Camaro ZL1 Revealed

Chevy took the wraps off it's new Mustang GT500 killer, the 2012 Camaro ZL1, today at the Chicago Auto Show.  Many had speculated that the car would wear the Z/28 moniker but instead Chevy decided to resurrect one of the most iconic names in Camaro history.   Does the new car live up to the name?

They've stuffed the supercharged LSA V8 from the Cadillac CTS-V under the bulging hood which should be good for at least 550HP in this super Camaro.  The standard rear tires are huge 330 series Goodyears which should help getting all that power to the ground.  Initial estimates indicate that the 6 speed manual equipped ZL1 should be able to rip off 0-60 runs in under 4 seconds.  All that forward momentum is halted by huge two piece Brembo brakes and handling is aided by GM's latest magnetic shock setup.




The ZL1 will also look the part with a larger opening in the front fascia as well as four fog lights and a large splitter.  That bulging hood I mentioned will have a carbon fiber center while the rear gets a set of four exhaust tips and a larger trunk spoiler.

The car is set to go on sale in February of next year, so we still have a while to wait.

So far so good.  Let the battle begin.

Here is a bonus video from youtube.

2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

The Chicago Auto Show is going on this week and there have been some cool introductions.  The first of which is the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8.  Based on the newly redesigned Charger, this Hemi powered beast sports the new 6.4L V8 producing 465HP/465TQ but with better fuel economy due to a cylinder deactivation feature that will allow the big motor to run as a 4 cylinder when not under load.

Top speed is estimated at around 175 and 0-60 should fly by in less than 5 seconds with a 1/4 mile time in the 12s.



The suspension setup is comprised of active dampers that can change as needed and the brakes are big 14.2 inch in front and 13.8 in the rear. A new front fascia, 20 inch wheels, LED taillights, and huge dual exhausts take care of the visual excitement.  Inside, the car sports a new flat bottom steering wheel, nice seats and the requisite monster stereo/entertainment system.

10 Years Since Dale Earnhardt's Death

This month marks the 10th anniversary of the death of NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt.  Now, I'm not a very big NASCAR fan anymore and I had already lost interest back then, but I was an Earnhardt fan.  He was a throwback to the early days of NASCAR and it's Southern roots and he was loved for it.

I can't believe it's been 10 years.

There is a great article on Automobile Magazine's website about the 10th anniversary of Earnhardt's death and it's affect on NASCAR.  It's a good read.

Check it out here: 10 Years After

Top Five Cars of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show

Check out my latest article for Yahoo.

Top Five Cars of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show

Pagani Huayra Revealed

Pagani's Zonda replacement had been code named C9 until a few weeks ago when the name Huayra surfaced.  At that time there were still just photos of disguised test mules running around but now the official images and specs of this amazing car have been revealed.

Sporting a set of gullwing doors, the Huayra looks to be about the same dimensions as the Zonda it replaces but with much different bodywork sporting aerodynamic and cooling doodads everywhere.  Power will come from a twin-turbocharged 6.0L Mercedes AMG V12 producing over 700 horsepower and 740 pound feet of torque.  That should be enough to propel the under 3,000 pound Huayra to a projected top speed of close to 230MPH.  All that power will get to the rear wheels via a new seven speed dual clutch gearbox.

Inside, the level of craftsmanship and luxury Pagani has been noted for continues with lots of leather, aluminum and carbon fiber.  A new instrument cluster with blue gauges and a multi function display that controls audio, nav, and communications sit ready for the pilot of this land missile.

No word on pricing but expect it to be way up there.

More pictures can be found at the Pagani website - http://www.paganiautomobili.it/huayra/default.aspx

Here is a video from EVO Magazine.

High Tech Car Theft

I just read an article on Yahoo Autos outlining how a couple of ingenious car thieves with the right amount of equipment can make off with your expensive push to start car.  Basically, the thieves just need some equipment and two antennas.

Here is how it works.  One person follows the car owner to pickup the signal from their in-pocket key fob and he then transmits the signal to the second thief who is outside standing next to the car.  He then broadcasts the signal to the car making it think that the owner with the key fob is standing there thus unlocking the cars and allowing them to drive away in the car.

Pretty scary.

You can read the article here -

Keyless entry systems vulnerable to high-tech car thieves

The New Ferrari FF

Ferrari has taken the wraps off their new four seat flagship, the FF, and it's quite interesting.  It's Ferrari's first attempt at an four wheel drive model and the first fastback, or shooting brake, design since the iconic 250 Breadvan.

This replacement for the 612 Scaglietti features a 6.3L V12 with 651HP/504TQ and can accelerate from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds despite its 3,946lb weight.  That acceleration is no doubt aided by the new Ferrari part time four wheel drive system called 4M.  According to Ferrari, the FF should hit a top speed of 208MPH.

Thanks to the shooting brake body style, there should be ample room for four people with good headroom in the rear.  Folding down the rear seats turns it into a decent hauler with about as much cargo space as a small sized wagon.

Here is a youtube video of the car during testing.

Peter Yates Dead At 82

Director Peter Yates passed away today at the age of 82.  Yates was the director of the Steve McQueen movie, Bullitt, and was responsible for the greatest movie car chase ever filmed.

In tribute, here is that amazing scene from Bullitt.

BBS Bankrupt

I just read that for the second time in 4 years, German wheel manufacturer BBS has filed for bankruptcy.  This is not good news.  They make some of the sweetest, and seriously expensive, wheels around.  I hope they are saved by a generous benefactor again as they were in 2007.

I've been published

Well, sort of.  I signed up for Yahoo's Associated Content which allows anyone to sign up and post articles with the possibility of getting published by Yahoo or any one of their affiliates.  So I signed up figuring...what the heck.  I submitted an earlier piece I wrote for the blog about the death of the manual transmission and they decided to publish it.  Pretty cool.

Check it out here - The Manual Transmissions Slow Death Is Speeding Up

No new RS4 from Audi

According to Car and Driver 's German sources, Audi has stated that they have no current plans for a direct successor to the sweet V8 powered RS4.  They claim that the RS5 should be enough to satisfy the market niche.

Too bad.  I was hoping to see what an RS variant based on the new A4 would look and perform like.  I bet they bring it back eventually.  Probably not with a V8 though.

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Thanks for reading.

BMW 1 Series M Coupe Details Released

BMW just couldn't keep it under wraps anymore.  The new 1 Series M Coupe was supposed to be revealed at the Detroit Auto Show but a couple days ago BMW released a video of the undisguised car in action and now they've gone ahead and released all the details.

The twin-turbo 3.0L straight 6 will produce 335HP and have an overboost function to up the max torque to 369lb/ft for quick bursts.  The only transmission will be a traditional 6 speed and the car will weigh 3,296lbs which is lighter, by almost 100lbs, than a 135i coupe.  All that translates to a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of 13.2.  The car's track has been widened 2.8" and it rides on 19" wheels borrowed from the M3 GTS.  Stopping power is handled by 14.2" brakes in front and 13.8" out back and the suspension is all aluminum parts from the current M3.

Sounds pretty good except there is no price info yet.  We'll have to wait and see if it's a performance bargain or not.

Volkswagen Golf R U.S. Bound

After getting screwed when it was decided that we wouldn't get the very cool new Scirocco here in the U.S., Volkswagen fans were determined to make enough noise to persuade them to bring over their new hotrod hatch, the Golf R.  Guess what....it worked!  Today Volkswagen made the announcement that the hotly anticipated 2012 Golf R will be coming to our shores.

The press release doesn't go into details on price or power but it is expected to be in the $30,000 - $35,000 price range and the Euro version, currently on sale, manages to put out 270HP/258TQ from the 2.0L turbo 4cyl.  The only transmission offered will be a standard three pedal manual transmission and that will be hooked up to the latest 4th generation Haldex all wheel drive system. Special suspension, 18" wheels, and R branded body kit and interior upgrades round out the package.

No word on when the U.S. version will debut but some suspect it may be at next month's Detroit Auto Show.

SEMA 2010

SEMA 2010 has come and gone so I figured I'd post up some of the more interesting stuff from the various sources of coverage of the event.

Corvette Z06X



This is one of my favorites from this year's show. Take a base Z06 and add the CFZ carbon fiber package from the ZR1, then ship it to Pratt and Miller who build the LeMans race Corvettes so they can install an adjustable rear wing, SCCA roll cage, coilover suspension, adjustable sway bars, lightweight polycarbonate rear window, racing buckets, and some engine mods and you get this track focused beast. Nice.

Camaro SSX



Last year's show featured a ton of custom Camaros and there were a bunch again this year but this one direct from Chevy is probably the best.  Similar to the Corvette Z06X, the Camaro SSX is a track focused take on the 2010 Camaro SS. Using lots of carbon fiber pieces to trim the weight way down and adding goodies like new aluminun cylinder heads, a new camshaft and a new dry sump oil system to bump the horsepower up to 524 makes this Camaro show and go.

Honda CR-Z Hybrid R



There were lots of Honda CR-Zs at this year's show from the mild Mugen accessorized car to the wild 533HP Bisimoto monster, but probably my favorite was the one Honda themselves brought - the CR-Z Hybrid R. Honda plans to race modified CR-Zs at the 24 Hours of Thunderhill and this is their interpretation of what a street car based on those racers would be like. With the addition of a turbo system and an upgraded hybrid system, output has risen to 200HP/175TQ. Of course the car has the right stance thanks to new adjustable coilover suspension and sweet wheels.

Corvette Jake Edition



Jake is the name of the skull logo that first showed up on the Corvette Racing Team cars back in 2005 and it has since become a very popular icon. Chevy designed this special Grand Sport to showcase some upcoming Jake themed accessories like the hood logo graphic, wheel center caps, fender logos, floor mats and center console lid. All of these are planned for future release.

GM LSA E-Rod Superformance Grand Sport Coupe



GM's E-Rod family of crate engines tout big power and lower emissions for older Hot Rods and what better place to show off one of the newest E-Rod engines, the supercharged LSA, than the beautiful Superformance Grand Sport Coupe. Weighing only 2500lbs and sporting 556HP/551TQ mated to a Tremec 6 speed manual, this car should be silly fast.

Toyota Camry NASCAR Edition



A rear wheel drive, V8 powered, manual tranny shifted Camry Coupe! No you're not hallucinating. Arguably the most boring car company in the world, Toyota, unleashed this freak of nature at this year's SEMA show. Built by RK Customs and powered by a 680HP 358 cubic inch Toyota NASCAR V8 it certainly isn't boring. Sadly it's a one off show car.

Dodge Challenger SRT8 392



Dodge announced that they will be building this limited edition Challenger next year and limited is the key word with only 1,492 of them scheduled to be built. Power for this beast comes from a new 6.4L (392cid) Hemi V8 with 470HP/470TQ. They won't last long.

Mazda Miata Super 20



I'm a big Miata fan and I'm a bit disappointed that the U.S. didn't receive a 20th anniversary edition like most of the rest of the world. Now I'm even more sad because this special 20th anniversary tribute that Mazda brought out is just a concept, but what a concept. Take a standard MX-5 Miata and ditch the soft top in favor of a bolted on hard top, install some race seats and competition approved roll bar, add a custom built supercharged motor from Cosworth, beef up the suspension with some Mazdaspeed coilovers and Racing beat sways, upgrade the brakes and top it off with sticky rubber on 16" Enkei wheels and you've got a winner. The paint, graphics, and muscular wheel flares are just yummy gravy.

Best Of The Rest - The Best Of The 2010 Paris Motor Show Part 2

Aside from all the Lotus concept cars I covered in Part 1, there were also many other concepts and production cars from many other manufacturers at this year's Paris Motor Show.  Here are some of my favorites.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento


Lamborghini teased everyone with little photos of bits and pieces of this all carbon fiber and reinforced plastic concept leading many to believe they were going to introduce the successor to the Murcielago. Instead, what we have here is a lightweight design study showcasing the latest technologies in car manufacturing. Looking like a cross between the Reventon and a Gallardo and weighing only 2,200lbs with a 570HP V10, it reportedly can hit 60mph in just 2.5 seconds and a top speed of around 190mph.

Audi Quattro Concept


Created to celebrate 30 years of Audi's Quattro AWD system, this homage to the original Quattro cars sports a 408HP turbo 5cyl and a traditional 6 speed gearbox. It's got a power to weight ratio that is almost the same as the V10 Audi R8.  Cool.

Jaguar C-X75


Another anniversary car, this time celebrating 75 years of Jaguar.  The C-X75 features one electric motor at each wheel producing almost 200HP each.  For the mathematically challenged, that's around 800HP.  Also onboard are 2 micro gas turbines to recharge the battery packs. Top speed is said to be 205mph and the car has a projected range of over 500 miles. Sadly, there are no plans for a production version.

2012 Ford Focus ST


Ford confirmed a couple of weeks ago that the hot Focus ST will be coming to the US.  Paris was the first showing for the 247HP/266TQ 2.0L Ecoboost powered hatch.  A traditional 6 speed manual rounds out the good stuff.

Ferrari SA Aperta


This is more than just a Ferrari 599 with the top chopped off.  It's a limited edition honoring the 80th anniversary of Pininfarina, hence the S and A for Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina.  Only 80 will be built and they will feature the screaming 6.0L V12 from the 599 GTO.

Lotus Invades Paris - The Best Of The 2010 Paris Motor Show Part 1

The 2010 Paris Motor Show starts tomorrow and it looks to be a pretty good one.  All the auto journalists have been given access to the show and the cars ahead of the regular public and I've been checking out the coverage from the usual sites.  I thought I'd share some of my personal favorites from what I've seen.

Lotus made the biggest splash so far by bringing a total of 5 concepts to the show.  If you remember, they recently announced a complete change in philosophy, moving away from lighter is better in order to move the brand upmarket and compete with the likes of Porsche, Ferrari and Aston.


Lotus Elite

The Lotus Elite is a four passenger GT with a retractable hardtop. In very un-Lotus like fashion this big girl weighs in at 3,600lbs however it is motivated by a modified Lexus IS-F V8 mounted in the front/mid position and producing over 600HP. That's good enough for 0-60 in under 4 seconds and a top speed of around 195mph. Lotus is looking at 2014 for production and a price tag of about $180,000.


Lotus Elan

Next is the Lotus Elan which appears to be a Porsche 911 fighter. Slated for production in 2013, it will come standard with 2 seats but you can add the option of two very small rear seats like the 911 has. Power comes from a mid mounted 4.0L supercharged V6 producing 450HP and it gets to the ground via a 7 speed dual clutch transmission, both from Toyota. That is enough to move the 2,849lb Elan from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds on it's way to a top speed of 193mph. The price target for the Elan is $118,500.


Lotus Eterne

The Eterne is Lotus' attempt at a competitor to the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide. It's a four door sedan powered by 5.0L Toyota V8 with around 620HP. There is also the option of a hybrid F1 style KERS system. Standard configuration will be rear wheel drive but there is the option of all wheel drive as well. 0-60 should take about 4 seconds and the top speed looks to be about 196mph. Lotus says that you'll have to wait until 2015 to see this car in production and it will cost you about $190,000


Lotus Elise

Ever wonder what all this moving upmarket would mean for the tiny but thrilling Lotus Elise? The answer was shown in Paris. The Lotus Elise Concept shown in Paris has grown in every dimension including it's weight. Weighing in at 2,409lbs, it's about 400lbs heavier than the current Elise. To make up for the weight increase, Lotus has fitted it with a turbocharged Toyota 2.0L 4cyl producing around 320HP and a 0-60 time of about 4.3 seconds.. Transmission choices are a standard 6 speed (thankfully) and a paddle shift automatic. The price has also grown. Lotus expects the car to start selling in 2015 for about $55,000.


Lotus Esprit

Finally, Lotus brought out the Esprit Concept. Rumors have been flying for years about Lotus returning to the supercar ranks with a new Elise and here it is. Powered by a mid mounted 5.0L Toyota V8 producing 620HP, it should be good for 0-60 runs in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 205mph. As on the Eterne, there may be a KERS type hybrid system to be used to boost performance at the touch of a button.  Lotus is aiming for 2013 as a production target for the Esprit and a price tag of $175,000.

That's it for now.  In the next part I'll touch on the rest of the cool stuff from Paris 2010.

Cool Photos Of 50 Years Of Japanese Concept Cars

Found a post on the blog Pink Tentacle showing some of the coolest concept cars from Japanese manufacturers from the last 50 years.  Some really interesting stuff in there.

Check it out - http://pinktentacle.com/2010/09/photos-50-years-of-japanese-concept-cars/

Car and Driver Supercar Battle Royal

I've said it before and I'll say it again, auto journalists have the greatest job in the world.  Another example is Car and Driver's latest mega supercar showdown.  They pitted the 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage, 2010 Audi R8 V10, 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia, 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG,  and 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S against one another on the track and the street to pick the best.  The winner was a bit of a surprise.

Check out the article here - 2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage vs. 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10, 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia, 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S

Motor Trend Test - 2011 Corvette ZR1 vs 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo

I just finished up reading Motor Trend's latest comparo test between the 2011 Corvette ZR1 and the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo.  Their results were interesting to say the least.  As they point out, the Corvette has traditionally been the faster of the two in a straight line and the Porsche has always been better on the track in past comparisons.  That apparently has changed as the Porsche is now the faster car 0-60 clocking in at 3.0 seconds and in the 1/4 mile at 11.2 seconds with the traditional 6speed manual.  The Vette will do 3.5 seconds to 60 and 11.5 in the 1/4 so neither is slow.

On the track, the tables are turned as the Corvette, in the hands of racer Justin Bell, ripped off a best lap time of 1:29.69 at Willow Springs while he only managed to get the Porsche around the track in 1:33.31.  That's over 3.5 seconds behind the ZR1.  Times have changed.

In the end, they pick the Corvette ZR1 as the winner of the comparison due to it's performance and the excitement it brings.  They felt the Porsche was a little dull......as dull as a 500HP AWD Twin Turbo 0-60 in 3.0 seconds car can be.

Check out the whole article here - Motor Trend 2011 Corvette ZR1 vs 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo.

Bonus video - Motor Trend Comparo ZR1 vs 911 Turbo Drag Race