2012 Camaro ZL1 Drag Time is 11.93 stock in the 1/4 Mile
The all new 2012 Camaro ZL1 runs an 11.93 in the 1/4 mile bone stock. While this is pretty impressive, I believe that with a 116mph trap, for a car with 580 hp and 556 ft lbs from a supercharged 6.2 is a bit low. This was achieved with a stock 6 speed automatic and factory Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 tires. The 6 speed was pretty close, with a 11.96, but a slightly higher 117mph.
The weight of this car holds it back. Compare these numbers with the 505 horsepower Z06, and you will see the Z06 has run quicker and faster times. Check out the video here:
Don't get me wrong. I love this car, and would love to have one. But GM can produce even better numbers with a lower weight chassis. Then again, this car isn't designed for just drag racing. The suspension and chassis on this car is very capable and supports the power nicely. In fact, the chassis is so good, it resists twist from the incredible torque even when pushing power past 750whp. The car is designed to be an all around winner, with awesome brakes as well. Bone stock the car is very capable around a track and would do even better with a good set of race tires.
It's hard to think of a Camaro and not think of a straight line Mustang killer, but now the Camaro is more. Forget the Mustang Boss... is the Camaro ZL1 now America's M3?
1968 Camaro with Supercharged LSA CTS-V Engine
If you like old school cars, but love modern technology, what do you do? If you're like this guy from SoCal, you combine the two. Bob Hall bought a 1968 Chevy Camaro SS Convertible and decided the stock power plant wasn't for him. In his quest to build a Pro Touring Camaro, he found a 2009 Cadillac CTS-V with a Supercharged LSA motor, and thought "why not" and swapped that engine into his 68. Awesome!
His desire to have a Pro Touring Camaro wasn't always his dream. He bought the car to restore it initially, and after getting bit by the mod bug after visiting a bunch of car shows, he was hooked. 648 wheel horsepower and 650 torque later, this thing rips! The engine only has light mods to produce it's 648 wheel horsepower (800 at the crank!), and is as streetable and driveable as your stock Civic.
Check out a video produce by Drive:
This style Camaro has always been one that people admire and can't wait to get their hands on to modify. You'd think you've seen it all with these, but then there's Bob Hall who does things a little differently, and everyone remembers why this platform is so flexible and attractive to enthusiasts.
Minus the roll cage, racing seats, and the beautiful exhaust note, the car looks relatively tame. You'll notice the small Cadillac V badge on the hood which gives away what's lurking. A well placed carbon fiber rear trunk spoiler fits in nicely. Understated, classy and hauls ass. The car has no squeaks or rattles and drives incredibly smooth.
What more can you ask for?
Camaro ZL1 Nurburgring Lap Time: 7:41:27 Video
The Camaro ZL1 is proving to be a beast. 40 seconds quicker around the Nurburgring than a Camaro SS, but not quite fast enough to beat the world record currently held by a Dodge Viper.
The new Camaro ZL1 features many impressive upgrades such as 580 horsepower and a street legal factory supercharger. The car was driven on the Nurburgring by an engineer on the Camaro Performance team, who's name is Aaron Link, so a professional race car driver could probably knock off a few seconds here. Not many other cars considered to be in the 2+2 market can break the 8 second Nurburgring barrier, but the Camaro ZL1 made it happen in street trim.
The video above shows the full lap, and it's pretty exciting to watch, especially since the Camaro ZL1 is a production car who's price is within many people's reach.
$250,000 for the first Camaro ZL1 at Barrett-Jackson Auction
Here we have the 2012 Camaro ZL1, which is powered by a 6.2L Supercharged V8 that makes a jaw dropping 580 horsepower and 556 ft lbs of torque. Hold on to your seats!
The very first Camaro ZL1 to roll off the assembly line was auctioned off at the famous Barrett-Jackson Auction, and it quickly went for a cool quarter of a million dollars. The auction, which was held in Las Vegas, had the ZL1 on display to much anticipation of the audience.
The 2012 Camaro ZL1 is the most powerful factory Camaro ever offered. This Camaro will be available early 2012, and is anticipated to go for around $50,000 - which is an incredible bargain.
The lucky owner of the 2012 Camaro ZL1, was Rick Hendricks, from Hendricks Motorsports, who owns Hendricks Automotive, which is one of the largest automotive dealers in the country. Even though he won the auction, he has to pay now, but still won't take ownership of the ZL1 until early 2012. Bummer Rick!
The engine comes from the 6.2L Supercharged V8 found in the Cadillac CTS-V, but makes about 24 more horsepower due to improvements made to the supercharger, intercooler and intake. This car will be offered with the tried and true 6 speed manual or 6 speed automatic.
The 2012 Camaro ZL1 sets the standard for pony car wars. Your move Ford and Chrysler.
10 Best Car Interiors of 2011 by Ward’s Auto
Every year, Ward's AutoWorld magazine picks the 10 best car interiors. Their picks for 2011 gave us a bit of a surprise as there are 4 interiors from American manufactures which typically is reserved for imports. The American car companies have really stepped up their game. One unsurprising choice is the Chevy Cruze, but it's hard to imagine it was picked as one of the best interiors when there is a safety recall for their steering wheel falling off.
After looking over 51 interiors, the editors of Wards chose these ten as the best interiors of 2011:
Audi A8
BMW X3 xDrive35i
Chevrolet Cruze 2LT RS
Dodge Charger Rallye Plus
Ford Focus Titanium
Honda Odyssey Elite
Hyundai Elantra Limited
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
Kia Optima EX
Volvo S60
These were chosen based on many things, but the main points were materials, ergonomics, safety, comfort, fit-and-finish, overall value, human-machine interaction, and aesthetics.
Here is a video of the Audi R8 interior review
I agree with the choices of the interiors and am amazed by the interior of the Kia Optima. They have really done a great job making this car appealing to the masses and one of the most appealing in it's segment, and even beyond.
VIDEO: Chevy Cruze Steering Wheel Falls Off
Check out the video of this 2011 Chevy Cruze which had the steering wheel fall off! Apparently a family consisting of a man, woman, a mother and 19 month old son were in the car on the freeway going 65mph when the steering wheel simply fell off.
The man was able to coast the car to a stop safely, and we were able to get a video for you:
GM is aware of this problem and is recalling 2,021 Chevy Cruze's noting that the steering wheel can come loose in the car.
It's absolutely crazy to think Chevrolet is trying to regain their trust with American households, and then suffer a big blow like a safety recall that involves the steering wheel falling off.
It seems like one step forward and two steps back for GM. If you have a Chevy Cruze, you can reach GM at 1-800-630-2438. You should be receiving correspondence by April 12th from GM.
Geiger Camaro SS with 564 Horsepower!
If 426 horsepower isn't enough for your Camaro SS, you can call up the guys at Geiger. Their Camaro SS HP 564 makes 564 horsepower with a supercharger and various other modifications to really bring the Camaro and it's 6.2L V8 to life. Besides the supercharger (and in addition, a nifty little Supercharger logo), he Geiger Camaro SS has tuned engine software and a Geiger stainless steel exhaust system. The car also makes more torque, about 488 which gives it a 0-62 run of 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 189.5 mph. Whew!
One way to notice that the Camaro at the light next to you ain't no ordinary SS, and is a Geiger SS, is by the in-you-face lime green. Besides the radical paint, the car also features a front lip spoiler, side skirts and rear bumper with air diffuser. They then add 22 inch black wheels to give the car it's menacing appearance.
To finish the stance, the car gets KW Suspension coilovers.
Want a Geiger Camaro SS? You'd need to shell out a cool $127,400.
2012 Camaro V6 gets 323 Horsepower
For 2012 the Chevy Camaro V6 gets more power and some revisions to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Camaro. The 3.6L V6 now gets 323 horsepower at 6,800 RPM and cuts about 20 lbs from engine weight. The power comes from a slightly revised engine that has a new cylinder head design, larger intake valves, new fuel pump and reworked fuel injectors.
The 2012 Camaro V6 gets some handling adjustments too with a front and rear shocks and new thicker sway bars. 20 inch rims are now becoming the norm and there is no exception here, the 2012 Camaro now has dubs.
The 45th anniversary Camaro gets a Jet Black interior with leather, white instrument panel and door trim inserts, red, white and blue stitching on the seats, steering wheel, shift knob, door armrests and console lid. The 45th Anniversary logo can be found on the seats, steering wheel and sill plates.
The Camaro keeps getting better, and we're excited to see what's in stock for the Camaro ZL1. We just wish Chevy can come up with a way to make the Camaro lighter. One of the major downfalls is all of the technology and power is having a tough time getting around the mass. Even inside the car, it just feels big. This big feeling, along with the big amount of weight, doesn't make the Camaro feel too toss-able. C'mon Chevy, get this Camaro on a diet, and release a 500 lb lighter Camaro for 2013!
2013 Chevy Malibu Interior Pictures
For the all new 2013 Chevy Malibu there is very slow information coming out about what the car will or will not have, and also what new technologies it will feature. One of the big points of debate is the new interior, and Chevy has leaked this one photo that gives you an idea of the smooth bluish green color of the interior and the big navigation screen.
The instrument cluster looks to have a Camaro-ish look to it, which isn't my personal favorite but I'll wait until better pictures are released to see the true details of it.
Sales of the 2013 Chevy Malibu are expected to start in early 2012, and will be a global sedan, part of Chevy's new vision.
2012 Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition
Happy birthday Chevrolet! For it's 100th Anniversary, Chevrolet is celebrating by releasing this 2012 Corvette as the Centennial Edition.
The Centennial package will be available on the standard Corvette C6, Corvette Z06 and Corvette ZR1.
The Centennial package is essentially for looks and offers no performance benefits. It follows a black and red color scheme, with accents on the leather wrapped interior - steering wheel, shifter and armrests. All Centennial Edition Corvette models will be equipped with GM’s Magnetic Selective Ride Control as standard.
The pricing will be released this summer, but if you can't wait, you can auction this car at Barrett-Jackson in West Palm Beach Florida on April 9th. The auction will have the 100th 2012 Corvette to roll off the assembly line with the VIN ending in "00100". This car will be a Z07 package.