The Cadillac XLR Is an Oft-Forgotten Convertible Corvette Sibling With a Big V8
The Chevrolet Corvette is one of the few lasting nameplates in legacy American sports cars. In a history of pony cars, muscle cars, and sports sedans, the United States never took to the traditional sports car paradigm like Europe or Japan. However, there is a forgotten sibling for the time-honored Corvette with a posh badge to rival European competitions. That’s right. I’m talking about the Cadillac XLR, a hardtop convertible sports car with a big V8 straight out of Corvette country.
The Cadillac XLR is a Caddy-badged Corvette sibling that follows much of the Plastic Fantastic’s formula
It’s 2004. A social media site called “Facebook” gets its start. The Chevrolet Corvette is transitioning from its stellar fifth-generation model to its updated sixth-generation (C6). And Cadillac rolls out a posh and unexpected sibling for the Corvette, the V8-powered XLR Convertible.
With a 320-horsepower, 32-valve 4.6L Northstar V8 under the hood, the XLR’s most distinct mechanical difference from the Corvette is its mill. However, it’s enough power to motivate the drop-top Cadillac to 60 mph in around six seconds. But with the XLR’s poshness, you’ll more likely waft there in style.
However, like the R230 Mercedes-Benz SL of the time, the Cadillac XLR didn’t take the traditional approach to convertible tops. No, the XLR features a folding metal roof. It’s a setup mostly abandoned by the modern car market. However, it’s a fair compromise between soft-top convertibles and rigid hardtops.
Of course, the XLR isn’t without its issues. From an aesthetic standpoint, the XLR’s interior looks more like an overly-styled piece of 1970s stereo equipment than it does a sleek, luxury alternative to the C6 Corvette. In that same vein, the XLR’s hardtop convertible exterior is too angular for some lovers of curvaceous sports cars.
However, styling inside and out is subjective, and many fanatics love the hard-edged Caddy over its roadster rivals. Moreover, at the core of it, the XLR was a sibling of the Corvette of its time, save for the Northstar V8 under the hood. That, and it brandished one of the most opulent luxury badges in American automotive history.
