In this post we are talking about 2004 Cadillac XLR

Cadillac XLR 2004

David Leone, chief engineer for the Cadillac XLR, wants us to clearly understand that his 330-hp luxury/sport roadster is not a Corvette-neither in content nor in purpose. It’s been conceived as a polished, smooth-riding two-seater flagship aimed at Mercedes-Benz’ SL500, Jaguar’s XKR, and Lexus’ SC 430. The design and engineering goal was to create a car that’s cozy curbside on Park Avenue and equally happy making tracks on the Interstate. Leone tells us that using this Corvette-derived rear-drive platform was not a certainty from the start. GM’s new Sigma chassis, currently used under the ’03 CTS sedan and later to be offered under the ’04 SRX crossover and ’05 Seville, was considered for the XLR. But because the Corvette’s underpinnings were conceived from the start for convertible duty, it seemed a more natural match. Due to this relationship, there’s a slight resemblance between the XLR and the Corvette. But a side-by-side comparison reveals the Cadillac is about 2 in. shorter overall than the Chevy, although it rolls on a longer wheelbase. Another important dimensional difference that makes entry and exit friendlier is the XLR’s 2-in.-higher hip point. With its 50/50 weight balance, the XLR is intended to set the handling standard among its competitive set. But Leone says it won’t beat a Corvette around a racetrack. "It’s a bona fide performance roadster," he says, "but it’s not a 1.0g car on a skidpad. We’re not going for Lexus quiet either. There’ll be more feedback, and what’s there will be intentional."  Contributing greatly to the XLR’s suppleness goal is real-time shock damping afforded by the use of the GM/Delphi-developed Magnetic Ride Control system. Like the ’03 Corvette, it uses magneto-rheological shock fluid to provide new levels of body and wheel control. Leone also specified smaller-diameter anti-roll bars for the XLR, trading a measure of increased body-roll for less abrupt handling. It’ll be interesting to see where Cadillac actually fixes the XLR’s ride/handling balance, as the luxo/sport roadster buyers’ taste varies considerably in this area.

In this post we are talking about Cadillac Allante 1989

Cadillac Allante 1989

Cadillac introduced the Allante in 1987 as its first step into the ultra luxury roadster market. The Allante was sold until 1993 and was considered to be the best competition for the Mercedes Benz 560SL. While the Allante was the Cadillac entering into the new market, the vehicle took some old things from older cars such as the Cadillac Eldorado engine and chassis and some components of the Buick Reatta, the Buick Riviera, as well as the Oldsmobile Toronado. Interestingly, the Allante chassis was put together in Detroit, Michigan and then flown to Italy where the body was then mounted to the chassis! After this was completed the cars were put back on planes and shipped back to Michigan to be completed. Of course, being a luxury automobile made the Allante expensive, but the price tag rose because of the long assembly to about $54,000 the first year. This was the most expensive Cadillac ever. Because the Allante had to make two trips just to be put together there were only 21,000 units ever built.

The Allante was not an ill equipped vehicle by any stretch of the imagination. Cadillac originally fitted the Allante with a port fuel injected 4.1-liter V8 engine. The Allante also featured an independent strut suspension system in the front and the rear and the vehicle was standard with disc brakes on all four wheels. By the 1989 model Cadillac had increased power with a 4.5 liter B8 engine coupled with a four speed automatic transmission, which provided consumers with 200 horsepower. This same model year also was fitted with a speed dependent damping control system that would firm the suspension at 25 miles per hour and once more at 60 miles per hour. Read more: Cadillac Allante 1989

Cadillac Eldorado Convertible 1976

The Eldorado model was part of the Cadillac line from 1953 to 2002. The Cadillac Eldorado was the longest running American personal luxury car as it was the only one sold after the 1998 model year. Its main competitors included the Mark Series and the lower-priced Buick Riviera. The name Eldorado was derived from the Spanish words "el dorado", the "gilded one"; the name was given originally to the legendary chief or "cacique" of a S. American Indian tribe. Legend has it that his followers would sprinkle his body with gold dust on ceremonial occasions and he would wash it off again by diving into a lake. The name more frequently refers to a legendary city of fabulous riches, somewhere in S. America, that inspired many European expeditions, including one to the Orinoco by England’s Sir Walter Raleigh. The name was proposed for a special show car built in 1952 to mark Cadillac’s Golden Anniversary; it was the result of an in-house competition won by Mary-Ann Zukosky (married name = Marini), a secretary in the company’s merchandising department. Another source, Palm Springs Life magazine, attributes the name to a resort destination in California’s Coachella Valley that was a favorite of General Motors executives, the Eldorado Country Club. In any case, the name was adopted by the company for a new, limited-edition convertible that was added to the line in 1953. Although cars bearing the name varied considerably in bodystyle and mechanical layout during this long period, the Eldorado models were always near the top of the Cadillac line. Nevertheless, and except for the Eldorado Brougham models of 1957-1960, the most expensive models were always the opulent, long wheel-based "Series 75" sedans and limousines. Read more: Cadillac Eldorado Convertible 1976

Cadillac Ciel Concept 2011

Cadillac designers pulled the wraps off the luxury division’s new Ciel concept car at a sneak preview prior to the official public debut, which will take place in Monterey, Calif. this Sunday, August 21, on the concept lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Without saying "retro," General Motors chief designer Ed Welburn described the Ciel’s “hint of a fin.” The striking show car touches on its heritage while providing a vision of where Cadillac design might be headed in the near future. GM claims the open-top four-seater could be powered by a twin-turbocharged version of the company’s "3.6-liter direct injection V-6 engine, paired with a hybrid system using lithium-ion battery technology." Long the leader of the luxury market, Cadillac sales now lag behind overseas rivals like BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz. But Cadillac has regained ground on competitors in recent years with a renewed focus on distinctive design. Confident there’s an opportunity for growth, GM management has given Caddy the green light to add a variety of new models, including the ELR plug-in hybrid, approved just this week, as well as the small Cadillac ATS and larger XTS. Ciel, French for “sky,” carries a double meaning. There’s the reference to the convertible design, but the name also suggests that the sky’s the limit, as far as GM is concerned, if Caddy can pull off a turnaround. That likely depends on tapping into more than just the U.S. market – though it remains the largest luxury market in the world. The Ciel, whether in convertible or hard top form, would also target China, now the world’s largest automotive market – and a place where increasingly affluent buyers have shown a predilection for large, lavishly equipped cars.