Thinker

I was looking at Motortrends' review of the XLR-V. I've always really liked the car, but thought GM was missing the boat by charging so much for it. It's slick - but needs to be $30k below an SL.

On that front, I noticed the new XLR was priced at $100K!!! Given the prices of the C6 & Z06 - I just couldn't figure how that makes any sense at all. A price that far out of whack won't help the brand.

Is anyone more than a little worried that a failed XLR will hurt the C6 long term?

LDB

Clearly, if the XLR fails, the C7 will take longer to appear and be less of an advance over the C6 than if the XLR continues. The XLR paid a non-trivial part of the C6 development bill, and if it continues, will doubtless do the same for the C7. Heck, if it hadn't been for the XLR, we wouldn't be having all the "fascinating" F55 versus Z51 debates, as there wouldn't be an F55.

As to pricing destroying the XLR, that could be argued either way. If you price it too far under Mercedes, you say it is too much the second class citizen. But of course if you go too high, then somebody snickers and says yeah, right, for a bit more I can have a Mercedes. Only time will tell whether Caddy guessed right. I hope for the C7's sake that they did.

holdin5aces

I've seen exactly two XLR's since they came out. A awful green one on the road and a black one at a dealer. It was priced 15K over with the bonus going to the American Cancer Society. Buyer was supposed to write the 15K check to them so it became a tax deduction. Interesting approach. Truth, Mercedes buyers did not move down to the Caddy regardless. It was a bad idea and at a bad price point. Sayanora to the XLR.

steve miller

If one were compare the XLR, and the XLR-V, in name only to the Mercedes SL the fair way to do it would be to compare the XLR to the base SL, and the V to the SL55.

I've never driven an XLR, but I've has 3 SL's since the new model became available in '03, one of which was an SL55. The 55 will cost you 125K, so as someone else has already mentioned it's almost 30K more then the V. The flip side is that Mercedes can't get rid of the base SL's and are giving deep discounts on new ones. You can buy them at invoice now, which puts them in the base XLR's MSRP ballpark.

I've found the Benz to be an electrical nightmare, and I'm not the only one. Most of the articles I've read agree. Each one that I owned had it's own set of electrical screwups.

Perhaps the Caddy is a good alternative. Unfortunately it's been marketed poorly. As a quick aside, I've seen the Monterey Red version in my neighbors driveway. I think Caddy calls it Jewel. It looks awesome.

Corvette Junkie

Corvette has had a selective ride option since the FX3 was introduced in 1989. Then the F45 in 1996. Then the F55 was introduced in Corvette in 2003. Before the first XLR was ever built. So even without the XLR the F55 would have been an option for the C6.

Corvette Junkie

I thought I read someplace that the XLR has already failed with next year being it's last year of production.

lytmup

I dont see how the XLR has anything at all to do with the success of the C6 in the long run.

The ZR-1 was a colassal failure. But, it didnt do anything to hurt the C4's in the long run. And, the ZR-1 was at least a Vette.

mswaim

We owned an 04 XLR (crimson pearl) for about a year before we worked out a buyback with GM due to multiple failures with the retractable hardtop. One component of the deal was the great price we got on our C6. Even though we lemoned our XLR, I would not tell a prospective buyer to pass based on my experiences.

The XLR is an awesome vehicle, having owned an SL before buying the XLR I can say from my own exoerience the XLR is a better built, rides better and has a bit more power - although they are both anemic when compared to the C6.

In fact, when it comes to power, the XLR-V is about equal to our C6's. It has more ponies, but it is heavier.

Based on what I hear on the XLR forums, the first few owners of the XLR-V's are happy with the build quality and power.

I've not heard of any plans to stop production of the XLR or any of the "V" series .

OregonC6

Perhaps a person who can afford either an SL or a XLR-V usually does not worry about depreciation. If I was to purchase either car I'd plan to keep it a very long time and not worry about the current market value.

However, the rate of depreciation does indicate intrinsic worth or a car. SL depreciation is moderate and levels out after a few years to give very good long term value.

Caddies depreciate like rocks IMO. A $100k XLR-V will probably be worth $75K or $80K immediately upon leaving the dealer lot. My estimate would be that it would have lost half its value at age two.

What this says about value troubles me more than quality or prestige of owning the car. I think that some really great values in barely used XLR-V's will be out there before too long.

I personally think the car will fail due to high price and dramatic rate of depreciation. Just my opinions. Whatever happens to the XLR won't IMO affect Z06 sales or futures in the least. They compete in vastly different markets IMO. Vastly.

Tally Ho

I read that, too, but can't remember where. It was speculative but indicators were 2008 would be it. How long did the Allante last? I know they're not the same but it appears Cadillac can't attract the two-seater crowd.

AFTERBURN

The XLR has not failed, YET. But if it does, it will not impact the C6,7,8 or what ever you guys want to speculate.
Enjoy your Vette, spread the word, make CONSTRUCTIVE observations and I am sure we will enjoy an ever improving "C" product for many years to come.

LDB

I don’t think any, or at least many of us were intending to skewer the XLR. There are some things about it I’d question, but I think we owe it a debt of gratitude. It would be naïve to think that the C6 would have appeared as soon as it did after the C5 if it hadn’t been for the XLR sharing the development cost burden. Just look at the time interval between C4 and C5. So if the XLR goes away, it would also be naïve to think the C7 will show up as soon after the C6, as the C6 did after C5.

Caddy wanted a halo car, so they sank money into all sorts of features that then cascaded to the C6, such as F55 option (yes, I know it was on late C5’s, but that was the testbed for the technology to iron out bugs prior to XLR), stiffer/quieter chassis, and various interior upgrades, including the (not universally loved) keyless system. If Caddy wants to keep their halo car, they will need to keep it updated to keep up with Mercedes, and it will take the Vette along with it. Sure, sure, the Vette is Chevy’s halo car. But let’s be real, Chevy doesn’t have as much money to spend on halos as Caddy. All Vette owners, even the most “focused” Z51 fans, ought to pay their due respect and gratitude to the XLR. If you dismiss it as soft, not serious, or who knows what else, what you in effect are saying is that you want to wait longer, for a less capable C7. Certainly doesn't mean that the C7 won't appear. It simply means it won't appear as soon, or be as much an advance over the C6, as it will be if XLR remains in the picture.

AFTERBURN

Probably a lot of truth there.

bernrex

I love the car's look at the Autoshow. So did most of my friends. I think they overpriced it by about 20K.

So ... I'm gonna get the C6 ... for 60K less .... and pick up a used XLR-V in 3-4 years for say 50K.

Low Rider

Actually the car has been a success for GM. The projected volume for the car was 3000 per year and they are currently running at 10% over that projection. I doubt it is a money maker but certainly not a failure from a marketing stand point.and yes it helps pay some of the tooling $$$ for our Vettes.

Corvette Junkie

Production may be up 10%. Local dealer still has the same 05 XLR that has been sitting on his lot since October 04.

Thinker

That's my concern! They don't move. I think a vette-like caddy must help defray production costs.

I'd look at an XLR - I really would. I think it is slick and I like the roof. But the reality is, at that price, I'm looking elsewhere. If only they'd sell them at $5k more than the vette - they'd attract a lot of attention. A base of 77 is just nuts.

- Thinker

vertlove

I read on another thread that XLR was in production for two more years. I would buy a souped up Benz or BMW before spending even close to that much money on a Cadillac.

HyperX

I bought the CTS when it first came out. Needless to say it went back under the lemon law. The engine would just die on me, randomly, while driving. It took a lot for me to look at another GM, but with the c6 it feels really solid. Cadillac still leaves a bad feeling with me.

Thinker

Frankly, I'd consider a CLK500 before shelling out that kind of dough on the XLR.