Baldwin-Motion launches limited edition big-block Camaros
If you're a well-heeled Camaro fan, and you just can't wait until 2009 for GM's next-generation Camaro, Baldwin-Motion has just the car for you. Inside LIne is reporting that the company that won GM's Best Design Award at SEMA 2005 for its Camaro SuperCoupe is launching two limited edition Camaros - the SS-427 and the Phase III 540.
The company builds its cars using original 1969 Camaros with, um, extensive modifications. Both big-block-powered cars can be ordered with your choice of horsepower options, including supercharged or twin-turbo versions rated up to 1,000 horsepower. [More after the jump!]
Only 12 cars will be built, priced from $169,000. (What the heck, it's cheaper than shopping for a muscle car at Barrett-Jackson.)
If there's anyone who should understand big-block GM power, it's Baldwin-Motion. From 1967 to 1974, the partnership between the Baldwin Chevrolet dealership and Joel Rosen's Motion Performance cranked out some of the hottest Chevys on the planet. The Phase III big-block street cars came with a guarantee that the car would turn at least an 11.5 second quarter-mile at 120 mph. Today's incarnation of Baldwin-Motion is Motion, LLC, located in Sarasota, Florida.
[Sources: Inside Line, Baldwin-Motion]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Roanoke 2:55PM (3/22/2006)
Phase III looks pretty sweet. A bit pricey though.
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James Fabin 3:02PM (3/22/2006)
Cartv.com has a video of the Baldwin Camaro from the SEMA show. Looks amazing.
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Paul 3:06PM (3/22/2006)
Why would anyone want to spend money on this piece of garbage? My 1984 Toyota Corolla is worth more than this and gets better fuel mileage.
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Gunnar Heinrich 3:07PM (3/22/2006)
1,000 horses. Bugatti had better step aside for this Chevy.
http://www.automobilesdeluxe.blogspot.com
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Corey 3:16PM (3/22/2006)
It's the combination of nostalgia & 1000hp that'll help sell the car. I'm pretty sure Lingenfelter can do 1000hp on LS blocks for a bit less.
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GotThatVibe 3:34PM (3/22/2006)
If you don't understand the appeal of these cars immediately, then don't worry about it, just leave. #2, your '84 Corolla is a MAJOR POS compared to these cars, whoever told you different was wrong.
These cars are awesome! My favorite is the black SS-427. There are very few production cars that I would choose over it, if I had my choice. Keep in mind, I'm from metro-Detroit, which has a strong muscle car heritage :). But come on, the pictures you see above are the inspiration for the current movement of US automakers getting back to making AMERICAN cars. It's easy to see why! (I do love my share of imports, but this is a whole different breed.)
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Mike 4:08PM (3/22/2006)
#2: My god, the GM bashers can't even stop when the car even RESEMBLES something made by GM. I guess that any RUF automobile is a no better than your $50.00 corolla either....wait, that is a foreign car so it's good. How about the Saleen S-7? does a tube chassy and more than 500hp make it better? Wait, the Baldwin has a tube chassy and 500+hp too? wow, my sarcasm is getting me all confused here....
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David Thompson 4:18PM (3/22/2006)
Shouldn't these be built up from tube-frame kit cars? The supply of good first-gen Camaros isn't getting any larger.
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Corey W. 4:19PM (3/22/2006)
1000hp Camaros are nothing new, save some money, get the specs, build your own... Still not cheap, but cheaper than these turnkey offerings.
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DENIGOD 4:39PM (3/22/2006)
Yeah, you can build one for less than that, but there are enough people out there with enough money, I don't think they will have a problem selling all 12 of them. And if "Building it yourself" is an option, I don't think you are the market they are going after anyway.
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Richard Warren 5:42PM (3/22/2006)
Pretty nice!
Hey Paul! Why don't you AND your 84 Corolla go stand in the corner and repeat over and over, my 22 year old Corolla is a wonderful car, then take out your whip and self flagellate yourself and repeat, BAD BOY! NAUGHTY BOY! MY 84 Corolla is worth 6 bucks! BAD BOY! NAUGHTY BOY! MY 84 Corolla is is a vanilla POS! BAD BOY! NAUGHTY BOY! I don't know what a real cars is! BAD BOY! NAUGHTY BOY!
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KT 6:01PM (3/22/2006)
That PhaseIII is fucking beautiful. I prefer the regular "Z" hood over the L88 style they are using. However, that may be due to clearance issues. Other than that, it's perfect!
The price isn't too bad. I doubt you could do it yourself for much less. The powertrain, chasis/suspension and paint would put you close to $100k. That's considering you are a body guy who happens to have all the necessary equipment and know-how to do it. If you have to farm it out it will definitely put you into 6 figures. This is all assuming you have a decent '69 sitting in the garage to start with that didn't cost you anything!
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Ren 6:49PM (3/22/2006)
Don't be stupid. Ignore #3 Paul. He's just trying to start a flame war.
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Sasha 7:00PM (3/22/2006)
#3 - Speaking from the perspective of a true afficianado of 80s POS japanese cars, I can honestly say that my dream driver would be, you know, maybe an 86 accord, something about their complete anonymity, their humility, their honest frugality and reliability...
That being said, you, my friend, are a @#$*(& wanker. Go back to organizing your sock drawer.
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Fooman 10:31PM (3/22/2006)
Too bad the first production model sold for less then asking price at Barret-Jackson this year. Me thinks they are not going to sell as many as they hope at the prices they want. And at this time I am pretty sure they have not figured out how to register these cars yet.
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taipeileviathan 12:14AM (3/23/2006)
these are beautiful cars alright, and fantastic value for the money, but i gotta set the record straight between comparing this and the veyron. yeah they both have 1000hp, but 1000hp has been around for ages in the aftermarket world in the form of sooped up supras (hehe, love saying that) and stuff. the difference btwn these aftermarket cars and the veyron is that the veyron is, as i understand it, also a fantastic machine to drive in situations other than drag races (handling, livibality, etc.). also, if u drove one of these camaros at its top speed, it'd prolly lift off and kill yourself. not to mention reliability: a friend of mine once raced his stock S4 with a heavily modded S2k... the S2k pulled away on an open freeway, but a coupla miles down the road my bud then passed by a smoking, broken down car on the side of the road... which was that very S2k. hp is important, but it really isn't worth much in measuring a car's worth, unless all other variables (and a kajillion of these there are) are held constant. and btwn this and the veyron, the 1000hp similarity is probably the only thing constant.
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Dan 1:16AM (3/23/2006)
Gentlemen, 13 is right, 3's comment is so ridiculous that its clear they are a TROLL:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
The way to stop them is to not give them what they want, YOUR reaction.
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Paul 9:32AM (3/23/2006)
Guys, I'm so sorry. You are 100% right.
You see, I grew up in pre-fabricated home in the suburbs of Upstate New York. My father was an accountant for the local H&R block at the strip mall near our home. He was a pale, sickly, slightly overweight man with absolutely no dignity. He bought a 1984 Toyota Corolla because it was all he could afford, and, well, you see, because he had no testicles.
I tried to tell him, "Dad, why don't you buy a car that has more than fifty foot-pounds of torque?" And he explained to me, "Son, I'm a huge douchebag. Plus, if I need torque, I'll just use an air ratchet. They put out more torque, anyway."
He died not long after he purchased that dull silver Corolla. It started gathering rust in the quarter panels just one day after his funeral.
I think the car was crying, because my dad was the only "man" stupid enough to buy it, and the car really loved him for that.
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Tim 6:02PM (3/23/2006)
These are for the EXACT same crowd that shops at the January Barret-Jackson show. The type of people that know no differentiation between rare and valuable. I used to have a 4-door, (rear suicide doors stock) big block, all optioned '69 T-Bird in Pale-Snot Green. Fairly rare but NOT valuable! All original, #1 condition would only fetch 10K IF you found someone that REALLY wanted it. After attending this years BJ and seeing the retarded amount of money being throw around, I'm already in the process of stripping a '91 LX mustang in order to make a late-model "G" machine. It'll require roughly 30-40K to complete, but should fetch 100K+ at the '08 BJ, if I get it done by then. That's better turnover than the AZ realty market!
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Mike 8:41PM (3/27/2006)
Beautiful car but geez-what I wouldn't give to have my 1970 Challenger RT with that 383 magnum, back today. Looks like Dodge is doing the Challenger again, as well. Guess the Firebird is next-then the Cuda..???Man-what ISN'T retro, these days..????
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