Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

Remember when we said that the Yenko brand would be revived with new models based on the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro? Well, we won't have long to wait to see the real thing. General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI), the proud new owners of the legendary Yenko name and brand, have announced they will debut the first prototype of the 2010 Yenko Camaro at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas next week.

Using the V8-powered SS as a base, the "Phase I" Yenko Camaro will feature a supercharger to boost horsepower to 600, a Hurst short-throw shifter, larger brakes and Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system, not to mention the various Yenko badges affixed to the wheels, seats, sill plates, floor mats, etc. GMCI promises that a Phase II and III will follow, and just like Don Yenko took advantage of the COPO program to order Camaros with the 427ci engine, we hope that GMCI will make use of GM Performance parts and swap out the LS3 for an engine of proper displacement befitting a Yenko Super Car. Can you say LS7? Hit the jump for full details.



[Source: GMCI]

Continue reading Officially Rendered: 2010 Yenko Camaro

Officially Rendered: 2010 Yenko Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Truck, Videos, GM, GMC, Celebrities

The A-Team was a pop culture phenomenon of the Eighties on par with Knight Rider and The Dukes of Hazard. And since Hannibal, B.A., Face and Murdoch hold a special place in the hearts and minds of Gen-Xers, it was only a matter of time before the super-fake action show hit the silver screen. After all, we already saw (unfortunately) the Dukes remake, and our own Alex Nunez liveblogged the sucktastic time waster that was the new (now canceled) Knight Rider series on NBC. All three shows have one thing in common; a bad ass vehicle that serves a different purpose in each show. B.A.'s GMC G-Series, with its red stripe and red turbine mag wheels was the command center for our favorite wrongly sought soldiers of fortune.

The A-Team hits theaters on June 11, 2010 and at the very least, the actors chosen are better than we expected. B.A Baracus will be played by Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and the one and only Liam Neeson will play Hannibal. Bradley Cooper from The Hangover checks in as Face and Sharlto Copely will be the wacky pilot Murdoch. If that isn't enough star power for you, the beautiful Jessica Biel will play the part of Carissa Sosa. Naturally, the iconic GMC van is making a triumphant return to the A-Team, though we're guessing General Motors isn't going to stand for blacking out the GMC lettering from the van's grille like the show's creators did after season one.

We'd love it if this plan came together, though we admit that we're not hopeful. These "turn a TV show into a movie" deals seldom work out the way our inner children hope for. Hit the jump to watch interviews with some of the movie's stars.

[Source: ETOnline via Auto-Focus]

Continue reading First shot of A-Team cast released, GMC van included [w/VIDEO]

First shot of A-Team cast released, GMC van included [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our new head of Global Vehicle Engineering Mark Reuss will be on Autoline After Hours tonight at 7 p.m. EDT and you can join the webcast right here on FastLane. Mark is the son of former GM President Lloyd Reuss and is back stateside from a stint down under running Holden. He is a certified car guy and has been known to throw a car or two around such famed race venues as the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany. Get your questions ready and join Mark, John McElroy, Peter Delorenzo and others right here on FastLane to talk cars, culture and customers with an engineering spin.

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet

Like other automakers, General Motors would prefer to avoid the recall stigma that plagued first-year examples of rival Ford's Focus a decade ago. North American versions of that car were recalled five times in the first year to fix early production glitches. The new Chevrolet Cruze had been scheduled to launch production at the company's Lordstown, Ohio factory in April of next year, but according to The Detroit News, that timeline has now been pushed back to July.

Although earlier launches of the Cruze in China and Europe have not endured any serious problems, this is the company's first major new product since it was re-born out of bankruptcy this summer, and GM wants to avoid anything going wrong in the U.S. as well.

The Cruze is expected to hit 40 mpg in highway driving with its new 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. According to the DetNews, the delay will also give GM time to have every variant of Cruze ready for customers on day one. Often, production launches are staggered with some trim levels and build combinations held back at first. This frequently causes problems for an automaker if they don't build enough examples of the models people actually want to buy.



[Source: The Detroit News]

REPORT: GM delays Chevy Cruze launch by three months originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Canada

Years and years and years ago (like back in the Eighties), we read a study that broke down car ownership by gender. The car most purchased by men? The Porsche 928, with a score of 97% male. Most by women? 69% of the time the ladies bought Nissan Pulsars - you know, those oddball notchback/shooting brake/targa-top modular things that usually came in pink. We mention this because traditionally, muscle cars have aimed at and appreciated by men. In fact, the gender breakdown for the 4th-generation Camaro is 80% male to 20% female. Not anymore.

Despite 'Vettes getting 'em wet as the sleeveless t-shirt proclaims, it seems that what women actually want is a brand new Chevrolet Camaro. At least, that appears to be the case with America's neighbors up in the True North Strong and Free. According to Autos Canada, it's looking like new 2010 Camaro sales in Canada are splitting the gender divide right down the middle, as in 50-50 in some locations. "Unlike the older versions of the Camaro where you probably had the typical motorhead, male, buyer, this is totally the opposite," says one Canadian Chevy dealer.

Why is this? Says General Motors spokesman George Saratlic, "One of our biggest challenges was the muscle car association to the car. We knew we couldn't do a replica of a '69 Camaro - It limits your audience." What does that say about fans of the 2010 Camaro? Probably not much, as the 426 horsepower LS3 version still skews heavily male. Also, the heavy dose of marketing via Michael Bay's Transformers movie series ensures that eight-year-olds and their ilk are way into GM's latest pony car as well. Still, women are clearly seeing something exciting in the Camaro. Thanks for the tip, Lawrence!



[Source: Autos Canada]

PSA: Canadian chicks dig Chevrolet's new Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

Specter Werkes, the Corvette tuners from Troy, MI unveiled the C6 GTR last summer, but are set to reveal a new and improved version at SEMA next week. Featuring the LS7 V8 with a twin-turbo setup courtesy of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, this hyper-Vette produces an incredible 800 horsepower. The looks back up the performance, with BASF Pearl Blue paint, HRE CF40 carbon fiber wheels, and Specter's unique body package for the C6. Other performance upgrades include StopTech brakes front and rear and a Corsa exhaust system. The car will be prominently displayed outside the Las Vegas convention center in just a few days, so expect plenty of live high-res photos. Until then, hit the jump for the company's press release and browse the gallery below for an eye-full.




[Source: Specter Werkes]

Continue reading Specter Werkes reveals new and improved C6 GTR

Specter Werkes reveals new and improved C6 GTR originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Coupe, Chevrolet

The Chevy Camaro was SEMA's poster boy last year, but there were precious few of them on the ground once the doors opened. This year it looks like that won't be the case. The Bowtie will be presenting its own take on some of its cars, and in a little preview of the action it looks like there'll be at least a Corvette Grand Sport and few Camaros with lots of shiny bits -- including one with a glossy lime paint job and pinstripes. Gotta love SEMA... Follow the jump to see the preview.

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading VIDEO: Chevy previews its Camaro-heavy 2009 SEMA line up

VIDEO: Chevy previews its Camaro-heavy 2009 SEMA line up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupe, Auctions, Buick

As we approach the big SEMA show in Las Vegas next week, it's time to look back at a previous star of the show. Sometime back in the mid-80s the decision was made that Buick would abandon V8 engines and instead be the home of the V6. Even for top models like Riviera and Park Avenue, turbocharged and supercharged versions of the long-lived 3.8-liter V6 would serve propulsive duties. Needless to say, not everyone in the bowels of the Warren Tech Center agreed with this approach.

In 1998 a group of GM engineers felt the Riviera should be powered by no fewer than eight cylinders and knew full well it was possible. The Riv of that era shared its platform with other models like the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Aurora, which of course were powered by the still contemporary Northstar V8. A single Northstar Riviera example was built as concept and trotted out at the 1998 SEMA Show.

Upper management did not agree with the premise and only a year later the whole Riviera program was euthanized. Somehow, that one V8 powered Riv survived and managed to get sold outside of GM on a salvage title. If the styling of that last Riviera doesn't give you convulsions, the car only has 10,200 miles on it and the Buy It Now price is $20K. The current bid of $3,550 hasn't yet hit the reserve so it's anyone's guess what this will go for - if it goes at all.



[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: Northstar-powered 1998 Buick Riviera prototype originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coskata recently opened its first semi-commercial flexible ethanol plant in Madison, Pa. This facility, called Project Lighthouse, will be producing ethanol from numerous feedstocks such as wood biomass, agricultural waste, sustainable energy crops and construction waste. Through the video below, take a tour of the facility and learn how Coskata makes ethanol from virtually any carbon-based feedstock. Project Lighthouse represents the successful scale-up of Coskata’s technology, and serves as a showcase for the world’s first commercially-viable flex ethanol process. Coskata’s technology reduces greenhouse gasses by as much as 96 percent over conventional gasoline, while using less than half the water it takes to produce a gallon of gasoline, and we’re already using some of the ethanol from Project Lighthouse for vehicle testing at our Milford Proving Grounds.

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Australia

For years and years, avid American car enthusiasts thought of a certain Holden as the Holy Grail. In hushed tones and with furtive looks, we let each other know that, yeah, the BMW E39 M5 is pretty dang sweet, but there's this Australian car... a four-door with a six-speed and a Corvette motor... and it's... dare we say it... better? However, it remained a piece of Automotive apocrypha not only because we couldn't have it, but because no one could remember the name (HSV GTS, of all the nonsensical, alphabet soup letter combos Holden could have selected).

We mention the legendary HSV GTS because Australian Camaro fans might now be experiencing what us muscle car-starved Yanks went through at the beginning of the decade -- withdrawal! Because not only are there are no right-hand drive Camaros (Aussies still insist on pretending they're British/Japanese), but the 2010 update to the original Mustang competitor is based almost totally on native Holden underpinnings. Ouch!

But fear not, Performax International has figured out how to move the steering wheel to the opposite side of the transmission tunnel and will sell those of you living in the Land Down Unda a right-hand drive Camaro SS for just $139,000 AUD. That's $128,500 U.S. American dollars to you and me. Which is... psychotic, says us. Especially considering that in America, a Camaro SS costs $33,745. But despite what we think, half a dozen customers have already placed orders with Performax International for a Aussie-spec'd Camaro.



[Source: Carscoop]

Right-hand drive Camaro available in Australia for a measly $128,500 USD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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