XLR...The Unknown Cadillac?

[Crimson Pearl]

As time goes on, it seems to me that the XLR may become the Unknown Cadillac.

As pointed out in some other threads, the Cadillac book by Assouline doesn't even mention the XLR and it doesn't appear on the Cadillac timeline in the book. Accidental omission or deliberate snub?

The XLR book by McCormick is out of print.

I even find that some people at the Cadillac Dealership do not know what an XLR is!

Most of us here regularly have folks approach us when we are out with our XLRs and ask "what kind of car is it" or "is that one of the new Cadillacs?".

The first XLRs are 12 model years old and the newest are 6 model years old.

Fellow XLR owner BobW and I attended a few car shows together this year. I had both my GTO and XLR at one of them and at the others BobW had the only XLR there. Folks attending the show were constantly asking about the XLR.

Is the XLR destined to be only a footnote in Cadillac history?

Is the most radically different Cadillac ever built on its way to becoming the "Unknown Cadillac"?

 

[Caddyjack]

Plus.....where on our Cadillac XLR's can you find the word "Cadillac"? Nowhere. At least the Allante had the Cadillac script on one spot on the back tail light.

 

[pure zen]

Could be worse,,,,,

Guess I would rather be overlooked in a book,,,,,than have owned a Cadillac Cimarron POS model, back in the 80's...

Listed in the 50 Worst Cars of All Time:
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1982 Cadillac Cimarron - The 50 Worst Cars of All Time - TIME
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" This bit of temporizing nearly killed Cadillac and remains its biggest shame."

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[rexster314]

Plus.....where on our Cadillac XLR's can you find the word "Cadillac"? Nowhere. At least the Allante had the Cadillac script on one spot on the back tail light.

Oldsmobile did the same thing with the Aurora when it first came out. No Oldsmobile marking anywhere. During my first year with it I had people guessing Porsche, Jaguar a lot. I enjoyed that car for 8 years with no major problems.

 

[Phil105]

Plus.....where on our Cadillac XLR's can you find the word "Cadillac"? Nowhere. At least the Allante had the Cadillac script on one spot on the back tail light.

I actually prefer minimal badging. Car looks cleaner without writing/badging all over it. Adds a little mystery.

 

[pure zen]

I actually prefer minimal badging. Car looks cleaner without writing/badging all over it. Adds a little mystery.

I'm with you Phil ,,,, less badging is preferred. I despise that Northstar emblem on the rear. Like anyone driving behind you cares.......

 

[Stella]

For anyone that washes and waxes their own car they have to hate the xlr badging. EVERYTIME I come across the badging with my towels it's wants to snag the X and the R on the emblem. I would like to take them off for just that reason. Other than that I think the badging is pretty minimal.
Most cars manufacturers don't spell out there brand as a badge. They stopped that in the 80-90's. They use their insignia as the badging.

 

[Phil105]

I'm with you Phil ,,,, less badging is preferred. I despise that Northstar emblem on the rear. Like anyone driving behind you cares.......

HA - yes, I really have considered removing the Northstar badge, would prefer folks didn't know I had that engine!

 

[pure zen]

Plus.....where on our Cadillac XLR's can you find the word "Cadillac"? Nowhere.

Don't look too hard... While at a shopping center yesterday, I seen several CTS, ESCALADES, XT5, SRX, ATS parked,,,and none of them have the
word Cadillac on them......just the Cadillac symbol emblem. I think most people know a Cadillac when they see one,,, unlike many cars on the road that all look the same.

 

[WAM]

I actually prefer minimal badging. Car looks cleaner without writing/badging all over it. Adds a little mystery.

I removed both emblems from the trunk lid. They can easily be replaced. Took them off of our CTS also. I like a clean look. I do leave emblems on if I think it compliments the car.

The people who are going to appreciate my cars are going to know what car they are looking at.

 

[Phil105]

I removed both emblems from the trunk lid. The people who are going to appreciate my cars are going to know what car they are looking at.

yep, rear end and front end of cadillacs' are very distinguishable

 

[david jones]

North Star badging

HA - yes, I really have considered removing the Northstar badge, would prefer folks didn't know I had that engine!

I agree with eliminating the North Star badging. Of all the great engines GM produced they had to put it in the XLR. Well guess they had deplete the inventory.

 

[GM MUSL]

The Northstar engine makes it even more unique. Not just another single cam pushrod V8 and XLR-V's are supercharged to boot!

 

[rexster314]

First Northstar engined car I had was '95 Olds Aurora. It was detuned to 250hp, but that engine ran like a top till the time I traded the car off at 98000 miles. It idled like a sewing machine, no vibration whatsoever. Same with the engine in the XLR.