The Volo Auto Museum will be hosting one of the most comprehensive Hollywood car auctions ever on June 8th. Based out of Illinois, the auction will feature plenty of Hollywood’s most famous rides including the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine and Herbie, from Lindsey Lohan’s 2005 feature film. And the coolest part of the auction? No reserves!

But of course no auction featuring Hollywood cars would be complete without some from the Fast and the Furious movies. Several vehicles will be auctioned off from the fourth installment, including the 1973 Camaro F-Bomb, an Infiniti G35, the Buick Vin Diesel drove in the opening scene and the 1970 Chevelle he beat Paul Walker in.

Other noteworthy vehicles include a Gotham City police car from The Dark Knight along with the infamous semi-truck and trailer. A jalopy from the movie Beverly Hillbillies is a nice classic, along with Switch Blade, the first vehicle ever built on Jesse James’ Monster Garage. Oddities include the Bull car from Death Race 2000 and a Jeep from Windtalkers. Last but not least is the truck Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett used in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

With no reserve set for any of these vehicles, we have to wonder how low some of them might go for.

GALLERY: Hollywood Auction Cars

[Source: TMZ]

Tintek, a tuning company from the Czech Republic, specializes in wrapping sports cars with unique finishes. And while matte finishes are all the rage right now, there’s no denying that certain enthusiasts prefer something more flashy…like chrome.

In order to showcase their newest product that features some proprietary technology, Tintek has released a video showing off a chrome-wrapped Chevy Camaro and Audi TT.

While we don’t really expect chrome and gold chrome wraps to take off here in America, it’s interesting to see the trends overseas for those looking for something on the opposite end of subtle. We have to admit, both the TT and Camaro look pretty nice decked out in full chrome; and if your goal is to be seen, this is probably a very good option for you.

[Source: GT Spirit]

Continue Reading…

Chevrolet is giving a huge salute to our military by expanding on its GM Military Discount while offering an exclusive “Honor” badge to those who purchase an eligible vehicle through the program in the month of May. Chevrolet will also donate $100 from each sale to Cell Phones for Soldiers. And to make it an even more enticing deal, Chevrolet will allow spouses and retirees of Active and Reserve members, U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard to take advantage of the discount. Ranging from $500 to $4,000 off, those eligible can take advantage of a nice discount towards most Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles.

In addition, GM will debut a limited edition Honor and Valor 2012 Camaro SS at the Indianapolis 500 on May 28th. Just 99 of the special Camaros will be made and can be ordered by visiting www.gmmilitarydiscount.com.

GALLERY: Honor and Valor Chevrolet Camaro SS

A special edition Chevrolet Camaro has been announced to celebrate the car’s 45th anniversary. Available as a 2012 model, the Camaro will sport a graphics package featuring a red stripe, unique badging and 20-inch wheels. In addition, aesthetic upgrades include lighting modifications with dark silver trim on the foglights and taillight bezels. Horsepower will also be increased to feature 323-hp, 11 more than last year’s 3.6L V6. That extra output comes from a new LSX engine that is also 20 lbs lighter than its predecessor – and the Camaro could certainly use the diet.

On the inside, the Camaro will feature Jet Black leather interior accented with red, white and blue stitching. A 45th anniversary logo can also be seen, which is a nice and tasteful feature. The gauge cluster also sports special white gauges.

In addition, for 2012 GM is also offering an FE4 suspension package for the SS Coupe. The package includes dampers for each corner, 23-mm front sway bar and 24-mm rear sway bar. Plus, 20-inch wheels will also be available for SS owners.

Pricing has yet to be announced for the special edition Camaro.

GALLERY: 45th Anniversary Chevrolet Camaro

Following in the footsteps of the Mustang Cobra Jet and Challenger Drag Pak, Chevrolet is reportedly considering a track-only Camaro to terrorize dragstrips across the nation.

The rumors came from Ford, surprisingly enough, in an effort to keep tabs on their rivals. Ford Racing’s drag racing manager Jesse Kershaw let this information slip during an interview, where he was discussing the efforts of others to compete with the Cobra Jet: “Dodge has produced a Challenger to compete with us…We know that General Motors is on track to release a Camaro version.”

If he’s right, then Chevrolet will most likely reveal this car at SEMA in November, just as Ford and Dodge did in previous years. And Kershaw is looking forward to some competition, which will pay off for fans: ”I think that the NHRA fans as well as the racers themselves are very excited to get out there and have this new era of horsepower war.”

[Source: FordRacingTV via Autoblog]

Baldwin Motion is looking to benefit from the resurgence of Chevy‘s new Chamaro, launching five different models with horsepower figures ranging anywhere from 525-hp to 800-hp, all based on the Camaro SS. Dubbed the “Fantastic Five”, the base model is SS-427, next up is the Phase III 427 then the SS-454, Phase III 454 and last but not least, the Phase III 427-SC.

Following the naming designation, each Camaro SS is powered by either GM’s LS7 427 powerplant or their LSX 454 engine. Hit the source to see specs on each and every model, but it’s worth highlighting the Phase III 427-SC that takes the Camaro SS to an impressive 800-hp. Baldwin Motion supercharges a fully built GM’s LS7 427 engine with a 2.8L twin-screw supercharger.  The heads are also completely redone with a custom Redline R3-SC blower camshaft to up high-end horsepower.

Baldwin Motion doesn’t just focus on the horsepower, installing Brembo six-pistons front brakes and four-pistons rear brakes. On the outside custom Motion painted striping, wheels accompany Phase III-SC’s hood and rear spoiler. The front end has also been swapped out for a much more aggressive piece.

Lastly, the interior also receives front and rear seat accents with embroidered headrests with a carbon fiber finish

GALLERY: Baldwin Motion Chevrolet Camaros

[Source: Baldwin Motion]

And there you have it folks, Lingenfelter’s wickedly-sounding Chevrolet Camaro has broken the 8-second barrier in the quarter mile. It was just back in July when we broke news that Lingenfelter’s Camaro had ran a 9.974 and just four months later, they’ve shaved a whole second off their time going 8.997 @ 158.8 mph.

More astonishing is the car’s insane 1.384 60-foot launch by driver Jon Ebert. It’s obvious that Lingenfelter has tuned the Camaro inside and out, tweaking every component imaginable to get it into the 8-second range. The 377 ci LS9 features a GM LS9 Eaton TVS2300 supercharger mated to a fully built motor with JE pistons, ported heads and more.

On the dyno, the Camaro puts down a ridiculous 1,243-hp with 1,328 ft-lbs of torque to back it up. And even with a 4,075 lb race weight, it’s good enough to plant the Camaro into the prestigious 8-second club. We’re going to guess that there will be some diminishing returns now on Lingenfelter’s tuning efforts, but we’re confident they can get this thing running 8′s consistently and safely.

Video available after the break.

[Source: Inside Line]

Continue Reading…

The Chevy Camaro was definitely the darling of SEMA 2009, and it looks like this last pony car to the party might steal a few hearts this year too. GM invited us out to Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump to preview some of their show cars, and along with the similar Corvette Z06X, they had this Camaro – the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SSX Track Car Concept.

As Chevy describes it: “the Camaro SSX Track Car is a concept for transforming a street Camaro SS into a closed-course track car, and a showcase for new performance parts.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

The Camaro SSX Track Car gets many of the same changes seen in the Z06X, some of them straight out of the GMPP catalog, and others pure racing touches. The white and black paint scheme and carbon fiber accents look great on this show car, and the suspension tweaks that come as part of the package will probably make it go as look as it looks.

And who wouldn’t like a lighter Camaro? That carbon fiber and the deletion of some standard equipment should shave a few hundred pounds from the Camaro’s bulk. Like the Zo6X, Chevy was tight-lipped about production, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed. Pics and press release after the break.

GALLERY: Chevy Camaro SSX Track Car

Continue Reading…

One of the major complaints about the latest-generation Chevy Camaro is regarding the interior. Exterior styling is spot-on, and there’s no arguing the powerplant is potent, but the cockpit is most certainly lacking in terms of material quality and design. Bulgarian tuner, Vilner, has gotten their hands on the first Chevy Camaro in Bulgaria and decided to build their vision of a perfect Camaro.

It’s hardly perfect, but it’s nice to see someone has addressed the Camaro’s interior issue(s). Vilner specializes in designing vehicle interiors, and their Camaro features a reupholstered cockpit using Nubuck, aged Nappa and chrome accents.

Their choice of color accents involves brown and black with top-notch attention to detail and craftsmanship. They also did a few performance and aesthetic changes, with an 8-piston brake kit and LEDs for the headlights. The stock wheels have been accented with Camaro and Vilner scripting.

If only the SEMA Show had more cars like this.

GALLERY: Vilner Chevrolet Camaro

Official press release available after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Oh my lord. There are many things on the Internet that can leave one speechless, but this thing might just top them all.

This 1994 Chevy Camaro sports 143,204 miles on the body but sports a transplanted LT-1 motor with only 36,000 miles or so. But the outside is the real reason for our disgust. The current eBay auction (yes, this bad boy is up for sale) states that it was built to “resemble million dollar exotic supercars, without the costs, maintenance, repairs, insurance, etc.” Oh and that it’ll “peal and smoke the tires from a stand still.”

And as offensive as the bodywork is, the builder even utilized 4-inch wheel spacers to accommodate the widebody conversion.

We’re sure it took a lot of effort and the bodywork really does resemble a Lamborghini, but if you’re any sort of car enthusiast and part of you isn’t disgusted by the idea of the creation, we have to question your passion for all things automobile.

GALLERY: Camaro Converted Lamborghini Reventon

[Source: eBay via Cardomain Blog]

Drop Top Customs, known to convert today’s hottest cars to convertibles, will be bringing a Chevy Camaro T-Top variant to SEMA 2010 along with their Cadillac CTS. The T-Top option for the fifth generation Chevy Camaro will give owners the versatility of a convertible when they want it, and the perfectly stock look when they need it.

Drop Top Customs President Jeff Moran said, “The installation utilizes our exclusive convertible understructure reinforcement. Most of these T-top Camaros will come supercharged, so there is no need for concern when you want to let your pony run.”

Conversion pricing has been announced at $6,500 with availability starting after SEMA in mid-November. The conversion definitely looks clean, which is almost an obvious assumption given that Drop Top Customs has been doing conversions since 1976. We’re more surprised it’s taken this long.

We’ll be sure to grab more photos of the car from the SEMA Show with complete coverage starting November 2nd. Until then, check out our SEMA Preview here.

GALLERY: Drop Top Customs Chevy Camaro T-Top

[Source: Inside Line]

After Hennessey’s huge success with the 2010 HPE700 Chevy Camaro, we’re guessing they were a little regretful of only releasing 24 limited edition vehicles. So as any wise business would do, they’re going to do another limited edition release of the HPE700 Camaro, just this time in convertible form. And yes, only 24 of them will be available again… at least for 2011.

Gobs and gobs of power, 755 ponies worth with 763 ft-lbs of torque, is brought to the rear wheels thanks to an LS9 powerplant from the Camaro’s bigger brother, the Corvette ZR1. But it’s not your standard, boring LS9 powerplant, especially since Hennessey got their hands dirty with it. The 6.2L V8 motor is now boasts a lot more boost along with the fuel to keep that air/fuel ratio optimal.

The HPE700 Camaro hardtop hit 0-60 mph in a mere 3.3 seconds with a quarter mile pass of 10.9 @ 130 mph on Nitto drag radials. Our assumption is that the convertible won’t be too far off the mark.

Backing up all the extra horsepower is a set of 15-inch brakes with 6-piston front calipers. Handling is enhanced with a set of coilovers and larger sway bars. Each corner sports a lightweight HPE wheel that actually fits the stylish convertible quite well.

And for minor details, there are carbon fiber trim pieces on the exterior while the interior sports Hennessey logos on the head rests and floor mats. For the driver, an HPE race shift knob and upgraded shifter gives the car a sportier driving feel, while an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel gives it a tad bit of luxury.

Pricing is set at an extreme $132,500 but includes the vehicle (of course) and a day of fun at Lonestar Motorsports Park, next door to Hennessey’s facilities. Now considering what all you can buy for $132,500, we find the pricing a little steep. But for the die-hard Camaro fan out there that wants something limited, we guess it’s an option.

Press release is available after the break.

GALLERY: Hennessey HPE700 Camaro Convertible

Continue Reading…

As we get closer to closer to SEMA, the buzz around all the show cars making their debut has really grown. We’re expecting GM to make another huge splash with their Chevrolet Camaro out on the show floor. Having already previewed aLL STaR Performance’s Chevrolet Camaro, we’re now introduced to Raging Bull Marketing’s widebody monster, rendered by none other than Jon Sibal (who’s done a few renderings for us here at AutoGuide).

There’s no doubt in our minds that this Camaro looks pretty wicked, but pardon our skepticism in believing the finished product will look as clean and refined as the rendering. Not that Raging Bull Marketing doesn’t have the expertise or experience to build out the car – in fact they’ve done several top notch show cars in the past – we just don’t want to get our hopes too high and will be really interested in how the build team will pull off the widebody.

Along with the widebody, the car will sport a more aggressive kit from bumper to bumper and a two-tone paint job. A vented hood and rear spoiler accent the front and rear respectively while three-piece wheels, a big brake kit and suspension round off the modifications. We’ll safely assume that the interior will get a ton of custom treatment too.

[Source: Jon Sibal]

aLL STaR Performance dropped us a quick note to reveal their fully rendered Chevy Camaro that is set to debut in just a few more weeks at the 2010 SEMA Show. We’ve been teased with a rendering of the Camaro under wraps, but now we’ve got the full, clear picture of their project. It looks like Gene Marcel will be taking a more clean and conservative route with the vehicle, accenting the Camaro’s natural lines rather than transforming them.

Marcel’s Camaro will sport a nice clean blue paint job courtesy of Dupont while a set of Forgestar wheels wrapped with Falken Tires help set off the exterior. Air Lift Suspension definitely gives the Camaro the mean profile it needs to intimidate, and it’s obvious there will be a massive front mount intercooler to go with that Lysholm Supercharger. All in all, just a cleanly built Camaro showcasing some real American muscle.

Also of note, GM has launched a voting contest up on their Facebook page, where the winning Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Silverado HD will get their day in the spotlight at the 2010 SEMA Show. So help pick the winner by voting for your favorite Camaro and Silverado HD render.

Hurst Performance is well established for their limited edition muscle cars and their newest entry to their collection is this turbocharged Chevrolet Camaro V6. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times when even domestic vehicles are going the turbocharger route for forced induction rather than a supercharger, but it is worth noting that Hurst’s Chevy Camaro won’t be powered by your traditional turbocharger setup.

Teaming up with tire manufacturer BFGoodrich, Hurst has opted for STS’ rear-mounted turbocharger setup that has been popular among the Corvette crowd. And interestingly enough they’re starting with a V6 rather than the SS V8. But bragging rights goes to Hurst by throwing down 50% more horsepower and torque than the factory 304-hp from the 3.6L V6. All the while saving 30% more gas than the larger 6.2L V8 from the SS Camaro.

The exterior of the car receives a subtle rear deck spoiler from Hurst’s AIR-SPEED line and 18-inch Hurst T1 alloy wheels for the classic yet muscle-car inspired look. Painted graphics are the finishing touch to the classy exterior.

Handling suspension duties are Hurst / Detroit Speed coilovers while the 18-inch wheels are (obviously) wrapped with BFGoodrich’s Radial T/A Spec Redline Edition rubber. The interior receives quite the overhaul as well with Katzkin leather from Hurst with embroidered Hurst logos and contrasting stitching. Each vehicle receives a numbered plaque with Hurst announcing that only 50 of these beauties will be made each year in Irvine, CA.

Check out the official press release after the break.

Continue Reading…

Design-house Gurnade has just teased us with another of its 2010 SEMA projects. This time it’s a Chevrolet Camaro built by Gene Marcel on behalf of aLL STaR Performance. This won’t be Gene’s first stab at building a SEMA project, having done successful ones in the past including a Volvo S40 that we saw ourselves in the Status Racing booth back in 2006 and a Honda Fit recently in 2009.

His 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will truly have an all star cast of products starting with a supercharger from Lysholm under the hood. The exterior will receive plenty of toys from Extreme Dimensions, Air Lift Suspension, Forgestar Wheels and Falken Tires. On the inside it looks like Gene will be gearing up with Status Racing again, STACK, Autometer and custom interior from Trent’s Trick Upholstery. On the outside the Camaro will be painted with a custom blend from Dupont.

We’re sure more exciting SEMA 2010 leaks will be coming soon and we’ll be sure to be one of the first to report them.

Press release available after the break.

Continue Reading…

When the new Chevy Camaro surfaced, ideas immediately began brewing in many enthusiasts’ head about a return of the Pontiac Firebird. With Pontiac out of the picture, thankfully there are passionate enthusiasts like those at Classic Design Concepts.

Classic Design Concepts has unleashed their FireBreather at a retail price of $60,000. That gets you a redesigned Chevrolet Camaro featuring Firebird-style influences. It’s an odd blend of the two designs, the sharp angles that resemble a Firebird with the muscular, bulky lines of the Camaro. Classic Design Concepts also claims the Camaro’s 6.2L V8 will throw down 599-hp to the rear wheels.

We do dig the black with red highlights on the car and can’t help but think about Knight Rider when we see it. It’s also a retro alternative to the Lingenfelter Trans Am and the Kevin Morgan Designs Trans Am.

GALLERY: Classic Design Concepts FireBreather Chevrolet Camaro

[Source: FireBreatherCar]

To honor John Lingenfelter and all of the company’s valued customers, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering hosted a memorial track day at Muncie Dragway where all Lingenfelter customers were treated to a free day at the drag strip. While we’re sure all of them had a ton of fun (we’re a bit jealous we didn’t get to attend), the highlight of the event had to have been Lingenfelter’s 2010 LS9 Chevy Camaro breaking into the 9 second mark.

Now obviously since this is Lingenfelter’s own demo vehicle, it’s been overhauled inside and out. It has been built with JE Pistons and stock GM LS9 crankshaft and titanium rods. Lingenfelter’s own CNC ported LS9 cylinder heads, camshaft, intercooler assembly and more helped take the supercharged Camaro to new heights.

The details on the passes as mentioned by Tim at Lingenfelter were 88 degrees Fahrenheit and around 75% humidity. In other words, not the best or ideal situations to go taking the car down the quarter mile, but not the worst either. Their quickest pass of the day was a 9.974 at 141.64 mph and backed it up with two additional 9 second passes.

So now it’s clear that more and more of today’s vehicles are very capable of hitting 9′s down the quarter mile while maintaining a great possibility in staying a reliable daily driver.

Make sure to check out the video after the break!

[Source: Lingenfelter Forums]

Continue Reading…

In a perfect example of a good concept with poor execution, this brand new Chevy Camaro sports a retro-style 1969 Camaro SS front end. Sure the idea behind it is interesting, giving the Camaro more of a traditional, old school hot-rod look to the new-style body. But let’s face it; modern car design lines often just don’t mesh with the classics that inspired them.

The whole project reminds us of when in the late ’90s the import world got scarily overwhelmed with body kits that incorporated different headlights or even taillights to the fold. Civics with Acura CL headlights, or entire Integra front ends; some sporting Supra taillights and headlights. The variations were so random in combining body components from other cars that we all breathed a sigh of relief when the fad ended.

But now it’s just a pure oddity to see this showing up with traditional domestic tuners and hot-rodders, taking the perfectly fine looking new generation Camaro and squeezing on a completely disproportional front end that from a classic ’69 Camaro SS.

The car in question was spotted at the recent Carlisle Performance & Sound show, which is mostly full of domestics and hot rods. The whole project is sort of an interesting idea to us, paying homage to a real classic, but if another company is going to step up to the plate to offer another retro-style kit, they better execute with better flowing lines and elongate the front end a bit more. Post your thoughts in the comments!

[Source: CarDomain Blog]

GALLERY: Retro-Style New Camaro

Last year, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering announced its new Chevy Camaro Engine Packages bragging about major horsepower upgrades while maintaining daily-driving performance. A little less than a year later, Lingenfelter is lighting up the quarter-mile track, putting on a display with their own Chevy Camaro demo vehicle.

This Camaro packs a real punch, sporting a built LS9 supercharged V8 throwing down 855-hp. The motor has been reinforced with JE forged aluminum pistons while the head has been CNC ported with upgrade cams from LPE. At South Georgia Motorsports Park, the Camaro laid down several mid-to-low 10 second passes with a best of 10.36 @ 139.95 mph. This was done with the stock six-speed transmission.

This new generation of American muscle is capturing a whole new audience, with many previously devoted import fanatics looking at the new Chevy Camaro as a great platform to customize. If you need some inspiration, make sure to check out the video of Lingenfelter’s Camaro lighting up the track after the jump.

[Source: Autoblog]

Continue Reading…

The Chevrolet Camaro won the World Car Design of the Year award at the New York Auto Show, beating the other two finalists, the Kia Soul and the Citroen C3 Picasso.

The finalists were chosen by an international panel of five design experts and a jury of 59 automotive journalists selected the Camaro above the others.

The award ceremony avoided a potentially embarrassing situation which would have occurred had the Citroen C3 Picasso won. Unlike the other finalists in any of the four awards handed out, the Citroen was not present at the Javits Center. Apparently, it was being held up in customs.

Gallery: Chevrolet Camaro

Over the past year, Chevy has been proud of the success of the new Camaro, with sales exceeding targets. The Camaro sold 61,648 units in 2009, just shy of the Mustang with 66,623, despite the fact that the Camaro wasn’t even on sale for a whole year. But now it appears as though the Camaro’s success has come at the expense of another Chevy, the iconic Corvette. Surprisingly, according to Wards Automotive data, the Camaro is the most cross-shopped vehicle with the Corvette, despite the significant price difference ($18,000) and performance potential.

Last year all sports cars saw a big dip in sales, but the Corvette really got rocked, with units sold down 48.3 percent compared to the year before. It’s not yet clear if this trend will continue as many factors may have contributed to potential Corvette buyers opting for a Camaro instead. The economic downturn is an obvious factor, as is the fact that the Camaro boasts a brand new style and is new on the market, while the current C6 Corvette has been around for over half a decade. Then there’s the obvious fact that a base Corvette and a top-level Camaro SS have roughly the same horsepower.

Supporting the Camaro cannibalization theory, however, is the fact that while sports cars often rely on high-volume V6 sales, up to two-thirds of Camaro buyers opted for the V8. How many of them were really interested in a Corvette we’ll never known.

[Source: Wards Automotive]

First shown in concept form at last year’s SEMA Show, Chevy has decided to send the Synergy Green Camaro into production as a new special edition model. Based on the 1LT trim model, with a 304-hp direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 engine, this special edition Camaro includes Cyber Grey Rally Stripes, a rear spoiler, 19-inch wheels and, of course, several coats of “look-at-me” Synergy Green paint. The interior also gets a few tweaks with a Synergy Green instrument panel, door inserts and stitching.

Sadly, the aggressive aero kit shown on the concept kit isn’t a part of the package.

Retailing for $26,790, the Synergy Green Camaro also includes the Camaro Convenience and Connectivity Package, adding Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port and a remote starter system (automatic transmission only).

Produced in limited numbers from February to May of this year, the Synergy Green Camaro follows in the tread marks of first generation Camaros, which were offered in such wild colors as Hugger Orange, Daytona Yellow and Rallye Green.

GALLERY: Synergy Green Camaro

GALLERY: Synergy Green Camaro Concept

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

When the new Camaro came out, General Motors explained the very careful two-pronged approach for the car, with the high-volume V6 models appealing to lifestyle consumers, while the high-powered and more expensive V8 version selling to the limited enthusiast crowd. So imagine the surprise in the marketing and product planning departments upon learning that two out of three Camaros sold come equipped with a V8 engine.

GM even went to great lengths to make the V6 models attractive, equipping them with a 29 mpg highway rating, more than 300-hp and a starting price of just $23,530.

This news is a bit of a double-edged-sword for GM. The down side is that high sales of V8-powered SS models will hurt the company’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rating. The up-side, however, is that with V6 an V8 models costing almost the same to produce, the profit margins on SS models is much higher.

[Source: InsideLine]