Camaro Z28 Spied Again: This time in Skimpier Camoflage
The Z28 Prototypes are apparently everywhere! Another one was spied this past week, and Camaro 5 was able to get a hold of the photos. The images look awesome, as the camo on the Z28 in these images reveals a little more car than we've seen from the Z28 before. In these images the active hood scoops are very obvious. It appears that the Z28 hood will have one large front air inlet scoop and four smaller ones behind that. We imagine these are there to keep air flowing over the Supercharged engine so it runs at peak performance. In these images more of the front grilles is visible than before, and they look mean. One of the bigger changes visible in these images is the front lip spoiler. It appears to be an all carbon-fiber front air dam, which extends pretty aggressively far outwards from the bumper. I imagine the large, aggressive, styling is purposefully done for an increased net downforce. The last obviously visible change are the 20-inch 5-spoke wheels. The gunmetal black on them is gorgeous, and the Goodyear Eagles wrapping them are premiere tires. Behind the wheels, the brakes appear to be identical to those used on the CTS-V. I'm curious as to the head-light design, because they've been very purposeful about covering them up thus far. It appears they're arranged differently behind that screen, but ultimately how, I don't know. I imagine they're probably HIDs, which would be a very nice touch. Hopefully we'll see more revealed about this Camaro Z28 build as time continues, and I can not wait to see the first ones hit dealerships.
Factory Hurst Shifter: Now Available!
GM has been delaying and keeping this unavailable for so long that it almost seemed like it would never come, but lo and behold, the day has arrived. Dealerships around the country are now getting in factory mounted Hurst Short-Throw shifters for their Camaros. This stock shifter, while more expensive than an aftermarket Hurst shifter, is fantastic looking and only available through dealers. Unlike the plastic 8-Ball style shift knob that comes with the Hurst short-throw shifter, the stock one is wrapped in OEM quality black leather and embroidered, tastefully, with the Hurst logo on the side. All of these things together make this a fantastic looking interior touch I'd love to have. Definitely worth a look.
Camaro Convertible Spied
First posted on Edmunds, this video (caught in Michigan) shows a test mule of the new Camaro convertible driving around the Michigan streets. The vehicle looks really good and the conversion to convertible looks very clean (much better than those photoshop jobs from earlier this week). The vehicle also appears to be pretty much finished, so I imagine it will start its production run soon. I can't wait to see one of these bad boys live on the streets near me with the top down.
Car and Driver Giving the Camaro Convertible some love
C&D didn't write up too much on the Camaro Convertible, but they do seem to like it a lot. I have to say, being a clean-shaven and well-groomed adult, that I take a little exception to the mullet comment as it tends to have rather redneck connotations, but I understand it's just a little bit of playful humor. Also, the two photoshopped images have some variances in them (does the second one make the vehicle look warped to anyone else out there?). Anyways, I can definitely see waiting for a Convertible, especially in a warm Southern state (where the mullet comment may have a little more potential, maybe) and am looking forward to seeing some of these on the road.
Click the thumbs below for full size images of the C&D cover and page with blurb:
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 Heritage Grill Available Now
News is coming out that GM has officially released their Camaro Heritage Grill. With a list price of $305, but some people saying they've found discounts on it, I wanted to skip right past the whole "Oh hey! This is new! Lets buy it!" and actually consider if its a good, viable front grille replacement option, or if better exist out there.
Let's start with looking at the Heritage Grill:
Alright, yeah, that does look good. The solid, strong lines, look really nice. Still though, it's over $300, and not THAT aggressive looking. In fact, there may be an argument that the OEM Camaro grill, with its wide openings and boxier style, is an actually more aggressive looking front grill piece.
Well, with that all in mind, what other options exist out there as front grill pieces for a Camaro?
There are a lot of them out there, but I picked the two I like the most. After some shopping around too, it appears that southerncarparts.com offers them both at pretty good prices. I also got in touch with the SCP guys and they said they're planning on adding the Heritage Grill to their line-up soon, so that would be a good place to start your shopping.
Anyways, here are the two options I looked at that I wanted to compare the Heritage Grill to:
The first one, on the left, is the Mesh Wire grill, and the second on the right is the Phantom Billet grill. The mesh grill is over $400, so right there its a little behind the Heritage Grill in that category. Of course, that money is not money poorly spent as that is a great looking grill. The cross-bar there looks great, and really seems to accentuate aggressive lines of the Camaro. Of course, the mesh itself looks a little light on the Camaro, and for that reason, I say this is a comparable bang for the buck comparison to the Heritage Grill, and the choice should come down to cost/personal preference if picking between the two.
Of course, that is, if you're just picking between the two. The third option here, the Phantom Billet grill, is absolutely sweet. Maybe you'd disagree with me, but I feel like the solid lines (which are close to the Heritage Grill look) are strong and bold. Add to that the fact that the grill itself is made with high-quality, TIG Welded, aircraft grade aluminum, and the price is well below the Heritage Grill for the half grill, and almost equal to the Heritage Grill for the full, light-covering phantom look, should make this the undeniable premiere choice.
Maybe you disagree, and I understand a lot of people love the Heritage Grill look, but I personally am all for the Phantom Billet Grill! It gets an A+ from this humble blogger.
Synergy Green Camaro Debuted
The New Green Machine: 2010 Camaro Synergy Special Edition
DETROIT, Jan 14 – Today, Chevrolet debuted the 2010 Camaro Synergy Special Edition. The special edition will be produced in limited quantities from February to May, with pricing starting at $26,790.
“The Synergy Special Edition package is designed for customers who want a unique performance car at an attainable price,” says Camaro marketing manager, John Fitzpatrick. “For under $27,000, Camaro Synergy Special Edition offers standout styling, modern technologies like Bluetooth, and 304 horsepower under the hood.”
The 2010 Camaro Synergy Special Edition is based on a Camaro 1LT, with a 3.6L direct injection V-6, paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The powertrain has become a benchmark for the segment by offering a combination of performance and efficiency: The V-6 delivers 304 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque, and returns up to 29 mpg on the highway.
The Synergy Green exterior color was first previewed at the 2009 SEMA show. In production form, the Synergy Green is accented by Cyber Grey Rally Stripes running the length of the Camaro hood and rear deck. Other exterior features include a standard rear spoiler, and standard 19 inch, Sterling Silver painted wheels wrapped with P245/50R19 tires.
The color scheme is mirrored on the interior, with Synergy Green instrument panel and door inserts. Synergy Green stitching also accents the Jet Black cloth seats, steering wheel, shift knob and center console. The Special Edition also includes the Camaro Convenience and Connectivity Package, with Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB port for MP3 players, and remote vehicle start for models equipped with an automatic transmission.
“Synergy Green continues a long tradition of dramatic Camaro colors,” says Camaro historian Scott Settlemire. “Some of the most sought-after Camaros are first generation cars – those from 1967 to 1969 – in Hugger Orange, Daytona Yellow, and Rallye Green. Just as those colors helped make the first generation Camaro an icon, modern colors like Inferno Orange, Rallye Yellow Transformers Edition and Synergy Green will define the 2010 Camaro.”
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