It's not quite Aston Martin altitude from the folks down the block, of course. But you could envision Cadillac's new XLR claiming title as the must-have luxury road conqueror in the newest James Bond film -- even with the secret out that longtime 007 portrayer Pierce Brosnan really can't maneuver a standard transmission. (Bummer. But not enough to blur the image.)

Surely one could hide some high-tech weaponry along its deep set fascia scoop. And wrapped on the same foundation as the sixth generation Vette, with a lunging-forward forever-in-motion look, it has the marbles to back up the claim it has staked.

As the third in a three-punch design spectrum from Cadillac, following the CTS auto and SRX crossover, there's nothing apologetic about XLR.

Built on a performance rear-drive chassis, it is undergirded with the elite of technological advancements to give it road-hugging authority without losing panache. As expected, it gains its top-down roadster presence from a power retractable hardtop that disappears to retain a polished look.

Gadgets missing from simpler roadsters are, in high-tech counterspy tradition, pleasingly present: GM's first-ever Adaptive Cruise Control to help prevent nasty run-intos with no detriment to driving fun; the head-up display to keep a potential foe on target without losing sight of the road; hands-free mic for chatting or barking nav system orders; a pocketed key fob to open doors and launch the push-button start.

Tasting the ultimate luxury in a roadster comes with price tag to match. But Cadillac keeps it somewhat affordable (for the six digit crowd, at least) at $76,200 including everything but a $325 XM radio option. This rear- or all-wheel-drive sizzler with GM's refined 4.6-liter Northstar V-8 drives to new excitement heights. Without apologies and only mildly tongue-in-cheek, we'd have to call the XLR a "bonding" experience.