General Motors Corp. announced Aug. 9 that its Cadillac luxury roadster, scheduled to go on sale late next year as part of the brand's efforts to make a comeback, will be called the XLR. The vehicle had been named the Evoq while in the concept vehicle stage of development. The Evoq was unveiled at the Detroit auto show in 1999. It is Cadillac's first roadster since the short-lived Allante was discontinued in 1992. The V8 XLR is expected to cost about $70,000, below the price of its prime competitor, the Mercedes SL. "We're going to have the SL in our crosshairs," Cadillac spokesman Jeff Kuhlman said. The XLR will have a body made of composite plastic, similar to the Chevrolet Corvette, rather than the aluminum shown on the Evoq concept vehicle. The XLR will be built alongside the Corvette in Bowling Green, Ky. The vehicle is expected to be a low-volume seller, but is nonetheless a key part of Cadillac's strategy to rebuild its brand image. Cadillac was the top-selling luxury vehicle brand in the United States until 1998, but has fallen out of favor with younger buyers who prefer German or Japanese vehicles. The Evoq received good reviews for its edgy styling, which has set the tone for future Cadillacs. The first vehicle to get the new look in its entirety is the Cadillac CTS entry-level luxury sedan, which goes on sale in January.