Close to Z06 Performance from a Base 'Vette
For years I spent time at various racetracks, auto shows, product launches and industry dinners all over the world with Dave Hill, not talking about what he planned to do with the 2004 Cadillac XLR and 2005 Chevrolet Corvette.
I mean, I watched an endless stream of auto writers trying to trick or badger GM's vehicle line executive for performance cars into spilling the engineering beans early and saw each and every one of them rebuffed with a wry, wait-and-see smile.
Hill would sometimes talk in general terms to me about his aim for both cars, which share a common architecture, and that's when I'd see the steely determination that he is capable of and get excited about what the automobiles would be like. He would also be specific about the Corvette and promise a ''comprehensive upgrade,'' which always sounded like quite a challenge for a car that already had genuine world-class status.
Well, nothing short of world-class excellence was what Hill had in mind, the kind of excellence that stands second to no other company's.
When I would hear these things early in GM's renaissance, I would often apply salt as required. But I also appreciated the reach of the man's vision, since it meant that the XLR and Corvette were bound to be good even if they only came close to what Hill was after.
Well, now there are lots of people who would argue that the Cadillac XLR stands second to no other luxury roadster anywhere, especially in terms of style, stance and quality, and I am one of them.
For years I spent time at various racetracks, auto shows, product launches and industry dinners all over the world with Dave Hill, not talking about what he planned to do with the 2004 Cadillac XLR and 2005 Chevrolet Corvette.
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| The Corvette's "comprehensive upgrade" is finally unveiled. (Photo: General Motors) |
Hill would sometimes talk in general terms to me about his aim for both cars, which share a common architecture, and that's when I'd see the steely determination that he is capable of and get excited about what the automobiles would be like. He would also be specific about the Corvette and promise a ''comprehensive upgrade,'' which always sounded like quite a challenge for a car that already had genuine world-class status.
 |
| Nothing short of world class excellence was what Hill wanted for the famous Corvette brand. (Photo: General Motors) |
When I would hear these things early in GM's renaissance, I would often apply salt as required. But I also appreciated the reach of the man's vision, since it meant that the XLR and Corvette were bound to be good even if they only came close to what Hill was after.
Well, now there are lots of people who would argue that the Cadillac XLR stands second to no other luxury roadster anywhere, especially in terms of style, stance and quality, and I am one of them.