Autoblog

Click above for more high-res spy shots of the 2009 Cadillac XLR-V

Spy photographers have snapped the 2009 Cadillac XLR-V out testing, and it's clear that Caddy's premium hard-top convertible is getting a refresh for next year. Though the front end is obscured by covering, spy photog Chris Doane claims the grille is still wire mesh, and we presume it will be tweaked to look more like the cow-catcher grille on the CTS sedan. Also new are the vertical fender vents ahead of the doors. What we're really interested in knowing, however, is what's under the car's hood. Having heard it for himself, Doane suggests that it could be the carryover 4.4L Northstar V8 that's supercharged to make 443 hp, but our money is on the next XLR-V using the same LSA motor getting dropped into the next CTS-V. Producing 550 hp and 550 pound-feet of torque, the supercharged 6.2L small-block V8 would be a big boon for the drop-top Caddy. Without it, the XLR-V will not be much competition for convertibles from Mercedes-Benz and BMW.


[Source: Chris Doane for Brenda Priddy & Co.]

The Jalop among us managed to get their hands on an exclusive new Cadillac ad that's set to debut this weekend. They got the exclusive through undisclosed covert means, so we're calling this post a semi-exclusive once removed from total exclusivity. The ad is meant to sell the hotness we know as the XLR-V, and does so by taking us on a trip down memory lane all the way back to Cadillac's humble beginning in 1902. The commercial starts off with the earliest of Cadillacs that then morphs into various Caddies of note throughout the twentieth century. Actually, there's no morphing going on really, it's more like quick jump cuts in the MTV tradition of video editing, which is appropriate considering the ad's soundtrack is the song Punkrocker (click to listen to the whole song) by the Teddybears featuring Iggy Pop. Man, you really get a sense of how far this brand has come in twenty years ago when you see Iggy Pop slinging Cadillacs while singing about being a punk rocker. Boys and girls, Cadillac is cool again.

Check out the full 60-second spot after the jump.

[Source: Jalopnik]

The all-new Cadillac Escalade will be the first vehicle to hit the ground in Europe as the American luxo-marque initiates stage two of its European invasion. It'll appear in showrooms at the end of the year, joined by the all-wheel-drive STS, which will be offered for the first time. Also in '06, the Cadillac BLS gets a 6-speed manual and the automatic is given a sport mode.

After the ball drops in Times Square, Q1 2007 will see the arrival of the SRX with its spiffy new interior and a rear-wheel-drive version. The rear-driver supplements the AWD version that is currently available on the Continent. The product blitz concludes with an attack by Cadillac's V-Series cruise missiles. The 448-horse, wind-in-your-hair XLR-V comes first, followed by the even more potent STS-V (476 hp) shortly thereafter.

Why is Cadillac throwing down the gauntlet with a bunch of V8-powered machines in Europe, where smaller cars and diesel power dominate the roads? Well, their stated goal of producing vehicles that equal or surpass the quality of their European competition is no secret. For them to do that, they're going to have to go play in the competition's backyard.

Besides, no one says a peep about the European automakers' vehicles that Cadillac is competing against, many of which are available with thirsty gasoline V8s of their own. For Cadillac to make progress on the other side of the Atlantic, they have to bring their best, which is precisely what they're doing. We'll keep an eye on how things go.

(Cadillac press release after the jump)

[Source: Cadillac via Inside Line]

Cadillac announced Monday that it is offering the first free downloadable content pack for the Xbox 360 version of Project Gotham Racing 3. The free Caddys cover the high-performance V-Series: the CTS-V, STS-V and XLR-V models.

Gamers who are quick enough to put a Caddy in the top 100 on the Full F1 Ciruit version of the Nurburgring via Xbox Live will gain "Cadillac Elite" status, part of a Cadillac game-player's ranking system that will eventually encompass multiple console gaming titles. Elite-class Xbox Live gamers gain access to exclusive events, customized downloadable content and are eligible to win prizes. No word on whether or not the prizes include a real-world V-car...

[Source: GM]

The greatest basketball player ever to play the game has an obsession with autos. Michael Jordan owns 40 cars in his personal collection, though not one of them wears the badge of an American brand. That changed recently as Cadillac’s general manager Jim Taylor personally delivered MJ the keys to a brand new Cadillac XLR-V.

Inside Line reports that Cadillac had a semi show up at the NBA great’s house with three XLR’s of various hues – Infra Red, Black Raven and Light Platinum. Jordan chose the red one and dropped a cool $100K on the roadster, though Cadillac was kind enough to fit the car with custom sill plates featuring Jordan’s signature etched in aluminum. Credit goes to Cadillac for being the first domestic maker to shoot and score with his Airness.