Rides : Forgiato brings hidden headlamps back to the Chevy Camaro

Forgiato is a well-known maker of custom wheels to fit just about any taste (and budget), but the company also makes other parts to trick your car out. For Chevrolet Camaro owners, Forgiato has designed the DiFalco grille to include hidden headlights somewhat reminiscent of what was available on first-gen Camaros.

From what we can see in the images, the mesh grille and motorized headlight covers go over the stock parts, and when closed, each "eyelid" also has 18 LEDs that can light up for a unique effect. Priced at $3,399, the DiFalco grille doesn't come cheap, but judging by the other upgrades made to this wide-body Camaro show car, we're sure this is just a drop in the bucket.

Check out the (questionably safe for work) video after the jump showing a few brief glimpses at the trick headlights mixed in with two minutes of a scantily-clad woman hanging out by a pool and an autonomous Camaro not named Bumblebee. 

 

Credit : Autoblog

Rides : Chevy Camaro to get Boss 302-rivaling 1LE trim for 2013

General Motors struck back at the mighty Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with the similarly brawny Camaro ZL1, and now it looks like GM has taken aim at the Mustang Boss 302 as well.

According to posts on the Camaro5.com forums, a dealer reference guide has revealed buyers will be able to opt for a new performance track package for the 2013 Camaro. The 1LE pack includes a number of aerodynamic tweaks, including an aggressive front splitter and unique rear spoiler, both painted in smoke gray. Red Brembo brake calipers, a hood wrapped in matte black vinyl and 20-inch wheels shod in Goodyear Eagle Supercar tires are all part of the party. Those big rollers are actually borrowed from the ZL1.

Larger sway bars front and rear as well as stronger axle half shafts help the vehicle withstand track abuse. A Tremec six-speed manual gearbox with a higher 3.91 final drive and a liquid cooling system is also standard. Finally, the report says the Camaro 1LE will feature an optional dual-mode exhaust similar to what's found on the Chevrolet Corvette.

Will the hardware be enough to help the Camaro fend off the road-race ready Boss 302? Given the sublime driving experience the tweaked Mustang offers its buyers and the heady 444 horsepower on hand, it seems unlikely. That doesn't mean we'd be averse to putting the two head to head on a track, however.

Rides : Chevy boasts one out of three sports cars sold are Camaro or Corvette

Over at Chevrolet HQ, the bubbly is flowing like high-octane unleaded. Of all the sports cars sold in the U.S. in 2011, 30 percent were either a Camaro or Corvette. Woo hoo! *POP!*

Take that, Ford Mustang! Take that, Dodge Challenger! Take that, um, Hyundai Veloster? and Honda CR-Z? Yeah, Camaro trounced all y'all! Beat Mustang by almost 18,000 cars and the Dodge Challenger by, wow, more than 48,000 units! And don't even think about lining up your CR-Z next to a Camaro, 'cause you'll get smoked!

In the big-ticket sports car class, the Corvette is still king. In fact, nearly as many Vettes were sold in 2011 as the Porsche 911, BMW 6 Series and the Z4 combined.

But back to the Camaro. Why is the (at minimum) 323-horsepower Camaro listed alongside the relatively anemic 122-hp Honda and 138-hp Hyundai? Smoke and mirrors from Chevy? Maybe, but probably not. They're all two-door coupes... except for the Veloster which has three. They're also all available in red and considered compact cars by the EPA.... except for the CR-Z, which is a two-seater. More likely, the three are in the same GM target market of 25-40-year-old males... who want to get 40 mpg while going 150 mph with the convenience of a hatchback?

Press Release

Chevrolet Ranks as Top Performance Brand in U.S.
Corvette and Camaro accounted for one in three sports car sales in 2011

DETROIT – Chevrolet is America's favorite performance brand, with Camaro and Corvette accounting for one out of every three sports cars sold in the United States in 2011.

Chevrolet accounted for 37 percent of the sports-car segment last year, selling 88,249 Camaros, which surpassed its nearest competitor, the Ford Mustang, by more than 18,000 units. That lead is expected to increase when the new Camaro ZL1 goes on sale this month.

Chevrolet accounted for 28 percent of the luxury-sports-car segment in 2011, selling 13,164 Corvettes. Currently the only domestic car in the segment, Corvette more than doubled the sales of its nearest competitor, the Porsche 911.


Top 5 Sports Cars by 2011 Total Sales and Market Share

1. Chevrolet Camaro - 88,249, 37%
2. Ford Mustang - 70,438, 29%
3. Dodge Challenger - 39,534, 16%
4. Honda CR-Z - 11,330, 5%
5. Hyundai Veloster - 9,284, 4%

Top 5 Luxury Sports Cars by 2011 Total Sales and Market Share

1. Chevrolet Corvette - 13,164, 28%
2. Porsche 911 - 6,016, 13%
3. BMW 6-Series - 3,903, 8%
4. BMW Z4 - 3,479, 7%
5. Mercedes SLK - 3,220, 7%

"With the addition of the Camaro ZL1, there are only a handful of brands in the world with two cars that can match the performance, technology, and excitement of Corvette and Camaro," said General Motors North America President Mark Reuss. "Unlike many competitors' performance cars, the Corvette ZR1 and Camaro ZL1 are appropriate for both daily drivers and track use from the factory – with standard coolers for brakes and drivetrain."

"And we challenge any company to bring two cars to compete with the Corvette ZR1 and Camaro ZL1, dollar for dollar," Reuss said. "They will discover what enthusiasts already know – that Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette are the world's best performance cars for the money."

To demonstrate the capabilities of the Corvette and Camaro, Chevrolet recently tested full-production models with no performance modifications on the "Grand Course" at Virginia International Raceway. The Grand Course configuration is a challenge for production cars because it requires prodigious power, precise handling and tenacious grip to record a fast lap.

In a 2012 Corvette ZR1, equipped with new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, Corvette engineer Jim Mero lapped the Grand Course in 2:45.6 – faster than the published lap time for any production car.

In a 2012 Camaro ZL1, Camaro engineer Aaron Link lapped the Grand Course in 2:52.4 – more than six seconds faster than the published lap time of a 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 on the same track.

Car and Driver Magazine, which conducts the annual Lightning Lap shootout at Virginia International Raceway, called the track "the nearest thing to the Nurburgring's fabled Nordschleife."

"The Grand Course at VIR is an excellent test of all-around vehicle performance," said Reuss. "Like the Nurburgring, a single lap at VIR tests every aspect of a car, including power, brakes, steering, tire grip and chassis balance. To break a three-minute lap on the four-mile Grand Course is an incredible accomplishment for any car."

The Corvette ZR1 is the most powerful vehicle Chevrolet has ever produced, with a supercharged, 6.2L, LS9 V-8 delivering 638 horsepower and 604 pound-feet of torque. Of all mass-production companies, Chevrolet is the leader in carbon fiber use, with the lightweight material used for structural components on the ZR1 including the front fenders, hood, roof, front splitter, rocker panels and floor pans. With a curb weight of 3,353 pounds, the ZR1 features a power-to-weight ratio of just 5.2 pounds per horsepower. As a result, the ZR1 is also the fastest Chevrolet ever produced, capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 205 mph. The Corvette ZR1 starts at $112,575, including destination.

The Camaro ZL1 is the most-powerful Camaro ever produced, with a supercharged, 6.2L, LSA V-8 delivering 580-horsepower, and 556 pound-feet of torque. It is also the most-sophisticated Camaro ever, with exclusive performance technologies including Performance Traction Management and Magnetic Ride suspension. Other standard performance features include six-piston Brembo brakes, and coolers for the rear differential, brakes, and transmission. As a result, the ZL1 is also the most-capable Camaro ever, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, reaching a top speed of 184 mph, and lapping the famed Nurburgring in just 7:41.27. The Camaro ZL1 starts at $54,995, including destination.

Both Corvette and Camaro have also recently been recognized by IntelliChoice as the best overall value in their segments – further evidence that consumers get more performance for their money from Chevrolet.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com

Rides : Check out Sareni United's Chevrolet Camaro GT

Hans Reiter, the chap you might know from Reiter Engineering and its winning Lamborghini racecars, started a company called Sareni United for one purpose: to build a Chevrolet Camaro GT3 race car. The resulting silver shockwave is powered by a 7.9-liter Katech V8 rated at up to 650 horsepower and 627 pound-feet, and the racer's lead engineer says it has lap times "similar to the Lamborghini Gallardo" but that there is still a lot of work to do.

More importantly, the plan wasn't to simply make a race-worthy Camaro, the brief was to make one one that was cost efficient enough to lure new entrants into the racing game. Planned overhauls for the engine and gearbox are at 5,000 kilometers and other parts at 10,000 km.

The Camaro GT3 has been homologated by the FIA, Reiter says two cars are already planned for use in Germany's ADAC GT Masters series and that other inquiries have been made about GT4 and touring cars. It is priced at €195,000 + VAT ($253,056 U.S.).

Car Porn : Chevy releases COPO Camaro concept drag racing featurette

It seems you can't offer a pony car these days without also making available a full race-spec drag racing version. Ford was first with its Cobrajet, then came Dodge with the Mopar Challenger Drag Pak, and soon we'll have an offering from Chevy.

That car will be based on the COPO Camaro Concept, which debuted last month at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and whose name, COPO, harkens back to a time when sly dealers could order a Corvette-powered Camaro from the factory without the big wigs knowing. But unlike most concept cars, the COPO Camaro Concept is a rolling prototype for the production version that's to follow.

As such, engineers from General Motors have been working on the car's development for over three years, and today they released a video featurette showing the concept's first run out in the real world. According to the video, engineers ran the car all day long with a number of engine set ups and it "met or exceeded" all expectations.

Watch the video for yourself after the jump. Now all we need is some three-lane drag strips to see these straight line ponies face off at the same time.

Rides : Pair of Kia Optima Turbos will compete in World Challenge against Mustangs and Camaros

The Kia Optima is headed to the World Challenge next year. Kia has announced that it will once again partner up with Kinetic Motorsports, this time to build a pair of Optima SX models to go fender to fender with the rest of the World Challenge field. The two turbocharged sedans will compete in the Grand Touring Sport Class against vehicles like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, if you can believe that.

If you're thinking those two are going to make short work of the Optima, you may want to think again. Kia has already managed to earn a driver and team championship in the two years that it's been racing the Forte in the States, and the company recently announced the Rio 5-Door would be competing, as well. These guys aren't just out there to parade their badge around the track.

The World Challenge series pits great drivers against each other in race-prepped versions of production vehicles on some of the country's best road courses. The series campaigns at Infineon, Road Atlanta and the street circuit at Long Beach. Look for the races to show up on the NBC Sports Network this year. Hit the jump for the full press release from Kia.

Show full PR text

KIA RACING ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR TWO TURBOCHARGED OPTIMAS TO COMPETE IN THE 2012 PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Championship-Winning Motorsports Program Expanding to New Series in Third-Year
• Kia and Kinetic Motorsports continue partnership to build and campaign two Optima SXs in World Challenge
• Additional motorsports activities for 2012 include B-Spec racing with the all-new 2012 Rio 5-door and Optima Hybrid serving as the official pace car at United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) events

LOS ANGELES, November 16, 2011 – It took the Kia Racing program just two seasons and 20 starts to capture Kia Motors America's (KMA) first-ever championships in the 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, and today at the Los Angeles Auto Show the company announced a major motorsports expansion for 2012 with two turbocharged Optimas set to enter the Pirelli World Challenge Championships. Continuing KMA's successful partnership with Kinetic Motorsports, the World Challenge Optima SXs will compete in the Grand Touring Sport (GTS) class alongside established nameplates such as Mustang and Camaro at world-class race tracks across North America, including Road Atlanta, the street circuit in Long Beach, Calif., and Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

"As a brand with no previous racing experience in America, for Kia to win two motorsports championships in just its second year is an incredible accomplishment, and expanding our motorsports footprint with the turbocharged Optima entering World Challenge will continue to build passion and enthusiasm for the brand with an entirely new fan base at different race tracks across the country," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. "With its aerodynamic styling and outstanding driving dynamics, the Optima SX should be well suited to the ultra-competitive environment of World Challenge racing."

Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, World Challenge features world-class drivers and race-prepped versions of production vehicles from many of the world's most popular manufacturers. The Kia Optimas will be the first Korean vehicles to compete in the series – which includes a suspenseful standing start rather than the more common rolling start – and is known for exciting door-to-door action throughout the 50-minute sprint races. For 2012, World Challenge races will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.