2017 Camaro ZL1 (WoW) Hey Santa, Early request)
#1
03-16-2016, 11:36 AM
2017 Camaro ZL1 (WoW) Hey Santa, Early request)
Hi `Tadd, great to read your post about your new Camaro coming in this week....Pictures please!
2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Revealed! Packs 640 Supercharged Horsepower!
FORGET V-6S AND FOUR-CYLINDERS, THE ZL1 PROVES THE V-8 MUSCLE CAR IS ALIVE AND WELL.
- MAR 2016
- BY JOSEPH CAPPARELLA
OFFICIAL PHOTOS AND INFO
The new sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro offers a four-cylinder engine for the first time since the 1980s, and its 1LE handling package is now available for the V-6 model. The Ford Mustang, too, has turned to a turbo four in response to tightening fuel-economy and emissions standards. But lest you think the days of howling, rip-roaring V-8 muscle cars are fading, the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is here to change your mind.
The new sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro offers a four-cylinder engine for the first time since the 1980s, and its 1LE handling package is now available for the V-6 model. The Ford Mustang, too, has turned to a turbo four in response to tightening fuel-economy and emissions standards. But lest you think the days of howling, rip-roaring V-8 muscle cars are fading, the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is here to change your mind.
A Z06 with a Back Seat?
Debuting just ahead of the 2016 New York auto show, the newest version of the 10Best-winning Camaro is a no-holds-barred, supercharged V-8 beast. Of course, what you really want to know is how much muscle it’s packing. The answer is 640 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque, coming from General Motors’ LT4 supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine also found in the Corvette Z06. While the ZL1’s numbers fall 10 horsepower and 10 lb-ft short of the hottest Corvette’s, those figures still represent a whopping 60 horsepower and 84 lb-ft more than the last Camaro ZL1’s 580-hp 6.2-liter supercharged LSA powerplant.
The latest ZL1 also weighs 200 pounds less than its predecessor, according to Chevrolet, thanks to the Camaro lineup’s move to GM’s lithe Alpha platform that’s shared with the Cadillac ATS and CTS. This improved power-to-weight ratio should make for blistering acceleration times. The last Camaro ZL1 we tested in 2014 hit the 60-mph mark in 4.1 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in 12.4. The 455-hp SS version of the new sixth-generation car trumped those numbers with a 3.9-second zero-to-60-mph run and a 12.3-second quarter-mile time. So, yeah, the ZL1 will be hellaciously quick.
The latest ZL1 also weighs 200 pounds less than its predecessor, according to Chevrolet, thanks to the Camaro lineup’s move to GM’s lithe Alpha platform that’s shared with the Cadillac ATS and CTS. This improved power-to-weight ratio should make for blistering acceleration times. The last Camaro ZL1 we tested in 2014 hit the 60-mph mark in 4.1 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in 12.4. The 455-hp SS version of the new sixth-generation car trumped those numbers with a 3.9-second zero-to-60-mph run and a 12.3-second quarter-mile time. So, yeah, the ZL1 will be hellaciously quick.
Six Speeds—or Ten!
The ZL1 comes standard with a six-speed manual with active rev-matching capability, as you’d expect. But the big surprise is that the ZL1 will be the first GM product to offer the new 10-speed automatic transmission. This gearbox, developed in conjunction with crosstown rival Ford, has a 7.39 overall ratio spread, and Chevy says that the smaller ratio gaps between gears help optimize gear selection for acceleration and when exiting corners. Paddle shifters come standard. During a brief ride-along in a prototype ZL1 automatic, we were especially impressed with the 10-speed’s quick, crisp shifts. This new transmission will also be installed in seven additional models by 2018—we’d guess that the Corvette Z06 and the LT4-powered Cadillac CTS-V might be the next recipients.
Although the ZL1’s horsepower and torque numbers seem strategically designed so as to not upstage the Corvette Z06, the Camaro team took more liberties with the chassis setup. Nearly all of the Z06’s best components are present in the ZL1, from the magnetorheological dampers to an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to GM’s impressive Performance Traction Management system. Standard 20-inch wheels are wrapped with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires in staggered sizes of 285/30 up front and 305/30 at the rear.
The Camaro ZL1’s Brembo brake rotors, although not carbon-ceramic, are humongous 15.4-inch two-piece serving platters (Chevy has not yet shared information on the rear brakes). Those front rotors are actually larger than the standard Z06 units, and they’re only 0.1 inch smaller than the carbon-ceramic rotors offered with the Z06’s upgraded Z07 performance package. Chevy also throws some shade at the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and its harder-core GT350R variant by saying that the Camaro ZL1 is prepared for track duty without any optional add-ons, as it comes standard with 11 heat exchangers for proper powertrain cooling.
Form and Function
Although the ZL1’s horsepower and torque numbers seem strategically designed so as to not upstage the Corvette Z06, the Camaro team took more liberties with the chassis setup. Nearly all of the Z06’s best components are present in the ZL1, from the magnetorheological dampers to an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to GM’s impressive Performance Traction Management system. Standard 20-inch wheels are wrapped with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires in staggered sizes of 285/30 up front and 305/30 at the rear.
The Camaro ZL1’s Brembo brake rotors, although not carbon-ceramic, are humongous 15.4-inch two-piece serving platters (Chevy has not yet shared information on the rear brakes). Those front rotors are actually larger than the standard Z06 units, and they’re only 0.1 inch smaller than the carbon-ceramic rotors offered with the Z06’s upgraded Z07 performance package. Chevy also throws some shade at the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and its harder-core GT350R variant by saying that the Camaro ZL1 is prepared for track duty without any optional add-ons, as it comes standard with 11 heat exchangers for proper powertrain cooling.
Form and Function
Visually, the 2017 Camaro ZL1 looks meaner than any sixth-gen Camaro we’ve seen so far. It’s not all for show, either, as the front splitter, rocker-panel extensions, and rear wing all are designed to improve the car’s aerodynamics for better high-speed stability. Helping with engine cooling, the hollowed-out Chevrolet “flowtie” badgemakes its way onto the ZL1 after first appearing on the previous-generation Z/28. A new hood with the requisite power bulge incorporates a heat extractor, and the reworked lower grille maximizes airflow.
The racy theme continues inside, with the standard Recaro seats featuring ZL1 badges and red stitching. The seatbelts also are red, and the flat-bottom steering wheel and shift **** are trimmed in microsuede. Track rats will appreciate the availability of GM’s Performance Data Recorder, which comes with a built-in camera and a GPS receiver that allows for location-based track maps.
Look for the 2017 Camaro ZL1 to carry a starting price upwards of $60,000 when it goes on sale in late 2016. The ZL1 is significantly more powerful than the 526-hp Mustang Shelby GT350, while the 707-hp Dodge Challenger Hellcat has the Camaro beat in horsepower but has less-specialized chassis componentry. We’re certainly excited to see how the ZL1 stacks up when we get behind the wheel, so stay tuned.
The racy theme continues inside, with the standard Recaro seats featuring ZL1 badges and red stitching. The seatbelts also are red, and the flat-bottom steering wheel and shift **** are trimmed in microsuede. Track rats will appreciate the availability of GM’s Performance Data Recorder, which comes with a built-in camera and a GPS receiver that allows for location-based track maps.
Look for the 2017 Camaro ZL1 to carry a starting price upwards of $60,000 when it goes on sale in late 2016. The ZL1 is significantly more powerful than the 526-hp Mustang Shelby GT350, while the 707-hp Dodge Challenger Hellcat has the Camaro beat in horsepower but has less-specialized chassis componentry. We’re certainly excited to see how the ZL1 stacks up when we get behind the wheel, so stay tuned.
Last edited by BeachBumMike; 03-16-2016 at 11:58 AM.
#2
03-16-2016, 11:41 AM
2016 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
Tadd's getting one like below, but his is a S.S. 
2016 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
CHEVY'S LATEST PONY CAR, MINUS THE CLAUSTROPHOBIA.
The painted hard tonneau lends a nicely finished appearance to the Camaro convertible. There’s no jumbled mass of fabric and metal here. Moving the shark-fin antenna to the rear decklid crowds the spoiler a little, but overall it’s a sleek design that’s sure to draw admiring stares. Atmospheric intrusion with the roof lowered is well managed, too. Buffeting is minimal and the rushing air is quiet enough at highway speeds that front passengers can easily converse, even with the side windows down. With the top raised, road and wind roar are only slightly increased versus the coupe.
The Trade-offs
There are drawbacks, though. With the convertible’s softtop closely mimicking the coupe’s profile, visibility with the roof up is poor, and its slit of a rear window is smaller than the hardtop’s, further limiting rearward vision. The Camaro’s rear seats are still comically tight on legroom, and the top mechanism pinches rear occupants’ shoulder room. The top also eats up precious space in the already-small trunk, with capacity dropping from the coupe’s nine cubic feet to just seven with the top up and three with the roof stowed. That’s barely enough room for two duffel bags under the Camaro’s tiny trunklid.
As you’d expect, removing the steel roof takes some structural rigidity with it. Despite the new chassis having greater torsional stiffness than the previous iteration’s, the convertible conversion requires several underbody reinforcements, as well as a front strut-tower brace on SS models. The structure still feels solid, though. We didn’t notice any shakes from the windshield on the smooth desert roads during a drive in Nevada and California, but slight quivers could be felt through the steering wheel over larger bumps.
Chevy says that the 2016 convertibles are about 200 pounds lighter than comparable 2015 Camaro droptops, including the couple hundred of extra pounds brought by the additional braces and top mechanism. Expect the V-8–powered SS to brush the two-ton mark. The convertible’s added mass should also impact acceleration by a few tenths versus the coupes, with the SS’s quarter-miles climbing into the mid-to-high-12-second range and lesser models stretching into the mid-14s. We’ll confirm those estimates, and how well the modified structure copes with Michigan’s broken pavement, once we get a chance to fully test the cars.
The View Costs
Equipment and trim largely mirrors the offerings on coupes, but at elevated base prices ranging from $33,695 to $44,295—a hearty $7000 higher than similar hardtops. Either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic ($1495) can be paired with the new 275-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, a 335-hp V-6, or the SS’s 455-hp 6.2-liter V-8. All of General Motors’ latest safety, convenience, and infotainment gear is available, as are a bevy of appearance and wheel options for customization.
The droptop Camaros’ overall feel is only slightly softer than that of their fixed-roof counterparts, and they share the coupes’ near-neutral attitude at the adhesion limit, precise steering, and willingness to clip apexes. Fuel economy is rated the same, too, led by the turbo four and its 31-mpg highway figure. This is still much the same Camaro that won a C/D 10Best Cars award upon its debut and, in SS guise,beat the 2015 Ford Mustang GT in its first comparison test. Being able to lower the roof makes it easier to see out while cruising on a sunny day—and easier for others to see how much you’re enjoying it.
2016 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
CHEVY'S LATEST PONY CAR, MINUS THE CLAUSTROPHOBIA.
- MAR 2016
- BY MIKE SUTTON
FIRST DRIVE REVIEW
The new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro looks cool. Menacing yet sophisticated with its hunkered-down stance, it’s a great car to be seen in. But like the previous-generation Camaro, the sixth-gen car’s chunky, chopped-roof design makes for terrible visibility, both inward and outward. Enter the new-for-2016 Camaro convertible, which opens up the coupe’s pillbox view at the press of a button without sacrificing the Camaro’s excellent driving behavior.
Let It All Down
As with Chevy’s previous softtop pony cars, the latest model sticks with an insulated fabric roof, in colors including black, dark blue, and a dark brown called Kalahari. Its execution, however, is better integrated into the car than previous efforts. All of the actions are automated and a flush-fitting tonneau cover now conceals the folded structure behind the rear seats. You can even drop the top from a distance with the car’s key fob. We found the roof takes about 12 seconds to lower and 14 to put back in place, and either operation can be performed while moving at speeds of up to 30 mph. The new Camaro’s elevated cowl and instrument binnacle still crop the view ahead and the A-pillars are thick, but with the top stowed the car’s massive blind spots disappear and the views out become largely unobstructed.
The new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro looks cool. Menacing yet sophisticated with its hunkered-down stance, it’s a great car to be seen in. But like the previous-generation Camaro, the sixth-gen car’s chunky, chopped-roof design makes for terrible visibility, both inward and outward. Enter the new-for-2016 Camaro convertible, which opens up the coupe’s pillbox view at the press of a button without sacrificing the Camaro’s excellent driving behavior.
Let It All Down
As with Chevy’s previous softtop pony cars, the latest model sticks with an insulated fabric roof, in colors including black, dark blue, and a dark brown called Kalahari. Its execution, however, is better integrated into the car than previous efforts. All of the actions are automated and a flush-fitting tonneau cover now conceals the folded structure behind the rear seats. You can even drop the top from a distance with the car’s key fob. We found the roof takes about 12 seconds to lower and 14 to put back in place, and either operation can be performed while moving at speeds of up to 30 mph. The new Camaro’s elevated cowl and instrument binnacle still crop the view ahead and the A-pillars are thick, but with the top stowed the car’s massive blind spots disappear and the views out become largely unobstructed.
The painted hard tonneau lends a nicely finished appearance to the Camaro convertible. There’s no jumbled mass of fabric and metal here. Moving the shark-fin antenna to the rear decklid crowds the spoiler a little, but overall it’s a sleek design that’s sure to draw admiring stares. Atmospheric intrusion with the roof lowered is well managed, too. Buffeting is minimal and the rushing air is quiet enough at highway speeds that front passengers can easily converse, even with the side windows down. With the top raised, road and wind roar are only slightly increased versus the coupe.
The Trade-offs
There are drawbacks, though. With the convertible’s softtop closely mimicking the coupe’s profile, visibility with the roof up is poor, and its slit of a rear window is smaller than the hardtop’s, further limiting rearward vision. The Camaro’s rear seats are still comically tight on legroom, and the top mechanism pinches rear occupants’ shoulder room. The top also eats up precious space in the already-small trunk, with capacity dropping from the coupe’s nine cubic feet to just seven with the top up and three with the roof stowed. That’s barely enough room for two duffel bags under the Camaro’s tiny trunklid.
As you’d expect, removing the steel roof takes some structural rigidity with it. Despite the new chassis having greater torsional stiffness than the previous iteration’s, the convertible conversion requires several underbody reinforcements, as well as a front strut-tower brace on SS models. The structure still feels solid, though. We didn’t notice any shakes from the windshield on the smooth desert roads during a drive in Nevada and California, but slight quivers could be felt through the steering wheel over larger bumps.
Chevy says that the 2016 convertibles are about 200 pounds lighter than comparable 2015 Camaro droptops, including the couple hundred of extra pounds brought by the additional braces and top mechanism. Expect the V-8–powered SS to brush the two-ton mark. The convertible’s added mass should also impact acceleration by a few tenths versus the coupes, with the SS’s quarter-miles climbing into the mid-to-high-12-second range and lesser models stretching into the mid-14s. We’ll confirm those estimates, and how well the modified structure copes with Michigan’s broken pavement, once we get a chance to fully test the cars.
The View Costs
Equipment and trim largely mirrors the offerings on coupes, but at elevated base prices ranging from $33,695 to $44,295—a hearty $7000 higher than similar hardtops. Either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic ($1495) can be paired with the new 275-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, a 335-hp V-6, or the SS’s 455-hp 6.2-liter V-8. All of General Motors’ latest safety, convenience, and infotainment gear is available, as are a bevy of appearance and wheel options for customization.
The droptop Camaros’ overall feel is only slightly softer than that of their fixed-roof counterparts, and they share the coupes’ near-neutral attitude at the adhesion limit, precise steering, and willingness to clip apexes. Fuel economy is rated the same, too, led by the turbo four and its 31-mpg highway figure. This is still much the same Camaro that won a C/D 10Best Cars award upon its debut and, in SS guise,beat the 2015 Ford Mustang GT in its first comparison test. Being able to lower the roof makes it easier to see out while cruising on a sunny day—and easier for others to see how much you’re enjoying it.
#3
03-16-2016, 11:56 AM
>4 Banger Camaro<
2016 Chevrolet Camaro 2.0T
RELAX, PONY-CAR FANS—FOUR-CYLINDER POWER HASN'T SPOILED THE NEW CAMARO.
- MAR 2016
- BY MIKE SUTTON
FIRST DRIVE REVIEW
There hasn’t been a four-cylinder in a Chevrolet Camaro since the third-generation car’s “Iron Duke” 2.5-liter in the 1980s. That lump made only about 90 horsepower, so traditionalist Detroit-muscle fans have spent the intervening decades pretending it never happened. But times have changed—witness Ford fitting its 2.3-liter EcoBoost four under the hood of the latest Mustang—and we’ve just had our first experience at the wheel of a 2016 Camaro powered by GM’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger. With three times the Iron Duke’s output, it promises to wash that sour taste out of our mouths when we say “four-cylinder Camaro.”
There hasn’t been a four-cylinder in a Chevrolet Camaro since the third-generation car’s “Iron Duke” 2.5-liter in the 1980s. That lump made only about 90 horsepower, so traditionalist Detroit-muscle fans have spent the intervening decades pretending it never happened. But times have changed—witness Ford fitting its 2.3-liter EcoBoost four under the hood of the latest Mustang—and we’ve just had our first experience at the wheel of a 2016 Camaro powered by GM’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger. With three times the Iron Duke’s output, it promises to wash that sour taste out of our mouths when we say “four-cylinder Camaro.”
What’s That Noise?
Unlike Ford’s setup, which positions the EcoBoost as a premium engine between the Mustang’s 3.7-liter V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 offerings, Chevy has made the turbo four the Camaro’s entry-level engine in both the coupe and the new convertible. This is essentially the same aluminum-construction, direct-injected powerplant found in the Cadillac ATS and the Chevrolet Malibu 2.0T and the setup you’re likely to get from Hertz the next time you hit the rental counter. Output in the Camaro is rated at 275 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3000, notably less than the available 335-hp 3.6-liter V-6 and the SS’s 455-hp 6.2-liter V-8. But with the sixth-gen Camaro’s significant weight savings over its predecessor—about 200 pounds, depending on the model—the 2.0T is a capable engine that should cut about 100 pounds from the V-6’s curb weight.
Unlike Ford’s setup, which positions the EcoBoost as a premium engine between the Mustang’s 3.7-liter V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 offerings, Chevy has made the turbo four the Camaro’s entry-level engine in both the coupe and the new convertible. This is essentially the same aluminum-construction, direct-injected powerplant found in the Cadillac ATS and the Chevrolet Malibu 2.0T and the setup you’re likely to get from Hertz the next time you hit the rental counter. Output in the Camaro is rated at 275 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3000, notably less than the available 335-hp 3.6-liter V-6 and the SS’s 455-hp 6.2-liter V-8. But with the sixth-gen Camaro’s significant weight savings over its predecessor—about 200 pounds, depending on the model—the 2.0T is a capable engine that should cut about 100 pounds from the V-6’s curb weight.
Besides output, the other significant difference is the flatter, weedier exhaust note the turbo four emits, which doesn’t quite fit the Camaro’s menacing looks. Chevrolet has enhanced the four’s acoustic signature without making it too artificial, but it’s still no match for the internal-combustion music produced by the two naturally aspirated engines. The sound is aggressive yet refined, tuned to emphasize the engine’s mechanical and forced-induction noises. We noticed the four-pot droning only a little at low rpm on our drive through the Nevada and California deserts. All 2.0T Camaros feature active noise cancellation to whittle out unwanted frequencies in the cabin, and the optional Bose audio system can further enhance the engine’s playback via the speakers. We’re still not fans of the latter technology, but Chevy allows the driver to disable it.
Different Yet Similar
As with other Camaros, the turbocharged four-cylinder comes with a six-speed manual transmission standard and General Motors’ eight-speed automatic as a $1495 option. There’s little lag as the 2.0T’s turbo spools up, and the manual’s slick shifter and nicely arranged pedals help the driver access the power. The eight-speed’s rapid shifts and additional ratios make better use of the 2.0T’s modest output, however, so the automatic feels more flexible in the real world. The dual-mode exhaust that sounds so good on the V-6 and V-8 cars isn’t available here, but pretty much everything else is familiar to the Camaro, including standard 18-inch wheels (20s are optional), an eagerness to change direction, and an impressive level of refinement. Fewer cylinders and lower mass also improve fuel economy over the V-6 by 3 mpg in the city and on the highway; both the coupe and convertible turbo fours are EPA-rated at 21/30 mpg city/highway with the manual and 22/31 with the automatic.
A few laps of the track at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch revealed the lighter 2.0T to retain the Camaro’s familiar grip levels and excellent agility, as well as ample grunt when powering out of corners. The standard Driver Mode Selector adjusts the throttle mapping, electric power steering, stability control, and the automatic’s shift programming for Tour, Sport, and Snow/Ice settings. We weren’t able to affix our testing equipment to a 2.0T model during our initial drive, but GM claims the run to 60 mph will take 5.4 seconds in the coupe, with a quarter-mile pass of 14 flat at 100 mph (we’ve recorded times of 5.1 and 13.7, respectively, from a manual 2016 Camaro V-6). The coupe’s figures should increase by a couple of tenths for the 2.0T convertible with its additional 200-or-so pounds of curb weight.
Not a Stripper
Camaro 2.0T prices start at a reasonable $26,695 for the coupe and $33,695 for the droptop—$1495 less than V-6 versions. And in case you think Chevy took the no-frills route as did Ford with its base Mustang, available extras range from special appearance packages and leather upholstery to a head-up display and a heated steering wheel. While you won’t be able to pair the new Camaro’s 1LE performance package with the 2.0T, there is a Heavy-Duty Cooling and Brake package ($1285) for the occasional track day. When paired with 20-inch wheels ($800), this includes Brembo four-piston front brakes with performance pads and additional coolers for the engine oil and coolant. Although the turbo four definitely isn’t our preferred setup for a pony car—we’d go the extra $1500 for the Chevy’s gutsy V-6 any day—settling for the 2.0T still gets you many of the qualities that led us to name the more powerful Camaro coupes to our 10Best Cars list for 2016.
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#4
03-16-2016, 12:11 PM
50th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro
There Is a 50th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro Because the Camaro Is Now 50 Years Old
March 4, 2016 at 12:24 pm by Alexander Stoklosa
Chevrolet will build and sell a 2017 model-year Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition. It said as much in a tweet pitched into the webbernet-osphere this morning, and, you know, the fast-approaching 2017 model year marks the 50th year since Chevrolet first tossed the Camaro at the American public in 1967, shoving the two-door pony car into direct battle with the Ford Mustang. Of course, Ford had by then been selling the Mustang for more than two years, generating a sales buoyancy that would hold for some time, leaving the upstart Camaro behind in the sales charts but not out of the rivalry, which would later turn red-hot in Trans-Am showdowns and an escalating horsepower war.
All of this is to say that the Camaro might have been birthed into this world staring at the Mustang’s taillights, but it has long established its place among America’s greatest and longest-running nameplates (even though the Camaro took a sabbatical for the 2003 through 2009 model years). The 50th Anniversary Edition will celebrate that fact with a special black and orange stripe package atop Nightfall Gray metallic paint, special 20-inch wheels with 50th anniversary center caps, satin chrome grille inserts, a front splitter, and “Fifty” fender badges. Inside, the seats, steering wheel, and (backlit) doorsill plates are spruced up by 50th anniversary references, and black leather and suede (with orange stitching!) is everywhere.The treatment will be available on V-6–powered 2LT and V-8–powered 2SS models (both represent the top trim levels paired with those engines) in both coupe and convertible forms. The only difference between the 2LT and the 2SS, besides their respective powerplants, is that the V-6 comes only with orange paint on its front brake calipers; the 2SS 50th Anniversary Edition wears orange paint on its rear calipers, too.
Pricing is forthcoming, and in the meantime get ready for what’s sure to be a heady celebration—at the end of its tweet, Chevy promises that the special-edition Camaro “is just the beginning.”
March 4, 2016 at 12:24 pm by Alexander Stoklosa
Chevrolet will build and sell a 2017 model-year Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition. It said as much in a tweet pitched into the webbernet-osphere this morning, and, you know, the fast-approaching 2017 model year marks the 50th year since Chevrolet first tossed the Camaro at the American public in 1967, shoving the two-door pony car into direct battle with the Ford Mustang. Of course, Ford had by then been selling the Mustang for more than two years, generating a sales buoyancy that would hold for some time, leaving the upstart Camaro behind in the sales charts but not out of the rivalry, which would later turn red-hot in Trans-Am showdowns and an escalating horsepower war.
All of this is to say that the Camaro might have been birthed into this world staring at the Mustang’s taillights, but it has long established its place among America’s greatest and longest-running nameplates (even though the Camaro took a sabbatical for the 2003 through 2009 model years). The 50th Anniversary Edition will celebrate that fact with a special black and orange stripe package atop Nightfall Gray metallic paint, special 20-inch wheels with 50th anniversary center caps, satin chrome grille inserts, a front splitter, and “Fifty” fender badges. Inside, the seats, steering wheel, and (backlit) doorsill plates are spruced up by 50th anniversary references, and black leather and suede (with orange stitching!) is everywhere.The treatment will be available on V-6–powered 2LT and V-8–powered 2SS models (both represent the top trim levels paired with those engines) in both coupe and convertible forms. The only difference between the 2LT and the 2SS, besides their respective powerplants, is that the V-6 comes only with orange paint on its front brake calipers; the 2SS 50th Anniversary Edition wears orange paint on its rear calipers, too.
Pricing is forthcoming, and in the meantime get ready for what’s sure to be a heady celebration—at the end of its tweet, Chevy promises that the special-edition Camaro “is just the beginning.”
#5
03-16-2016, 12:18 PM
>EveryBody should have a Sledgehammer<4-Sure<
I Wanna Be Your Sledgehammer: Callaway Announces 610-hp Camaro
When Callaway was working on its C7 program, ultimately resulting in a 627-hp Corvette Stingray and a 757-horse Z06, the venerable tuning company had an eye on Chevy’s next car powered by the LT-series small-block: the Camaro. And now they’ve loosed the bindings on their version of the sixth-generation of GM’s long-running coupe. The result is called the Camaro SC610 and, as you’ve likely surmised, the reworked LT1 engine makes a healthy 610 horsepower.
The majority of the extra meat comes courtesy of the Eaton TVS2300 Roots-type blower, the largest unit in the TVS line. Eaton’s unit is the core of what Callaway refers to as its GenThree supercharger system. In classic hot-rod style, the forced-induction pack makes use of a hole in the hood. But in the SC610’s case, it’s not to make room for a big ol’ 6-71 wearing an Enderle bugcatcher. Rather, the bonnet’s been opened up to expose the supercharger to cooler ambient air. An intercooler system features one main cooling element bolstered by two additional units to keep charge temperatures manageable. The SC610 also receives a high-flow cold-air intake.
When Callaway was working on its C7 program, ultimately resulting in a 627-hp Corvette Stingray and a 757-horse Z06, the venerable tuning company had an eye on Chevy’s next car powered by the LT-series small-block: the Camaro. And now they’ve loosed the bindings on their version of the sixth-generation of GM’s long-running coupe. The result is called the Camaro SC610 and, as you’ve likely surmised, the reworked LT1 engine makes a healthy 610 horsepower.
The majority of the extra meat comes courtesy of the Eaton TVS2300 Roots-type blower, the largest unit in the TVS line. Eaton’s unit is the core of what Callaway refers to as its GenThree supercharger system. In classic hot-rod style, the forced-induction pack makes use of a hole in the hood. But in the SC610’s case, it’s not to make room for a big ol’ 6-71 wearing an Enderle bugcatcher. Rather, the bonnet’s been opened up to expose the supercharger to cooler ambient air. An intercooler system features one main cooling element bolstered by two additional units to keep charge temperatures manageable. The SC610 also receives a high-flow cold-air intake.
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#6
03-17-2016, 10:23 AM
2016 Camaro Convertible First Drive
2016 Camaro Convertible First Drive
Written by Brandan Gillogly on March 15, 2016Everything that we loved about the 2016, minus the top
View All 42 Photos
The Camaro design and engineering team was proud to show off the performance of the 2016 Camaro convertible, the latest variant in the pony car line to enter production. The Camaro team invited us out to Pahrump, Nevada, to drive the new cars with the top down in the desert to see how the sixth-generation’s evolution on the Alpha platform translated its hardtop driving dynamics into the most advanced Camaro convertible yet.
We have racked up thousands of miles in the 2016 Camaro coupe, mostly in SS models, and have been impressed with how responsive it is. On stage at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, Camaro Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser promised that the convertible would continue to deliver the kind of handling we’ve come to expect. Like the coupe, the convertible benefits from the Alpha platform’s lighter weight, dropping a similar mount of weight compared to the fifth-generation Camaro – almost 300 pounds. Moving from a sixth-generation coupe to a similarly-equipped convertible adds about 150 pounds. That translates into only slightly slower acceleration numbers, and nothing that we could feel from the driver seat.
[COLOR=#666666][COLOR=#000000 !important][COLOR=#000000 !important][COLOR=#333333 !important]Jaguar Sales Event
To keep from adding unneeded mass, the 2016 Camaro uses a system of modular chassis reinforcements that are added only when necessary depending on the power level of the car and whether or not it’s a convertible. Only SS cars receive a strut tower brace under the hood, and there are other braces in the cowl area and between the rockers. Eleven different parts in total can be added as necessary and left off when they’re not.
2/42
3/42Despite its weight loss, Oppenheiser told us the 2016 Camaro convertible has 10 percent better torsional rigidity compared with the 2015 model. To test it out, we selected a 2SS convertible and drove the 85 miles from the edge of Death Valley to Pahrump, taking some bumpy gravel roads along the way. On the highway, the convertible feels just like a coupe when the top is up, with no noticible movement in the cowl that would suggest that car is flexing, even over ruts.
Dropping the top takes less than 20 seconds and can be done with the button on the windshield header or by a button on the key fob. Even more impressive is that the top can be raised or stowed while driving at up to 30mph, and requires no latching. The top neatly stows under a hard tonneau painted to match the body, giving the car a clean profile without any need to manually secure the top under a vinyl boot. All of those features are exclusive in its class.
At highway speed with the top down the wind noise and buffeting is surprisingly low. Some of the other drivers on our trip remarked how easy it was to hold a conversation at a normal level while cruising at 60mph. There’s no noticeable wind screen and no obvious latches either, so the windshield header is clean and uncluttered. For even better wind performance, Chevrolet Performance already has a mesh windscreen available that covers the rear seat and has a pop up deflector that deploys between the headrests.
4/42The biggest drawback, as with most convertibles, is the compromised luggage space, with the top taking up roughly half of the already small trunk’s volume. Two people could fit a weekend’s worth of luggage in the trunk only if they both packed light, really light, otherwise it’s going in the back seat.
Pricing for the 2016 Camaro convertible starts at $33,695, a $7,000 premium over the coupe, and $4,000 more than the base Mustang convertible.
Written by Brandan Gillogly on March 15, 2016Everything that we loved about the 2016, minus the top
View All 42 PhotosThe Camaro design and engineering team was proud to show off the performance of the 2016 Camaro convertible, the latest variant in the pony car line to enter production. The Camaro team invited us out to Pahrump, Nevada, to drive the new cars with the top down in the desert to see how the sixth-generation’s evolution on the Alpha platform translated its hardtop driving dynamics into the most advanced Camaro convertible yet.
We have racked up thousands of miles in the 2016 Camaro coupe, mostly in SS models, and have been impressed with how responsive it is. On stage at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, Camaro Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser promised that the convertible would continue to deliver the kind of handling we’ve come to expect. Like the coupe, the convertible benefits from the Alpha platform’s lighter weight, dropping a similar mount of weight compared to the fifth-generation Camaro – almost 300 pounds. Moving from a sixth-generation coupe to a similarly-equipped convertible adds about 150 pounds. That translates into only slightly slower acceleration numbers, and nothing that we could feel from the driver seat.
[COLOR=#666666][COLOR=#000000 !important][COLOR=#000000 !important][COLOR=#333333 !important]Jaguar Sales Event
To keep from adding unneeded mass, the 2016 Camaro uses a system of modular chassis reinforcements that are added only when necessary depending on the power level of the car and whether or not it’s a convertible. Only SS cars receive a strut tower brace under the hood, and there are other braces in the cowl area and between the rockers. Eleven different parts in total can be added as necessary and left off when they’re not.
2/423/42Dropping the top takes less than 20 seconds and can be done with the button on the windshield header or by a button on the key fob. Even more impressive is that the top can be raised or stowed while driving at up to 30mph, and requires no latching. The top neatly stows under a hard tonneau painted to match the body, giving the car a clean profile without any need to manually secure the top under a vinyl boot. All of those features are exclusive in its class.
At highway speed with the top down the wind noise and buffeting is surprisingly low. Some of the other drivers on our trip remarked how easy it was to hold a conversation at a normal level while cruising at 60mph. There’s no noticeable wind screen and no obvious latches either, so the windshield header is clean and uncluttered. For even better wind performance, Chevrolet Performance already has a mesh windscreen available that covers the rear seat and has a pop up deflector that deploys between the headrests.
4/42Pricing for the 2016 Camaro convertible starts at $33,695, a $7,000 premium over the coupe, and $4,000 more than the base Mustang convertible.
#7
03-17-2016, 10:29 AM
#8
03-18-2016, 06:37 AM
Really awesome thread BBMike! The ZL1 is a sweet ride but I can only imagine what her cost will be (Surely out of the range of an old motor head wanting to retire)
When the weather clears up here I'll do a picture post and a video of Wild Thing (and after driving her she is appropriately named)
Wild Thing's tone is more aggressive than even that of the Deuce and the Deuce had headers and cat-backs
When the weather clears up here I'll do a picture post and a video of Wild Thing (and after driving her she is appropriately named)
Wild Thing's tone is more aggressive than even that of the Deuce and the Deuce had headers and cat-backs
Last edited by Tadcaster; 03-18-2016 at 06:39 AM.
#10
03-18-2016, 12:09 PM
GM claims the run to 60 mph will take 5.4 seconds in the coupe, with a quarter-mile pass of 14 flat at 100 mph
Hi Admin `Mike, that's a super time for a 4banger 2L Turbo 4-Sure....I like it, but would prefer the V6 or if I could afford the V8 S.S.
The V6 sounds like a V8 (almost), but the sounds of the S.S. with the exhaust option is just BAD. Post & let us know if you test drive one or any of them...Would you trade you sweet Camaro for one ?
p.s. Thanks `Tadd for your words >post
