Corvette & XLR to replaced in 2012
Discussion
IMO the reason the XLR sells/sold so poorly in the UK is that it represents poor value for money compared to the Corvette Convertible. The XLR is more or less the same car with quirky looks, a convertible hard top, adaptive cruise control, a 75-95 HP deficit and a higher price tag.
Anyone buying a LHD convertible 2-seater would be mad not to buy the Corvette unless a) they love the Cadillac brand and the XLR look (complete with BVLGARI dials and remote fob), b) really NEED a hard-top convertible (zero boot space), c) need adaptive cruise control (in case "brain + brake = slow down" is too tricky, especially whilst driving Ferraris in tunnels), d) 400/420 HP is just a bit too scary (hmm...), or e) have more money than sense and really like spending more than they need to.
Step forward, Premiership footballers!!! Who, as it happens, were pretty much the only people who ever bought the XLR.
Anyone buying a LHD convertible 2-seater would be mad not to buy the Corvette unless a) they love the Cadillac brand and the XLR look (complete with BVLGARI dials and remote fob), b) really NEED a hard-top convertible (zero boot space), c) need adaptive cruise control (in case "brain + brake = slow down" is too tricky, especially whilst driving Ferraris in tunnels), d) 400/420 HP is just a bit too scary (hmm...), or e) have more money than sense and really like spending more than they need to.
Step forward, Premiership footballers!!! Who, as it happens, were pretty much the only people who ever bought the XLR.
555ST said:
IMO the reason the XLR sells/sold so poorly in the UK is that it represents poor value for money compared to the Corvette Convertible. The XLR is more or less the same car with quirky looks, a convertible hard top, adaptive cruise control, a 75-95 HP deficit and a higher price tag.
Anyone buying a LHD convertible 2-seater would be mad not to buy the Corvette unless a) they love the Cadillac brand and the XLR look (complete with BVLGARI dials and remote fob), b) really NEED a hard-top convertible (zero boot space), c) need adaptive cruise control (in case "brain + brake = slow down" is too tricky, especially whilst driving Ferraris in tunnels), d) 400/420 HP is just a bit too scary (hmm...), or e) have more money than sense and really like spending more than they need to.
Step forward, Premiership footballers!!! Who, as it happens, were pretty much the only people who ever bought the XLR.
Surely by that logic Stephen we should be selling rather more Corvette convertibles?! Our sales mix, and I don't think it's all my fault, is over 80% Z06's and that's the same even if I include used.....Anyone buying a LHD convertible 2-seater would be mad not to buy the Corvette unless a) they love the Cadillac brand and the XLR look (complete with BVLGARI dials and remote fob), b) really NEED a hard-top convertible (zero boot space), c) need adaptive cruise control (in case "brain + brake = slow down" is too tricky, especially whilst driving Ferraris in tunnels), d) 400/420 HP is just a bit too scary (hmm...), or e) have more money than sense and really like spending more than they need to.
Step forward, Premiership footballers!!! Who, as it happens, were pretty much the only people who ever bought the XLR.
mitch_ said:
555ST said:
IMO the reason the XLR sells/sold so poorly in the UK is that it represents poor value for money compared to the Corvette Convertible. The XLR is more or less the same car with quirky looks, a convertible hard top, adaptive cruise control, a 75-95 HP deficit and a higher price tag.
Anyone buying a LHD convertible 2-seater would be mad not to buy the Corvette unless a) they love the Cadillac brand and the XLR look (complete with BVLGARI dials and remote fob), b) really NEED a hard-top convertible (zero boot space), c) need adaptive cruise control (in case "brain + brake = slow down" is too tricky, especially whilst driving Ferraris in tunnels), d) 400/420 HP is just a bit too scary (hmm...), or e) have more money than sense and really like spending more than they need to.
Step forward, Premiership footballers!!! Who, as it happens, were pretty much the only people who ever bought the XLR.
Surely by that logic Stephen we should be selling rather more Corvette convertibles?! Our sales mix, and I don't think it's all my fault, is over 80% Z06's and that's the same even if I include used.....Anyone buying a LHD convertible 2-seater would be mad not to buy the Corvette unless a) they love the Cadillac brand and the XLR look (complete with BVLGARI dials and remote fob), b) really NEED a hard-top convertible (zero boot space), c) need adaptive cruise control (in case "brain + brake = slow down" is too tricky, especially whilst driving Ferraris in tunnels), d) 400/420 HP is just a bit too scary (hmm...), or e) have more money than sense and really like spending more than they need to.
Step forward, Premiership footballers!!! Who, as it happens, were pretty much the only people who ever bought the XLR.
I was only outlining my opinion as to why I think the XLR sold so poorly - didn't mention the Z06!
I don't belive that a UK XLR has ever been sold. I'm sure that the original demonstrator LJ05xxx is still in stratstones stock, as is the ex premiership car that Newcastle traded in with the bling wheels.
Newport Imports brought a couple of US cars in when they first came out and sold them to fottballers for over 80k! and there are a couple of personal imports kicking around in London; one in Infrared, one XLR-V (which I have never seen but the owner used to drop by the showroom).
Newport Imports brought a couple of US cars in when they first came out and sold them to fottballers for over 80k! and there are a couple of personal imports kicking around in London; one in Infrared, one XLR-V (which I have never seen but the owner used to drop by the showroom).
Godzilla said:
aeropilot said:
Tom74 said:
I thought it was just a re-bodied merc sl?
You're thinking of the Chrysler Crossfire.Tom74 said:
Yep, the crossfire was the previous model SLK and I thought that the XLR was the previous model sl? All done as part of the Daimler buyout as 300C's were based on old E classes etc?
XLR's not a Chrysler, it's a Caddy! It's based on the Corvette chassis (VIN shows that it's a "Y car").They have even talked about blown V6s for the next Corvette, though I still think they will go for a smaller V8 with other green fripperies like displacement on demand, long gearing, lighter weight and build it in fairly small numbers.
We are geting way to ahead of ourselves though, as GM might not exist by then.
They just asked the US Treasury for another $22.5bn, $30bn if the market gets much worse (likely).
The US Govt is thinking of forcing them into bankrupcy, because right now the US Govt are lower down the chain for receiving money in the event of bankrupcy than the bondholders (mainly the big US banks) and by forcing them into Chapter 11 protection it will enable the government to legally leapfrog the banks and get to the front of the queue, a big move to secure taxpayer money.
We shall see over the next week or two...
We are geting way to ahead of ourselves though, as GM might not exist by then.
They just asked the US Treasury for another $22.5bn, $30bn if the market gets much worse (likely).
The US Govt is thinking of forcing them into bankrupcy, because right now the US Govt are lower down the chain for receiving money in the event of bankrupcy than the bondholders (mainly the big US banks) and by forcing them into Chapter 11 protection it will enable the government to legally leapfrog the banks and get to the front of the queue, a big move to secure taxpayer money.
We shall see over the next week or two...
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