Ever since its arrival in the exclusive world of luxury roadsters in 2004, the Cadillac XLR has been a valued member of this elite club. This is certainly true of the version available in Europe, propelled by the powerful 4.4-litre Supercharged Northstar V8 engine (330 kW / 450 hp) from the famed Cadillac V-series. For model year 2009, the XLR-V has been technologically refined, and the design has been fine-tuned in a number of important respects.
The most obvious refinements can be seen at the front and rear of the car, where a clear family likeness to the prize-winning CTS sports sedan can now be discerned. At the front, new fog lamps are an eye-catching feature, as is the two-piece grille. The redesigned air intakes along the car’s flanks also bring out the family links. The result is an appearance that is more powerful, that matches the capabilities of this luxury, high-performance roadster perfectly.
The interior has been upgraded with new luxury upholstery materials and new technology. Alcantara® is used for the upholstery, with a choice between Ebony and Cashmere as the color. Another new feature is the hand-cut, hand-sewn leather that is used to clad the instrument panel, in line with the new Cadillac approach in which modern, elegant craftsmanship is central.
New trim rings around the graphic displays in the instrument cluster, new wood types for the finishing (Black Olive Ash Burl) and new metal accents (Bermuda) complete the interior upgrade.
As a technology flagship, the XLR-V again boasts the most advanced safety- and comfort-enhancing technologies in its 2009 model year. These naturally include the renowned Cadillac Magnetic Ride Control system, Keyless Access with push button start, DVD navigation and entertainment system, seats that can be heated or cooled, head-up display and a heated steering wheel.
The new Cadillac XLR-V will be available from dealers from this autumn. The price will be announced in due course.
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