Cadillac ELR (Converj)

[Gear]

Don't be fooled by the marketing. It's only $699/month if you buy the base model ($75,995), put down $6,000 cash up front, live in a state without sales tax, and pay all additional drive-off fees on top. Good luck finding that deal in the real world.

Here are actual numbers from a dealership for an ELR with Luxury and Adaptive Cruise Control packages ($79,685), a 39-month lease, only 10k miles per year, and a 51% residual ($40,639.35). The dealership didn't disclose money factor, but it seems to be 0.00042 (1% APR).

$79,685.00 price
$ 6,412.49 drive-off cash (i.e., out-of-pocket at delivery)
$ 5,575.00 Ally Bank incentive ($1,925 less than the $7,500 tax credit)
$ ++628.00 government fees
$ 3,759.33 total taxes (CA - 9.00%)
----------
$ ++925.54 monthly payment

The gross cap cost for this deal is $80,480; the net cap cost is $71,905. The base payment (before tax) is $849.12, and then $76.42 in CA (Los Angeles) sales tax is added.

The drive-off cash includes the first month's lease payment ($925.54), upfront sales tax ($778.95), first year fees ($628), the down payment ($4,000), and "other" ($80).

Total out-of-pocket cost for this lease will be $36,096.06 for monthly payments + $6,412.49 drive-off for a total of $42,508.55. So for about half the cost of the car, you get to drive it for 3 1/4 years.

That seems like a very expensive lease. My payment on my MS isn't much more than that...

 

[smorgasbord]

If you mean the different acceleration rates whether in EV (electric vehicle) or ER (extended range) mode, then the answer is that the Volt isn't engineered that way. Cadillac purposefully reconfigured the software to do this in the ELR so that it could claim 7.8 seconds 0-60 on advertising materials...

OK, so GM did this to claim a better 0-60 time than it really does in the real world. Unless you've driven 35 miles first, or just don't plug-in.

Once the Green sticker program ends, GM could re-tune new models to have the gas engine kick in sooner. Even if not an actual sales blunder, not qualifying for the Green sticker would have been a PR blunder that would tarnish the car for a while.

 

[KensingtonPark]

While I'm not convinced that the ELR is really priced correctly, I'm amazed at how quickly this car is selling in Northern California. The local dealer here can't keep these cars in stock, selling each of its ELRs within two days. I just wanted to take a peek at it, and I haven't had a chance because of how quickly it leaves the lot.

 

[yobigd20]

While I'm not convinced that the ELR is really priced correctly, I'm amazed at how quickly this car is selling in Northern California. The local dealer here can't keep these cars in stock, selling each of its ELRs within two days. I just wanted to take a peek at it, and I haven't had a chance because of how quickly it leaves the lot.

So he sold 2? Doesn't sound like a lot... for something like this a lot of dealerships will intentionally keep their stock as low as possible and then tell the customer that "they are flying off their lot" when in fact ordering 2 and selling 2 is not what I'd consider "flying off their lot". They could order 100 if they want. They just don't want 98 of them to sit on their lot for a year. It's a twist on words to deceive the customer, as usual. "High demand" is BS. Don't buy into it. I wouldn't put it past them to have 10 more of them sitting a secondary private lot down the road lol. You cannot believe a word that comes out if a car salesman mouth. If you do, you got suckered, sucker.

 

[Blastphemy]

Here in the Los Angeles area, dealers have collectively received about seven ELRs and two of them were sold, so far. (The ones that were sold were gone the day they arrived on the lot.)

 

[Shumdit]

They did win an award for it for the regen on demand feature. I like that feature and I think it's beautiful car, but it's not attractive at that price.

Cadillac wins award for its ELR plug-in luxury car

 

[scottf200]

OK, so GM did this to claim a better 0-60 time than it really does in the real world. Unless you've driven 35 miles first, or just don't plug-in.

Curious. I just assumed you could put the ELR in HOLD mode and it would work the like the Fisker Karma's SPORT mode. It doesn't?

Fisker Karma

[STEALTH mode only uses electric battery]
The Fisker Karma is also the first and only car that allows the driver to manually select all-electric or hybrid-electric drive modes on demand. The default Stealth mode maximizes efficiency, giving the car its greatest range on battery power before activating the gas engine-driven generator to sustain battery charge. In Stealth mode, the Karma can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds and achieve a top speed of 95 mph (153 km/h).
More telling of the Karma's acceleration capability and feel, however, is the massive 981 lb.-ft. (1,330 Nm) of peak torque available instantaneously (zero rpm). By comparison, most conventionally-powered luxury sedans develop less than half of that torque and at a much higher rpm. Because the Karma is always driven by its electric motors and a single-ratio transmission/differential combination, the driver always feels powerful, seamless, linear acceleration.


[SPORT mode engages ICE]
With a single pull on the Karma's left-hand steering wheel paddle, the driver can engage Sport mode. With Sport mode engaged, the gasoline engine drives the generator to provide enough electricity for 403 total system horsepower, allowing the Karma to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds and achieve a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h).

 

[Blastphemy]

Curious. I just assumed you could put the ELR in HOLD mode and it would work the like the Fisker Karma's SPORT mode. It doesn't?

Nope. I confirmed with an ELR owner (Patrick Wang at mycadillacelr.com) that Hold mode doesn't affect the acceleration at all. The recent Car & Driver review also noted that the faster acceleration only occurs in Extended Range mode, after the battery has been depleted. When I took my test drive, I also tried Hold mode and didn't get any faster acceleration.

The ELR needs a Sport+ mode that achieves the faster acceleration without having to deplete the battery first. Otherwise, what's the point of Cadillac bragging about shaving a second off the Volt's time when -- in normal use -- you'll never get to use it? Dumb!! (And disingenuous, IMHO.)

Quoted from Car & Driver: "After draining the majority of its battery, the ELR automatically switches to ER mode and lights the engine. Most of  the time the engine is turning the second motor/generator to provide electric juice, though there are times when the engine also delivers torque to the wheels. The drive motor makes 181 horsepower in ER mode; if  the driver calls for it and there is enough battery, the ELR’s combined system will make up to 217 horsepower, a serious bump from the Volt’s 149. Running as an EV, the ELR’s acceleration to 60 mph is 9.0 seconds, 0.2 second slower than the last Volt we tested because the 4054-pound ELR is nearly 300 pounds heftier. With its full 217 ponies saddled up, the ELR gets to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds and slips through the quarter-mile mark in 16.5 seconds at 87 mph, putting the ELR in a dead heat with a $16,000 Honda Fit."

 

[PatP]

Nope. I confirmed with an ELR owner (Patrick Wang at mycadillacelr.com) that Hold mode doesn't affect the acceleration at all. The recent Car & Driver review also noted that the faster acceleration only occurs in Extended Range mode, after the battery has been depleted. When I took my test drive, I also tried Hold mode and didn't get any faster acceleration.

The ELR needs a Sport+ mode that achieves the faster acceleration without have to deplete the battery first. Otherwise, what's the point of Cadillac bragging about shaving a second off the Volt's time when -- in normal use -- you'll never get to use it? Dumb!! (And disingenuous, IMHO.)

Quoted from Car & Driver: "After draining the majority of its battery, the ELR automatically switches to ER mode and lights the engine. Most of  the time the engine is turning the second motor/generator to provide electric juice, though there are times when the engine also delivers torque to the wheels. The drive motor makes 181 horsepower in ER mode; if  the driver calls for it and there is enough battery, the ELR’s combined system will make up to 217 horsepower, a serious bump from the Volt’s 149. Running as an EV, the ELR’s acceleration to 60 mph is 9.0 seconds, 0.2 second slower than the last Volt we tested because the 4054-pound ELR is nearly 300 pounds heftier. With its full 217 ponies saddled up, the ELR gets to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds and slips through the quarter-mile mark in 16.5 seconds at 87 mph, putting the ELR in a dead heat with a $16,000 Honda Fit."

The ELR is beautiful but it's way too expensive for its performance level. So sad as we love our Volt and would pay more for a luxury version but no more than $15k in premium - and not a coupe...

 

[RAM_Eh]

I like this:


"With its full 217 ponies saddled up, the ELR gets to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds and slips through the quarter-mile mark in 16.5 seconds at 87 mph, putting the ELR in a dead heat with a $16,000 Honda Fit."

Enough said?

 

[RobStark]

Cadillac has announced plans to offer a free 240-volt home charging station and installation for ELR buyers.

Read more: http://www.leftlanenews.com/cadilla...nstallation-for-elr-buyers.html#ixzz2rexPLKG5

 

[Gear]

Cadillac has announced plans to offer a free 240-volt home charging station and installation for ELR buyers.

Read more: http://www.leftlanenews.com/cadilla...nstallation-for-elr-buyers.html#ixzz2rexPLKG5

It's good to know you get something extra for the $40k difference.

 

[RobStark]

It's good to know you get something extra for the $40k difference.

A subsidized lease, free charger and installation less than a month after introduction means they are flying off of dealer lots.

 

[Gear]

A subsidized lease, free charger and installation less than a month after introduction means they are flying off of dealer lots.

Does it? Don't they usually do this stuff to get people to buy them?

 

[Shumdit]

Does it? Don't they usually do this stuff to get people to buy them?

Um, search google for sarcasm.....

 

[Gear]

Um, search google for sarcasm.....

Sorry, it didn't read as sarcasm to me and I was trying to be polite.

 

[Shumdit]

Sorry, it didn't read as sarcasm to me and I was trying to be polite.

Yeah, I tried that once...it didn't agree with me.:wink:

 

[Blastphemy]

41 sold in January 2014. Slow start, that's for sure.

I'm happy, though, because one of those was mine!! Woo hoo!! My local dealer had three on the lot with four coming in, and he hadn't moved a single one. So I took one off his hands for some consideration in the lease, making it much more reasonable than the typical $875-$1,100/mo. monthly lease cost here in Los Angeles. It sure helps to shop for a car on January 31st!

 

[AnOutsider]

41 sold in January 2014. Slow start, that's for sure.

I'm happy, though, because one of those was mine!! Woo hoo!! My local dealer had three on the lot with four coming in, and he hadn't moved a single one. So I took one off his hands for some consideration in the lease, making it much more reasonable than the typical $875-$1,100/mo. monthly lease cost here in Los Angeles. It sure helps to shop for a car on January 31st!

Nice! Can you post up a thread with some feedback once you've had some time in it?

 

[brianman]

Nice! Can you post up a thread with some feedback once you've had some time in it?

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