-J-P-L-

This is kind of a shame. I always liked the XLR even though it had some quality issues. Even though it didn't sell well, it's always nice to have that "halo" car and this served as such (along with the Corvette).

I would've liked to have seen a second gen though. With GM's vast improvements in the last two years, a new one would have been quite stunning for sure.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

I really like the car but it doesn't seem to have much sex appeal...for lack of a better term. A friend has one but he has these ghetto looking wheels on it (glad he doesn't surf CL) that ruin it. I've seen a couple modded properly but I don't believe there is much available on the aftermarket.
They should have used the Vette engine and chasis so it would have a more sporting nature. Still, I like the look.

IS-SV

IMHO the looks are not good, but then again based on actual sales most people didn't care for the looks. Those square edges remind me of a truck and contribute to mediocre wind tunnel results.

mmarshall

True, but the aero-effect is compromised much more with the top down than with just squared-off headlights. And I, for one, don't care for the so-called "jelly-bean look" with humpback-whale rooflines and back-swept headlights.

I8ABMR

they need to cut the sts as ell. It sells like ****.

Habious

I'd always imagined that, when they all got together to design the XLR, they put up a picture of the SC430 and the lead engineer said "OK, we need to design a retractable hardtop convertible but, it can't look like that." So, everywhere the SC430 has a curve, the XLR has a sharp angle.

Also, I read that it requires almost 7 feet (6' 10.5") of vertical clearance for the hardtop mechanism. That could be annoying if you forget to put the top up before pulling into some parking garages!

IS-SV

Of course all convertibles have this issue top down, but usually they are driven that way in slow speed cruise mode. Wind tunnel testing is done top up to record drag coefficients, etc. Most owners run top up in California on the freeways where speeds of 75-85mph are very common, for reasons of comfort.

The Escalade styling so common on Cadillacs looks best on its trucks, IMHO. Based on sales stats, it wasn't liked on this car.

Lexus, Mercedes, Porsche have shown us some clean aero shapes retaining trademark styling, without that ugly jellybean shape of an old Ford Taurus.

IS-SV

Worse than annoying, potentially very expensive.

Gojirra99

I don't think I have seen one on the road more than five times so far ...

IS-SV

Same here, even in sunny Silicon Valley, California.