Is it all about horsepower? Not at all, as the XLR pushed 18 additional stallions than the SL and 20 more than the SC. It comes down to torque, with both the Lexus and Mercedes besting the Cadillac by 15 and 29 lb-ft respectively. The M-B's transmission might have something to do with its snappy acceleration too, being the only vehicle in the group to sport a 7-speed automatic.
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| The XLR is of course fast, but also wonderfully stable at high speeds on long stretches of open freeway or while winding through deserted back roads. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Cadillac and Lexus make to with 5-speed automatics, but unlike the domestic and German roadsters the Japanese doesn't offer a sequential shifting auto gearbox, only a gated shifter. One point though, while the Cadillac manu-matic shifted well there was no visible indication of what gear I was in to be found anywhere. I found this disconcerting. Fortunately a tachometer is provided, something I rarely use in automatic equipped cars. But who really cares about zero to 100 km/h bragging rights. The fact is they're all pretty close and all very quick. What matters to a true sports car enthusiast is how a car handles. The XLR feels crisp and athletic again, while wonderfully stable at high speeds on long stretches of open freeway or while winding through deserted back roads.
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| The secret to the XLR's great handling is that its chassis architecture is pulled from America's longest running sports car, the Corvette. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
And there's a reason the XLR does so well in the corners. Its chassis architecture is pulled from America's longest running sports car, the Corvette. That includes the legendary model's control-arm, transverse-leaf-spring suspension system and Magnetic Ride Control shock absorbers. They're tuned to better suit Cadillac's upscale image for sure, but it's still a dedicated sports car through and through. The XLR's slightly longer wheelbase and longer front and rear wheel travel makes a difference too, softening up severe bumps and ironing out pavement irregularities.
