Currently listed for sale on AutoHunter is this 2005 Cadillac XLR. Over the past 40 years, Cadillac has created a car or two to compete with the Mercedes SL. The first of these was the Cadillac Allante, a car that, while a nice idea, missed the mark by a bit. Its next try at bat was the Cadillac XLR, a car much closer to the level of the SL but still a little far from what Mercedes was building in Stuttgart. Despite this, the XLR is one of the most interesting Cadillacs ever built, utilizing the great chassis of the C5 Corvette and clothing it in a great body design — in fact, it was built in the same factory as the Corvette! Power comes from a 4.6L V-8 mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Painted Black Raven with a power-retractable hardtop over a black leather interior, this two-seat Caddy is offered by the selling dealer with CARFAX report, AutoCheck report, and clear title.
The XLR was loaded with options when new, and this example includes many things that were unusual in the early 2000s including Magnetic Ride Control, adaptive cruise control, heads-up display, HID headlights, and a fine entertainment system. Total mileage on this example is 96,390 miles, with the seller stating there are only minor cosmetic issues such as stone chips.
To me, the styling of the XLR is awesome. I still remember being blown away the first time I saw one at the press launch. The exterior design, as penned by Kip Wasenko and Tom Peters, looked new and fresh, merging exotic car angles with Cadillac design cues. It was a masterwork that still looks current and fresh today. To me, the Mercedes R129 SL is not nearly as interesting a design as the XLR, nor is it anywhere near as rare as the Cadillac.
The exterior of this XLR looks to be in very nice condition and, while not a perfect in-the-wrapper car, would be a vehicle you can be proud of driving. The Raven Black paint looks great, with the only flaws I see being a mark on the front bumper and a slight crack on the grill.
The interior also continues to hold up pretty well, with the leather seats looking great with the contrasting wood trim on the center console, door panels, and steering wheel. It also features a touchscreen infotainment system with a six-disc CD changer in the dash. The only real issue I see is some slight wear on the driver’s side bolster.
Under the hood is the Northstar 4.6L VVT DOHC V-8 that offers 320 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Everything looks to be in good shape under the hood. While not a true sports car, the XLR is a open GT capable of covering the 0-60 sprint in 5.9 seconds, about the same as the Mercedes SL500 of the era.
The underside shows some surface rust on the exhaust but, other than that, it looks to be quite clean. This to me looks normal for a car with this many miles that has been driven and enjoyed.
As I said above, I think that the XLR is a collector car that continues to be overlooked (and sometimes dismissed) by collectors. This is a big mistake as these cars are not likely to be affordable forever — they’re poised to be true collectibles considering only 16,652 were built over six years — so bid on this one now and have a tremendous Cadillac to drive and enjoy now. As the auction on this 2005 Cadillac XLR ends on Monday, July 6, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. (PDT), you should act fast before someone else decides to enjoy the sunny weather in your place.
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