Late model GM performance has a new online TV show


Source: Autochannel.com

LSX TV Online TV Show Launched For GM Enthusiasts

LSXTV.com, in partnership with LS1Tech.com and powerTV, serves up on-demand online video for owners and enthusiasts of LSX-powered GM cars and trucks.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA - December 21, 2006 - If you're an owner or fan of LSX-powered GM vehicles like the Camaro/Firebird, Corvette, SSR, or Silverado/Sierra, you know they're the hottest vehicles in the performance aftermarket. Now, for the first time ever, there is a TV show dedicated to these enthusiasts - welcome to LSX TV. Launched in cooperation with LS1Tech.com, LSX TV is 100% late model GM focused.

GM has done an incredible job with the LSX engine platform. The engines feature gobs of power, outstanding durability, plus a huge selection of performance parts to choose from. Since the LSX is one of the hottest segments on the Internet, powerTV decided to bring LSX TV online to focus content toward these enthusiasts.

What type of show content and videos will you find online at www.LSXTV.com?
Imagine being able to see and hear a video of your favorite exhaust system, camshaft or supercharger before you buy. Imagine being able to see and hear before and after dyno tests, installation overviews, performance evaluations, comparisons, and much more! All you need is a computer and a high-speed internet connection to watch the Flash videos featured on LSX TV.

The relationship between LS1Tech.com and LSXTV is a win-win for Late Model GM enthusiasts all over the world. "As a longtime LSX enthusiast, I am excited about LSX TV," said John Ryan, LS1Tech.com Founder. "There is currently not any television programming that is LSX related, so we fill that void. LSXTV will provide interesting programming that caters to the advanced LSX enthusiast, who wants lots of technical content 24-7. We at LS1Tech.com are working with LSX TV to create both featured content and video from our more than 80,000 active members. When you put that all together, you have a bunch of cool content for LSX enthusiasts."

LSX TV is launching full-time in January 2007 at www.LSXtv.com - but the channel did a Beta launch of content at the 2006 PRI Racing industry trade show. With over 4,500 viewers within the first 24 hours, LSX TV has all the makings of a major hit for the millions of online late-model GM enthusiasts.

Bumblebee appears in latest trailer


The 5th Generation Chevy Camaro starring as Bumblebee in the Transformers movie due out in July 2007 has finally made it into a trailer.

Yahoo is hosting the full length trailer here

At first, I wasn't interested in seeing this movie in theaters since I was neve much of a Transformer fan. After seeing this trailer, it looks like a very good action movie. I can't wait.

GM plans to backup the SS nameplate


Finally, after Chevrolet introduces a few models with a watered-down SS package, they are clamping down. No longer will the SS badge be simple some nice wheels and a few emblems combined with a few stitches on the headrests.


GM tightens up usage of SS label
Souce - The Detroit News 12/15/2006

General Motors Corp. is rethinking the way its uses the SS moniker that has adorned souped-up Chevrolets since 1961.

SS -- for super sport -- has traditionally signaled performance versions of vehicles like the Camaro, Impala and most recently the Cobalt sedan.

The automaker felt it was getting a bit carried away with the label after putting it on the most recent version of the Malibu midsize sedan. So now only cars with the best horsepower, braking power and handling will get the title.

It's part of GM's bid to stoke sales by building exclusivity into some models, a move the automaker hopes will burnish the overall image of a brand and make other vehicles from the same nameplate more attractive to buyers.

"Not every car that has some extra features and fancy racing stripes can be an SS," said Ed Welburn, GM Design global vice president.

GM will start the transition with the introduction next year of a new sport version of the Equinox compact SUV. The vehicle will have 42 percent more horsepower than the basic Equinox and other performance enhancing features, but will be labeled a sport as opposed to an SS. At the same time, GM will no longer offer a SS version of the Malibu.

"That's one that probably shouldn't have gotten the SS label," Chevrolet Marketing Director Cheryl Catton said.

Automakers often use special edition vehicles to give their brands an image boost. Such vehicles rarely deliver high sales numbers, but can help generate buzz around a company's lineup.

"They might want to be more careful with the vehicles they stick that badge on," said Brian Moody, road test editor with Edmunds.com. When used properly, he said, sport labels "may drum up interest in the brand down the line."

The image boost that comes with distinguishable lineups can help improve a vehicle's selling power as well as increase its resale value, another important factor for car buyers.

Each brand gets own identity

GM has struggled to define its vehicles in the eyes of consumers, with a murky brand portfolio and often indistinguishable characteristics between its cars and trucks.

But the company has made it a top priority to turn that around and give each brand a distinct identity. Buick, for example, will aim for an image of luxury and refinement. Pontiac wants to come across as stylish and performance-oriented.

"For this to be a truly great company, we need to deliver on the product side," said GM sales chief Mark LaNeve, speaking Thursday during a media preview of the GM exhibit under construction at the North American International Auto Show.

LaNeve said GM is having success already that has helped stem market losses in the automaker's North American operations. He said GM expects to hold or slightly increase its market share -- about 25 percent at the end of November -- in 2007.

Part of GM's image efforts will go public next month at the auto show, where the automaker is entirely rebuilding its display to showcase each brand separately yet still under the GM umbrella.

"Now, from the beginning, we build a car to match the characteristics of the brand, " LaNeve said.

Camaro Convertible at the 2007 NAIAS?



With all of the positive attention the Camaro Concept received at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, how will GM keep the momentum going?
How do they beat the introduction of the Silver car we have seen so much press about?

Word is, they will do that with a Camaro Convertible. The image above is one we recieved via email yesterday. It is a rendering of what the Camaro could look like.

I like it, put me down for one in blue.

Mustanga Italiana



Ever since I first saw pictures of the new Giugiaro Mustang, all I could think of was Camaro concept with a nice evolution of the Mustang front end. It seems I am not alone.

Source: FordMuscle.com

We think it looks too much like the new Camaro concept. But here is what Ford and the designer think…

“When we saw the new Mustang, we knew two things: It was the best we’d seen since the original, and we had to get our hands on one,” says Fabrizio Giugiaro, styling director of Italdesign - Giugiaro S.P.A.

So in early 2005, Giugiaro pitched J Mays, Ford Motor Company’s group vice president, Design and chief creative officer, on his idea to do an Italian job on the beloved Mustang. The result: Mustang by Giugiaro – a one-of-a-kind concept powered by Ford Racing technologies, marking the Italian coachbuilder’s first reveal at the inaugural November media week for the Los Angeles Auto Show.

“It seemed only fitting,” says Mays. “This design study reinforces the global appeal of Mustang, yet it’s right at home in L.A. – America’s most enthusiastic performance and muscle car market. Plus, when design icon Giorgetto Giugairo offered to work his magic on Mustang alongside his son, it underscores the timeless allure of Ford’s most iconic car.”

Design aficionados will remember that the senior Giugiaro – who last year celebrated his 50th anniversary in the business by designing a custom-made Ferrari, the GG50 – created the 1965 Bertone Mustang. The car, which was unmistakably Italian in its interpretation, became the first European-styled car to make its international debut in America following the end of World War II.

This time, it was Giugiaro’s son, Fabrizio, who led the 2-D design process on the Mustang by Giugiaro concept, allowing him to deliver a complete exterior model from the family’s Turin, Italy, studios in just four months.

Visually, the Mustang by Giugiaro appears more compact than the production car, thanks to a reduction of the rear overhang and a signature Giugiaro “trick” of tapering the angles on the car to the limit of its mechanical outlines.

The vibrant orange concept is wider than the production version. The Giugiaros added 30 millimeters to the front, gradually expanding the width by a full 80 millimeters toward the rear, which is typical in Italian design. With its longer hood and the trunk barely visible, the car looks more of a fastback in side view.

The concept features a powertrain and chassis enhanced in conjunction with Ford Racing – which efforts include the development and sale of a race-prepared version of the Mustang, called the FR500C. In its first season on the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series, the FR500C scored five wins in the 2005 GS Class, including the manufacturers’ championship, in which Mustang bested other production-based sports cars, including the BMW M3 and Porsche 911.

Ford Racing improved on the already-robust 300 horsepower all-aluminum 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8 engine in the production Mustang GT by adding an intercooled twin-screw supercharger for the new concept. The powertrain upgrades deliver 500 horsepower, complete with a boost level of 11 psi from the Ford Racing supercharger.

A high-efficiency Ford Racing aluminum radiator provides increased cooling capability to accompany the extra 200 horsepower provided under hood. Enhancements to the appearance of the engine compartment include special Ford Racing chrome cam covers and fluid fill caps.

Under the car, the FR500C-inspired chassis includes the same brake equipment used on the race car. The changes give the car a lower stance, riding approximately 1.5 inches lower than the production Mustang GT, while sharpening handling response.

“The Mustang by Giugiaro drives as good as it looks,” says Fabrizio Giugiaro. “After taking it to the limits on streets outside of Turin, I can honestly say this car was well worth the 30,000 hours of blood, sweat and tears that we invested to create a modern performance classic.”

The BOSS 302 Mustang


Source: Ford Motor Company - 2006 SEMA

Ford today announced at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show that it is reviving the legendary 5.0-liter 302 cubic inch V-8 engine for the aftermarket with a new line of BOSS 302 crate engines, which will go on sale in early 2007.

Making its debut in 1969, the original BOSS 302 powered a limited production Mustang model sold for two years, which was known as the BOSS 302. The car got its name from the legendary engine that powered the Mustang to a Sports Car Club of American Trans-Am series win in 1970.

“The original BOSS 302 was a race winning engine. Sharing the DNA from the original BOSS 302, the new BOSS 302 begins with a block designed with racing in mind from the beginning,” said Jamie Allison, manager, Ford Racing Performance Group. “Whether racing in a sealed engine class, building an all-out drag racing engine or looking for a street performer, the BOSS 302 block and engine family meets the needs of all Ford 302 enthusiasts at a price that is comparable to a performance-prepped stock 302.”

The new Ford Racing Performance Parts BOSS 302 line was conceived because there was an unmet need for engines built from a block stronger than original regular production 302 blocks but more affordable than full race-prepped blocks. The new BOSS 302 engine block features greater strength than most race blocks and offers a street-capable cooling system design, something that race specific blocks tend to sacrifice.



Despite its strength and capability, the new BOSS 302 line is surprisingly affordable because of its high volume production. And since it was designed within Ford Motor Company, the engine also benefits from the improved quality and durability that comes with a production type engine.

“The original BOSS 302 delivered less than 300 hp. Today, enthusiasts are making 500 hp street cars and they need a robust block. Race-specific blocks offer the strength required but cool poorly for street use and are very expensive for the average enthusiast,” says Allison.

Built from the all new BOSS 302 block, the BOSS crate engines feature performance and packaging that accommodate displacements from 302 to 363 cubic inches. Entry level engines feature the Ford Racing GT-40X Xtra Performance Turbo Swirl aluminum heads to retain stock exhaust locations and are rated at 340 and 345 hp. Higher performance versions include Ford Racing’s “Z”-head equipped 302 and 347 cubic inch engines rated between 360 and 450 hp, depending on configuration. The BOSS engine series is capped by a 500 hp 331 cubic inch engine that showcases the capability of the new block by breathing through all new ported Z-heads.

Features that separate the new BOSS 302 from its competition include:

- 4-bolt mains for lower-end stability at high power outputs
- High-tin 41,000 PSI tensile strength iron alloy for ultimate strength
- Nodular iron main caps for additional strength
- Screw-in freeze plugs for additional more strength and stability
- Front cross-over lifter oiling for high RPM valvetrain capability
- Siamese bores with specifically engineered drillings between cylinders for maximum wall stability and gasket sealing with street capable cooling performance


The suggested retail price for the BOSS 302 block is and affordable $1,759, with BOSS engines ranging from $4,650 to $10,000 for the 500 hp BOSS 331 cubic inch engines. The engines come with a 12 month/12,000 mile limited warranty.

Like the original Boss 302 that was engineered for Trans Am racing, the new BOSS 302 features trickle down performance from racing in the American Speed Association (ASA) Late Model circle track series. A sealed circle track version of a 347 cubic inch BOSS engine will be available both for ASA and NASCAR circle track racers in time for the 2007 season.

Debuting in four SEMA display vehicles, four premier car builders placed the new BOSS 302 in their 2006 show vehicles. All the builders chose to use a 302 cubic inch engine, staying true to the original namesake.

Featured builders are:

Dan Web – Award-winning hot rod creator is featuring a 390 hp BOSS engine in his 1933 Ford 3-window coupe.
Galpin Ford – Known for their “Galpinized” custom creations, they built a “retro-mod” 2007 Mustang featuring a 360 hp BOSS engine.
Chip Foose – Created the new “Powered by Ford BOSS 302” from a 1970 Mustang for the show Overhaulin’; public reveal at SEMA.
Hotrods and Horsepower – Created the SEMA Deuce, a commemorative vehicle for the 2006 SEMA show featuring a 360 hp BOSS engine.

For more information on these engines and other Ford Racing Performance Parts, visit: www.fordracingparts.com.

The spyshots of the Super Vette are FAKE!


Our previously reported Super Vette is a fake. There is a very well written synopsis on the Corvette Action Center website this week, the aritcle, by Rob Loszewski details the actions taken and the feelings of automotive enthusiasts from all over the country. It is worth reading.

Here is a clip from the article (reprinted with permission)

The Web of Deception
A look at Winding Road's Corvette SS and and a half-hazard attempt at making a buck

Several weeks ago, three to four pictures of a silver C6 Z06 covered in tape, contact paper, and a prominent hood scoop began to appear across the web. The photos were taken by some kid with a camera who spotted the test mule coming at him. He quickly gave chase, snapped a few photos and poof…..Corvette and automotive discussion boards were ablaze with wild speculation and obsessive dissection of the photos.

On Friday morning, December 1, 2006, word quickly spread across the internet regarding an online automotive news magazine's pathetic attempt at pulling the wool over the eyes of Corvette enthusiasts by developing their very own mock-up of a supposed 2008 Corvette "Blue Devil / SS" test mule.

In the January 2007 issue of their online magazine, Winding Road detailed how they took a silver production Z06 Corvette, and with the use of duct tape, cardboard and a little bit of ingenuity, built their own test mule. Their purpose: "To build a Corvette so authentic that it's published in a competing car magazine." They continue:

"Irresponsible speculation has been put forth by Corvette fanatics, magazine editors, and competing manufacturers. But because we are enthusiasts to the core, we want this Corvette to exist, too. It is with this in mind that we declare the game officially over. More significant than seeing our car published in another magazine was the reaction we received from the public at large. People want to believe in it. People want to buy it. Listen to them Chevrolet, Build the Blue Devil. Gave over. Thanks for playing." Link

More...

New Camaros on the road by Christmas


It looks like the new Camaro will be prowling the streets by Christmas 2006, but not on any roads in the USA. GM Holden will have hand built prototypes will be on roads in Australia for testing very soon.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald - Joshua Dowling

The modern-day version of the 1960s American muscle car, the Chevrolet Camaro, will be on local roads before Christmas.

But you won't be able to buy one just yet: the cars will be handbuilt prototypes that Holden and a team of US engineers are developing for General Motors in Detroit ahead of the car's North American release in early 2008.

Following the success of the Holden Monaro export program (the Australian-made coupe was sold as a Pontiac GTO in the US), the team at Holden is leading the final design, engineering and development of the Camaro.

However, the new Camaro will not be made in Australia. GM has confirmed it will be built in Canada from late next year.

Denny Mooney, the boss of Holden, told Drive this week: "We are building prototype Camaros right now. We should see some on the roads before Christmas."

GM's highly regarded Korean-born designer, Sang Yup, has been working alongside Holden designers in Melbourne to transform the car from concept to reality.

The Camaro was unveiled at the Detroit motor show last January and American enthusiasts instantly demanded it be built.

Holden is closely linked to the program because the Camaro shares underpinnings with the new Commodore.

At this stage there are plans to build the Camaro only as a left-hand-drive for North America but the Holden boss is on record saying he would like to sell the car in Australia.

Drive understands Holden has conducted a study on whether the car - were it to be sold here - should be called a Chevrolet Camaro or wear a Holden badge. The verdict: Chevrolet Camaro was the preferred option, given the awareness of the name from the 1970s 80s thanks to racers such as Bob Jane and Kevin Bartlett and the muscle car scene of the time.

Meanwhile, Holden seems close to finalising a deal to export its flagship Commodore sports sedan, the SS-V, to the US as a Pontiac Grand Prix. Holden says it cannot confirm whether the deal has been approved but Mooney says he has a "good feeling about it".

Industry insiders have told Drive that GM in the US is close to making the announcement and may be saving the news for the Chicago motor show in February.

1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda could fetch $4M


Souce: Forbes.com

11/21/2006 - Dan Lienert

Covetable 'Cuda
One of the world's rarest cars, a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda convertible, could fetch over $4 million at auction.

Huge, honking, American classic cars have a rabid following. That's in part because of patriotism, America's former dominance of the auto industry and other factors, such as the sheer size of the United States, which has made it easy to drive any size car you like.

The wide variety of big, classic American cars also helps foster enthusiasm. You can choose between flashy Cadillacs; old-school, tank-like Packards; elegant Cords and Auburns of the 1930s; vintage Jeeps; swanky sedans of the late '40s and '50s; Corvettes; Thunderbirds; menacing Lincoln Continentals; '50s cars with fins; '60s cars with suicide doors; '70s you-know-what-mobiles; Vipers; Escalades--you name it. Or, like us, you can appreciate all of these cars.

But of all the classics, the "pony cars" of the late 1960s and '70s--affordable performance vehicles such as Ford Motor's Mustang and General Motors' Chevrolet Camaro--have perhaps more fans than any others. One of these muscle cars, Plymouth's 1971 Hemi Barracuda convertible, is exceedingly rare and incredibly expensive; it is perhaps the most sought-after muscle car, which would make it a candidate for the most sought-after American car overall.

Plymouth only built 11 Hemi 'Cuda convertibles, and Canada's RM Auctions will offer one in January at its annual "Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona" auction in Phoenix. The car's estimated value is over $4 million--not a bad return, considering it sold for $5,000 in 1971.

The Barracuda of model years 1970 to 1974 and its near twin, Dodge's Challenger, were answers to the Mustang and Camaro. But the Plymouth and Dodge pony cars came late to the party, could not match the sales of their competitors and were off the market after model year 1974.

The Barracuda and Challenger are perhaps the sexiest pony cars, largely because of their stylish front ends with partially hidden headlights. The 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible is so desirable because of a combination of looks, rarity and top-of-the-line performance chops. It features a 7.0-liter, 425-horsepower V-8 engine, a distant relative of the early aircraft engines Chrysler built during World War II and a forerunner of today's well-known Hemi power plants.

RM's 'Cuda has only 282 miles on it and comes with a complete history and factory documentation. Of the 11 Hemi 'Cuda convertibles, RM's car is one of only three with the desirable four-speed manual transmission. This is the first time the car has been offered for auction.

Declining sales and concerns about insurance and warranties for such a powerful performer doomed the Hemi 'Cuda convertible. For model year 1972, Plymouth killed both the 'Cuda convertible and the 'Cuda's Hemi option.

Zeta driving impressions


Source: Peter Robinson - Car and Driver

Chevrolet’s marketing gang would love nothing more than to acquire bragging rights to this heroic sports sedan. Too bad, because while GM’s Australian outpost is celebrating the arrival of the new Holden Commodore VE, the bow-tie division near Detroit must cool its heels for a few more years. The Commodore has vast implications for GM globally. It’s the first production car based on the corporation’s rear-drive architecture that has been developed by Holden in Australia and is scheduled to be adopted across the GM board under the Zeta name.

Zeta is the platform that will underpin a raft of future Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Buick models, including the recently approved next-generation Camaro coupe and convertible (due in late 2008 or early 2009) and possibly even a rear-wheel-drive Impala by the end of the decade. GM also confirmed that the upcoming Camaro will be built in Canada at the plant that builds the Buick LaCrosse and Pontiac Grand Prix.

In Australia, the Commodore VE lineup starts at about $26,500 U.S. for a 241-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 sedan with a four-speed automatic. All Commodores share handsome yet aggressive styling, with bulging front-wheel arches that are more prominent than an M5’s. Mike Simcoe, the former design director for the Holden brand, established the Commodore’s striking proportions early on by stretching the previous-generation Commodore’s wheelbase 5.0 inches to 114.8 and trimming the overhangs.

It’s the $34,000 VE SS and $39,500 VE SSV that captured our attention and instantly rendered the Chevrolet Impala SS even more obsolete. Power comes from the Gen IV 6.0-liter V-8 making 362 horsepower and mated to a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. Weight distribution comes in at a balanced 50/50. The platform gets a strut-type front suspension and a multilink rear similar to the setup on the Cadillac CTS and STS. If the Pontiac GTO (based on the previous Commodore architecture) was vaguely raw, the new SS delivers true refinement in a package that is poised, responsive, incredibly stable, and quick. We expect the quarter-mile to fall in about 13.8 seconds and a 0-to-60 sprint to take a tad over five flat.

Steering responses are crisp and consistent, light but communicative; the grip from the specially developed 19-inch Bridgestone tires is inspired. The confidence-boosting handling is nearly neutral, and the ride is firm, with enough compliance to soak up irregular Australian blacktop. The cabin is modern, and the seats are supportive.

Rebadged as a Chevrolet, the hot Commodore would make one brilliant Impala SS. Driving expectations for the upcoming Camaro just went to the redline.

Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
Base price (Australia): $34,000–$39,500
Engine type: pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 364 cu in, 5967cc
Power (SAE net): 362 bhp @ 5700 rpm

Transmissions: 6-speed automatic, 6-speed manual
Wheelbase: 114.8 in
Length/width/height: 192.7/74.8/58.1 in
Curb weight: 3900 lb
Performance ratings (mfr’s est):
Zero to 62 mph: 5.4 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 155 mph
Projected fuel economy (mfr’s est):
EPA city driving: 15 mpg
EPA highway driving: 24 mpg

Super Vette Spied! Again!


Chevy’s 650-hp Corvette SS caught heading in for EPA testing

Source: AutoWeek 11/06/06

Not even a month has passed since we first reported on Chevrolet’s plans for a super Corvette, a halo model well in excess of the already superb Z06. Judging by these spy shots, it appears assurances we were given earlier this year that the car was on the development fast track (“To Hell and Back,” May 8) were right on target.

These photos were taken by George Kachadoorian just outside of Ann Arbor last week. He suspects the car was headed in for EPA testing.

While the hood scoop indicates this is something other than an ordinary Z06, the real prize is under the hood where our spies previously heard the whine of what is most likely a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 pushing as much as 650 hp. The engine, which will be hand-built at a rate of 1500-2000 per year at the General Motors Performance Center outside Detroit, features an integrated intake manifold intercooler similar to the one GM developed for the Cadillac STS V-Series.

So far, names for the production supercharged Corvette include everything from Z07 to Blue Devil to Corvette SS to Sting Ray. No matter what they call it, look for production of the 2009 model to start in early 2008. And set aside at least $100,000 if you want to one in your driveway.

The Red Camaro shows up at SEMA


GM sent the red 5th Generation Camaro concept car to Las Vegas, Nevada for the 2006 SEMA show. Why they chose the mock-up model instead of the functional Silver car is beyond me, there is no powertrain, interior or anything functional about the red car. SEMA is one of the premier shows in the world, I would think GM would have rather had the Silver car represent the new model on the floor, maybe it was a scheduling issue that casused the red car to be on display instead, who knows.

Makes us wonder what we will see on the floor of Cobo Hall in Detroit during the 2007 NAIAS, a convertible version or the same old thing we have seen all year...

Reggie Jackson Camaro


Source - edmunds.com — Ed Hellwig

What is it?
Reggie Jackson Camaro

What's special about it?

When GM Performance Parts wanted to find a '69 Camaro to show off its very first LSX crate motor, it wasn't much of a surprise when baseball hall-of-famer Reggie Jackson, an avid muscle car collector, came calling. "He said he was looking for a new project and we just happened to be looking for a car to show off our new motor at SEMA. It was pretty much full steam ahead from there," said Jamie Meyer, product integration manager for GM Performance Parts.

The LSX is an all-new cast-iron racing block based on the LS7 engine used in the current Corvette Z06. It's designed with help from drag racing legend Warren Johnson and its goal was to offer weekend racers extreme capabilities at a price around $2,500. "We've tested this block in applications up to 2,500 horsepower so we know it's plenty strong," noted Meyer. Although it's based on GM's small-block design, the LSX offers a displacement range from 364 cubic inches to over 500 cubic inches.

In the case of Reggie's Camaro, the LSX displaces 454 cubes, and according to Meyer it develops 640 hp and 611 pound-feet of torque using pump gas and a Holley 850 cfm carburetor. All that power is sent through a heavy-duty T-56 six-speed and 3.91 gears. The original Camaro suspension wasn't going to keep up, so Jackson specified a Detroit Speed and Engineering setup that swaps in coil-overs and tubular A-arms up front and a four-link setup for the narrowed 12-bolt axle in back.

Why a narrowed rear axle? It was needed to fit the 12.5-inch-wide rear wheels and the 295/35 Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. Measuring 18 inches in diameter, the Budnik wheels are one-offs designed to mimic those used on the Camaro concept introduced earlier this year. In fact, the car's red paint is the same color used on the concept.

As good as it all looks, Reggie likes to own drivers, and this Camaro doesn't disappoint. According to Meyer it will run 10.80s in the quarter-mile, not to mention maintaining high speeds without flinching. "We've had it up to 140 mph at the proving grounds and it was just fine." Try to do that in the concept.

More Pontiac Firebird Renderings

Cliffhanger from the forums at GMInsidenews.com is the creator of these very nice renderings of what he would like to see in a 5th generation Pontiac Firebird. Although GM says they will not bring back the Firebird when the Camaro returns to showroom floors as a 2009 model, may Pontiac loyalists on the internet have created some nice versions of what they would like the car to look like.

Click here to see more and participate in the discussions on GMInsidenews.com

Baldwin-Motion SuperSpeedster to debut at SEMA


After winning the coveted GM Design Award at SEMA 2005, Baldwin-Motion returns with the most extreme Camaro ever!

SEMA Show 2006, Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
Tuesday October 31 to Friday November 3
MEGUIAR'S Booth #23342, Central Hall (next to GM)

Stop by Meguiars, see the coachbuilt SuperSpeedster, and visit with its builder Phil
Somers, American Super Car and the Baldwin-Motion Team: Larry Jaworske, Joel Ehrenpreis, Joel 'Mr. Motion' Rosen & Marty Schorr.

1969 Baldwin-Motion Camaro SuperSpeedster
Kinsler FI aluminum MOTION 540
Front/Mid engine layout
Spine-type full tube chassis
Four-wheel independent suspension
Power rack & pinion steering
Handcrafted two-seat interior
Power hood & tonneau
No Top * No Windows * No Competition!

All Baldwin-Motion SS-427, Phase III 540 and Coachbuilt Super Series Camaros are built using premium donors with original Chevrolet VIN numbers. They can be registered and insured worldwide.

Drag Racing at 1000 Frames per second

Check out this amazing video shot at 1,000 frames per second. Notice the detail in the tires and the motors firing.

Saleen Camaro: Fact or Fiction?


This thread just came to our attention today. It is an interview with John Breaux and Steve Saleen at the 2006 Crusin the Coast show in Biloxi, Mississippi. Here is the original thread on Road & Tracks website.

Car Crazy - CC: Are you going to bump up the horsepower on your Saleen Mustang cars when Ford adds horsepower in 2009?

Steve Saleen: Yes we are, I just talked to Alan Mulally (Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive) about the 2009 facelift year and what kind of added power the GT and Cobra will get.

CC: What kind of added power did he talk about for the 09 model year?

Saleen: Nothing extreme, it's only a facelift year, but enough to make my current engine upgrades obsolete. They're aiming for 350 horsepower out of the V8 in the GT, and they're only adding about ten or fifteen horsepower to the GT500.

CC: Can you give us an idea of what you'll do to for your Saleen models?

Saleen: We don't know yet exactly, but we've had many meetings on what we want. We're aiming to get around 385 horsepower out of the S281 3 Valve with around 390 lb-ft of torque. The S281 Supercharged model will get 500 horses even with around 460 lb-ft of torque, and expect about a fifteen horsepower increase on the (S281) Extreme Mustang over the 2007 model (that's 565 horsepower and 535 lb-ft of torque).

CC: That's a big power increase on all cars, are the prices going to change?

Saleen: Not counting inflation, the prices should stay the same.

CC: Are the rumors of you teaming up with GM true or false?

Saleen: My team just worked with GM last month on the Transformers movie. We had such a good relationship with them that we are infact going to team up with them on future projects?

CC: What future projects?

Saleen: Well the Camaro project is one of them, I've watched from a distance while they've been putting the production model together. I think it would be foolish on our part if we didn't get a part of that action (Steve laughs).

CC: So are you going to do your own versions of the new Camaro?

Saleen: It's not legally official right now, but that's what we're hoping for.

CC: What kind of upgrades will you make, have you seen the engine GM is using in the Camaro?

Saleen: I hope I don't get in trouble with GM for saying this, but they're using a 6.2 liter 450 horsepower engine for the premium V8 in the 2009 Camaro and the base Corvette. The base V8 will probably be a detuned version of the same 6.2. So we'll just upgrade the 6.2 liter V8 to Saleen level specifications. We're going to upgrade the 6.2 liter V8 if we're given the legal chance by GM. Our base model should have around 485 horsepower, and expect our Extreme Supercharged Camaro to have over 600 horsepower.

Joing the discussion on this topic HERE

2007 - 40th anniversary of the Camaro/Firebird


World Wide Camaro/Classic Chevy International and General Motors has just announced a very exciting event for the summer of 2007, A 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Camaro and Firebird at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, MI.

The dates are August 9 - 11, 2007. This is the weekend before Woodward Dream Cruise

For more information and details - see the World Wide Camaro Club

Saleen to get more involved with the new Camaro?

Reading the article below from WardsAuto.com - Saleen tuned Chevrolet Camaros may not be that far off. Since they had quite a bit to do with the 2009 Camaro in the upcoming Transformers Movie that may be a taste of things to come.


Saleen Open to New Niche-Vehicle Partnerships

Source: WardsAuto.com - Byron Pope

DETROIT – Niche vehicle-maker Saleen Inc. is open to building specialty cars for auto makers in addition to Ford Motor Co., says company founder and former race-car driver Steve Saleen.

“I never rule anything out,” he tells Ward’s in a wide-ranging interview. “It has to make business sense and fit in with our philosophy and appropriate branding, but we’re looking at other opportunities and only time will tell.”

Steve Saleen has been customizing Ford products since 1984, when the racing great founded Saleen Autosport. The latest Saleen-branded Fords are the Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang and upcoming Saleen Sport Truck lineup.

Steve Saleen says his decision to consider doing business with other auto makers has nothing to do with the ongoing woes at Ford, which currently is in the midst of a massive North American restructuring as it continues to bleed red ink.

“Ford is not causing us problems, but its problems are something we’re watching closely,” he says. “There are a little over 200 Saleen/Ford dealerships, and things have slowed down at the dealerships in general.

“The volume they’ve done in years past is not there, and when you have that you have to say it has some affect on everybody.”

Meanwhile, Steve Saleen has taken on a new role at his company, having handed over day-to-day operations to Brian Walsh on Sept. 1. The move allows him to concentrate more on the company’s product design and development activities, as well as its branding strategies and promotional efforts.

The change in leadership would have occurred earlier, Steve Saleen admits, but it took awhile to find someone he trusted to head up his company. “I think it’s more of an evolution,” he says. “I’ve finally found someone who could run day-to-day operations.

“I’m still doing everything I was doing, and I continue to guide the company in an overall direction.”

Working out of his two facilities located in Irvine, CA, and Troy, MI, Steve Saleen is leveraging the growing popularity of low-volume models, whose production often is farmed out to specialty shops such as Saleen or ASC Inc.

The idea of niche vehicles is nothing new to him. In fact, he says his company was in the forefront of the trend.

“I recognized (the niche market) 25 years ago,” he says. “It’s just now becoming more acceptable. Any runs up to 10,000-15,000 (units), we can do very cost effectively. And we have the ability to bring unique types of autos to (common) platforms.”

His most recent foray into OEM niche products was the Ford GT supercar, which his company both built and painted. The project has been deemed a success by Ford, going from concept to production in less than 16 months, a remarkable feat for any vehicle project, let alone a 550-hp supercar.

Steve Saleen says his company’s involvement with the Ford GT project went smoothly, with approximately 4,000 units built between 2004 and 2006. No future collaborations with Ford are in the works at the moment, Saleen says, although he is open to the
possibility.

In addition to his work building Saleen versions of Ford products and his Saleen-branded S7 supercar, Steve Saleen is enjoying the success of his recently opened retail store in Irvine.

The store sells a variety of Saleen-branded products, including cars and trucks, apparel and jewelry. It also offers access to advanced driving simulators and a cafe.
Business has been so brisk, Steve Saleen is considering opening another location. “If we keep up at this rate, there will definitely be a second,” he says.

Bumblebee exposed in HOT ROD magazine


Here is the information we have been waiting for!

If you haven't already seen it, pickup the November 2006 issue of HOT ROD magazine. There is a great story (with pictures) of Bumblebee in the making at Saleen in Troy, Michigan.

According to the story, there were two versions of Bumblebee built for filming. The first one was completed in 30 days and both done in less than 45 days. Fabrication was done at Saleen's 280,000 square foot facility in Troy, Michigan. Steve Minn, vehicle coordinator for the film, recommended Saleen because they had built the Cobras used in xXx.

GM looked to their inventory and found the current GTO was the closest to the concept Camaro in size. With data and some sections and wheelbase drawings from GM, Saleen began their fabrication. The two Pontiac GTOs came from GM's R&D fleet and Joe Miesak (Saleen) went to work.

The fiberglass bodies were cast using the same molds GM used to build the two concept cars.

The interior looks much like the concept Camaro because the dashboard shell covers the original GTO instrumentation and the seats and interior handles came directly from the GTO as well.

GM had a say in the paint work. They altered the original stripes planned by Saleen to more closely resemble the Rally stripes from the 1969 Camaro.
Here are some images from the HOT ROD magazine spread:

















American Axle sends Camaro work to Mexico

this is a follow up to Axle plant's hopes ride on new Camaro

Souce: Business First of Buffalo - Thomas Hartley

Hope was dashed Wednesday that American Axle & Manufacturing's local axle plant could land work on the GM's new Camaro muscle car.

The company told employees that the work, instead of being assigned to Buffalo, will be done at a Mexican plant.

"I'm disappointed and disgusted," said Kevin Donovan, the United Auto Workers union's Region 9 assistant director.

"The plant worked hard to make American Axle a success which gave them the opportunity to build plants in Mexico. Now the company is taking work that we worked real hard to bring here and is putting it into Mexico," he said.

Plant officials told UAW members at meetings in the morning and afternoon where the decision was announced that American Axle will aggressively pursue other new work for the Delavan Avenue facility.

A company official at Detroit headquarters declined comment.

Donovan estimated that 130 local jobs probably would have been involved in producing components for the Camaro, which is being introduced in the 2008 model year.

The plant has about 650 to 700 hourly workers. Several hundred more are on layoff, some since early this year.

At three Western New York facilities -- Buffalo, Town of Tonawanda and Cheektowaga -- American Axle has 1,700 employees.

The modern update of the popular 1960's-era model Camaro is being assembled at General Motors Corp.'s plant in Oshawa, Ont.

Workers at GM's Powertrain plant in the Town of Tonawanda were still waiting this week to learn if they would be assigned to make the Camaro's engines.

Hot Rod magazine has a new Camaro Poll online


From www.HotRod.com

September 18, 2006

Let GM Know How to Build the New Camaro!
By now you've heard the Camaro is coming - but how do YOU want it built? Here's your chance to tell GM exactly how the new Camaro should be equipped - from engines to options. Fill out our survey by October 13th and we'll hand-deliver the results to the higher-up's at GM in person - no kidding!...

Click here to take the Hot Rod Camaro survey

Axle plant's hopes ride on new Camaro


Source: www.buffalonews.com
September 17, 2006 - Fred O. Williams

Will the rebirth of a famed Detroit muscle car pump up an ailing Buffalo axle plant?
Workers at American Axle and Manufacturing are waiting expectantly to hear if they're selected to carve steel for General Motors' revamped Camaro. The update of the popular 1960's era model will come snarling off the the assembly line in nearby Oshawa, Ont., in 2008.

"They have new work, they haven't announced where it's going to go," a union official said of GM. Word of the selection is expected as soon as October.

While its peers in the auto industry have announced downsizing moves to cope with the industry's slump, the Detroit-headquartered maker of gears, axles and steering parts has so far stayed mum.

Ford accelerated its downsizing last week, announcing early retirement incentives and buyout plans worth up to $140,000, for which all 1,340 of its production workers at the metal stamping plant in Hamburg are eligible. That attrition plan joins buyouts under way at General Motors and Delphi that will draw more than 1,700 local workers out of their jobs by year end.

Workers and union officials say that American Axle is likely to follow suit with some sort of labor overhaul. Labor talks are quietly going on about a lower starting wage for new hires, a move that some individual plants, including one in Cheektowaga, have already adopted. Also in the works are talks for reduced union work rules at some older plants.

At Delphi, a lower starting wage for new hires combined with early retirement incentives is transforming the company's Lockport plant into one with a smaller, lower-paid work force.

United Auto Workers officials wouldn't comment on the talks at American Axle, which were set in motion by the union's last contract with the company in 2004. Company spokeswoman Renee Rogers would say only that American Axle is in discussions with a number of its plants.

With about 2,000 jobs at its three area plants in Buffalo, Cheektowaga and the Town of Tonawanda, American Axle employs more locally than Ford's stamping plant, with about 1,500, and about as many as GM's sprawling engine plant, which will have about 1,960 jobs after incentive plans are complete at year end.

But there's a hitch. Of those supposed 2,000 jobs, hundreds are on layoff. Some 500 workers are idle from American Axle's largest area plant, the Delavan Gear and Axle plant on Buffalo's East Side, leaving about 700 production workers there on on the job, a union source said. The company would neither confirm or deny the figure. Though layoffs at the former GM unit come with nearly full pay, they're hardly a good sign for the plant's future.

Being on board the Camaro could help bring back some of the hundreds of workers on layoff. American Axle specializes in rear-drive parts, putting it in the running to supply the performance-oriented car.

Some good news from Detroit would help offset a lot of the other kind that has been worrying American Axle. Rear-drive pickups and SUVs, for which it makes parts, are out of favor, with gas prices over $2.50 a gallon. Main customer GM expects to cut its overall production by 12 percent in the fourth quarter.

The Delavan Avenue plant and the Tonawanda Forge are two of the company's original sites acquired from GM in 1994, which company officials have cited as cost centers in meetings with the union.

Recent layoffs at the Buffalo plant, characterized by the company as "minor" (no specific number given), were taken as a sign by one retiree that American Axle is "preparing to pull out of Buffalo at the end of the contract," which ends in 2008.

Nothing from the company or the UAW backs up the rumor, which has floated around the shop before. But neither is it an isolated worry, judging by messages on Internet chat boards and calls and e-mails.

Unlike bankrupt Delphi, American Axle is still in the black, but its sales and profits are declining.

"They're struggling a bit - most of their business is Big Three business - but they're hanging in there," said Bruce Belzowski, director of the Center for the Study of Automotive Transportation at the University of Michigan.

With volumes from automakers shrinking, the axle maker's sales sank 5 percent last year while operating profits fell 63 percent. In the first half of this year, sales were about level with last year's, but operating profits slipped 11 percent.

The question facing the company is whether the dip in sales of larger vehicles is a temporary reaction or a long-term shift in buyers' tastes, signaling the end of the SUV boom. In that light, winning work on rear-drive autos like the Camaro is especially important. GM expects to sell 100,000 of the cars a year.

Rather than pulling in his horns, chief executive Richard Dauch remains bullish on the auto industry, or at least his piece of it. In one comment to reporters in Detroit last month he said he might "bolt on" parts of troubled Delphi to his company, when the fellow parts maker gets around to selling some assets.

He also expressed no sympathy for auto supply companies that reject the competitive realities of a global manufacturing market. Companies should benefit from lower labor costs abroad, instead of being disadvantaged by them. "If you can't accept the medicine," he was quoted as saying by the Detroit News, "go ahead and die."

New Shelby GT sure to turn heads with cobra image



Source: Mercury News - Matt Nauman

General Motors stole some of the nostalgic-mojo momentum from Ford's Mustang by first showing a Chevy Camaro concept in Detroit earlier this year, and then saying it will build the car. Dodge is doing the same with its Challenger.

But that new Challenger won't go on sale until 2008, and the new Camaro won't arrive until early 2009, and Ford knows it'll sell a couple of hundred thousand more Mustangs between now and then.... more

Concept Camaro Ringtone


We all know how well the public has received the Chevrolet Camaro Concept, it is no secret it stole the show at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. At GM's Flastlane blogsite, one of the more popular requests has been for a downloadable ringtone of the new Camaro.

Tom Peter, GM Design Director has obliged with an MP3 file we can download into our mobile phones and use as a ringtone!

Click here to download the 2009 Chevy Camaro Ringtone

Camaro for Europe?


Chevrolet may sell the famed muscle car in Europe

September 11, 2006
Source: Automotive News - Jason Stein

MUNICH, Germany -- Chevrolet Europe executives are studying whether to bring the Camaro sports coupe to Europe.

Last month, General Motors confirmed it will build a new version of the American muscle car based on a concept unveiled at the 2006 Detroit auto show.

Although the Camaro concept vehicle has not been shown in Europe, Chevrolet Europe is considering importing and selling it here.

"I want the car for our lineup," Wayne Brannon, executive director of Chevrolet Europe, told Automotive News Europe. "But we want it to be a good business case. We are considering it."

Brannon said he would like to make a decision by the first quarter of next year. He said a number of factors will be considered in the decision, including engineering issues for Europe, emission requirements and volume.

"We would not look at it as a huge volume opportunity," Brannon said. "But the project has to make sense."

Chevrolet Europe says there already has been a positive reaction to the car from dealers and customers.

The sales expectations probably won't be large because American muscle cars are minor players in the European market.

Ford, for example, sold 441 Mustangs through six months this year, according to British market researcher JATO Dynamics. That's down from 463 during the same period last year but up substantially from 2004, when Ford sold just 70.

Coupes are also a niche segment. In the last two years, carmakers have sold an average of 30,000 units as customers increasingly switch to the coupe-cabriolet segment. That market is now nearly 10 times the size of the coupe segment, JATO reports.

GM will begin production of the Camaro at the end of 2008 in Oshawa, Ontario, and the car will go on sale in the United States in early 2009.

Chevy Camaro rides again


Source: Drive.com

Richard Blackburn, The Sydney Morning Herald, 01/09/06
Keep an eye out for prototype versions of the new Chevrolet Camaro testing on Australian roads.

Disguised prototype versions of the reborn Chevrolet Camaro should be on Australian roads within months, as General Motors finalises its plans to bring the iconic American nameplate to market.

Australia will have a lead role in engineering the rear-wheel-drive underpinnings of the Camaro, which will be built at GM's Oshawa, Ontario, plant in Canada. Early production versions of the Camaro will begin leaving the plant at the end of 2008, with sales starting in the first quarter of 2009.

Work has already begun on an $875 million manufacturing facility for the vehicle.

The new Camaro is a modern interpretation of the 1969 icon and will look almost identical to the concept vehicle first featured at the Detroit motor show earlier this year.

The sports coupe will be sold in a variety of models, with the choice of manual and automatic transmissions, as well as V6 and V8 engines. GM hopes the new Camaro will appeal to young drivers, as well as those who remember the original.

Almost 4.8 million Camaros were produced between 1967 and 2002 and more than 1000 Camaro clubs exist around the world.

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This is available in the standard aluminum finish as well as a black powdercoat finish.

Checkout our store at TruckTechniques.com and order yours today!

Defending the Camaro

Source: Globe and Mail
August 29, 2006
DAVID W. PATERSON
vice-president, corporate and environmental affairs, General Motors of Canada

Oshawa, Ont. -- Jeffrey Simpson's column regarding the great news that GM will invest $740-million to build the new Camaro in Oshawa contained some unfortunate inaccuracies (Where's The Camaro Muscle In Fighting Climate Change? -- Aug. 25).

GM's new vehicles, (including the Camaro when it launches in 2009) have so dramatically reduced smog-causing emissions that today, if Mr. Simpson burns a cord of wood in his fireplace, he will generate more smog emissions than a fleet of 10 Chevy Camaros over their entire practical lifetime.

And while GM has not yet announced engine specifics for the Camaro, other GM sports cars such as the Chevy Corvette today achieve exceptional fuel economy, approaching 37 miles per Imperial gallon on the highway (7.6 litres per 100 kilometres).

Furthermore, following our industry's voluntary agreement to reduce greenhouse gases from our vehicles by 5.3 million tonnes by 2010, new GM technologies like active fuel management, flex fuel E85 and our new hybrid engines are being deployed in Canada with great benefit for saving fuel and reducing emissions.

Rather than unfairly slamming our products and the auto workers of Durham Region who make them, Mr. Simpson might consider that the Oshawa-made flex-fuel Chevy Impala, running on E85 ethanol from Ottawa-based Iogen Corp., generates more than 35 per cent less net carbon dioxide than the smallest hybrid cars sold in North America today.

The 1967 Camaro complete shells are coming

Dynacorn Classic Bodies, Inc. has teamed up with American Muscle Cars and the SPEED TV show Chop, Cut and Rebuild to build a 1967 Chevy Camaro Indy Pace Car Hardtop Custom!

It all started with teh 1969 Camaro bodies, then the classic 1957 Chevy Convertible, now the one that started it all, a 1967 Camaro hardtop shell will soon be available for purchase.

While these complete replacement shells have sparked some controversy regarding authenticity and fraud down the line, we all knew it wouldn't be long before things like this would be available in the reproduction circuit.

You can see the complete buildup on an upcoming eposides of Chop, Cut and Rebuild on SPEED TV. For now, visit the American Muscle Cars website for a gallery of images.

2006 Camaro Firebird Invasion


September 14-16, we welcome back the “F-Bodies” and their owners for a great event filled with seminars, auto crossing, car shows, road tour excursions to some of the regions historic attractions, banquet and auction, and more!

Some of the Greatest F-cars and their owners from around North America will be in attendance along with displays featuring GM Concept Cars and Historic F-cars.

Early bird arrivals can take advantage of tours to Diamond Caverns and the Bourbon Heritage Center . These extraordinary excursions are “drive your own” and will take you on an adventurous back road tour through the Kentucky country side. Lunch is included as part of these activities and space is limited to be sure to add this to your registration. Guests can take a tour of the Corvette Assembly Plant and Museum and enjoy a “free” scenic road tour through beautiful Kentucky farmland as part of the planned fun!

Friday kicks off with informative seminars in the Chevrolet Theater and a silent auction filled collectibles. Participants can also sign up to enter their car in a Judged car show and be a part of the Camaro/Firebird group photo for participants only.

Saturday morning begins with a poker tour sponsored by Z28.com and autocross at the Trace Diecast Lot – limited to only 40 participants. Be sure to add this to your registration. GM presentations by Scott Settlemire are scheduled in the Chevrolet Theater and a scenic road tour in the late afternoon will wrap up the day's festivities to get everyone ready for the banquet and auction at the Sloan Convention Center . Seating is limited and participants are in store for a wonderful dinner and an evening of mingling with friends prior the excitement of the auction. You don't want to miss a chance to bid on some wonderful collectibles. If you have plans for dinner in Bowling Green , you can still be a part of the auction – doors to the auction will open at 8 p.m.

What makes the Camaro and Firebird event so special – it's “the people.” Join us for an event that will thrill you and fill you with all you want to know and see about F-cars. Meet old friends and make new ones and register now to be a part of it all.

For all of the information visit the National Corvette Museum website

GM makes major U-turns

Source: The Chronicle Herald
IT’S BACK to the future for automaker giant General Motors.

In a series of major U-turns by the struggling car manufacturer, GM will revive a car once considered obsolete, build it in an Ontario car plant once targeted for drastic downsizing and put back on the sales lot a vehicle once considered a serious gas-guzzler, just as consumers focus on buying cars that use less petrol. Go figure.

GM has announced plans to restore the Chevrolet Camaro to its product line, starting with the 2009 model year. The Camaro was a popular brand name for 35 years, from its introduction in 1967 to 2002. But GM put the brakes on production of the sporty vehicle after a prolonged sales slump brought about by lessening interest in the dated, fuel-hungry model.

The death of the Camaro four years ago triggered the layoff of 1,000 employees and the closure of the company’s only manufacturing plant in Quebec, at St. Therese outside of Montreal. The new Camaro will be built at GM’s existing operations in Oshawa, where only last fall it was announced one of two plants would close by 2008.

GM will invest $750 million in its Oshawa operations at a time when it’s shutting down plants and laying off workers elsewhere to keep the company afloat. The federal and Ontario governments have already invested $435 million in GM, money both levels of government are now claiming helped ensure the revived Camaro will be built in Canada.

Credit must also go to organized labour. The skills of Canadian Auto Workers members over the years have given Oshawa products high marks for quality, but agreement by some 2,500 senior CAW members to take early retirement helped clinch the deal and assure a future for younger workers.

If reviving a once-discarded brand and building it in a once-doomed plant aren’t dramatic enough U-turns, consider the fact GM is reviving a muscle car at a time when small vehicles with less torque and better gas mileage are big sellers. Yet GM is being a follower, rather than a leader. Other carmakers already have similar cars rolling off their assembly lines. A redesigned Mustang, based on the 1960s version, is a runaway best seller, while Daimler-Chrysler is putting a revived 1960s-style Challenger back on the road. Retro is definitely in when it comes to cars, given the roaring success of VW’s revived Beetle, BMW’s resurrected Mini, along with copycats PT Cruiser (from Daimler-Chrysler) and GM’s HHR.

Don’t blame General Motors for the return of the muscle car: They’re only trying to keep up with the competition, whose retro vehicles are already rushing out the showroom doors. Bringing back the Camaro may not save GM, but it’ll make a lot of sports car fans very happy.

Camaro only the beginning for GM

Souce: Chicago Tribune - Jim Mateja


CHICAGO -- The Chevy Camaro isn't the only new car coming from General Motors in the next couple years.

The Camaro reportedly will be joined by the Pontiac G8, a companion to the next-generation GTO due for 2009, as well as high-performance Chevy Impala and Buick sedans.

All will be derived from the same midsize, rear-wheel-drive platform.

Camaro and its companions will put a little more emphasis on the days of the high-performance, high-styled American muscle cars of the '60s and '70s and should attract baby boomers who didn't have the dough at the time to take part.

"It's exciting. All of these cars should rejuvenate the car business at GM," according to John Wolkonowicz, senior analyst for Global Insight, who closely follows GM's product strategy. "This is exactly what Detroit should be doing."

The Camaro will be in showrooms early in the 2009 calendar year. It will mark the return of the sporty car from the '60s that got emasculated in the '80s, when federal fuel economy regulations shifted attention to mileage, not fun, and put the focus on Japanese machines.

"The domestics have lots of blue-collar fans who love Chevy, Ford and Dodge but have been left out in the cold for a long time. They want cars with an American flavor and American muscle -- Charger, Challenger, Camaro, Mustang -- a heritage the Japanese don't have," Wolkonowicz said.

Bringing back performance when consumers want high mileage could be a tough sell, and GM has to bring out some high-mileage small cars, too, Wolkonowicz admits. "But this isn't about cars with large V-8s consuming lots of fuel. High-performance doesn't have to mean bad fuel economy," he said.

While consumers are captivated with how much fuel gas/electrics can save, the hybrid Toyota Highlander with a V-6 gets 27 mpg on the highway. But, he said, the Chrysler 300C with a Hemi V-8 gets 27 mpg and the Chevy Impala with a V-8 gets 28 mpg highway.

And most Camaros, like Mustangs, will be built with V-6s for those who want the look and more than 30 mpg on the highway.

"You want better mileage? Get out of an SUV that gets 18 mpg highway and into a sports sedan that gets 28 mpg and you've accomplished something -- 10 mpg better fuel economy," Wolkonowicz said.

Of course, you'd do even better getting into a 38 mpg Toyota Corolla.

"But it's still a free country, and we can drive what we like and not what fuel-economy activists want us to drive," he said.

If the Impala makes the switch from front-wheel-drive, it may signal the departure of its companion Monte Carlo coupe. Stay tuned.

Look what muscled its way out of history

Source: Times Online - Jay Leno

August 27, 2006

When I was growing up in a small town in Massachusetts, there were no sports cars. Nobody had seen a Ferrari. Occasionally a Corvette might come through town, but it was the type of thing where we’d hang around the local McDonald’s or Dairy Queen until about 11pm. Then you’d get home and somebody would call you and say, “Oh you should have stayed another 15 minutes, a Corvette went by!” And you’d be like, “Nnooo! I missed it!” Because you didn’t see those type of cars.

At that time in our town the workers would drive a Galaxie, the middle manager would drive the Ford Galaxie 500, and the boss would drive the Ford Galaxie 500 XL. And that was sort of the range of cars that you had. Almost everybody had a four-door or a station wagon. If a guy had a two-door he was probably a bachelor. You’d see an occasional MG, maybe a few oddball English sports cars but for the most part that was it.

That all changed when the Ford Mustang came out on April 17 1964. That was a real American version of a sports car. It was followed by the Chevy Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird. These had such an impact because they were reasonably practical cars that middle-class people could buy.

At the time, and this shows you how provincial Boston was, there was a bestselling book called Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown. And Mustang had an ad — they were trying to sell six-cylinder Mustangs to secretaries — and the ad was “Six and the Single Girl”. The Boston newspapers wouldn’t publish it because they thought it was too racy.

These were the high-performance cars of my youth because a Ferrari or a Lamborghini were cars you’d see only in magazines. But you could come close to the performance with the Camaro or the Mustang. There’s a whole range of cars that have a connection with people of my generation; they raced them, they made love in them, they got married in them.

The Camaro was always a little bit more sophisticated than the Mustang. The Mustang came out first so the Camaro had to be a little better. They had the IROC and Z28 versions, plus the Camaro had the Corvette thing to play on a little bit. It was like the little brother to the Corvette so consequently you could get a Camaro with a Corvette engine in it....

See the rest of the article here - Times Online

Racing Legends Team Up to Lead Detroit Muscle


Thursday August 10, 3:56 pm ET

HOLLY, Mich., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Racing legends and pioneers Rick Dyer, Pro-Street World Champion, and Danny Scott, NMCA and NSCA Champion, have teamed up to lead Detroit Muscle's custom car design and manufacturing studios. Until today, no other company has been successful pairing the strength and accuracy of a Tier 1 supplier with the excitement of a powerful aftermarket company. This proven management team will lead Detroit Muscle's efforts in custom car builds, car care products, performance parts, and much more.

Founded in 2004 by aftermarket executives LJ Lobsinger, Jr. and Darren Hamilton, Detroit Muscle first captured the enthusiasm of racing fans everywhere with its "100% Pure" logo emblazoned on trackside hats, work shirts, jackets, and t-shirts. In 2005 Detroit Muscle teamed up with Tier 1 giant, CMI-Schneible Group, to begin building custom high performance cars and motorcycles. Founder LJ Lobsinger says, "CMI's understanding of the latest technology gives us an added level of safety and reliability in our custom car building program."

Taking 1st place awards at this year's Autorama show for the trick 1940 Ford Panel Truck design complete with GPS, leather lumbar seats, and an attention to detail unlike any other, the award-winning Detroit Muscle design team continues to capture industry attention with custom car builds, industry- first products like the patented Rejex® automotive barrier, and the expanding line of apparel including the hot new women's line

For more information contact: Detroit Muscle USA, LLC, Dept PR 82006, 209 Elm Street, Holly, MI 48442, USA. Phone: (248) 634-8134, Fax: (248) 634-8135, or on the web at http://www.DetroitMuscleUSA.com

Is the Camaro a muscle car?

The article below was written my Gerry Malloy of the Toronto Star. I promptly sent a message to Mr. Malloy, informing him his definition of a 'Muscle Car' needs some research.

While the Mustang and the Camaro of the 1960s are considered Pony Cars, it was the high performance powertrains that were available that made the Muscle Cars. The press has gone crazy since Camaro production was announced on August 10th, could they actually be running out of things to write about?

-- Joe

Here is the article --

Since when is Camaro a muscle car?

The mainstream media, print and electronic, have been overwrought this week with news of the Camaro's resurrection at Oshawa.

But almost without exception, they have been hailing it as the rebirth of the "muscle car." Since when is a Camaro a muscle car?

I was there for the birth of both genres and there was no confusion back then as to what was what.

The muscle car was born in 1964 in the form of the original Pontiac GTO. Almost concurrently the Mustang was born, and with it the "pony car" genre.



The Camaro is a charter member of that latter club, which also came to include such vehicles as the Plymouth Barracuda, Pontiac Firebird, Mercury Cougar, Dodge Challenger and AMC Javelin.

They were all "compact" cars by that era's standards, with a sporting bent that tilted more toward all-round performance, including handling, than to sheer brute force.

They all offered V8 engines, but they were primarily small-blocks, and they earned their performance creds on the road-racing tracks of the day.

Muscle cars were bigger — mid-size cars — with big-block engines, typically in the range of 400 cubic inches (6.6 litres) and up. In addition to the GTO, they included such examples as the Chevelle SS, Dodge Super Bee, Plymouth Roadrunner and many more.

Their raison d'être was the drag strip, not the road course, or even the winding sideroad. They were torque-rich, straight-line missiles, waiting to be launched.

I will admit that there was some muddying of those crystal-clear waters of distinction. By the end of the 1960s, more than a few big-blocks found their way into pony cars, and they too were more at home at the drag strip than anywhere else. But they were aberrations of their pony car personas. Not muscle cars. And so it remains.

So says the curmudgeon. —Gerry Malloy

The Camaro Concept Car: The Critics' Choice

Source: Medialink
August 25, 2006

BUSINESS WIRE -- It may have been the worst kept secret in Detroit. Would General Motors green light the Camaro concept car that wowed industry insiders at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit? Well, now it's official -- GM will build the Chevrolet Camaro.

Click HERE to see the video

Many in the automotive industry will tell you the Detroit automakers have one distinct advantage over the rest of the world -- and that's history. Nameplates like Mustang, Corvette and Challenger were synonymous with automotive excitement before anyone in America had heard of Honda or Nissan. But, that also adds pressure when bringing back a hallowed name. So far, the reaction to the Camaro has been as good as any company could hope.

GM hopes to bring the Camaro to market in early 2009.

Mid-Michigan Camaro Club awaits new version



source: abc12.com

MID MICHIGAN (WJRT) - (08/23/06)--General Motors Corp. recently announced the return of the legendary Chevrolet Camaro.

The revival of the name and the retro-look sports car that will bear it has those who've loved Camaros of the past barely able to contain themselves.

To members of the Mid-Michigan Camaro Club, the Camaro is king. So club members jumped at a chance to see some video of the Camaro that will go into production late in 2008.

The new Camaro will feature a small block V-8 with 400 horsepower. Members of the Mid-Michigan Camaro Club say that should get the job done.

Around the world, there are more than a thousand Camaro clubs and the new Camaro has everybody talking.

GM produced 4.8 million Camaros between 1967 and 2002. The next generation of the muscle car will be made in Oshawa, Ontario.

The price of the new Camaro hasn't been released, but it's expected to be competitive with the Ford Mustang. Camaro lovers are starting to put away some money for the big day.

Waiting two and a half years for the next Camaro to roll down the street is going to seem like forever for Camaro lovers. For more on Mid-Michigan Camaro Club, you can click here.

Camaro roars into town

source: durhamregion.com
Aug 22, 2006 -- By Izabela Jaroszynski

Enthusiasts applaud return of Chevy muscle car

OSHAWA -- For Tami and Paul Hamilton having the Chevrolet Camaro built in Oshawa is a dream come true.

The Oshawa couple has owned their 1969 Camaro for 11 years and can hardly wait for the new model to come off the assembly lines in their own hometown.

"Its a great muscle car," Ms. Hamilton said. "It has a great history behind it."

First produced in 1967, the Camaro quickly became an American classic. In its 35-year history, General Motors produced nearly 4.8 million units of the Camaro. Originally built in the now-demolished GM plant at Ste. Therese, Quebec, the car was discontinued in 2002 because of slumping sales.

But for enthusiasts like Mr. Hamilton, the Camaro obsession has never faded.

"I've always loved the car," he said. "People were devastated when they stopped producing it and are anticipating its return. I think it will sell well. People have been waiting for this."

And Mr. Hamilton is certainly not alone with his love of the Camaro. More than 1,000 Camaro clubs exist around the world and thousands of Camaro-inspired websites pay homage to the sports coupe on the Internet. According to GM, some consumers have already sent in certified cheques in hopes of placing early deposits.

When he made the announcement last week that GM will bring back the Camaro, CEO Rick Wagoner said the enthusiastic response from consumers reminds him of the iconic place GM products have in customers' hearts.

"Camaro is much more than a car," he said. "It symbolizes America's spirit and its love affair with the automobile."

Ron Elliott, a truck plant employee and owner of a 1969 black Camaro classic, says having the car built in town will be a great boost to the economy and will get people excited about the GM brand.

"These cars are very special," he added.

According to GM, the new Camaro will be nearly identical to the concept car unveiled to rave reviews in January 2006 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where it was named best in show.

The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sport coupe will feature an independent rear suspension, and owners will be able to choose between manual or automatic transmission and V-6 or V-8 engines.

And while some are concerned that a sports car runs counter to the current consumer trend of buying smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, GM's David Paterson is not worried.

The vice-president of corporate and environmental affairs says that new technology, like the fuel-management systems currently being used in many GM vehicles, show that cars can be both powerful and fuel-efficient.

"All the new technology that's helping us to drive great fuel economy right now is all available to us to put into this vehicle," he said. "Already with the Corvette, it has absolutely excellent fuel economy and yet is one of the most powerful cars on the road today. So you can have both and we will have both (in the Camaro)."

Production of the car is expected to begin in late 2008 and it will go on sale in early 2009.

"It's so exciting that the comeback model will be 2009," said Ms. Hamilton. "It will be nice to have the '09 with exactly 40 years between it and our 1969 version."

Would you like to buy a new 1957 Chevy?


First Dynacorn Classic Bodies Inc. brought us new/reproduction shells to restore your 1969 Camaro. Now Detroit based C.A.R.S Inc. is bringing you the classic 1957 Chevy Convertible!

With the official announcement at the 2006 Woodward Dream Cruise, All of the '57 Chevy Convertible bodies built by CARS Inc. start with an original '57 Chevy Cowl (dash, A-pillar and firewall). The remaining panels will be direct replacement reproduction sheet metal. This allows C.A.R.S. inc to keep the original VIN number intact retaining the original/restored classification.

Visit their website for more information as well as many more images: www.1957chevybody.com

Camaro means economic boom for Oshawa

Experts say impact will be substantial

Source - durhamregion.com
Aug 22, 2006 - By Jillian Follert


OSHAWA -- They won't speculate on hard numbers just yet, but experts agree this week's announcement that GM's new Camaro will be built in Oshawa translates to a major economic boost for the city and the region.

"The economic implications are huge," said Pat Olive, commissioner of economic development and tourism for the Region of Durham. "It takes the uncertainty away. By bringing flexible manufacturing here, it will allow other units to be built with that same process. This is just the start."

The new product and the conversion of Oshawa's Plant No.1 and 2 into a flexible manufacturing facility, are the result of a $740 million investment from GM.

Last fall, the automaker sent shock waves through the city when it announced plans to close Oshawa's Plant 2 and eliminate the third shift at Plant 1, cutting more than 3,000 jobs.

While union officials won't say how many of those might be rescued as a result of the Camaro program, some have estimated as many as 2,700.

According to Gerald Fedchun, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturer's Association, it also means local manufacturers will be in a good position to win contracts to build the new Camaro parts, because of their close proximity to the plant.

"Without this, that plant would be closed. Now they have a product that will be around for a long time, it's an impact that will measure in the billions," he estimated. "You can't get much better than this."

Also enthusiastic about the economic spin-off potential was Chis Buckley, president of CAW Local 222, which represents Oshawa's GM employees.

"This is a great day for our members in the Local 222, not only in the car plants but in the parts sector as well. You need to remember that for every one assembly job we have in the autoplex, it creates another 7.5 outside," he explained. "All the details at this point we don't have firmed up but I do know this will help secure jobs in the auto parts industry as well."

Production of the new Camaro will begin in 2008, with the vehicles scheduled to hit showrooms in the first quarter of 2009.

How the Camaro ended up back in Canada

Source: The Globe and Mail -- GREG KEENAN
Tuesday, August 22, 2006

OSHAWA, ONT. — When Chris Buckley saw the blizzard of media coverage about the rebirth of the Chevrolet Camaro in January, he knew it was time to shift into high gear.

"As soon as there was a hint that they [General Motors] were thinking of putting it into production, that's when I started lobbying to have it come here," Mr. Buckley, president of local 222 of the Canadian Auto Workers union, said yesterday.

His lobbying and major changes in work rules, approved by members of the local, paid off yesterday when General Motors of Canada Ltd. confirmed it will spend $740-million to build a new, flexible assembly plant in Oshawa that will start cranking out a modern version of the iconic sports car late in 2008.

But those were far from the only factors that led parent General Motors Corp. to choose Oshawa and save a large proportion of the 3,900 jobs that were put on the chopping block in November.

That month, the auto maker announced a continent-wide restructuring that included the closing of one Oshawa car plant and the elimination of a third shift of production at the other factory.

The Ontario government had strong leverage with the company because it had not signed a final deal with GM for $235-million in financial support that had been announced in March, 2005.

The government was prepared to cut that amount by $70-million unless GM agreed to build a leading-edge, flexible assembly plant in Oshawa, keep the third shift working, and give Oshawa a mandate for a new product, Economic Development Minister Joe Cordiano said yesterday.

While those negotiations went on, Mr. Buckley made his first breakthrough in Detroit in February, when he and CAW president Buzz Hargrove met with then-GM Canada president Michael Grimaldi and senior officials of GM Corp.

The union leaders said assembling the Camaro in Oshawa would make perfect sense.

The GM executives responded that they wanted to talk to the union about a "competitive" labour deal that would help reduce costs in Oshawa.

"General Motors had quite a shopping list and they didn't get it all," Mr. Buckley recalled yesterday.

But by early March, the two sides had reached a deal that allowed the company to outsource maintenance positions and the jobs of a CAW construction crew in Oshawa.

They also agreed to give up a few minutes of relief time, which may seem trivial, but doing so allowed the company to keep its assembly lines running a few extra minutes a day.

Mr. Buckley and other local 222 leaders in Oshawa took some heat from their members for agreeing to the deal, but the rank-and-file workers eventually approved it on March 4.

"I think it played a big role in demonstrating to General Motors that we understood the state of the company and the state of the industry," Mr. Buckley said.

Behind the scenes, governments were telling GM officials that the company owed Canada a new product mandate because they had announced in March, 2005, that they were prepared to put up $435-million in total for the company's Beacon Project.

The Ontario government signed a final agreement with GM in late March of 2006.

The City of Oshawa also swung into action, Mayor John Gray said yesterday.

GM requested that Oshawa eliminate its large industrial companies tax and allow the company to pay the regular industrial rate.

Oshawa city council agreed in April, but had to convince the region of Durham to go along with the plan.

There was a bit of a battle over that, Mr. Gray said, but regional politicians eventually agreed as well.

Auto industry consulting firms J.D. Power and Associates and Harbour Consulting did their bit in June when they declared that the Oshawa plants produced the highest-quality cars in North America in the most productive plants.

All those elements set the stage for the announcement by GM chairman Rick Wagoner earlier this month that Camaro would go ahead.

At yesterday's ceremony, Mr. Cordiano, Mr. Hargrove and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty arrived at the unveiling in vintage Camaros.

Camaro: Made in Canada

Highly ranked Oshawa plant to build muscle car
BY JOE GUY COLLIER - Detroit Free Press

August 22, 2006

The Chevrolet Camaro revival of an American muscle car is headed to Oshawa, Ontario.

General Motors of Canada announced Monday that the GM Oshawa Car Assembly Plant will make the 2009 Camaro. GM will spend $660 million to convert the plant to a flexible manufacturing facility capable of producing the new car.

The return of the Camaro, cancelled in 2002, is highly anticipated by auto enthusiasts. Production at Oshawa is to begin in 2008 with the vehicle coming to market in early 2009

Oshawa's selection comes as no surprise, said Michael Robinet, vice president of global forecast services for CSM Worldwide, an automotive consulting firm in Northville.

Oshawa routinely ranks as one of the most efficient auto plants in North America in the annual Harbour Report. It currently makes the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, the Buick Lacrosse and the Pontiac Grand Prix. The Camaro will be built off a new rear-wheel-drive platform.

"Oshawa has had a good track record in the past for launching key platforms for General Motors," Robinet said.

He said the Camaro could be the beginning of a string of good news for Oshawa, as other new vehicles will surely follow. "You can't look at this just as the Camaro," Robinet said. "You just don't put one vehicle into this plant. They're going to be putting a host of vehicles into this facility and the Camaro is just the first one off this platform."

GM executives have billed the new Camaro as a way to help the company reconnect with its U.S. muscle-car roots, which may make the choice of a Canadian plant sound odd.

But the Camaro has Canadian ties, too. From 1993 until its final run in 2002, the Camaro was built in Ste. Therese, Quebec, outside Montreal. That plant has been closed.

"Oshawa's selection to build the new Camaro is a tribute to our employees' reputation for the industry's best quality and productivity and further evidence of the exciting comeback happening at GM today," Arturo Elias, president of GM Canada, said in a statement.