2005 Cadillac XLR Review - Autochannel (press release)
The sexy new 2-seat Cadillac XLR was to be delivered on Tuesday. At the crack of dawn Wednesday we’d pack a bag and head south, visit the factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky on Thursday then get half way home. Friday we’d take a few back roads the rest of the way and my pretty blonde could meet her Friday afternoon commitment. It’s the first week in July and the factory is shut down for two weeks so all the GM folks can have a little vacation. It’s been too long since we’ve visited the Mackinaw area and there is an out-of-the-way restaurant I’ve been dying to try. Right on time Tuesday the shiny silver XLR appears in my driveway. Built alongside the Corvette in Bowling Green the XLR shares the front-engine, two-seat, rear-wheel-drive formula and some components and dimensions with the fabled Vette, but it has a style character all its own. The dramatic wedge shape is enhanced by sharp edges and angles that reflect the new Cadillac brand look derived directly from the Evoq concept car introduced about five years ago at the Detroit Auto Show. ” The Evoq and derivative XLR also represent the first rear-wheel-drive application of the respected Northstar V-8 engine. A few minutes of familiarization reveals no receptacle for the ignition key inside the car - just a button that lights up when you’re in there with the key in your pocket. Trunk opens wide, panels move, top releases and folds up sliding into the boot, flaps down and finally the trunk eases shut, ready for some al fresco cruising. Source: www.theautochannel.com
