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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. 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 by LingenfelterSince the Camaro ZL1’s official debut, Hennessey has been the only tuner to offer a real upgrade package for the muscle car. But now Lingenfelter is offering another cool package for the ZL1 with three different update levels: 630, 650, and 700 HP. Prices for the upgrade go up to $11,245. Depending on the engine upgrades, the kit includes a GT9 ZR1 supercharger camshaft and Lingenfelter CNC porting & polishing of ZL1 LSA cylinder heads for optimal flow, Lingenfelter LS9 solid supercharger isolator coupling, Lingenfelter air intake duct, and all of the necessary gaskets, fluids, and bolts. The 650 HP version just established an impressive result: it ran the quarter mile in just 11.03 seconds at 130mph. The model was equipped with a remapped ECU, an LPE custom cold air intake, a 160-degree thermostat, and a new set of wheels, size 17" up front and 18" at the rear. All of the packages will benefit from a chassis dyno testing before and after installation, and professional assembly and engine installation.
2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 by Redline Motorsports 
The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is considered the most powerful Camaro in the world, one that comes packed with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine that produces 580 horsepower. On its own, the Camaro ZL1 is already a pretty impressive piece of muscle. But whereas some may be perfectly happy with its stock configuration, others still seek something more powerful. That’s where Redline Motorsports comes into the picture. The Florida-based tuning company took a Camaro ZL1, added a high-capacity cold air intake, Redline Motorsports’ proprietary camshaft, upper and lower pulleys, headers, improved heat exchanger, performance torque converter, and Mickey Thompson drag radials. All these modifications not only gives the Camaro ZL1 a hell of a lot more bite, but also an increased output of 750 horsepower and 700 lb/ft of torque. These numbers are good enough to allow the Camaro ZL1 a record quarter-mile time of just 10.34 seconds with a top speed of 134.79 mph. Hit the jump to see the Chevrolet Camaro by Redline Motorsports in action! Full story Chevrolet Camaros on 32s take over-the-top to a new level
There comes a point where customization of cars reaches and then exceeds the level of what actually looks appealing and what helps or hinders a car’s performance. West Coast Customs back in the ‘Pimp My Ride’ days were masters of excessive styling, but the creations they once produced pale in comparison to what you see here. Fitting larger tires and wheels to muscle cars and sports cars has always been a popular and relatively cheap way of improving a car’s visual appeal, and even though every individual’s tastes differ in terms of car styling, we believe the following Chevrolet Camaros are the strangest on the road today. Fitting 22 inch wheels to a Camaro is pretty much the largest you’ll ever see on the road, but some true madmen in the U.S. recently fitted a set of 32 inch wheels to both a Camaro coupe and convertible, and we have to say, we’ve never seen anything so odd. Thirty-two inch tires may be right at home for a few Jeeps and Toyota Land Cruisers out there, but they usually run 20 inch wheels. The tires on the Camaros in these videos are extremely low profile, so it basically looks like the cars are driving solely on their wheels. Add in the fact that the spinners of the coupe play tricks with your head, moving forward while reversing and remaining still while driving forward, and you have two of the most tricked out cars going around. It’s obvious what we think about them, but what do you think? Second video after the jump. Full story
Steve Saleen Returns to the Company he Founded
Many years ago, okay maybe less than two years ago, if you were cruising down the road in your hopped up Mustang GT and came across a Mustang bearing the “Saleen” name on the side, you knew your poor GT had no chance. In 2007, this all started to change, as Steve Saleen left the company. Then in 2011, the performance vehicle side of Saleen shut down altogether. This rendered the once feared custom car builder just a high-performance parts supplier. Shortly after leaving Saleen, Steve Saleen started SMS Supercars, basically a new version of Saleen. A long legal battle ensued after Saleen’s new ownership group refused to honor warranties for the performance vehicles it manufactured prior to taking ownership and SMS Supercars stepped in to try to help. The legal battle circled around whether or not SMS Supercars had the right to use the “Saleen” name. After what seems like ages, there is finally a decision. Steve Saleen has been awarded the rights to use the “Saleen” name on all of his vehicles. In addition, all previously manufactured SMS Supercar vehicles will be added to Saleen’s master registry, making them official Saleen vehicles. Plus, Saleen will start producing badges for all of the old SMS Supercar vehicles, which SMS Supercar owners can buy and put in place of the old “SMS” badges. SMS Supercars essential now becomes one with Saleen, which means Saleen will begin producing super high-performance models of the Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, and Chevy Camaro. Saleen lovers of the world rejoice! The days of Saleen being little more than AutoZone on steroids are over. We cannot wait to see the first Saleen branded cars, which should be coming very soon, though there is no official release date. Hit the jump for the official press release Full story Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is back in action after short delays in production Problem solved! Just one week after the production of the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was put on hold, Chevrolet has announced that the hold has been lifted and the problem has been solved. Initially, the Camaro ZL1 had to be recalled due to some potential issues that were not provided to the public. The company stopped the production and deliveries of the muscle car and even asked the one person who had taken delivery of their ride to bring it back. Chevy’s thought on the matter was that it was better to prevent than to heal, so they decided that all of the vehicle should go back to the production plant to have the problem solved. They were even able to do it under their timeline of a few weeks by only taking one week to resolve the issue. Way to go, Chevrolet! MotorAuthority says they received an email from Chevrolet that stated that the customers had been informed that "their cars will arrive at dealerships within two to three weeks. For customers whose cars are still being built, production has resumed and estimated delivery times are being developed." The other customers who had already placed their orders but whose cars had not been sent to production yet will have to wait another two weeks before Chevrolet determines the remaining ZL1 models’ allocation and timing. Video: World’s Fastest Camaro Hits 253.1mph at Texas MileThe 2012 Texas Mile run was an enormous success this year, which is evident in the number of records that were broken. We’ve already reported on the Hennessey Twin-Turbo Ford GT that now holds the new world record at the Texas Mile for standing mile, but it’s the Camaro’s turn to take its spot on the podium. A fourth generation Camaro has become the fastest standing mile Camaro in the world with an impressive top speed of 253.1 mph. It doesn’t beat out the Ford for fastest standing mile, but at least it broke the record for its own model. This was obviously not a stock Camaro. It was built by Late Model Racecraft, owned by Kelly Bise, and driven to success by driver Josh Ledford. The car is powered by a twin-turbocharged engine that will deliver an amazing 1,809 horsepower. The video shown here includes the impressive run, a series of in-car run images, and some burnouts. Enjoy the video and let us know what you think about the 2012 Texas Mile! New details on the Camaro ZL1 production delay A couple of weeks ago, there was announcement made that the production and shipping of the new Camaro ZL1 was put on hold for unspecified reasons. Now, we have a few more details on this delay, and we can ensure you they are not good at all. Autoblog tried talking to Chevrolet spokesman Monte Doran in order to obtain more details on the production delays and Doran was less than useful on what the "real" issue is, but he did confirm that GM will solve it in a matter of weeks, not months as originally thought. He said that "a couple of hundred" 2012 ZL1 models were produced and only one had been delivered to the customer. However all models are now back at Chevrolet’s Oshawa, Ontario plant awaiting the fix. This means that the for the 2012 model year, GM will only deliver the models already built and that all the others will be offered as a 2013 model. The company’s main focus at this point is to "get the car right" so that customers are satisfied with the end product. 1968 Chevrolet Camaro by Bo Zolland
The 2012 SEMA Auto Show is still months away, but we already have the first details on the models set to be displayed at the show. Bo Zolland is famous for his tuning kits for models like the Porsche Carrera S, but for SEMA, Bo Zolland has prepared a very cool tuning kit based on a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. The first details offered by Bo Zolland suggest that he will try to keep the original Camaro’s look, but it will still feature extensive body modifications. Most of the work will be done under the hood and in the vehicle’s mechanical parts. The new Camaro will be powered by a supercharged LS3 V8 engine and will feature a series of other parts borrowed from the 2010 Chevrolet Corvette. These parts will include a braking system and suspension bits, among other things. The first teaser images of the Chevrolet Camaro by Bo Zolland show the car in various colors. Check them out and let us know which color you think should be used for the show car. Also, make sure you stay tuned as more details are sure to follow in the coming months. Next-generation Chevrolet Camaro will get smaller engines; design will remain unchanged We already know that Chevrolet has started the working on the next generation Camaro, but today, Al Oppenheiser, Camaro’s Chief Engineer, is offering up new details on the car that is due in the fall of 2015. According to him, the new Camaro will get a choice of smaller engines and will most likely be lighter compared to the current generation, but the company will try to keep its design untouched. "We always get hammered for mass, and that’s not going to be getting easier going forward. Displacement, number of cylinders, all of these things you need to think about." The timing for this new Camaro shouldn’t be at all surprising considering Ford is already preparing a facelift Mustang for 2015 with an exterior update and either a turbocharged V6 or even a turbo 4-cylinder. Chevrolet’s target will be to stay as successful as they currently are: "We always have to stay fresh and ahead. [But] we do not want to lose the fact that we have nearly 40 percent of the market." Muscle Car Showdown: Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 tussles with Ford Mustang Boss 302Nothing tickles our fancy more than watching two of the most iconic American muscle cars - the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Camaro - go toe-to-toe. But, and this is a big ’but’, this one isn’t one of them. You see, while they do possess the Camaro and Mustang plates, the former is actually the almighty ZL1 whereas the latter is the Boss 302 Laguna Seca. Sure, the 302 packs quite a punch, thanks to its 444-horsepower output. But it’s still no match for the top-end 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1. This episode of Motor Trend’s "Head 2 Head" dives into the comparison between the American machines with pro race driver Randy Pobst taking both cars for hot laps around the Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, AZ to find out which of these modern muscle cars will have supreme bragging rights over the other. Something tells us that we already know what Pobst will say in the video, but regardless, it still makes for a compelling watch, especially if you’re actually in the market for a muscle car. Now let’s see them put the Camaro ZL1 against the Mustang Shelby 500GT. Now that’s a showdown we’d love to see. | Chevrolet Camaro tuning:Find us on Facebook | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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