A few months ago we reported on a story in Jalopnik that purported to show what the 2014 Corvette C7 will look like when released (Read Here). According to the story someone had actually seen the new Vette and had drawn a rendition of the car based upon some photos that had been taken of the car but almost as soon as the story was released the official word from Chevrolet was that the information Jalopnik had was wrong and that the rendition was wrong too. Jalopnik stood by their rendition and dismissed the statements from Chevy and now it looks as if they may have been right all along.
Today we see some images posted on automobilemag that have a rendition of the Corvette C7 that they are offering and it looks almost identical to the original renditions that Jalopnik had offered many months ago. This would seem to almost confirm the design of the next generation of the Corvette. Along with this drawing we DO know that the C7 will have an 8 speed automatic transmission or a 7 speed manual transmission just like the new Porsche 911. No one is certain what engine will be used in the upcoming Corvette so there are still some unanswered questions but for the most part there is beginning to be a consensus on what the 2014 Corvette will look like.
While we are still a full year out from seeing the new Vette in real life we can now begin to put this puzzle together and are excited about the next generation of Corvette!
A few months ago Jalopnik claimed they had accurate drawings of the Corvette C7 set to be released as a 2014 model in fall of 2013. Claiming that you have accurate renditions of an American Icon a year before we will even see it in auto shows is a bold claim and one any Corvette fan wanted to confirm. Recently a test mule of the C7 Vette was spotted at the GM proving grounds doing some cold weather testing. In comparing the photos of the test mule and the renditions provided by jalopnik you have to come to the conclusion that the renditions are extremely similar to what the car will actually look like.
While GM denied that the renditions of the car were accurate it is suspected that this was something GM had to do after its flagship vehicle was leaked almost a year in advance. That said we can with almost 100% certainty say that the Corvette will NOT be going back in time with a split rear window and that the Corvette will NOT have a mid engine layout with the engine behind the driver seat.
Tell us your thoughts on the similarities of the test mule and the rendition.
For the last 50 years the name Shelby has been synonymous with top of the line high performance cars so to celebrate their 50th anniversary Shelby has announced at the Detroit Auto Show that they will be releasing 100 of their 2013 Shelby Super Snakes with a base 750 Horsepower and an option for 800 Horsepower.
For 2013 Shelby is pulling out all the stops and will be offering the Super Snake in 2 color options, Black or White. Both colors will come with gold stripes (gold for 50th anniversary) and will be limited to a run of 50 in each color. Additionally the Super snakes will have upgraded black leather interiors with gold stitching and the 50th anniversary logo throughout the car. Custom floor mats will also come with the cars. The Super snake will also have a body kit for the exterior.
Under the hood the Super Snake will have the 5.0 Liter V8 with a Whipple/Shelby Supercharger producing 750-800 HP which is more than enough to roast a set of tires and 99% of the cars on the road. Other additional parts include 6 piston Wilwood brakes, Borla exhaust and Shelby/ Ford race handling package with adjustable dampers.
If you are in the market for an 800 HP Street legal monster just remember there are only 100 of these amazing rides being built this year. Oh and one more thing, don't forget to bring a donor GT500 and your wallet filled with $60,000.
Hans Reiter is a race car builder who is well known for building amazing Lamborghini GT race cars with his company Reiter Engineering. For his next GT race car project Hans decided to use a very unlikely starting point by selecting the fifth generation Camaro as the basis for his newest project.
Hans has created a new company called Sareni United to begin the conversions of the Camaro 5 into a monster GT race car with 650 Horsepower and over 590 Pound-Feet of Torque. Not only will this GT Camaro have more torque and horsepower than a standard Camaro it will weight almost 1,000 pounds less than a stock Camaro. A stock Camaro weighs 3,860 pounds but Hans is able to take this GT Camaro down to 2,842 pounds.
With the experience of building blazing fast Lamborghini race cars Hans should be able to turn the Camaro into a competitive GT racer while keeping the price substantially lower than other GT race cars and really even cheaper than many race cars from other prominent race series. With a price of $253,000 for a turnkey GT race car the door to racing a GT series will open for many who in the past could not afford a GT Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche or other exotic GT race car.
According to recent reports the current 5th generation of the Chevrolet Camaro is slated to be retired in 2015 with the expected release of the 6th generation of the immensely popular Camaro to be released for the 2016 model year. So far not much is known about the next generation Camaro but it is expected to have a 6.2 Liter V8 with direct injection. Another rumor circulating is that the next generation Camaro may include the 7 speed manual expected in the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette or the dual clutch automatic transmission?
Artist Rendition of Camaro 6 (NOT OFFICIAL)
Due to upcoming fuel regulations it is also expected that the new Camaro will be smaller and lighter to decrease its fuel consumption. In the past GM has stated that the Camaro may be shortened by a foot in length although the actual wheelbase may stay unchanged. The reason for the changes in dimension and weight are due to the fact that despite having more power than a comparable Ford Mustang, the Camaro seems to perform slightly behind the Mustang due to the additional weight the Camaro carries. How the weight reduction will play out since Ford is also expected to attempt to drop the weight on the Mustang for the next generation is unknown.
Artist Rendition of Camaro 6 (NOT OFFICIAL)
With the current popularity of the 5th generation Camaro it makes you wonder if the design of the next generation Camaro will be evolutionary with similar traits to the current model (also like the original 1st gen) or if Chevrolet will take the 6th generation in a new direction and offer a more revolutionary design?
Here is a photo of the 2003 Chevrolet SS Concept car. The 6th Generation Camaro is expected to take many of the design features of this concept SS. While the concept is a 4 door car we can expect to see a 2 door Camaro in 2015!
Just announced TODAY, Dodge will resurrect the Dart model for 2013 to replace the Caliber. The 2013 Dart will be based off the Alfa Romeo Giulietta which was released in 2009. The new Dart is slated to replace the Dodge Caliber as the entry level sedan for Dodge. The Dart which was first released in 1960 as a full size sedan became a compact car in 1963 and had an amazing 16 year run until 1976 when it was finally phased out of production.
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger
The NEW Dart
This new Dodge Dart will be offered with three different engine options including a 1.4 Liter 16 Valve Turbo MultiAir, a TigerShark 16 Valve 2.0 Liter engine and a 2.4 Liter MultiAir engine. According to Dodge the “MultiAir technology delivers optimum combustion at any speed under all driving conditions by allowing direct and dynamic control of air intake and combustion. The result is up to a 15 percent increase in low engine rpm torque, a 7.5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and a 10 percent reduction in C02 emissions.” Dodge has also reported that there are three different transmissions available with the new Dart.
OFFICIAL 2013 Dodge Dart Image
OFFICIAL 2013 Dodge Dart Image
Built in America
While the new Dart is being built off of the ALFA Romeo platform the new Dart will be manufactured in the U.S.A at Dodge’s Assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois.
Ford has finally released the 2013 Cobra Jet at the Performance Racing Industry show in Orlando, Florida. This extremely powerful race car will only have 50 units built and will not be street legal, but for under 100K you can now purchase a race ready car with more power than many highly modified cars. The Cobra Jet which was originally launched in 1968 but was brought back in 2008 with the Mustang Cobra Jet which was updated in both 2010 and 2012. The 2013 Cobra Jet includes Electric Power Steering, an upgraded roll cage, lighter body and modified geometry. This new Cobra Jet will be offered in two packages with the base model being a naturally aspirated 5.0 and a price tag of $86,000 and a Supercharged version running $93,000.
Naturally this car was designed specifically for NHRA Stock and Super Stock racing and will most likely see a lot of track time going against the all new COPO Camaro and the MONSTER Mopar Challenger with the Viper V-10. With the release of all 3 of these cars we are looking forward to an exciting year of NHRA Stock and Super Stock racing.
According to a recent report from Viper Club of America this April we may just get the chance to see exactly what the 2013 Dodge Viper will look like. Just as recently as last week we were reporting that the 2013 Viper was beginning to take shape and was expected to show its face for the first time at one of the upcoming auto shows. What is surprising to some insiders it that it has been speculated that the Viper will not be in attendance for the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. Some believe that the New York Auto Show would provide for a larger and more worldwide platform for the new Viper in anticipation that the Viper will sell more units around the world then it has in the past. It is still being reported that the Viper will include a Traction Control Unit and an even larger 8.7L V-10 engine but as of now nothing is confirmed.
Will the new Viper have 700+ Horsepower as some people expect? I guess we will find out in a few short months!
Shelby Super Cars is an American Super Car manufacturer that was created by owner Jerod Shelby (no relation to Carroll Shelby) in 1998. SSC is based in West Richland, Washington which is located about an hour from Seattle. Jerod got his start as a replica car builder using a Pontiac Fiero chassis to create a Ferrari F355 and also created a replica Lamborghini Diablo using a space frame chassis. After starting his own super car company SSC has focused on cars that were designed for EXTREME performance, cars that would compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bugatti.
Shelby Super Cars Aero
The first car designed by SSC for production was the Aero, the prototype for the Aero was released in 2004 and the car utilized a space frame that Shelby had used in a Lamborghini replica he had made in the past. The Aero was powered by a Chevrolet Small block V8 with twin turbocharged engine from a Corvette CR5which was connected to a G-64 6-speed manual transmission. The Aero weighed a svelte 2800 lbs. When the car actually began production in 2006 with the the base model the engine was changed to a Supercharged Chevrolet V8 small block which produced a whopping 1,062 Horsepower at 6000 rpm with only 8 psi and 91 Octane. Since the first Aero was created the Aero has gone through several changes and currently the SSC website lists the Aero as having a SSC designed Billet Aluminum V8 now producing 1,287 Horsepower at just over 6,000 RPM and now once again using twin turbo chargers. The Ultimate Aero was a huge success for SSC as it brought them extensive media attention in 2007 as it was at one time the fastest car in the world with a top speed of 256.18 MPH which was verified by the ****ss book of world records and took over the Bugatti Veyron as the world’s fastest car. On July 4th 2010 the Bugatti regained its position as the world’s fastest car with a top speed of 267.86 but according to the wind tunnel testing done the car has a theoretical top speed of 273 mph with the appropriate gearing. The Aero is still available for purchase on the SSC website.
Shelby Super Cars Tuatara
Announced this past summer was the newest lineup to the Shelby Super Car series which was dubbed the Tuatara. The exterior of the Tuatara was designed by Italian-American Jason Castriota who is also credited with designing cars for Ferrari, Rolls Royce and chassis maker Pininfarina. According to the preliminary reports the Tuatara will be sporting a 7.0 Liter V8 Producing 1,350 HP with a 9,200 rpm redline. With a dry weight of just over 2700 lbs. the Tuatara is expected to have a theoretical top speed of 276 MPH which may not be that theoretical for long as SSC is anticipated to try to reclaim the title of the world’s fastest car with this new beast.
Will the Tuarata make Shelby Super Cars and America as the fastest production car in the world again? Only time will tell but we can probably expect them to try very soon!
Since it was first released in 1992 the Viper has been an American Icon of pure power. Although it produced an exceptional 400 Horsepower when it was first launched it has gone through several upgrades over the last two decades and now produces over 600 Horsepower even in its base edition. One thing that the guys at Dodge never really improved on much over the course of the last 20 years was the Vipers handling and it has always had a reputation as a car that commanded 100% focus while driving even by experienced drivers. For a novice driver the car was more than a handful even with its wide tires and its low profile so many high performance car buyers passed on a purchase of a Viper simply due to its handling characteristics.
The last Viper of the fourth generation rolled off the production line over a year ago and since then there has been constant speculation as to what changes would be made to the Viper for its fifth generation. As we approach 2012 Dodge has sent Reid Bigland (Head of the Dodge brand for Fiat) to the 2011 L.A. Auto Show to offer some insight into what we can expect from the new generation of the Viper.
Reid stated that the new Viper “will appeal to a broader segment of the market” which to our ears means they plan on completely altering the handling of the Viper to allow for a more forgiving at high speeds. Does that mean that Dodge will add traction control to the Viper? Reid followed with a comment saying "It was a little crude in the past, and to a certain extent that was its appeal because you really needed to have your wits about you when you got behind the wheel to keep that thing on the road. And that thrill of driving a Viper was kind of unlike any other," and this is the comment most people believe is a confirmation that the next generation Viper will have a more refined handling with the inclusion of traction control. To quell the concerns of the purists who are concerned how traction control could limit the performance of the Viper Reid stated "Those who were attracted to the Viper in the past will certainly be attracted to this new Viper. Guaranteed!" We believe that Dodge will add a Traction Control system that can be turned off for track days or racing.
What will the 2013 Viper look like? A Viper was recently spotted sporting a bra that covered almost the entire front of the car and it is suspected that this Viper was covering what is thought to be the new front end. Below are a few pics of the sighting.
Since the Chrysler 300 debuted at the 2003 New York Auto Show it has been an extremely popular American luxury sedan. Once sales began in early 2004 it sold very well and was awarded as the 2005 Motortrend Car of the Year award as well as Car and Driver best 10 for 2005-2006. With such a strong demand for sales and prestigious awards the 300 received Chrysler knew it would have to keep working on the 300 and offered various models from a base edition to a SRT-8 package with the first generation 300.
Since the second generation came out earlier this year it too has experienced great sales numbers and Chrysler also offered a 300 SRT-8 version at the 2011 New York Auto Show powered by a 6.4-liter 392 HEMI V8 engine, but, Is the SRT-8 package enough? Not Really. So Chrysler brought out the big sledgehammer and dropped a 426 HEMI into the new 300 and showed up at the L.A. Auto Show to see if it would sell. Not only did they drop the biggest Hemi available into the 300 they tuned the exhaust note to give it the sound that only an American Muscle car can produce.
Supposedly this Chrysler can throw down well over 500 Horsepower and 500 lb-ft of Torque which puts almost every other executive sedan to shame. The bottom line is that Chrysler did a good thing by producing the 300 SRT-8 but would be doing a GREAT thing by producing what Chrysler is calling the 426S.
According to some we won’t be here in 2012, as the world is supposed to end, but just in case we are all still here there will be an epic battle that as car fans will be worth any rapture we might have to endure. This week Ford confirmed that the 2012 Mustang GT500 will be released summer 2012 with a claimed 650HP, and in case you were wondering that is more Horse Power than the Camaro ZL1 (70) and the Corvette ZR1 (12). This announcement by Ford is setting the stage for a knock down drag out fight between American Muscle and American Muscle.
For the past few months the Camaro ZL1 has taken the center stage with its blistering fast track time at the Nurburgring, the rave reviews at SEMA and the general excitement generated by putting a Vette engine in a Camaro. With all the discussion focusing on the Camaro it seems as if Ford just went along working on its GT500 without a worry as they knew that once the specs on the GT were released the attention would turn to their supposed Camaro Killer. If anybody thought that Ford would just sit there while Chevrolet turned the Camaro into a supercar they were wrong. Not only did Ford match the specs on the Camaro ZL1, they destroyed some of the numbers like the aforementioned horsepower.
So what is the 2012 Mustang GT500 going to bring to the fight?
#1 Aluminum V-8 with 650 Horsepower
#2 200 MPH Top Speed
#3 600 lb-ft of Torque
#4 3850 lb Curb Weight, which also means it will avoid the gas tax and almost 300lb lighter than ZL1
#6 6 Speed Manual Transmission with special gearing and bearings
#7 Dual Disc Clutch
#8 Carbon Fiber Driveshaft
On top of the standard issue weapons listed above Ford will also offer two performance packages to make the Mustang even more potent.
The first package is called the Performance Package which includes the Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers with a push button for Sport or Comfort suspension adjustments. The Performance package also includes the Torsen Limited Slip Differential.
The second package offered by Ford is the Track Package which is really an upgrade for the Performance package and includes an external Engine oil cooler, a differential cooler and a transmission cooler.
While all of this sounds GREAT on paper we a chomping at the bit for Ford to release a Nurburgring track video showing the GT500 posting a similar or better track time than the Camaro ZL1 did a few months ago.
We are all familiar with the edict “there is no replacement for displacement” and while that is not always the case there is certainly a time and a place for a huge engine. Way back in 1967 a Chevrolet dealership in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania was trying to sell the new Camaro and found that there was some stiff competition against the Ford Mustang and several other models that were fitted with V8 engines that were larger than the Camaro’s 400ci/ 6.6L engine. During that time there was a Chevrolet corporate requirement that the Camaro could not carry an engine larger than 6.6L so the owner of Yenko Chevrolet, Don Yenko, decided he would find a way around this requirement by ordering 7.0L Corvette engines and replacing the stock motor with the Corvette motor at his dealership and with that the Yenko Camaro was born. Not only did Yenko change the motor but they also upgraded the rear differential, suspension and added a fiberglass hood.
After selling around 50 Yenko Camaro’s in 1967 Don decided to continue selling his Yanko Camaro and made only slight modifications to the 1968 model year. For 1969 Yenko had begun to catch the attention of Chevrolet who he negotiated with to have the engine installed at the factory as well as adding Disc Brakes, a 4.10 Positraction rear end, front stabilizer and a heavy duty aluminum radiator. Also offered was the choice of a 4 speed manual transmission or an automatic transmission, of which only 30 of the 200 Yenko’s sold in 1969 had the automatic transmission.
Fast forward 44 years to today where Chevrolet has released its 5th generation of the famed Camaro, a Camaro that was modeled after the body style of the original 1st generation car that was used for the Yenko. The 5th generation has been outselling almost every muscle car currently on the market but as it was in 1967 there is certainly room for MORE POWER so this time Chevrolet took the opportunity to do what they should have done in 1967 and for 2012 will be offering a Camaro ZL1 with the Corvette engine direct from the factory. Unfortunately for us Don Yenko died tragically in 1987 when an airplane he was piloting crashed in South Carolina but his legendary demand for more power lives on with a new generation of Camaro’s that now produce 580HP from the factory. So when you see a 2012 Camaro ZL1 driving down the road you can thank Yenko for his demand for MORE POWER.
Chrysler has decided to revive its Yellow series for 2012 with the addition of the 2012 Dodge Challenger Yellow Jacket and the 2012 Dodge Charger Super Bee. Both the Yellow Jacket and the Super Bee were models originally used in the late 60’s and early 70’s as special edition models. The original Super Bee was not a Charger but a Coronet and was originally marketed as a sibling to the Plymouth Road Runner. The Yellow Jacket can trace its history to the 1970 Dodge Challenger which like the Super Bee was marketed as a sibling of the Plymouth Barracuda.
Although the special editions will include a lot of changes to the exterior and interior of the car there will unfortunately be no changes to the drivetrain or any other performance upgrades. So basically you will get a stock challenger or charger with yellow paint and some extra stitching on the interior. Powering both of these cars will be the largest Hemi available which is the 6.4 Liter V8 with about 470HP and 470 lf-ft of torque. The Charger will have a standard 5 speed automatic transmission and the Challenger will offer either a five speed automatic transmission or a six speed manual transmission. Both cars will have a 0-60 Mph in less than 5 seconds and will have a top speed of just around 175 mph.
While we usually like special edition cars we are quite disappointed that there will be no mechanical upgrades to the cars.
Like many American muscle enthusiasts we have been following the rumor mill with regards to the new Corvette C7 that is due out in a little over a year and with the concept car that was seen in the Transformers movie series there have been a million and one ideas as to what GM will do with the next generation Vette. The rumors have run the spectrum from GM using a rear mid-engine layout to GM considering using a V6 (blasphemy). According to GMinsidenews.com several design changes for the Corvette c7 have been confirmed so we are able to dispense with some of the rumors.
Interior Redesign
For starters the C7 will get an upgraded interior to quell some of the criticism that many owners and potential owners claim is cheap quality. Many have said that European sports cars have far better interiors so GM is focused on “heavily revamped interior design” that is certain to make the c5/c6 interior a thing of the past.
Drivetrain
While not much has been confirmed about the exact drivetrain that will be used in the C7 we do know a few things for sure. The C7 will have the traditional front engine design, will use a Chevy 6.2 Liter V8 (no V6 engine) and will have the confirmed 7 speed transmission. The drivetrain is likely to include several upgrades like direct injection and clutch upgrades.
Exterior
For many Corvette fans the number one question is what will the next generation look like. This is where the rumor mill has been hard at work and it seems that GM is not interested in squashing the rumors by confirming many of the design changes but this is what we do know. Contrary to early reports the new C7 will NOT have a split rear window and while many nostalgic vette fans will likely be sad by that news I have to ask have you ever driven in a car with a split rear window? It’s not that cool, especially if you like to know what vehicles are behind you. As for the body much of the info we want is still under tight wraps so we are not really sure if the C7 will be an evolution of the C6 design or revolutionary and completely new. We have seen reports from the big wigs at GM like Bob Lutz who stated the C7 exterior has taken its styling cues from Ferrari which means to me it will be a European friendly design (possibly in hopes of selling more Corvettes around the world) and in a recent Popular Mechanics C7 designers stated that “it’s not an old guys car anymore”.
Future of the C7
While there are still many months before the C7 is introduced we are happy to hear whatever GM is willing to confirm and look forward to an all new Corvette for the next generation.
Several renderings of what the C7 could look like.
The 2012 Boss 302 is already the best performing Mustang Ford has ever released and now it gets better. Many of you have already heard of the new Trackey feature as it was announced a year or so back but for those of you who don't know what it is the Trackey is a special upgrade that the Ford dealer can install for $302 and will allow the Boss to take advantage of different computer mapping to allow control over 600 engine control parameters to make the car track ready.
What is track ready?
With a Trackey a key with a red Boss 302 logo the car will have more low end torque, more engine braking, increased throttle control and an incredible launch control system that will have your boss destroying the track. (or 95% of the cars on the street)
The downside :(
According to recent news from Ford the new Trackey will have one HUGE drawback for those who have this option installed in their new Boss, (for $302 who wouldn't "Your Warranty just dropped a ton". The Boss 302 will come with the standard five-year, 60,000-mile warranty BUT if you have the Trackey installed the warranty DROPS to a three-year, 36,000-mile powertrain warranty. What's worse is that if you have the Trackey installed in your Boss and you make any modifications to your engine YOUR WARRANTY IS VOID. Now that stinks. While Ford is lowering the warranty with the Trackey installed it is not expecting any reliability issues with the Trackey.
Truthfully my opinion is that I'd take the shorter warranty for the chance at a track ready car and after 3 Years or 36,000 miles I'd open the hood and take it to the next level anyway!
So what are your thoughts on the Trackey Warranty reduction and the BOSS 302
Here are the just released Dealer Reference Guide for the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. These were released to Camaro5.com but we wanted to share this info with you guys.
OFFICIAL SPECS:
Wheelbase - 112.3
Length - 190.4
Height - 54.2
Front Track - 63.7
Rear Track - 63.7
Weight - 4120 pound
Weight distribution: 51/49
Compression ratio 9.1:1
HP 580 (427) @ 6000 SAE certified
Torque 556 (754) @ 4200 SAE certified
Exhaust - Cast stainless steel (exhaust manifolds), stainless steel with active valves and quad 3.5" bright tips
COLORS:
Black
Ashen Gray
Imperial Blue Metallic
Inferno Orange Metallic
Rally Yellow
Silver Ice Metallic
Summit White
Victory Red
Crystal Red Tintcoat
WHEEL OPTIONS:
ZL1 offers two 20-inch wheel options, both tested and engineered to the highest standards.
The first wheel option is a 10-spoke design
Standard 10-spoke wheel is black with a low-gloss clear coat, forged alum and has the CAMARO logo.
The other wheel option is a 5-spoke design:
Forged Aluminum 5-spoke 20-inch wheels (20" x 10" front / 20" x 11" rear)
Polished face with a high-gloss clearcoat.
These wheels are 11 lbs lighter than the current 2SS model wheels.
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR/TRANSMISSION:
Exterior:
Forged aluminum wheels (as listed above)
Exposed weave Carbon Fiber hood insert (option). ** Standard insert is painted black
Power Sunroof (option)
Stripe package (option)
Transmission:
Six speed manual is standard
Six-speed automatic with TAPshift steering wheel controls is optional.
Interior:
Leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob - standard
Sueded microfiber interior package
OTHER DETAILS:
Four-pack auxiliary guages (with boost readout)
Also- Standard...
Alloy pedal covers
6-way power driver and passenger seats
Heated leather high-performance seats with microfiber suede inserts
The origins of the Coupe Utility trace their roots back to the 1930’s when an Australian farm wife asked Ford Australia’s lead designer Lew Bandt for a vehicle that would take her to church on Sunday and then take the pigs to the market on Monday. Shortly after receiving her letter Bandt created what we now know as the Coupe Utility. Although the coupe utility was created in Australia in the 1930’s we in the states didn’t get on board until 1957 when Ford released the Ranchero. From 1957 to 1987 Americans saw a lot of choices for a Coupe Utility with the Ford Ranchero, Chevrolet El Camino, Plymouth Scamp, VW Rabbit and the Subaru Brat but today’s options for a coupe utility in the U.S.A. are gone with the Subaru Baja being discontinued in 2006.
The Death
While in America it may seem the coupe utility is dead around the globe there are many companies that still produce and sell a lot of them. Without a doubt the most popular and bestselling coupe utility is the Holden Ute. The Ute is short for sport utility and Australia they sell a lot of Utes. For those of you that don’t know Holden is a subsidiary of General Motors and since 2000 they have continued the storied tradition of the coupe utility. The Ute is so popular that Holden began exporting them to South Africa. And we Americans came VERY close to having another coupe utility back in 2009 when Pontiac announced that they would begin offering the Pontiac G8 ST (Sport Truck) but as we all know Pontiac was killed off due to the financial crisis and subsequent restructuring of GM.
The Rebirth?
Since the demise of the Pontiac brand the chances of a coupe utility in the USA have diminished greatly with only used cars available for those who want a coupe utility. BUT recently there was a small glimmer of hope when a few chats on twitter between a Michael Knower and Joel Ewanick caught the attention of America’s Ute fans when Michael tweeted to Joel (who happens to be the Chief Marketing Officer of GM) “I want a new El Camino. Badly. Please!” to which Joel replied “well, we need you and 100,000 more of your best friends.” This set off a chain of events that had fans of car/trucks around the U.S. tweeting and posting comments in a vain effort to sway GM to actually build a coupe utility. A day later Ewanick tweeted that he “Wish it were that easy, we need to develop our fuel efficient vehicles first! Priorities!” so as quickly as it started the chances of a new El Camino were dashed away.
Will we get another coupe utility? Only time will tell, but there are certainly alot of Americans who will wait patiently until there chance to own a new one comes again.
Would you buy a NEW El Camino? Would you buy a Holden Ute?
The 2012 Camaro ZL1 prototype that recently put all Supercars on alert after posting a blazing fast 7:41 time at Nurburgring stopped by Jay Leno’s Garage for a bit this week.
President of GM North America Mark Reuss brought the car by to let Jay have a test drive as well as get a closer look at the engine and interior of the new ZL1. One thing that Mark points out about the new Camaro to contrast it with some of the other cars that have done better on the Nurburgring track is that the new Camaro is (obviously) a 2+2 which is significant as only the Nissan GT-R has a faster posted lap time while still able to carry 3 passengers.
The video on Jay Leno's website starts out with a few of the guys from GM’S Chassis division working on the traction control systems for the ZL1 at a drag strip. The new Camaro will include a push button traction control system to limit wheel spin.
Check out the Video from Jay Lenos Garage and the pics of the Prototype ZL1
It goes without saying that having a lot of money can buy you virtually whatever you want, so when Alan Wilzig began planning his home in Taghkanic, New York, being the car and motorcycle fanatic/ racer that he is, he decided that no rich racer should live in a home without a race track on site. When we say race track we don’t mean some small little course but a serious 1 mile race course that was designed with the help of legendary motorcycle racer Keith Code. This track is extremely impressive and if you love the idea of owning your own race track then check out the interview that Jalopnik did with Alan….Read More
What are your thoughts on this amazing track? Leave a comment below!
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