2004 Cadillac XLR vs.Jaguar XK8, Lexus SC430, MB SL500, Porsche 911 Carrera 4 ... - Car and Driver (blog)
Although it's billed as yet another of our famed comparison tests, the underlying reason for the exercise was to find out exactly how the new and much-touted Cadillac XLR fits into the very fast league of $60,000-to-$80,000 fliptops currently... This is a particularly competitive group: The stunning Mercedes-Benz SL500 hit our shores as an all-new car for '03, and the aging but classic Jaguar XK8 benefits from a recent upgrade to a six-speed gearbox and an up-sized, more powerful V-8. The... But as the new kid on the block, it was the Caddy that intrigued us. The '04 XLR—part of a campaign by Cadillac to rename its vehicles with a garble of consonants in place of its traditional and well-known DeVilles, Sevilles, Eldorados, and... It was first hinted at when the two-door Evoq hit the show circuit in 1999 and had been expected to play a starring role in elevating GM's premium brand into the elite echelons of the business. The new Cadillac would ride on the Corvette C6 platform and be powered by the much-regarded 320-hp Northstar DOHC V-8 with a new five-speed automatic, and much was expected of it. That, coupled with an edgy, all-plastic body, a modern folding... Source: www.caranddriver.com
