2005 Cadillac XLR Sports Car Reviews & Ratings

The XLR has an attractive interior, as tastefully done as a Lexus, though it still feels like a Cadillac inside. The interior is awash in beige or black leather. Wood trim is used with restraint, and is either light-colored wood that warms the interior or a dark eucalyptus, along with anodized aluminum trim. Dash and other trim materials appear to be of high quality. It's as nice as anything from Lexus, Mercedes or BMW.

From behind the wheel the view is swoopy. Between the fender bulge and a peaked center line on the hood, a subtle but sharp trough runs away from the driver down his line of sight. A head-up display projected onto the windshield indicates speed and the selected gear, the latter convenient when using the manual shifting mode. The HUD displays the radio station for a moment after switching stations; it also does some neat scoreboard-type effects for your amusement.

The instrument panel is by Bvlgari, an Italian design company which judging by the way it spells/designs its own name (that's not a "v" it's a Roman "u"), might value style over clarity. Except for being dark, with white numbers on a black background, the gauges are clear, surrounded by unnecessary but seemingly obligatory chrome rings.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel has burled wood between 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. One New Car Test Drive staffer didn't like it, another loved it. We report. You decide.

The XLR seats feel relatively soft and are heated and cooled. There's decent bolstering. More support could be used in a car that corners this well, though that would make getting in and out harder.

Thankfully, Cadillac hasn't tried to compete in the flawed technology chase that BMW and Audi send their luxury drivers on to control simple things. Most of the functions in the XLR are controlled by simple switchgear with finger-sized buttons. Thankfully, the HVAC (heating) controls are separate, elegantly designed and easy to use. The navigation system is displayed on a seven-inch LCD screen located in the center console, under neat rectangular heating and cooling vents. The system will also play DVD movies when the transmission is in Park, treating the driver and passenger to virtual surround sound, like a drive-in movie theater without the wailing babies. The screen can be difficult to read in bright sunlight, however.

Setting up the radio is tedious until you know how. Once set up, however, buttons on the steering wheel make switching among your favorite stations easy. Turning off the radio is as easy as pressing the volume knob, aesthetically more appealing than the Mercedes system which cannot be turned off without turning off the navigation system (you can only turn the Mercedes radio all the way down). We recommend springing for XM Satellite Radio for the 24-hour new channels, sports stations, and near-CD quality music.

It's easy to reach the dual cup holders on the center console next to the shifter. The XLR is a two-seater, so there's not much room to store so much as a briefcase or tote bag without cooperation from your passenger. Places to stash stuff are provided in the doors, center console and glove box, though none of them are large.

The retractable hard top consumes three-fourths of the trunk space when it's down. And because the trunk raises and opens at the back to swallow it, rainwater will drain down in the trunk instead of dropping on the ground behind the bumper. Cadillac says owners should be able to fit a small golf bag in the trunk (or passenger seat), but recommend keeping the clubs at the club.

The Cadillac XLR boasts the latest and best version of the 4.6-liter Northstar V8. It's smooth and quiet, and powerful. With double overhead-cams, variable valve timing and electronic throttle control, it produces 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque.

The XLR can go from 0 to 60 in 5.8 seconds and do the quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds, making it faster than its competition because it's lighter and more powerful. The XLR's 320 horses only have to drag 3,647 pounds. The Mercedes SL500 has 302 horsepower to propel 4,220 pounds; the Lexus SC430 is 300 horsepower and 3893 pounds; and the Jaguar XK8 is 294 horsepower and 3991 pounds.

Big torque numbers aside, the XLR engine is thrilling when it comes on strong at higher revs, all the way to redline at 6500 rpm. Much of the torque seems to start at about 4400 rpm.

One especially pleasant feature is that the manual mode for the new five-speed automatic transmission is true, and doesn't override the driver; again, this is refreshing and unlike German thought. When the electronic transmission is left to its own algorithmic designs in Drive, it sometimes shifts back and forth in the leisurely 40-mph range.

In the handling department, the XLR was halfway home when it was mounted on the superb new Corvette chassis, which is very strong and light. In fact, the XLR is assembled in the Corvette plant at Bowling Green, Kentucky. New aluminum subframes were built to accommodate the XLR body, lengthening the wheelbase by one inch. Along with the low stance, good weight distribution and lightweight aluminum suspension components, this edges the car in the direction of great handling. The XLR has a longer wheelbase and wider track than the SL500, SC430 and XK8.

The electronic active suspension is unique, and works exceptionally well. It's rocket science: Like the Corvette, it uses transversely mounted composite leaf springs front and rear with wishbone control arms. The monotube shock absorbers contain fluid with magnetic particles whose alignment controls the stiffness. Sensors read the road 1000 times per second and vary those magnetic fields. In short, the XLR offers tenacious grip and excellent handling. It charges down rippled curvy roads and takes smooth sweepers flat out.

Cruising in the XLR, which is what most of us do most of the time, is pleasant. There's little wind noise. If there are any hard edges to the ride we haven't felt them. It feels big, somewhat like the Corvette, but tight, fast and quick.

The faster the car went the better the speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion power steering felt. The high-speed chassis balance was impressively neutral. The StabiliTrak electronic stability control made corrections to regain traction, but wasn't as intrusive as the Mercedes SL600 and SL500.

The Michelin Z-rated run-flat tires measure 235/50ZR18 on 8-inch rims, not particularly wide for 320 horsepower. That helps the ride but not the braking distance. We gave the brakes a good panic stop and, as with all Cadillacs, the ABS worked especially well. Recently we tested a V12 Mercedes SL600 roadster ($125,950), and the XLR's anti-lock brakes seem smoother.

The Cadillac XLR ($75,835) comes one way, with a convertible hard top. Its 4.6-liter V8 engine is mated to Cadillac's newest five-speed automatic transmission. (A manual transmission is not available.)

XM Satellite Radio is the only option ($325). The list of standard equipment is long: side-impact airbags, a nine-speaker Bose sound system, DVD navigation and video, StabiliTrak electronic stability control, radar-controlled adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and push-button start, a head-up display, and OnStar, the highway assistance service featuring the helpful voices of genuine human beings beamed to the car by satellite.