Kansas man buys Cadillac’s failed $100,000 supercar at 90% off and gets a surprising result

A rare Cadillac XLR-V, built on the Corvette platform and powered by a supercharged Northstar V8, was recently purchased at auction in Kansas for just $10,000.

The convertible supercar originally sold for more than $100,000 and was Cadillac’s most expensive model at the time.

Fewer than 2,300 units were built between 2006 and 2009.

This example looked like a wreck but turned out to be surprisingly complete.

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A $10K gamble with surprising results

In a video documented on YouTube by Hoovie’s Garage, Tyler, found the car through a wholesale auction and brought it home, expecting the worst.

The body panels were cracked, sections were held together with duct tape, and several dashboard warning lights were active.

The car had more than 100,000 miles and showed signs of heavy use.

Still, the engine started, the car drove, and the folding roof operated without fault.

The Cadillac XLR-V was introduced as a performance-focused alternative to European convertibles.

It shared the Corvette platform used in the sixth-generation C6, offering rear-wheel drive and sharp handling.

Cadillac added a power hardtop, unique bodywork, and a more luxurious interior.

Under the hood, the XLR-V used a 4.4-liter supercharged Northstar V8 that produced 443 horsepower.

Paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, it was one of the most complex vehicles Cadillac had ever built.

Once Hoover had the car back, he took it to his longtime mechanic, known as the Car Wizard, for inspection.

The most immediate issue was a leaking radiator.

There was also a knocking sound coming from the front suspension and several stored fault codes, including one that suggested a problem with the ABS module.

Even with those concerns, the repair bill was estimated at less than $3,000, keeping the total cost of the car well under market value.

How the Cadillac XLR-V holds up today

Despite the mileage and cosmetic damage, many original features still worked.

The touchscreen infotainment system, power seats, heads-up display, and keyless entry were all functional.

The folding hardtop, which often fails on neglected cars, raised and lowered properly.

The magnetic suspension system had likely been modified, but no fault codes were active.

The Northstar V8 in this version of the XLR was different from earlier engines.

It was slightly smaller in displacement to allow for the addition of a supercharger and used stronger internal components to handle the extra stress.

Earlier Northstar engines had a history of reliability issues, especially with head gaskets, but this engine showed none of those signs.

Hoover reported steady coolant temperatures and no visible overheating during test drives.

The Corvette platform gave the XLR-V solid performance fundamentals, but sourcing parts has become difficult.

Some components, including headlights and exterior trim, are no longer produced.

This can make repairs more expensive than expected, even when the work itself is straightforward.

Despite those challenges, this car still runs and drives and remains largely complete.

The Cadillac XLR-V struggled to sell when it was new, but its rarity and unusual combination of parts have made it more interesting over time.

With production numbers low and values rising, this $10,000 example may become more significant in the years ahead.

It is one of the few surviving examples of Cadillac’s brief venture into building a high-performance convertible supercar.

You can watch the full Cadillac transformation here.

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