Happy Birthday Camaro!
That's right, today is the one year birthday of the official production run of the current Gen Camaro. Yessir, the Gen 5 Camaro is one year old. It has been a fantastic year for a fantastic car too! With over 100,000 Camaros produced this year, the numbers surrounding this car are fantastic! I'm not just talking the performance numbers either (even though that 420 HP is pretty damn impressive). This year has seen the Camaro win multiple awards, including Car and Driver's, MotorTrends, and MotorWeeks year end awards for Sports Coupe, as well as some of those same awards for best over-all car. The Camaro has also been deemed the best new car, and is in the final 3 spots for World Designer Car of the Year award. Beyond those numbers, Camaro sales have been largely responsible for the change of fortunes over at Chevy, while Camaro has also been deemed time and time again as the modern-day muscle car champion. So, with a year like that behind us, I am excited to see what the year ahead offers! Here's to the 5th Generation Camaro, and to it's first birthday! May it have many more great birthdays ahead!
More news on Z28 Potential
Maybe those pictures from a few weeks back were the real deal, I myself am still skeptical, but more rumours are flying in about the return of the Z28. According to one Camaro5 Forums member, a friend working in a GM driveshaft supply house had an order placed for a dozen Camaro driveshafts built for higher HP output. He calls them Z/28 driveshafts, but I imagine they have no official title yet and are in fact driveshafts designed for the Camaro body proportions and built withstand 500+ horsepower. That's normally how these machine housing orders come through. A new driveshaft, possibly to fit the LSA from the CTS-V? Maybe for a new iteration of a different engine model? Perchance a non-naturally aspirated LS3 with a higher output? Only time will tell, but for now we have a "friend of a friend" report towards the increased performance driveshaft for the Camaro.
Here's the actual post from the Camaro5 Forums:
2010 Camaro now in Top 3 for World Car Design of the Year
Recently, I updated that the 5th Generation Camaro had been put on the short list for World Car Design of the Year. The award finale is coming up on April 1st, and the Camaro looks like a very strong contender for the win. The list of 4 had been:
Chevrolet Camaro
Citroën C3 Picasso
Kia Soul
Toyota Prius
World Car finalist Prius has been eliminated, which almost seems laughably obvious now based upon the recent news of runaway Priuses bombarding CNN, Fox, and every other news source around and inbetween. The Kia Soul is a nice little car, especially considering the price tag, but it is nowhere near the same class of car as the Chevrolet Camaro. The C3 Picasso is a little trickier to judge though, as I've never seen one in person here in America. Of course, the images I've seen of it, do not inspire much desire or awe:
In fact, it looks like a car Scion has been making for years now. Based upon the competition, I truly think it would be a travesty if the Camaro lost this prestigious award. Seriously, if you want fantastic design, just look at this:
That's a masterpiece right there, and a clearly deserving winner. Here we go Camaro, let's try and add this award to the shelf!
Camaro Police Car in Texas Now
Well, American now has its first Gen 5 Camaro fully marked Police Cruiser, and its a great looking Camaro. I'm sure the boys out at the Haltom City Police Department argue about who gets to cruise in the Camaro now, because it is far and away the best looking cop car I've ever seen. While they could have just changed the paint and thrown some flashing lights on the thing, they decided to take it a step further and commissioned Classic Grapevine Chevrolet to build the one if a kind Camaro Cruiser.
The black and white, with the low profile LEDs on top and the in-grill blue lights, all make for one fantastic looking cruiser. I sure wouldn't want to try and outrun this beast with the Camaro SS 420HP beast powering it. Sorry street racers driving Mustangs in Texas, there's no out-running this cop.
Click thumbs for full size images:
100,000th Camaro Produced
Yesterday Chevrolet officially reached a very impressive milestone with the production of the new Camaro. What is that milestone? The 100,000th Camaro officially rolled off of the assembly line. An Inferno Orange Metallic 2SS, the 100,000th Camaro is an incredible achievement for a vehicle, especially when reached with the vehicle's first year of production. That's right, in less than 12 months of the Camaro's life, 100,000 of them have been produced. The VIN was officially assigned and stamped, this is 100% legit. So, now that you've reached that milestone Camaro, what's next? 100,000th Camaro SS? 100,000th Camaro Convertible? Great work GM, keep it up, we love seeing numbers like these!
Camaro Sales Numbers for the Month of February
Well, for the 9th month in a row, the Camaro has outsold the Mustang (and continually by a large margin). The model year for the Camaro ends this month too (March 16th), so we'll soon get to see its total year sales numbers. Lets hope these numbers continue strong for some time to come.
Delivery (sales) Stats:
Camaro February 2010 Deliveries (actual sales): 6,482
Total January 2010 - February 2010 Deliveries: 11,853
Mustang sold 5,115 units in February 2010.
Formula D Drift Competition Camaro
Most of the time, when I think of a Camaro, I think of pure HP transferring itself to wide tires and rocketing a machine forward in a straight line. The Gen 5 Camaro has shown already that it is a lot more than a drag rocket, and now its going to a place Camaros don't typically go. Sideways. Hankook has developed and is entering a 600+hp Camaro in to the Formula D Drift Competition Series now. Debuted at SEMA in 2009, we weren't really certain what the Hankook Camaro could really do, until this video came out. Looks pretty great tearing up that track (and its tires).
SLP ZL575 Camaro – A Driver’s Car, a Fan’s Dream
The Camaro has been tuned by so many different groups and shops since it was released this past year, that it has almost become a passé thing. Almost. The new SLP ZL575 has absolutely nothing about it one might consider passé, unless of course that means it is passé-ing someone else on an open road. Outfitted with the SLP Supercharger, Long Tube Headers, stainless axle-back exhaust system, and a cold air intake (as well as some other fantastic looking and performing upgrades) the SLP ZL575 Camaro is one powerful machine. Boasting 575 bhp, which is a bump of 149 over the stock SS, this beast gets a lot out of the already awesome Camaro LS3, and couples that with fantastic suspension, braking (Brembo 6-piston big brake kit), handling, and visual modifications for one exceptional Camaro.
With the SLP Supercharger strapped on to the LS3, this vehicle is basically a rocket on 4 wheels. Combining the already great performance of the LS3 with the tested performance and quality of SLP makes for an awesome car. With stiffer springs for an inch-lowered ride height, 29-mm tubular anti-roll bars, enhanced suspension package, and wider staggered (245s front and 275s rear) 20 inch Pirelli P Zero's this car not only flies, but it can sure as hell take a corner as well. Couple all of this with some fantastic styling cues, and you have one of the greatest complete package tuner Camaros out there. The Ram Air hood, functional rear spoiler, active brake cooling rear gills, 5-spoke alloy wheels, custom paint striping, and specialized SLP interior with embroidered mats and seats, all make for one absolutely glorious looking Camaro. The styling touches were small when compared to the stock Camaro (apart from that mean looking ram air hood) but worked absolutely perfect in the context of the car.
If I had any one complaint with the SLP Camaro, it would be with their exhaust choice. This is just personal preference too, but I prefer the more steady hum of a Borla or Billy Boat or other exhaust system to the throatier gurgle of the Powerflo. It is a very mean and aggressive exhaust, and it provides fantastic performance boosts, just wouldn't be my first choice. Of course, it is one of SLP's own in-house products, and makes sense with the package. Saying I don't like it also just feels like nit-picking on my part. And, with the performance and styling this car offers at its price tag (in the very reasonable $60,000 price range), I shouldn't be complaining.
A look at the numbers shows just how impressive these performance modifications are:
- 575 bhp, 550 lbs-feet torque
- 4.3 second 0-60, and a very respectable 9.0 second 0-100
- 12.5 second 1/4 mile run at 118.5 mph
- 121 ft 60-0 braking, 215 ft for 80-0 braking
- .89g on lateral accel (200 ft skidpad)
- and a limited top speed of 190 mph
Very definitely, another great vehicle from SLP, the ZL575 Camaro is a beast begging to be tamed and one of my favorite Camaro tuners on the market!
Hennessey Camaro, or the Camaro ZR1 (if you will)!
Hennessey, the vehicle tuning shop out of Texas run and operated by John Hennessey, has been making fast cars go a lot faster for a long time now. Over the last 20 years they've introduced twin-turbo Venom Vipers, suped up 911 Twin Turbos, 1000+ HP Ford GTs, and that's just beginning to scratch the surface of what they're capable of. Well, their newest endeavor is one of their most impressive. Hennesey has taken the ever impressive LS9 (more commonly known as the stage 1 rocket booster powering the Corvette ZR1) which was already pumping 638 bhp, amped up its BHP output to 725 with some ingenious touches, and dropped it in a 2010 Camaro. Sounds like a whole lot of fun, doesn't it?
So, an extra 100hp out of an already extremely powerful motor is no easy task, how did the Hennesey guys do it? They started by installing a smaller pulley on the blower's snout, which effectively raised the supercharger's peak boost from 11.0 psi to 14.5 psi. After the shortened pulley, they installed a custom created carbon fiber 4 inch cold air intake system, utilizing a K&N cone nose filter, and paired that with a more efficient central plenum which utilized improved air to water heat exchangers to help the engine run cooler and stronger. Not finding themselves satisfied there, they also installed 1 7/8" long tube headers, which run down to a 3 inch center X-Pipe, and improved stainless high flow cats. All of these exhaust modifications equate to a more powerful, wider breathing exhaust system, with a deliciously rich exhaust note on the end. Basically, this car not only flies, but really sounds like it as well.
Of course, there were some issues with the LS9 install in the Camaro. Typically housing a LS3 V-8, the size difference between the LS9 and LS3 was not much, so very little engine bay modification was necessary to make the engine drop in and sit. The electronics though, were something totally different. According to Hennessey, in the modern Camaro system all vehicle systems communicate with one another (from the air bags to the radio to the fuel pump), and perfecting a computer system which utilized the new engine's electronics with the pre-existing Camaro vehicle was no easy task. Hennessey did figure it out though, and then went about modifying the Camaro's fuel delivery system, which ultimately required a very intensive reworking. The LS9 requires 40psi more fuel which meant that larger injectors, a higher volume fuel pump, and new fuel rails were ultimately installed as well.
Through all of this, you have one of the meanest sounding and performing Camaros ever created, but now one must beg the question: Well, how does it look? The answer to that, quiet simply, is fantastic! While it will ultimately be available in any color combination desired, right now Hennessey has it in Cyber Gray Metallic with Blue Hockey Stick Accent striping. Adorned with carbon fiber ground effects spoilers and body kit touches, and a slightly wider wheel stance, make this car looks fantastic. Add to that the gorgeous 18 spoke wheels, housing the gigantic Brembo brakes and KW complete coil-over kit, and the exterior of this vehicle is very striking and beautiful. Inside, the Hennessey Camaro has a fairly standard Camaro look. All leather, and upgraded trim touches are some of the few visible touches, apart from the short-shifter. This fantastic feeling, short throw racing shifter, looks great and custom in the center of the Camaro does a lot for the vehicle.
All of this said, the vehicle does have some issues. Currently, there's no transmission that can make the most of the powerful engine, and the engine's 741lb-feet of torque will very literally shred the Camaro tires. Because of this, and the general weight of the Camaro, the car isn't as fast as one would expect, ultimately. It does handle fantastically, and is more nimble than the stock Camaro, but that's still not enough of a difference. The Hennessey Camaro (which is almost 100 HP stronger) is .8 seconds slower than the Corvette ZR1 to 60mph. The Hennessey Camaro is also .6 seconds slower the quarter mile than the ZR1 Corvette, but is a full second faster than the Camaro SS. The vehicle does handle well and look great, but some more work is necessary before it is seemingly worth its $125,000 price tag. (Compared to the $31,000 for the Camaro SS and the $107,000 price tag of the Corvette ZR1).
Is this the Z28, or just another impostor?
Well, word has been going around the Camaro community the last couple of days that the official Z28 test car has been spotted. Everyone from Camaro5 to Camaro Forums to Insideline and GMInsideNews, but I wanted to hold off for any sign that it was more official. Thus far, it appears that everyone is basing their information off of the Camaro5 report, so I figured instead of just regurgitating their information, I'd try and do some further investigation to see if there exists any validity behind this statement.
Camaro5 reported that the test vehicle seen in their images sported the LSA 6.2L Supercharged V8, which would be consistent with what Chevrolet themselves were saying would be in the Z28... exactly one year ago. The stipulation was though, one year ago, that the Z28 would not begin any sort of production or testing run until Chevrolet and GM had their financial situation in a better place. Over the last year the Camaro itself has almost single-handedly saved Chevy, while GM has trimmed a lot of their unnecessary fat as a means of cutting their overhead. It seems logical then that in that year's time this vehicle went ahead in production, although maybe a little premature. We know, from what vehicle history has shown us, that vehicles need multiple months to begin their testing phases, and a few more afterwards for production. What that means is that the choice to move ahead with the Z28 would had to have been made maybe 3 or 4 months ago to be at a place where test mules are running today. GM's end of the year numbers would not have been calculated at that point, nor would the Camaro final year sales numbers, but it could be assumed that GM would have been the incredible rate at which the Camaro was selling and made this decision. I say that, based on this, it's entirely possible that the test mule seen was the Z28, but not ultimately probable.
To further complicate the probability as to whether or not the test mule spotted was, in fact, the Z28 is the simple matter that GM and Chevy have been very candid about the Camaro and what their doing with it as time has progressed. A year ago they said they wanted to make the Z28, and said that they wanted it to happen in the not too distant future. They were also candid about their financial situation. They were then candid about Camaro convertible production beginning, well before test mule shots of that were ever seen. When first starting the Camaro production run, the public was getting consistent updates as to what the Camaro itself would entail. They were not keeping secrets then. So, with all of the truthfulness they've offered up to the public concerning the Camaro in the past, why now go to a more secretive nature? I can't imagine any solid reasons. Maybe they want to continue to promote Camaro SS sales, and think that announcing a Z28 production run would cause those to slow while people wait for the Z28, but I can't see that happening logically. If anything, Z28 announcements would mean more publicity for their powerhouse seller sports coupe. Also, because of the Z28's obviously higher price tag, it seems that the majority of the potential Z28 buyers are in a different economic group or class than those driving or looking to drive SS Camaros today. I can't imagine how GM would benefit from keeping the Z28 private, as they say in business "No press is bad press", and the Z28 is nothing but press.
Here are some images of the vehicle that was spotted, maybe you can tell me what you think or how you feel about it. Does it seem reasonable to assume that this is the Z28? There's no Ram Air hood, which is typically indicative of the Z28. The styling just feels off, it doesn't seem that there's enough here to differentiate this Camaro from any other SS on the road (which isn't a bad thing, b/c the SS is a damn beautiful car).
If I were to put a probability on this, I'd say its maybe 40% likely that this is the Z28. The people providing the info seem genuine enough in their belief of it, but something just doesn't seem right. The sudden secretive nature of GM, the all too soon timing of a mule, and the lack of traditional Z28 styling all lead me to believe that we're (sadly) not seeing the Z28 yet. Here's to remaining optimistic towards the Camaro future though, and hoping that I'm wrong and this is the Z28 and the world will soon be graced with its presence.
Click thumbs for jump to large, hi-res images:
