2006 Cadillac XLR-V
List price
$97,485
Price as tested
$100,000
Curb weight
3870 lb
Engine, transmission
supercharged V-8, 6-sp automatic
Horsepower, bhp @ rpm
443 @ 6400
0–60 mph
4.3 sec
0–100 mph
10.4 sec
0–1320 ft (1/4 mile)
12.7 sec @ 111.8 mph
Top speed
155* mph
Braking, 60–0 mph
123 ft
Braking, 80–0 mph
220 ft
Lateral accel (200-ft skidpad)
0.87g
Speed thru 700-ft slalom
66.4 mph
Our mileage, EPA city/highway
est 16.0, 15/22 mpg
*Electronically limited.
What a difference a V makes. Added to Cadillac's XLR sports car it means near-Mercedes-Benz-SL55-AMG performance at an SL500 price.
Externally the XLR-V tip-off is up front and not all that aggressive, in rather British-looking polished wire mesh grilles. There are unique 19-in. alloy wheels and four shiny exhaust tips, but what matters is the hood bulge.
That bump was necessitated by the supercharger atop the twincam, 32-valve aluminum Northstar V-8. For the sake of block durability, Caddy decreases the bores to give a displacement of 4.4 liters, down from the normally-aspirated Northstar's 4.6. The cylinder heads are new, as are the heavy-duty pistons and stronger connecting rods. The compression ratio drops from 10.5:1 to 9.1:1.
This isn't just the standard engine with a blower plunked on top, but a well-executed piece of reengineering. Cadillac has beautifully integrated the blower onto what is almost a new engine. As an example, the intercooler is internal, four finned tubes lurking under the engine cover that look like they came off the back of a fridge.
The intake was tuned for maximum flow and what Cadillac considers just the right sounds, though arguably they tuned out too much supercharger whine. The muffler hums an appropriate Cadillac sound, but at full throttle converts to straight-through for better flow and a nastier note.
This supercharged package pumps out 443 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 414 lb.-ft. of torque at 3900, with 90 percent of the latter on tap from 2200 to 6000 rpm.
With its Corvette heritage, the XLR-V has a rear-mounted transaxle, but with a new 6-speed automatic that can be shifted manually and is programmed to minimize shifting when cornering.
Those supercharged Northstar numbers are shy of the SL55 AMG's 493 bhp and 516 lb.-ft. of torque, but the Cadillac's curb weight of 3870 lb. is some 400 less than that of the Mercedes. The result is a pair of supercharged luxury sports cars that get to 60 mph in the mid-4-second range.
Paired with the added V power are suspension upgrades. The front anti-roll bar is larger, and they've added one out back. The XLR-V's Magnetic Ride Control is firmer and the StabiliTrak has four positions of firmness and higher performance thresholds. With the 19-in. wheels come 235/45R-19 front, 255/40R-19 rear Pirelli run-flat tires. Rotors are bumped to 13.4-in. front and 13.0-in. rear and cross-drilled, giving the Cadillac the brake hardware of a Z51 Corvette.
There are some cockpit specialties, but the overall feeling within is subtle and could have more punch to it. The XLR's interior still looks less like it was fitted out for a hard driver than an aggressive golfer. With the wire mesh grille and its 19-in. wheels, the XLR-V has a solid stance on the road and it looks like it means business, though not necessarily rough business.
Climb into the Cadillac and your first impression is that it lacks the SL55's silver-tinged testosterone...it's almost too nice and doesn't growl at you enough.
Start the supercharged V-8, drive away smartly and the XLR-V's true nature rises to the surface. Great sounds emanate from the stainless-steel exhaust tips, and there's grunt to go with it. Now is when it feels equivalent to the SL55 as you leave traffic behind. Then the corners begin to weave left-right and tighten up. Does the Cadillac still feel like a Mercedes?
No, but that's not necessarily bad. You'll find the American sports car as willing to take on the twisty stuff, but with less of a hard edge than the Mercedes. There's initial understeer, of course, good turn-in and an ability to remain stable without being harsh, plus a solid transition back the other way as the road turns.
The XLR-V may not give you the look-at-me-I'm-a-race-driver thrill of the SL55 AMG, but it wouldn't be far behind on a curving road...and it is arguably a better day-to-day driver.
Cadillac puts all this in the first car for which it is charging $100,000; that's about $5000 more than the normal SL yet $20,000 shy of the SL55 AMG.
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