The pony car wars are still in full force and the Chevrolet Camaro is on the forefront of every battle. The seasoned muscle car boasts a muscular exterior with sleek lines and a powerful engine mounted behind that familiar face.
The rear-wheel drive Chevrolet Camaro is powered by a 3.6L V6 engine delivering 304hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, but the better choice is found in the 6.2L V8 engine cranking out 400/426hp and 410/420lb-ft of torque. These engines are mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
The man may have been dead for 60-something years, but Adolf Hitler is still wreaking havoc these days, albeit in a different manner that what he used to do.
These days, Hitler has been reduced to a funny skit that involves him complaining about anything that wrinkles his mustache. The latest video involves his frustration regarding the better numbers the Ford Shelby GT500 has over the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
It’s not enough to incite another World War, but you could see the German dictator isn’t all too happy that Ford has one-upped Chevrolet in the race for muscle car supremacy.
The video is based on the 2004 film Downfall and it’s been on You Tube for a couple of years now, having been treated to accommodate a variety of hilarious scenarios where Hitler loses his lid over anything that irks him.
It’s a hilarious watch, especially when you see Hitler getting all too excited about the Camaro ZL1’s debut at the LA Auto Show only to see the GT500 do it one better. Seriously, the guys over at GM pretty much dragged the Camaro ZL1 through the dirt, picked it back up, stepped on it, and then dragged it again.
There’s some vulgarity in the subtitles so you best watch out for those. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the show.
Whatever you think of the Chevrolet Camaro, you know that at the deep recesses of its heart, it’s a muscle car that’s only waiting to be unleashed on a drag strip. After all, the COPO Camaro was one of the best stock cars back in the 60’s, a time when the Central Office Production Order (COPO) - Chevrolet’s vehicle special-order program - became famous for all the performance-minded Camaros that were made, mostly with intentions of turning them into Stock Eliminator racers.
Half a century later, the COPO Camaro is making a comeback as a concept vehicle designed to the specifications for NHRA Stock Eliminator drag racing competition. One of the unique things about this particular Camaro is that it was designed to accommodate a few engine options, including that of the 7.0-liter naturally-aspirated engine that was found in the original COPO Camaros from yesteryear.
In terms of design, the COPO Camaro Concept pretty much adhered to its set-up as a full-spec drag car. Gone are all the bells and whistles that usually come in a standard Camaro. In their place, Chevrolet added a full array of race equipment, including a full, chrome molly roll cage, a high-rise cowl-induction system, a set of 29" lightweight, COPO-specific racing wheels wrapped in 4.5x28x15 "inch front tires. Inside, the car receives a pair of racing bucket seats with no rear seat, a safety harness for the driver, a competition floor shifter, and Chevrolet Performance gauges by Auto Meter.
The muscle car’s overall handling and set-up were tweaked to give it even more capabilities on the track. A coil-over suspension with Strange Engineering adjustable struts can be found in the front while a custom suspension with Strange Engineering shocks, a Panhard bar. and a stabilizer bar complete the exterior set-up of the muscle car.
UPDATE 11/08/2011: The Camaro COPO Concept unveiled at the SEMA Show is proof that the Camaro can be customized in any way possible. Check out the live images we have added in the picture gallery and let us know if you agree.
UPDATE 12/16/2011: GM Performance Parts has unveiled a new video presenting the Camaro COPO during testing. Enjoy!
Chevrolet is the official vehicle of the 112th Army-Navy Game presented by USAA and they are taking that job very seriously with their new Camaro Military Tribute Edition.
The Military Tribute Camaro combines all the five armed forces (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard) with some of the military’s highest individual awards and current campaign medals. It was designed by award-winning artist Mickey Harris.
"We at Chevrolet want to do all we can to show our gratitude to the men and women serving in our armed forces, those who come home with life-changing injuries, like Cpl. Gaertner, and our fallen heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country," said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Global Marketing and Strategy.
The Chevrolet Camaro Military Tribute will officially be announced during "America’s Game," which begins at 2:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, December 10, 2011. The Military Tribute Camaro will then be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson at its January 17-22, 2012 event in Scottsdale, Ariz. All the proceeds will go to Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans.
UPDATE 01/23/11: The special edition Military Tribute Camaro has found an owner willing to pay a small fortune for it. The winning bidder - one from the Internet, no less - put in $175,000 for the chance to own the unique one-off Camaro at the recently-concluded Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Proceeds from the sale of this special Camaro will go to the Achilles Freedom Team, which helps wounded veterans of all services overcome their injuries through athletics.
You would think the Chevrolet Camaro SS already exudes the kind of classic retro-modern look that the American muscle car has come to be know for. But even if there are already plenty of styling hints that point to that conclusion, a company like Retro USA still has something in store for all of us.
The US-based tuning firm specializes in splashing some ’retro-ness’ to your Camaro - their name, after all, is Retro USA - and recently, they presented their work for the Chevy muscle car.
The aerodynamic modifications are absolutely noticeable, beginning with a new front and rear bumper configuration, courtesy of Chrome-Tech Bumpers. The body panel is mounted to an existing fascia with two pre-taped thermoformed inserts that lift the bumpers off the fascia for a more authentic look. In addition, the program also includes 68′-69′ styled hood vents that provide that nostalgic and aggressive look. Rocker moldings have also been mounted to the existing rocker panel while new quarter moldings - available in either chrome or painted - have been constructed using chrome-plated injection molded ABS with painted flat black accents.
You only need to take one look at at this program to come to the conclusion that it is just what the Chevrolet Camaro SS needs to become a full-fledged American classic muscle car.
SEMA is different from just about every other major auto show on the planet. Its purpose is to shift focus from the automakers to the aftermarket companies that have become popular because of their custom works on some of the world’s most popular vehicles. Sure, some brands will be at the 2011 SEMA Auto Show showing off their works too, but for the most part, they share equal billing with the tuning companies.
Many vehicles had their time to shine in the SEMA spotlight, but none more so than the plethora of Camaros and Mustangs - and even the Mopar-tuned Challenger. Every year, there’s a number of muscle cars that are given the royal treatment in terms of tuning, and this year has been no different. Maybe it’s the Americans’ obsession with good ol’ fashioned muscle, or maybe it’s the fact that all of the major muscle car makers are US born and bred. Either way, it was muscle car mania in Vegas, and we were there to take them all in.
Check out our list of SEMA muscle cars after the jump!
