Autoblog

A four-banger in a Camaro! Blasphemy you say? Could be, but what four-pot are we talking about? In this case, the General's car czar Bob Lutz suggests that the new 2010 Camaro due next February could offer the same 2.0 liter direct-injected engine used in the Saturn Sky Redline, Pontiac Solstice GXP and the SS versions of the Chevy HHR and Cobalt. Before dismissing the turbo-four immediately, consider the top-of-the-line engine options the Camaro offered after the last oil-embargo-driven doomsday. In '72, the big block 402 engine offered just 240 horsepower; in '73, the Z28 was equipped with a 245-horse 350 and by '75 the hottest option underhood made only 155 horses. Ouch. The 2.0 being considered for the Camaro punches out 260 horsepower, and based on our time with the engine, you feel each of them as you run up towards the redline. The next step-up will likely be a version of GM's 3.6, as offered in the CTS and G8, also making around 260 horsepower.

Other Camaro tidbits mentioned by Lutz: it will be priced higher than the Mustang, as GM sees the Camaro as a higher-end offering. Specifically, Lutz suggests that the Camaro will feature a much better interior than the 'Stang, along with its inherently better independent rear-suspension arrangement.

Perhaps a bigger question to ponder is how bad will the performance industry be impacted by new fuel efficiency standards along with the ever-tightening emissions regulations. Just so long as carmakers such as GM continue to offer engine options like their 2.0 liter DI four-banger, the performance drop-off won't be nearly as drastic as it was back in the mid-70s. Thank God for that!


[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

Michael Bay has quietly uploaded the first trailer to his upcoming live-action movie Transformers, and it gives us our first real glimpse at how he's handling the franchise. We won't spoil the trailer for you by saying what happens, but if you're expecting to see a Chevy Camaro Concept transform in front of your eyes then you'll be disappointed. Still, with the film's actual release date of July 4th, 2007 being more than a year way, we'll take what we can get.

[Source: Transformersmovie.com]

AutoblogSpanish stumbled upon a pic of Bumblebee on the set of the upcoming Transformers movie being directed by Michael Bay. We've seen pics before of the Chevy Camaro Concept wearing a Bumblebee paint job, but this is the first glimpse of the car in partial transformation. While not too much can be gleaned from the shot, like the fact that it's supposed to be based on the Chevy Camaro Concept at all, we do seeing a model of the car's 6.0L V8 being used as the heart of this animatronic monster.

[Source: AutoblogSpanish]

The Chevy Camaro Concept got an unusually cold reception at the Canadian International Auto Show recently. Maybe that’s because it was made of ice, eh?

General Motors of Canada created an outdoor Winter Park at the auto show and populated it with various sculptures of winter sports activities like skiing and figure skating. But no one’s looking at those sculptures because there’s a friggin’ ice Camaro on display!

The Camaro Ice required appx. 26,000 lbs. of ice to make and 250 hours complete its design and construction. It requires an optimal minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit) not to run.

(Photo courtesy of Edmunds)

Do we really need an excuse to do a post on the Camaro Concept? Fortunately Inside Line has provided us one by revealing some new nuggets of credible info on the Bowtie’s upcoming pony car revival. It’s being reported the car is “extremely close” to being green lighted by GM management. The bad news is that we’re still looking at a model year 2010 introduction, which means it won’t hit the streets until 2009.

News is coming from suppliers that are being prepped for the Camaro’s possible production, and they’re expecting a three-engine lineup. The base motor will reportedly be the corporate 3.9L V6 and there will possibly be an optional 5.3L V8, as well. Both engines would also be offered in the Impala and a pair of proposed rear-wheel drive sedans for Buick and Pontiac. All of the vehicles would also share a six-speed slush box. The top powerplant is likely to be a 6.0L small-block V8, probably the 400-hp LS2 found in the base Corvette.

The real question is whether or not anyone will care about the Camaro after waiting another three and half years for its return.