-18% for driveline loss to get flywheel HP.
Todd

 

[Scott L]

BMW is always at the frontier of power tweaking and engine output, all other motor manufacturers are years behind.

That's a bit of an overstatement. I would have to say BMW makes some of the best engines but other manufacturers aren't far behind. The inline 6cyl in the M3 is 3.2L, it's not any miracle BMW was able to push 333 horse out of it. The 2.6L i-6 TT in the R34 Skyline makes 350 hp chipped. Granted this one is twin-turboed but the displacement is much less, you'll find many argue it's about technology not displacement. On the V-6 side the engine in the NSX is also 3.2L and makes 290hp but is about equal with the M3 on the 1/4 mile.
Also I love to read about the 1000+hp W16 and 18 cylinder VW engines in the Bugattis. I'd love to see BMW make one of these beasts.

 

[Josh Lowe]

heh, i just read a great post from jim conforti (if you're a BMW M car fan, you know who he is) about how much more he likes his Z06 than his M3..

 

[DavidAM]

Also don't forget the NSX has been having that engine over 10 years now. I'm sure the redesigned NSX that is due out soon with leapfrog the M3 in the power/displacement ratio. And if you want to play that game, don't forget the S2000 that puts out 240hp with a 2.0L 4banger and a 9000rpm redline. I just want Honda to fuse two S2000 engines together for a 480hp V8 and drop it in the new NSX!!! I know torque is low on the S2000 (153lbs if I remember right...or was it 128?). Let's say its 153, then that would be roughly 306lbs of torque to go with the 480hp. Suddenly the low torque of the S2000 doesn't seem to bad anymore