‘BLACK TIE CELEBRATION’

Chevrolet celebrates 45 years of Camaro production with this very special, limited-production 2012 45^th Anniversary model.  It’s a ‘black tie’ celebration because each anniversary model is custom painted ‘Carbon Flash Metallic’ (black with hints of dark green), and includes a unique rally stripe in red and silver with 45^th Anniversary graphics on the stripes.  Also included are special fender emblems celebrating the 45 years of production, a new 20X8 and 20X9 inch wheel design in deep silver, RS-style taillamp lenses, a standard rear spoiler, standard HID headlamps, body-color roof molding, leather-trimmed front bucket seats with the Anniversary Logo embroidered on the seatbacks, a white instrument panel with the 45^th Anniversary logo on the right side, white door trim inserts with green glowing LED ambient piping at night, red, white and blue stitching on the seats, and the Anniversary logo on the bottom of the leather-wrapped/tilt/telescoping steering wheel and sill plates.  Chevy wants all who gaze at this beautiful sports coupe to know that it celebrates 45 years of Camaro production.

But that is not all, the new 2012 is more refined and the 3.6 liter Direct Injection V6 model, also available with the Anniversary Package, is more powerful now pumping out 323hp, is 20.5lbs. lighter and helps maintain fuel economy of up to 30mpg highway.

More refinement is found on the instrument panel appearance with new instrument graphics and trim, as well as a new steering wheel design and a power lift feature for the front passenger seat.  The steering wheel features a fresh new look and ergonomic improvements intended to support performance driving.  Also new is a Rear Vision Package, which adds a rearview camera system and an auto-dimming mirror to the existing rear park assist feature.  The rearview camera system complements the rear park assist by providing a video display of the area behind the car, with the video images appearing in the car’s inside rearview mirror.

I tested the SS model with the 6.2 liter, all-aluminum V8 engine that generates a whopping 426hp at 5,900rpm and 420lb.ft. of torque at 4,600rpm.  When you turn the engine own you’ll hear the Chevy rumble coming from the dual exhaust system.  Plant you foot down on the floor board and the engine will sound like a banshee breaking from captivity.

Mated to the reliable and proven Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission that is designed to handle the high torque characteristics of the LS3 engine.  Short throws and smooth engagement and a standard limit-slip differential guarantee quick 0-60mph times well under 5-seconds.

The fully independent suspension is racecar bred and precise and quick acting.  Just a little tug of the steering wheel changes your direction.  Up front is a 4.5-link system that includes a unique L-shaped upper control arm that attaches to the knuckles at one end and incorporates a ride bushing in the rear.  The setup also includes a retuned dual ball strut system with a direct-acting 23mm solid stabilizer bar.  The rear setup includes coil-over gas-charged monotube shocks with a decoupled 24mm solid stabilizer bar.  The front and rear stabilizer bars are reshaped and positioned outboard of the shock mounts for more effective body control and more precise response.

The power-assisted rack & pinion steering system is super responsive to my steering wheel inputs and pointed my new Camaro SS where I wanted it to go.  It features a 16.1:1 ratio for quick acting.  Keeping me out of trouble when challenging steep curves is the standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control system.

Quickly slowing the new Camaro SS down from speed are giant, power-assisted steel disc brakes with Brembo aluminum calipers.  Up front are 14 inch vented discs clamped with four-piston calipers, and 14.4 inch vented discs clamped with four-piston Brembo calipers in the rear.  Standard ABS keeps you in control during severe braking maneuvers or when braking on slick or wet pavement.

The 45^th Anniversary Camaro SS rides on giant 20X8 front and 20X9 inch rear custom wheels wrapped with 245/45R20 front and 275/40R20 inch rear Pirelli P Zero high-performance tires for an excellent compliant ride on smooth surfaces and extra grip when accelerating or braking.

The cockpit is perfectly designed with easy to read and use gauges, dials, switches and levers, all fully illuminated for safe nighttime travel.  The shifter is perfectly placed so you can easily grab it and keep your right hand on it during your drives without fatigue.

The front power-adjustable bucket seats are very comfortable and supportive for short or long drives.  The center stack is easy to reach and easy to use with two big dials.  There is plenty of legroom and headroom to let you stretch out when you need to.

Standard features in my 45^th Anniversary 2012 Camaro SS not mentioned above includes power express up/down windows, power door locks, heated front seats, universal home remote, power front seats, trunk release, A/C with air filtration system, intermittent, variable-speed wipers/washers, cruise control, 2-auxiliary power outlets, driver information center, full folding rear seat with trunk pass through, front carpeted floor mats, dual map lights, storage slots in each door, center console with dual cupholders, dual tier storage bin with padded armrest, deep and wide glove box, rear window defroster, HID headlamps, front fog lamps, leather-wrapped shift knob, heated/power outside mirrors, Bluetooth for your phone, Boston Acoustics premium audio sound system with AM-FM/CD player with 245-watts and nine-speakers, and a head’s-up display so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to monitor your current speed.

Standard safety features include driver/front passenger airbags, driver/front passenger side impact airbags, side head curtain front rear airbags, LATCH system for child seats, theft deterrent system, traction control, seatbelts for all occupants with front pretensioners/load limiters, steel beam in each door, front/rear crumple zones, tire pressure monitoring system, daytime running lights, OnStar with automatic crash response, battery rundown protection and vehicle alarm.

If you are a Chevy Camaro enthusiast this is the model for you to proudly drive this 45^th Anniversary Edition around town or on the back roads and truly enjoy the power, performance and interior refinements that make the all-new Chevy Camaro SS one of the great sport coupes in the world.

COPYRIGHT:2011:HARVEY SCHWARTZ

SPECIFICATIONS

• Price: $36,825.00 as tested
• Engine: 6.2-liter 16-valve V8 426 horsepower @ 5900 rpm / 420 ft-lbs. torque @ 4600 rpm
• Total length: 190.4in.
• Total width: 75.5in.
• Total height: 54.2in.
• Wheelbase:112.3in.
• Track: f/r-63.7/63.7in.
• Turning circle: 37.7ft.
• Headroom: f/r-37.4/35.3in.
• Legroom: f/r-42.4/29.9in.
• Fuel tank: 19 gallons
• Curb weight: 3,349lbs.-six-speed manual
• EPA fuel economy: 16mpg/city, 24mpg/highway
• 0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds

We’re still months away from the launch of the king-of-the-hill Camaro, but Chevy is leaking just enough information through various outlets to keep fans fired up about it. We now know how much power the car will make, we know that it will use GM’s superb magnetorheological (yes, that’s really a word) suspension, and we know it will be as track-ready out of the box as any car weighing around two tons can be.

First the engine: the ZL1 gets the LSA V-8 as the Cadillac CTS-V. Thanks to a revised intake, improved supercharger airflow and a higher efficiency intercooler, the engine will make 580 horsepower and 556 ft-lb of torque. Just for reference, that’s 24 more horsepower than the Cadillac CTS-V, with the exact same amount of torque. If you want to compare that against the Shelby GT500 Mustang, the Camaro has a 30 horsepower advantage and puts up 46 more ft-lb of torque; on the down side, the ZL1 will also be heavier than the Shelby, although GM hasn’t released the Camaro’s exact weight just yet.

The ZL1 gets the same Magnetic Ride Control suspension system found on the Corvette ZR1 and the Cadillac CTS-V. Delphi also licenses it to Ferrari for the 458 Italia and to Audi for the R8, so the ZL1 is in good company. If you’ve never experienced it, believe the hype: the suspension does an amazing job of blending handling with ride comfort, and can be easily adjusted from a street setting to a track setting.

The ZL1 has a track-centric stability control program, called Performance Traction Management (PTM), with five user-selectable modes:

PTM 1 – Traction and stability control on, suspension set to Tour (for wet conditions)
PTM 2 – Traction control set to Sport 1, stability control on, suspension set to Tour
PTM 3 – Traction control set to Sport 1, stability control on, suspension set to Sport
PTM 4 – Traction control set to Sport 2, stability control off, suspension set to Sport
PTM 5 – Traction control set to Race, stability control off, suspension set to Track

The final mode, PTM 5, also includes a launch control feature for cars equipped with the six-speed manual gearbox.

As for the rest of the car, think “heavy duty” and you get the picture. Expect to see both transmission and differential oil coolers, as well as brake cooling ducts. The ZL1 uses an electric power steering system, too, ensuring that absolutely no horsepower is wasted in driving an old-fashioned power steering pump.

Pricing hasn’t been set, but keep in mind that a 2012 Shelby GT500 with no options lists for $49,605 with the destination charge factored in. The Camaro looks like it will be a lot more car, but GM knows they can’t charge a lot more money for it. We’ll go out on a limb and guess that the ZL will start just under $52k, but we’ll know for sure by the end of the year.

Source: Motor Trend via Camaro5

When it comes to having fun in the sun in an iconic muscle car you only have a few choices. One choice that is now available is the all-new Chevrolet Camaro RS V6 Convertible.

The new 2011 Chevrolet Camaro continues to be a hit considering how it outsold the Mustang in 2010, according to early 2011 sales figures. To further compel consumers that the Camaro means business, a new convertible model has been introduced for 2011 featuring virtually all of the sporty looks of the new Camaro , while letting your hair blow in the wind.

Much has changed since the last Camaro convertible in 2002. The new Camaro convertible has refinement and a sporty appeal yet still infuses an iconic heritage that has been a part of the Camaro since its introduction as a 1967 pony car.

The all-new 2011 Camaro Convertible has a smooth contoured top that carries over the coupe’s stylish looks. Advanced engineering applied to the convertible preserves many of the good handling and ride characteristics of the coupe without making things soft. Even in the Camaro V6 convertible, the Camaro does not lose its proper place among true American pony cars.

Noise and vibration issues where nonexistent in my convertible Camaro test vehicle. This demonstrated many of the additional reinforcements put in place to make the convertible rigid and quite capable on local twisty roads. The optional 20-inch wheels and meaty tires, 245/40 front 275/30 rear Pirelli P-Zero rubber, found on my RS package equipped Camaro convertible not only added to the stunning looks but helped keep the drop-top pony car planted to the road in the corners.

My new Camaro RS V6 convertible 2LT-trimed test vehicle was equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 engine mated to a 6-speed automatic that isn’t afraid to let the throaty V6 rev all the way to redline using all available 312 horsepower. The optional heads-up display, virtually identical to the Corvette’s system, keeps the driver informed of shifts especially when you are using the steering wheel mounted shift controls in manual shift mode. Although the V6 Camaro convertible is not as quick as the Camaro SS V8 convertible, it is no slouch when pushed to the limit.

The new Camaro V6 convertible gets a respectable EPA estimated 18mpg city and 29mpg highway, same as the coupe which is 254 pounds lighter than the convertible.

The new Camaro convertible’s power soft-top takes about 20 seconds to open or close and built in partnership with the same manufacturer as the Corvette convertible top. Ambient road noise transmits into the cabin with the top up, which is somewhat expected on soft-top convertibles. The top, however, does give you the option to place a folding one-piece tonneau cover on the top when it is down to give it a complete look. The cover is stored in the trunk when not in use. This can be rather annoying when you are on the go and need to quickly close the top.  Not to mention, the tonneau cover will fly off on the highway if you do not take an extra minute to secure the cover in place. Over all the top is easy to use and can be easily secured in place , up or down, in a matter of seconds.

The new Camaro convertible V6 with the RS package has an excellent interior with supportive seats. The 4-person seating area is only formidable when you have someone well over 6-feet tall in the front seat taking any usable legroom away from the rear-seat occupants. Otherwise, the rear seating is usable and considerably exciting at highway speeds with the top down.

The new heads-up display proves to be an excellent addition to the Camaro convertible keeping the driver’s eyes planted on the road. Clear and large controls on the dashboard are also another well-thought-of part of the Camaro’s interior. The layout remains to be virtually identical to the Camaro coupe in all trim levels even down to the 4-gauge auxiliary cluster pods.

There are not many cars that look as good as the new Camaro topless. For a price starting at just $29,275, the all-new 2011 Camaro V6 convertible packs in new-age retro styling wrapped up in a stunning economical drop-top American pony car package. My test vehicle had an as-tested price of $36,185 including the RS package (20-inch flangeless painted-aluminum wheels with Midnight Silver finish, High Intensity Discharge headlamps with integral LED halo rings, unique tail lamps, and rear spoiler).

Copyright: 2011 AutomotiveAddicts.com

SPECFICATIONS

• Price: Base Camaro Convertible MSRP $29,275 As-Tested Camaro RS V6 (2LT) Convertible $36,185
• Engine: 3.6-liter direct injection V6 312 horsepower @ 6500 rpm / 278 ft-lbs. torque @ 5100 rpm
• Wheelbase: 112.3in.
• Total length: 190.4in.
• Total width: 75.5in.
• Total height: 54.7in.
• Track: f/r-63.7/63.7in.
• Headroom: f/r-37.8/35.7in.
• Legroom: f/r-42.4/29.9in.
• Cargo volume: 10.2cu.ft.
• 0-60mph: 6.1 seconds
• EPA mileage est.: 18 mpg city / 29 mpg highway
• Fuel tank: 19.0 gallons
• Curb weight: 3,995 lbs.

The 2012 Transformers Camaro. Image: © GM Corp.

Did you miss your chance to buy a Bumblebee Camaro in 2010 or 2011? Are you obsessed with Transformers, Decepticons and Autobots? Are you counting the hours until you can go see Transformers: Dark of the Moon? If so, Chevy has some good news for you: they’re building a Transformers Camaro (in Bumblebee yellow and black, of course) for the 2012 model year, too.

The Transformers package will add $3,000 to the cost of a 2LT (V-6) or 2SS (V-8) Camaro. For your money, you get Rally Yellow paint with black stripes, 20-inch black wheels, summer-only performance tires, Autobot logos on the wheels and front fenders, black leather seating with yellow stitching, yellow stitched trim on the dash and center console and Autobot logos on the front headrests and center console. Just in case you wanted more, Chevy dealers can upgrade you to 21-inch wheels and a black paineted ground-effects package.

The 2012 Transformers Camaro. Image: © GM Corp.

Chevy dealers will begin taking orders in July, with deliveries beginning in September. Unlike the movie car, your Bumblebee Camaro won’t configure itself into a giant, evil-fighting robot, but that’s probably a good thing. Can you imagine how much insurance would cost on a real Autobot?

Source: Chevrolet

The muscle cars of the sixties and seventies are the stuff of legend, and every gear head seems to have his own tales about a Mustang Mach 1, a Camaro Z/28, a Chevelle SS or a Hemi ‘Cuda. Most remember these cars as wickedly fast in a straight line, but utterly terrifying to drive in the rain or when the road got twisty. The revived muscle cars of today, like the new Mustang, the new Camaro and the new Challenger, can’t hold a candle to their ancestors, can they? After all, the new Mustang GT gets up to 26 mpg on the highway, so surely it can’t be as fast as one of the legendary Mustangs of years past. To find the answer, Motor Trend recently ran a showdown between classic muscle cars (pony cars, actually) and their modern-day counterparts. Squaring off were a 2011 Shelby GT500 convertible against a 1969 Shelby GT500 convertible, a 2011 Camaro SS against a 1969 Camaro SS 396 and a 2012 392 Challenger SRT8 against a 1970 Challenger R/T. Who came out on top? See for yourself in the video below.

Source: Motor Trend YouTube Channel

OK, kids, don't try this at home.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past where American cars didn’t get a whole lot of validation post assembly. I’ve driven nearly new convertibles that leaked like a sieve in the rain, and I’ve had low mileage cars with more creaks and rattles than a haunted house. Fortunately, those days are in the past, and most of todays cars are tested to the point of failure before they even see production. Chevy wants you to know that they go well beyond “reasonable” in testing the top of the new Camaro convertible, running it through over ten years of simulated hard use in testing. Even production cars don’t get loaded for shipment until they’ve been tested under water spray of 900 gallons per minute. Like the video says, don’t try climbing into the trunk of your car at home. From personal experience, I can tell you that it’s not a particularly comfortable ride.

Get the new Camaro Z-28 out of your head for a minute while we introduce you to a twin turbo version of the 3.6-liter V-6, same NA V6 found in new Camaro LS and LT, unveiled at SEMA by Jay Leno.

It is a certain thing that Jay Leno is a gear-head with a disposable income to support his car collecting hobby. This new Leno Camaro Concept car is further proof that Jay has a big influence in the automotive enthusiasts’ world as well as the automotive industry. GM has produced a special version of the new Camaro for Jay Leno at SEMA. The kicker about this V6 Camaro concept is that it delivers V6 fuel economy while managing the output of the Camaro SS.

Camaro5.com was the first the introduce this to the online world highlighting certain performance aspects of the Leno Camaro. Enjoy the images!

Press Introduction:

Powered by a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.6L direct injected V-6 that is standard in Camaro LS and LT models, Leno’s Camaro blends high performance with surprising efficiency in a racing-ready package. A pair of Turbonetics T-3 turbochargers blows through a custom air-to-air intercooler, force-feeding the engine about seven pounds of boost and lifting its horsepower level to about 425. That’s about 40 percent greater than stock and in normal driving (when the turbochargers aren’t making boost), there’s virtually no penalty in fuel economy over the non-turbocharged 3.6L engine.

“Jay’s Camaro offers style, performance and efficiency in a big way,” said Dewar. “It delivers the power of a Camaro SS on demand, but with the fuel economy of a V-6.”

Supporting upgrades for the turbo system include a larger-capacity Be-Kool radiator and a custom exhaust system, as well as a Centerforce-supplied clutch and pressure plate for the six-speed manual transmission. The tubing for the turbo system is powder-coated blue. The powertrain was designed to deliver consistent, controllable power for both the street and race track. In fact, road racing was a primary mission for the car during its development.

Additional vehicle also support its racing intent:
• Brembo six-piston brake package
• Pedders coil-over lowering kit
• New front fascia with custom fog lamps and integral brake cooling vents
• Air extractor-style hood

The exterior styling of Leno’s car is the most radical of all the Camaro concepts at SEMA. The front fascia and hood are one-off creations as are the unique upper and lower grilles and the ground effects package (including a rear diffuser). The heritage-inspired vent styling in front of the rear wheels has been replaced with functional brake cooling ducts.

Our friends at Ultimate Factories are at it again this week, giving us a first hand view of the build process of their highly acclaimed new Camaro.  It’s an 18 hour build process involving both humans and robots which is fine tuned to produce 1 brand new Camaro every MINUTE!  Meticulous work is required in many aspects of this build, as they use 734 robots to perform the almost 5,000 spot welds required on each Camaro body.  Also, the new Oshawa Car Paint Shop, completed in 2007, finishes an average of 150 cars an hour.  This is big industry at its finest, and we are lucky to be able to see this process from beginning to end.

Show airs on National Geographic at 8pm, October 15th, 2009.  Check local listings for availability.