Cadillac XLR Model Years and History

The XLR was Cadillacs first convertible since the 1994 Allante and was only the second drop-top model sold since the discontinuation of the Eldorado version in the 1980s. The vehicle was configured as a two-door, two-passenger personal luxury car equipped with a hardtop retractable roof. Deployment of the retractable roof was handled in 30 seconds by the press of a button. Developed as a halo car for the luxury brand, the 2004 two-seat convertible was constructed on the new platform for General Motors most prestigious vehicle; the Chevrolet Corvette. Sharing similar components to the sixth-generation Corvette, the 2004 Cadillac XLR did present its own unique attributes such as the 4.6-liter Northstar V-8 engine. Employing variable valve timing as well as aluminum construction, the 2004 XLR was propelled by 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Another unique quality setting the vehicle apart from the Chevrolet sports car was the availability of all-wheel drive on the Cadillac convertible.

 

The 2004 Cadillac XLR was one of the first vehicles to be marketed with General Motors Magnetic Ride Control system that rapidly and intelligently adjusts the damper settings based on road conditions. Other technologies available on the XLR included StabiliTrak, heated and cooled seats, DVD navigation system as well as heads-up display. In following model years, the Cadillac offered the brands first Adaptive Forward Lighting along with a high-performance XLR-V model. Since the Cadillac XLR was created to tempt luxury car buyers, performance for the vehicle always emphasized smoothness. For this reason, the only transmission offered on the XLR through its production cycle was automatic. Introduced with a five-speed gearbox in 2004, the six gears were added to move the luxury convertible for 2007. The XLR was dropped from the Cadillac line-up after the 2009 model year.