SOLD Though I have a soft spot for Cadillacs, and am a fan of the 1987-1993 Allante, I am more than willing to admit that car was a failure for GM, and did more to hurt the Cadillac brand than help it. While it was essentially a good idea, the execution of the Allante left quite a bit to be desired, from the engineering viewpoint all the way to pricing, marketing, and expectations. Cadillac of the 1980s was arrogant enough to think they could waltz in to the 2-door, 2-seat luxury roadster market, and dominate it with an underpowered, front drive platform of questionable build quality - never mind the ridiculous expense of shipping each unit to Italy and back as part of the build process. Whatever Cadillac and GM lost on the Allante program, they very much deserved it.

A decade after the last Allante was sold, Cadillac finally got it right. In an effort to rebuild their brand as a world class competitor, they needed a Halo Car to brign people in to the showroom, highlighting the new "art and science" approach to their styling and branding. Building a 2-seat, rear drive roadster on the already existing Corvette C6 platform was the perfect answer. The engineering and design needed to make the XLR a great car was spent in all the right places, and not on Alitalia airfare. The Corvette platform was light, rigid, beautifully balanced, and ready to roll. By taking it and making it something uniquely a Cadillac, GM built a desirable car that maintains a good reputation as reliable, well made, and dynamic to drive - all the things the Allante wasn't.

Full review and test drive by Bill.