Maybe this Z28 Thing is Real this time…
Well, according to the usually reliable MotorTrend, when interviewing the GM VP of Global Engineering he recently divulged that the Camaro Z28 would be a real thing. It seems that Karl Stracke is filling in the shoes of the old Bob Lutz and giving up GM's secrets to the media. Stracke's a pretty interesting character himself, as he drives a Corvette Grand Sport as his daily driver and rides a Harley, and is by no means afraid to speak his mind. He recently spoke out against the Cobalt, calling it "horrible" and questioning how it ever passed multiple departments and was considered a good idea.
Well, Stracke also spoke his mind in a number of other ways recently. He claimed that the Camaro Z28, and Next-Gen Camaro as well, would be utilizing the new GM Alpha-Platform. Having his confirmation of the definitive nature of the Z28's future is definitely a good thing for all of us Camaro fans, as anything less than that up to now could reasonably be considered ridiculous postulating from less than informed sources (I've been very very skeptical of all the various Z28 reports up to now, as they tend to be various forum members from one website or another claiming they know a guy who knows a guy who saw a tester, or something similar). Going beyond this, Stracke also talked about how Cadillac is gunning directly for BMW, saying that they don't want to settle for being anything less than the top-dog. He said that in reaching for this, they're making moves across the entirety of GM to improve their interior style and design, and to take cues from the Audi line of vehicles in that department. Stracke also stated that engineers were currently discussing a potential Hybrid Diesel or Rotary for the next-generation Chevy Volt.
All in all, pretty interesting information from an interesting character, and a seemingly solid admission of proof to the future of the Camaro and the Z28.
Camaro VaraRam Intake: Looks potentially very cool!
I was doing some shopping for my Camaro, looking around the web for the best intake system I could find, and while a few names came up time and time again (i.e. Halltech Yellow Jacket, Airraid, and R2C Cold Air) there was one listing that really jumped out at me. Apparently, Vararam, who have made quiet a name for themselves in the 'Vette and other high-end Domestic Performance vehicles market, are making a Ram-Air system for the Camaro. It's not out yet, so no-one has any reviews of it out there, but based upon their information concerning it, it looks to be pretty awesome. I'm inclined to believe too, based on the prior Vararam reviews that exist out there, that it will be just that. Promising Dyno-tested results of more than 20+ HP on a stock system, I know what intake I'll now be waiting for. Just as I chose to wait for my ATAK (and was more than pleasantly surprised) I imagine waiting now for my Vararam Camaro Ram-Air Intake will be the same sort of experience. I'd recommend those of you in the market for an intake right now to check it out, and if it's not for you, maybe thinking about the Halltech Yellow Jacket, as the reviews on that system out there are more than fantastic. Info on the Vararam Camaro system:
Features
• Adjustable mass airflow meter housing -allowing you to richen the mixture manually if needed for fine tuning!
• Helmholtz Resonance System designed into the unit- this is used to reflect the sound signature back into the intake manifold to boost mid-range TORQUE and HORSEPOWER by 1.5 - 1.6%.(this is a form of Ram Air tuning)
• Flow capacity from 1400CFM – 2000CFM+
• NO TUNE and TUNE models - SUB FEATURES BELOW
• One piece seamless MAF / filter housings-for smooth laminar airflow
• Guaranteed gains of 3tenths or 3mph through the ¼ mile with the NO TUNE unit,
and 4-5 tenths and 4-5mph with the TUNE models!
• Engineered to produce a broad power curve, not just peak horsepower. We gave up
top end power to produce maximum torque & power under the curve from the air
horn design & resonance tuning.
(See dyno charts)
• True ram affect -reducing intake temperatures inside the intake manifold up to
20 deg "BELOW" ambient temperatures at WOT and -5 deg at cruising speeds!
Data log verified with EFI Live for a 4 - 5% boost in power over static dyno
hp numbers. (See below)
• Quick and easy installation, no cutting or drilling on the car install time is
about 10min!
• NO WATER Issues! – The high mount location ensures safe operation in all weather conditions.
• Construction - Rotary molded and vacuum formed hybrid construction allowing for production to precision machine tolerances.
• The Venturi System creates thrust while reducing unwanted turbulence keeping the MAF readings clean even at speeds of 150mph!
• The air horn is a product of months of work in on-road testing to create the best horn for quick windup from 600RPM to 5800RPM ("Tune Models" use a higher RPM biased horn for more peak flow) Its converging and diverging shapes and sharp angles are the work of the latest in CFD - the end result is an air induction system that will accelerate airflow to the far side of 100% of road speed at the throttle body bell mouth (The exact number is our secret). We have detuned this system three times to tame it for the street.
• The filter - Custom made to VR specs featuring low pressure drop with specific flow rates and filtration that meets OEM requirements. Washable and reusable – with a Green filter cleaning kit!
• Materials –VR High Density material (Reducing unwanted heat soak by 8 - 12% over conventional plastics and up to 100%+ compared to metal.) Military spec ABS featuring a flat black sand blast finish for that muscle car look. Billet aluminum rear hose clamp ring molded into the ABS for extreme strength.
• A Multiple Patent Pending design!
• Guaranteed Power & Performance gains!
"No Tune" Models have seen Gains of 20-32HP / 22-40+ft lbs of Torque through the entire curve on the Dyno! Documented and data logged. Using EFI Live & wideband systems to verify air fuel ratio, "TUNE" models
have reached 35-40HP on dyno with stock cars! Modified cars can produce more power!
Camaro Named Great Road-Trip Car
More accolades for the Camaro, this time in pretty fun form. CNN recently released a picture article showcasing their 7 Favorite Road-Trip Cars, and lo' and behold, there was the Camaro taking another prize. Claiming it to be one of the most fun cars one could possibly hope to sit behind the wheel of for an extended amount of time, I can totally agree. They do state that anymore than 2 people and the road-trip turns sour, as those rear-seats are just glorified luggage holders so far as I'm concerned, but say that's ideal, fun, sporty, and efficient, making it ideal for a couple on a road-trip looking to have some fun. Don't typically think of sports cars as ideal road-trip cars (unless it's a convertible and you're road-tripping to the beach) but I'd happily drive anywhere in my Camaro. How do you feel about it?
Complete article here.
GM Makes $865 Million 1st Quarter Profit
Times had been rough for GM for awhile. This past year their numbers improved, but they were still stuck in a 10 quarter span of losses. This quarter, that bad streak has officially been broken though. Behind strong sales numbers from vehicles like the Camaro and Corvette, backed by a strengthening U.S. Economy and their own company restructuring, it appears as though GM has turned the corner and is looking to brighter pastures ahead. This $865 Million profit is a stark contrast to their same 1st quarter last year, where in the midst of company restructuring and bankruptcy, GM posted losses of $6 Billion. Of course, at that time, the Camaro had not yet been released (a major player in the improved economic situation for GM, combined with Chevrolet's Equinox , the GMC Terrain, Buick Lacrosse and Cadillac SRX sold in April at a combined rate nearly 300% over the vehicles they replaced). These vehicles have been so key, in fact, that they have accounted for more than 110,000 of the 183,614 vehicles GM sold last month.
What all of this positive economic news from GM means for us Camaro lovers and fans is a few thing: firstly, the positive economic situation means they can then reroute extra cash to developing further improvements for their vehicle line-up, such as new Camaro models (i.e. Z28 maybe!); secondly, that the Camaro is not the end-all be-all for them as it is, and they understand now in restructuring that they have to continually improve and evolve their vehicle line to make newer and greater vehicles as time progresses, and this also is a positive sign for what the Camaro's future holds. All in all, some great news for GM, GM fans, and the country in general in these positive numbers. Now, let's just hope that they keep rising!
GM and Google together?
This news is really exciting: Apparently, GM is attempting to create a partnership with Google to use their Android Mobile OS and create a vehicle sync system with new GMs. This move would be a direct attack on Ford's collaboration with Microsoft for their vehicle SYNC system. SYNC has had mixed reviews thus far when discussing its software, but the general consensus is that in theory it's a fantastic vehicle feature. Looking at Google's track record though, I'd be inclined to believe that they could create something much more useful and efficient than SYNC. Of course, by going to Google and creating a collaboration there, GM's OnStar would almost immediately be rendered obsolete (especially their GPS system as the Android OS does GPS very very well). Is this a good thing? OnStar has had its ups and downs, but in all is considered a pretty reliable service. I think Google could out-do it though, as they do seem to be right there with Apple in terms of usability and brilliance. Here's to hoping this comes to fruition and we see some fancy, high-tech, new features hitting the GM fleet some time soon. GM and Android: very cool.
Camaro Sales Continue to Greatly Outpace their Competitors
Well, April was another great month for the Chevy Camaro, as its sales numbers stayed (what is now predictably) well ahead of their two truest competitors: the Mustang and the Challenger. 9, 150 Camaros were sold in April, putting their year to date number at over 29,000 Camaros sold. The Challenger had a fantastic, record-breaking April as well, but it's year to date numbers are lagging well behind, as its through April numbers show only 10,752 Challengers sold. The Mustang, which was sold over 20,000 through April, saw a 33% decline in sales in April, and moved only 5,145 units. Of course, this is in large part related to the fact that Ford has announced their new engines for the 2011 model year, and many people are waiting to get their hands on one of them. Sales should be very competitive between the Camaro and Mustang this year as both have a number of new features being released, and excitement remains very high for them each. Hopefully the Camaro will continue its amazing pace though and outsell the Mustang for a second year in a row.