Cadillac XLR
Car manufacturers go to great lengths to portray their wares in the most favourable light and its the job of an enterprising hack to pare through much of the baloney. If the test route of the press launch consists of nothing but motorway, you can be sure the car will handle like a frog in a sock. Likewise, if theres nothing but billiard-table smooth German tarmac, chances are that car will have the sort of suspension that will cause mild concussion when driven down a British B-road. The Cadillac XLRs native environment is on the gentle sweeping bends of Californias Highway 1.
Escaping the traffic choked environs of Santa Monica, the road opens up north out of Los Angeles. Malibu seems nothing but strip malls and sewage outfalls, the sprawling homes of the stars tucked away in the mudslide-prone hills or behind the unprepossessing garages fronting onto the main road. Its about this time that you may feel tempted to drop the roof of this coupe convertible and feel the wind in your hair, but for the time being its worth getting a feel for the excellent roof-up refinement. The interior of the XLR is better than most American cars, but if you suspect this is damning with the faintest of praise, youd be right.
| Build |  |
| Comfort |  |
| Depreciation |  |
| Economy | |
| Equipment | |
| Handling | |
| Insurance |  |
| Performance | |
| Styling | |
| Value | |
There is an awful lot of standard kit on offer, but the overall feel of the interior is one that you might expect from Kia or Proton were they to suddenly decide that premium convertibles were something they could do. It all works well enough, but crucially lacks a bit in the perceived quality stakes.
"Cadillac would probably prefer the XLR to be slightly less exclusive than it will doubtless prove"
Lets push on. Leaving Los Angeles behind, youll need to make fast progress up the 101 to San Luis Obispo and the start of California Highway 1 proper. If you really want to soak up the sun, drop the top and spend an hour or so on Oceano Dunes, one of the few beaches that allow vehicles. The hood is manufactured by Car Top Systems Gesellschaft mit Beschränker Haftung GmBH and asking Cadillac executives who made the roof is always a fun, if slightly cruel, excuse to hear Americans mangling the German language. Most will just point out that the roof is made by the same people who do the Mercedes SL system. The XLRs styling looks a little too neo-brutalist for Cambria, an artsy enclave famous for fine art and crafts galleries in pseudo-Tudor buildings. Cambria's Moonstone Beach features bluffs with walking trails, play areas and picnic tables -- and spectacular sunsets. About eight miles north of Cambria, San Simeon's attractions include Hearst Castle, the home of news magnate William Randolph Hearst's magnificent 115-room mansion. Atop a 1,600-foot mountain, La Cuesta Encantada ("The Enchanted Hill") overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Hearst Castle is a must-see. Four distinct tours through the property cover Hearst's art and antiques collection, private quarters and gorgeous gardens set around reflecting pools, fountains and statuary. Although the lions and zebras which used to roam the grounds are gone, theres plenty to amaze although youll be forced to swap the XLR for a shuttle bus that runs to one of the underground car parks. Driving away from Hearst Caste in a Cadillac XLR gives a disorientating spin on how American design has progressed. Theres something rather Germanic about the almost brutal lines of the car.
Catch a glimpse of the cars shadow playing on the smooth road and youd swear it was a Mercedes SL, the XLR sharing the big Benzs wedge shaped profile. Whereas the German car features some smooth curves, the Cadillacs designers have has taken a jack plane to these swoops, creating an angular but interesting look. The car struggles for a true American personality, however, and only its shortcomings are in any way typical of US car manufacture. The speed-sensitive steering is still way too light for the enthusiast driver and body control isnt what youd describe as particularly sporting.
As the road narrows and you approach the Big Sur coast, youll feel thankful for that 320 horsepower Northstar 4.6-litre V8. A five-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox available, but there is a manual-shift gate that allows you to manipulate the gears yourself. Measured against the clock at a test track, the XLR will hit 60mph in 5.
9 seconds, a showing that can outshine the SL500. Full throttle shifts result in little hesitation and the engine note is reassuringly purposeful. Dawdlers can be swiftly dispatched with one stab of the right foot, although carrying speed into corners isnt hugely reassuring, especially when theres a 300 foot drop into the cold Pacific Ocean below. Keen eyed passengers will spot sea otters at Point Lobos, but the sea lions that haul themselves onto the beach are impossible to miss.
Get really lucky and you may see a great white shark taking a meal from the cover of the thick kelp beds. As Monterey rolls into view, youll probably think there are few better companions for a journey of this sort. Were I flying into LA and looking to rent a car for the trip, the Cadillac XLR would be near the top of my list. Walking into a dealership in the UK and forking out for a left-hand drive version is quite a different matter.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Cadillac XLR
PRICES: £57,545 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 18
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 5.9s /Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 21mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS with EBD / traction control / stability control WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height 177.7/72.3/50.4 inches
