Cadillac XLR or Mercedes-Benz SL

[MapleOne]

2004 Cadillac XLR

A new lease on sportscar life for GM’s rapid social climber

http://www.mapleone.com/mbcanada/files/cadi1.jpg

It was designed to evoke a very different era – a time when Cadillac truly set the standard of the world of luxury cars. Now, after a seemingly interminable wait, the Evoq concept car is ready to hit the road, albeit in renamed form as the Caddy XLR.

Largely based on the Corvette chassis and powered by an updated version of the highly-regarded Northstar V-8, XLR has some credible credentials. But it’s also going up against some of the world’s best and most desirable products, such as the striking Mercedes-Benz SL roadster and the quirky but popular Lexus SC430.

http://www.mapleone.com/mbcanada/files/cadi2.jpg

Is it just me or does this Cadillac look a lot like the old Mercedes-Benz SL?

[HdS500]

Yeah I agree, they look alike.

[Kühl Carbon]

I worked on the XLR interior for about 5 months before my Corvette C6 duties really heated up. It was initially benchmarked to the SLK, hence, the retractable top ... that was at the begining.

Somehow, between then and now (I think mostly because of what was spent on the program) the price ballooned to near 80,000. If it wasn't for all of the borrowed Corvette technology in that car, I wouldn't give you 20,000 for it. Cadillac spent a lot of money on expensive materials on the interior that has seemed to come out ... not quite right, the body quality is less than average, and the top quality is in the crapper.

Once they get the bugs ironed out though, it might be nice. Wait at least a year.

I kept trying to get the team to look more seriously at MB and the SL and they kept telling me "Oh, the European formula ... it doesn't work for us" ... they meant in terms of styling and materials ... what a collection of boobs.

Yeah, why would you want to look at a company who can sell the same 80,000 convertable design unchanged for 12 years without offering incentive 1 . Nah, that would never work for GM :P .

[redline]

in Automobile there is a test between the XLR Mercedes SL500 but the SL500 comes out on top

[CKlasse]

How do you even compare the TWO?

When the SC430 came out, I was in love with it.. regardless, SL is still much higher in my wish list. But to compare GM product with MB? Please remember all GM cars is designed, no matter what they said, with 'mass-production' in mind. On the other hand, MB is known to go for best engineering & technology available at marketable cost.

.... ERR.. as long as you discounted the North American ML that is :D

[redline]

well it was a test between the Masarati Spyder, XLR, SL500 and the Jag XKR. Mercedes was the slowest out of all of them, but came out on top:D

[krk230]

Originally posted by MapleOne
Is it just me or does this Cadillac look a lot like the old Mercedes-Benz SL?

Remember this car? Cadillac Allante...

http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/234000-234999/234816_7_full.jpg

http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/234000-234999/234816_8_full.jpg

[yvrbenz]

Originally posted by CKlasse
How do you even compare the TWO?

When the SC430 came out, I was in love with it.. regardless, SL is still much higher in my wish list. But to compare GM product with MB? Please remember all GM cars is designed, no matter what they said, with 'mass-production' in mind. On the other hand, MB is known to go for best engineering & technology available at marketable cost.

.... ERR.. as long as you discounted the North American ML that is :D

That doesn't negate the fact that a lot of the styling cues from MBs make their way over to other auto manufacturers. Lexus particularly seems to take inspiration from MB in their designs

[Dr. ///AMG]

puta! That POS overpriced car! Benz or BUST!

[Brabus]

Saw a billboard of that car the other day... the cuts and lines don't make it even near as luxurious as the SL...

[redline]

I think that its funny that when MB's and Volvo's were boxy, alot of people didn't like the styling, now MB's and volvo's have gone all curvacious an the marked is moving back to BOX... haha

[anubisds]

doesnt matter, the benz has the blonde in the front seat.

[craiggotgame]

Cheap imitation! GM should have spent their money fixing the aztek.