Well,
it's time to fasten your seatbelt for this one. There
are not enough good things we can say about this automobile.
Sure, a few of you will find things to say. Cadillac,
which has always been associated with luxury, is now
on a campaign to inject some serious sports components
into the equation. Let's focus on the XLR for now.
It
might not be the best representation in ultimate luxury
but we tend to like the clutter-free cockpit, love the
head-up display and appreciate the navigation system.
Those in Detroit in January will want to keep the hard
top on, but Californians and Floridians will probably
never have the top up—except on a rainy day.
Electronics
abound from the keyless [door and ignition] approach,
to the door opening mechanism to the suspension. And
while we are on that topic, we are very impressed by
the Magnetic Ride Control, which instantly provides
a response to road conditions. Couple that with a StabiliTrak
stability control system, performance run-flat tires,
rear mounted transmission and speed-adapting steering
and you'd be hard-pressed to get out of control. In
fact it became a game to try to slide the car: we lost.
The
car is built on a performance foundation (Corvette-like)
on a dedicated assembly line with a deep attention to
details. It offers the lightest weight, longest wheel
base, widest rack and the most horsepower in its class.
Space
is a bit limited and for a big daddy it might take a
bit of getting used to. Also you probably will have
to leave the golf clubs behind and any suitcase you
were planning on taking for the weekend getaway. But
it would the perfect Father's Day gift or let's put
it this way: everyday driving the XLR would be Father's
Day. Line up your piggy banks, as earthbound rockets
do not come cheap.
Warranty/Service: Four-year/50,000 mile limited
warranty.
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