Although we have not received any confirmation, the buyers of our house were supposed to sign the docs to execute the purchase yesterday afternoon. We are proceeding under the assumption (you know what happens when you assume) that we will be moving on Tuesday and that the movers will be here tomorrow to pack our belongings.
I will not be able to post until Wednesday at the earliest and it’s possible I won’t post again until Friday or Saturday. Please bear with me. Thanks.
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I want to shout these words from the rooftop. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is quoted here as saying, “We will never go electric.” F1 will be switching to synthetic fuels, or eFuels, instead.
Domenicali also noted that by 2035, when some governments–including the European Union and California–have mandated that only zero-emission vehicles can be sold, there will still be around two billion vehicles on the road powered by internal-combustion engines. “Zero emissions can be achieved without having to change engines or throw away the entire fleet of vehicles that already exists,” he said.
EVs are NOT the answer; Synthetic Fuels are.
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Even though this potential purchase is probably at least ten months away (barring some unexpected windfall), I am mulling my choices for a sporty, good-looking convertible. Reading reviews about the difficulty in raising/lowering the Solstice/Sky top is giving me pause. This car has stepped back into the conversation.
While the XLR has never been included in any iteration of my Ultimate Garage, it was omitted only because of the teething pains upon introduction, especially evident in the 2004 and 2005 model years. I still think these cars are stunning in appearance and have thought so from the first moment I saw one at the Dallas Auto Show in 2004.
If I “lower my standards” by raising the maximum mileage I would consider to 60,000, then I can find a few examples of these on Autotrader with an asking price comfortably under $30,000. At a price in the mid-to-high 20s that would be about $10,000 above a Solstice/Sky, but about $7,000-$10,000 less than a Jaguar F-Type convertible with a six-cylinder engine.
I would only consider XLRs from the 2006 through 2008 model years, inclusive. In that way I would avoid the teething pains of the 2004-05 models and the awful polished vertical trim piece on the front fenders from 2009. I also would only consider cars with no accidents.
In base spec, the V-spec costs far more than I want to spend–even used, the XLR engine was rated 320 HP/310 LB-FT of torque to power a car that weighed about 3,650 pounds. While not earth-shattering, that is not a bad power-to-weight ratio.
My 2011 Infiniti G37x coupe, the “forgotten car,” weighed about 3,850 pounds and its engine was rated at 332 HP/270 LB-FT. That car was not slow. Yes, it was all-wheel drive so it had better starting traction. The G37x was supposed to be able to accelerate from 0-60 MPH in 5.4 seconds. The base XLR 0-60 time has been reported as 5.6 or 5.9 seconds. By the way, the base XLR was supposed to be able to pull .9g on a skidpad, which is also a good result.
A Cadillac salesman once candidly admitted to me he thought that the XLR “failed” because Cadillac priced them too high. At introduction in 2004, the MSRP was $75,000, about $120,000 in 2023 dollars. A year later, the first year for the sixth-generation Corvette–a car that shared a lot with the XLR including where it was built, the base MSRP for a Corvette convertible was $52,000. Yes, the financial meltdown of 2007-09 would have probably doomed the XLR, anyway, but if sales had been more robust at a lower price before the meltdown, maybe the car would have been seen as more viable. Hindsight is at least 20-20.
Temporarily, I bid you adieu. Please don’t forget the blog and wish us good luck because we still need it. Thanks again.
#SeeYouOnTheFlipSide
#EVsAreNotTheAnswer
#CadillacXLR
#somanyCARSjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
Please note that Ford has halted production of their F-150 Lightning EV pickup because of battery problems.
There is a distinct, yet subtle turning away from all electric vehicles by the manufacturers.
When you referenced the “XLR engine” above, my mind went immediately, to the engine of the X-15 rocket plane from the 1960s. That engine was designated the XLR-99 and was a rocket engine.
I will discuss the roof of the Solstice/Sky with my son-in-law as he is intimately aware of its use since he owns one. I will let you know his response via email.
See you on the flip side. Keep yourselves safe during the move.
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Many thanks, Philip.
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“only zero-emission vehicles can be sold”
There is no such vehicle currently available. The vehicles available today only shift WHERE the emissions are generated. Until EV’s are powered exclusively by solar or wind, they are NOT a “zero” emission vehicle. And given the amount of those evil petrochemicals that are used to manufacture solar panels and windmills, and the vehicles themselves, can they realistically be considered “clean”? If you were to eliminate petrochemicals completely, I mean EVERY use, the world would come to a complete stop instantly.
Just because something sounds or feels good, doesn’t mean it IS good.
Good luck with the move, and finding everything when you get moved in.
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“’only zero-emission vehicles can be sold’ There is no such vehicle currently available.”
Absolutely correct, sir. The manufacturers are now advertising these cars as “zero tailpipe emissions.”
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