March 2003

Geneva Motor Show 2003

Cadillac XLR: Sporty Roadster Coupe for Two

• New Cadillac two-seater starts series production in April
• Powerful, smooth-running V8 engine with 4.6-liter displacement and 315 hp
• Automatic headway control via radar and head-up-display

Geneva. Just one month after its European premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, the XLR roadster/coupe will be going into series production in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The sporty two-seater in fact goes on sale in the USA this summer. The best news of all is that the Cadillac XLR will then also be coming to Europe. The new model, measuring a compact 4.51 meters by 1.28 meters, is based on the Evoq study premiered in 1999 and was developed in parallel with the next generation of the Corvette. As such, it also features crucial technical innovations and design enhancements that the concept car did not have.

Among the most important new features is the retractable roof, which is lowered in under 30 seconds at the touch of a button. The high-tech hardtop was designed by Germany's renowned Car Top Systems GmbH, who work for some of the world's leading convertible manufacturers. An electric motor in the XLR drives a total of eight hydraulic cylinders, whose pistons lift or retract the roof via hydrostatic pressure. The roof itself, which features a heated glass rear window, comprises aluminum and magnesium, the side paneling being made of composite materials. The roof is assembled as a complete module, which benefits the torsional stiffness of the vehicle.

The Cadillac XLR is based on General Motors' latest platform generation, specially developed for open-top high-performance sportscars. Hydroformed steel, extremely light composite materials and the aluminum passenger compartment give the construction an extraordinarily high degree of stiffness together with low weight.

The rear wheels of the Cadillac XLR are powered by an enhanced version of the famous Northstar V8 engine. Its key specifications: 4.6-liter displacement, four overhead camshafts, 315 hp/235 kW at 6400 rpm, 438 Nm at 4000 rpm, 0 to 100 kph in 5.9 seconds. The electronically controlled five-speed automatic gearbox shifts effortlessly. The standard-fitted Magnasteer power steering is speed-sensitive. A further technical highlight is the continuously variable shock absorbers working in the "Magnetic Ride Control" suspension.

The interior of the XLR is marked by an unconventional mix of eucalyptus wood, aluminum and leather. In addition, gauges jointly created with Italian designer brand Bvlgari add that special something. Further exclusive features include the keyless access and push-button start, the voice-activated DVD-based navigation system and seats with heating and cooling settings. An internal fan blows air via a thermoelectric ceramic disc. The stream of air can be warmed up or cooled as desired by the passengers. The Cadillac system is extremely effective compared to other systems in which the air merely circulates; the temperature can be lowered by up to 15° Celsius in just a few minutes.

Cadillac's pioneering technological standards are also underlined by the automatic "Adaptive Cruise Control" (ACC), which, combined with the head-up display, represents a crucial contribution to higher active safety. A radar sensor at the front of the Cadillac XLR watches traffic ahead. If the coast is clear, the Cadillac accelerates as in regular cruise control mode to the preset speed. If, however, the radar beam detects another vehicle in the same lane, the roadster is automatically slowed down and maintains the headway preconfigured by the driver. If there is a stationary object ahead, the ACC system sounds an alarm and displays a warning signal for the driver in the windshield.