TO THE POINTWhat’s New? The 2006 XLR-V is a high performance version of Cadillac’s hardtop, two-seater convertible, with various visual upgrades and 443 horsepower. Selling Points: Supercharged Northstar power, hand-crafted interior, Corvette backbone, aggressive styling Deal Breakers: Higher sticker price than a 505-horsepower Corvette Z06, interior and cargo space, visibility, fuel economy Our Advice: Perfect for the Corvette lover who won’t put a Chevy bow tie in the garage. As a sub-five second car, the XLR-V is a better value than many higher-priced exotics.
Thanks to its supercharged engine and upgraded components, zero to 60 mph acceleration is achieved in only 4.6 seconds, making the 2006 XLR-V the fastest production model ever produced by Cadillac. Furthermore, lateral acceleration of 0.94 g’s rivals supercars costing thousands more, body roll has been cut by 13 percent, and a 12-percent bump in steering response helps out in those quick S curves. Clearly, going fast in a straight line is only one of this Caddy’s tricks.