Over the last few years, Cadillac has been upping their game and trying to re-establish themselves as one of the world's best automakers. So far, they've been living up to expectations. The 2009 Cadillac XLR-V is a speedy little roadster built to compete with other European cars of the same caliber.

The V series of the XLR boasts a 4.4-liter V8 engine producing 443 horsepower. The brakes have been updated and the suspension is firmer. But it's the look that sets the V series apart from the rest of the XLR family. Quad exhaust tips, mesh grille, and 19 inch wheels make the 2009 Cadillac a beautifully wicked, speed-demon of a vehicle.

This Cadillac is most closely related to the Corvette in terms of speed and performance, but looks different based on its sleek and angular look. There will be no mistaking the 2009 XLR-V for another car!

But even though the 2009 leaves its competitors in the dust in the performance category, it falls quite short in terms of handling. Considering that Cadillac has the highest expectations for the XLR, you'd think the steering would be a little tighter and the handling a little better for such a high power and high performance machine.

Another con to the Cadillac is the interior, lacking a consistent tone. Some features of the decor, like the leather upholstery with suede accents and aluminum trimmed center console contribute to the modern look of the car, but the wood trim doesn't seem to fit into the sleek theme and looks out of place. Also, not everyone is going to fit into this car, headroom being at a premium.

But, despite the faults, the 2009 XLR is still a luxury roadster. The hardtop retracts in less than 30 seconds making it easy for you to feel the wind in your hair on a whim. A big perk to the car is that everything comes standard. This includes the Bose 9 speaker stereo system, navigation system, xenon headlights, and keyless start.

This car is so high performance that it only gets 15 miles per gallon in the city. But, with a zero to 60 acceleration speed of 4.6 seconds, what can you expect?

The 2009 Cadillac XLR-V is a car that is meant for those who enjoy an extravagant lifestyle and need a sleek, sinfully fast car at a 6 figure price. The base MSRP price runs around $97,460.