Cadillac Updates 2016 ELR With Better Performance, Lower Price
Cadillac’s electric coupe hasn’t been a roaring success due largely to less-thrilling-than-expected performance and a sticker price far higher than hoped. The company says that it’s addressed some of these concerns with an update for 2016; the ELR features a retuned powertrain, new suspension bits, different brakes and more standard equipment, all leading to a boost in performance and a big cut in the sticker price.
Related: 2014 Cadillac ELR Review
Inside and out, the ELR looks exactly the same, aside from a new badge on the faux grille. The updates didn’t include anything cosmetic, and that’s just fine: The ELR is gorgeous as-is, making the jump from concept car to production with most of its wedge-like styling intact.
The changes come under the hood where Cadillac has retuned the Voltec electric drive system to provide a 25 percent boost in power and torque. Specs now rate the system at 233 horsepower and 373 pounds-feet of torque, good enough to shave 1.5 seconds off of the ELR’s zero-to-60 mph time, dropping it to just 6.4 seconds, according to GM. A bigger battery pack — 17.1 kilowatt-hours versus last year’s 16.5-kwh unit — is also stuffed under the seats. The advertised range is up to 39 miles of electric-only power, or 35 miles if one opts for the new Performance Package.
New ELRs get revised front suspension strut calibration, new spring rates, a stiffer rear axle, new bushings, upgraded brakes and new calibration of the electronic suspension and steering to handle this more sport-oriented equipment. The Performance Package takes things even further, with larger Brembo-brand four-piston front brakes with vented rotors front and rear, sticky 20-inch summer-only performance tires (hence the drop in electric range), new calibrations for the Continuous Damping Control and power-steering systems, and a new thicker steering wheel. Regen on Demand, which uses the paddle shifters to activate the brakes’ regenerative mode, remains standard.
Inside, the previously optional electronic safety systems (including lane departure warning, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert) are now standard. Wireless charging for specially equipped mobile electronics is also newly standard.
The icing on the cake is the ELR’s new sticker price that comes in at $65,995, including a destination charge. It’s still too high by nearly $10,000, but it’s $10,000 less than it was last year, including a destination fee. At least now the ELR should have some better performance chops to justify its sky-high sticker price.
