2009 Cadillac XLR

On Friday Cadillac revealed its midcycle face-lift of the 2009 XLR, along with the news that it will no longer offer a base version of the roadster. For 2009, the cheapest version of the XLR will be the Platinum edition, which starts at $83,530, including an $840 destination charge. The 2009 Cadillac XLR will go on sale in July. The base price of a standard 2008 Cadillac XLR was $81,490, including shipping. Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell points out that pricing on the 2009 XLR Platinum actually reflects a price cut of $2,120. The 2008 XLR Platinum was priced at $85,650; the 2009 XLR Platinum is priced at $83,530, including shipping. Caldwell said the pricing on the 2009 XLR-V remains unchanged at $100,000, including shipping. Caldwell noted that the base 2008 Cadillac XLR accounted for a small amount of total sales. Without giving exact numbers, he said Cadillac sells about 2,000-3,000 XLRs a year. The XLR-V accounts for about 20 percent of sales, while the XLR Platinum is the best-seller, making up about 60 percent of sales. The base XLR accounted for approximately 20 percent of sales. For 2009, the XLR gets such changes as a new front fascia, new rear fascia and new side fender vents, perhaps the most striking new design cue. Caldwell said that design cue "came from the [Cadillac] Sixteen concept.... It's not just like that on the XLR," he said, referring to the brightly colored chrome vents. "But it's similar. The overall idea is to put jewelry on the side of the car." For 2009, both models get the hood with the raised center section that was previously exclusive to the V-Series. The 2009 XLR Platinum gets a revised rear fascia with "more pronounced" exhaust tips and a new 18-inch wheel design. The sole option on this version is a brighter chrome wheel finish for $1,000. Caldwell said there are no options on the 2009 XLR-V. The 2009 XLR Platinum gets the 320-horsepower 4.6-liter Northstar engine; the XLR-V gets the 443-hp 4.4-liter supercharged Northstar V-8. What this means to you: The entry-level Cadillac XLR bites the dust as the GM luxury brand aims for the elite with its restyled roadster.