2006 Cadillac XLR-V Test Drive
QUICK SPECS:
- PRICE AS TESTED: $100,000
- ENGINE: Supercharged DOHC 4.4L Northstar V8 SC
- HORSEPOWER: 443 hp @ 6,400 rpm / 414 lb-ft-@3,900 rpm
- DRIVETRAIN: Rear-Wheel drive, Hydra-matic 6L80 six speed automatic
- WEIGHT: 3,810 lbs.
- FUEL ECONOMY: 15/22 mpg
By: Dave Chess
ELKHART LAKE, WI - RIS - 443 supercharged horses at the tips of your toes…sweet.
Driving Cadillac’s 2006 XLR-V convertible on the back roads surrounding Road America racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin was an awesome experience.
Heart and soul of this beautiful beast is the XLR-V’s 443 hp supercharged 4.4L Northstar V8 SC mated with a 6-speed Hydra-matic transmission that includes Driver Shift Control for clutchless manual shifting. The supercharger is a patented integral design with four integrated intercoolers and 12 psi of boost.
A performance-tuned suspension automatically adjusted from touring to performance mode after it sensed I was using Driver Shift Control. It shifted smooth as silk and accelerated like a hot rod off the line -the engine creates 414 lb-ft torque at 3900 rpm. At 3200 rpm a vacuum valve opened up the exhaust pipes for increased flow and provided a nice rumble while accelerating. But there wasn’t much of an opportunity to get up to that speed due to the tight twisty roads surrounding the racetrack.
Interior comforts include wrapped leather seats that have sueded-fabric inserts that were extremely comfortable. You are surrounded by gorgeous leather trim. With the beauty and feel of exotic Zingana wood it felt like I was in a five-star hotel, rather than the cockpit of a hot rod convertible.
The interior contained all the elements expected of Cadillac including a tire pressure monitoring system that connects sensors in all four tires.
From the minute I pressed the gas pedal and the supercharger kicked in, I knew I would have needed a helmet and a five-point seat harness before being allowed to safely sail this shark around Road America’s 14-turn natural road course. Those weren’t standard equipment items and that wasn’t an option - not even with a chaperone from General Motors.
No, they didn’t let journalists take the XLR-V out on the track. You can’t blame them though. With a price tag at an even $100,000 and reports on the Internet of owners clocking 0-60 in 4.3 seconds, you could get into serious trouble real fast in this car.
If I had known the XLR-V’s air filtration system included a pollen filter I would have put the top up and used it after I stopped to photograph the car in front of a field of yellow dandelions across from the track’s Turn 6.
Braking the seven spoke, 18 inch, polished aluminum wheels with Michelin zero pressure extended mobility, P23/50WR18 tires is accomplished by 13.4 inch front and 13 inch rear disc brakes.
The retractable hardtop opens or closes in less than 30 seconds.
Cadillac’s V-series line up boasts three vehicles that go 0-60 MPH in under 5 seconds. The XLR-V, STS-V and CTS-V all share the racing pedigree that allowed Cadillac to win the 2005 SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT Series Manufacturers’ Championship and CTS-V driver Andy Pilgrim to claim the Driver’s Championship. The racing version of the CTS-V can reach 0-60 in just 3.05 seconds.
Even though marketing for this $100,000 V-edition roadster is aimed squarely at corporate executives, moneyed gear-heads will appreciate its getup and go, luxurious interior and precise handling. It doesn’t take much effort to light up its 19 inch Pirelli Extended Mobility tires and what better way to take those Gs than being surrounded in such a well-appointed, high-tech environment.