Autoblog

SEMA 2009: Yenko Camaro cuts through the aftermarket fog

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:20:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance

Yenko Camaro - Click above for high-res image gallery

There a lot of new Camaros here at SEMA. In fact, depending upon your depth of exhaustion, residual blood-alcohol level from last night and general brain-deadedness, you might be forgiven for thinking that every other car here is a Camaro. And some of them, well, ain't so great. Useless ground effects packages, 24-inch wheels, shoddy workmanship and terrible eye-searing colors are your bag, man. That said, some Camaros do manage to cut through the crap using simple tools like quality and understatement. May we present to you the new Yenko Camaro, a quiet, big stick-carrying badass in a sea of noise.

Now, as we previously pointed out, this is the Phase I Yenko - meaning that instead of sporting a 427 cid like Yenko 'Maros of yore, the new one has a supercharged version of GM's LS3, the 6.2-liter V8 that comes standard with the Camaro SS. Purists (can Yenko fans be considered purists?) might grouse and claim a non-427 is lame, but we'll say two things on the matter. First, the supercharged LS3 will make at least 600 horsepower. Nothing lame about that. Second, Phase II and Phase III Yenkos are coming and you can bet they'll have Z06-sourced LS7 427, tuned to who knows how high. And, judging by the competition, an LS9 Yenko isn't out of the question.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: 2010 Yenko Camaro

SEMA 2009: Yenko Camaro cuts through the aftermarket fog originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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n2a Motors now taking orders for Anteros Roadster and Coupe

Drew Phillips — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Specialty

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Anteros Roadster and Coupe

While the Anteros Roadster made its debut a few years at SEMA, we got our first look at the coupe just a few months ago. Now, n2a Motors, which builds the Corvette-based sportscars has announced that it is taking orders for both the coupe and convertible, priced at $149,500 and $154,500, respectively.

Based on the chassis and running gear of a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette, each car features a carbon composite body, hand-stitched leather interior, three-piece aluminum wheels, and a custom exhaust. Under the hood is the Corvette's LS3 V8 putting out 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft torque, complete with Chevrolet's 100,000 mile powertrain warranty intact. Customers can also choose to have the Z06 used as a base vehicle, and upgrades between 525 and 1000 horsepower are available at additional cost.

The transformation from Corvette to Anteros takes approximately 800 hours, and no two cars will be alike (hence the name n2a). Along with the press release that can be seen after the jump, n2a Motors has also released dozens of new photos of both the coupe and convertible that can be viewed in high resolution in the gallery below.

Gallery: n2a Motors Anteros Coupe and Roadster

[Source: n2a Motors]

n2a Motors now taking orders for Anteros Roadster and Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Garage 419 pits GT-R against rented Hertz Corvette... with nitrous

Chris Shunk — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Nissan, Specialty

Click the image above to view the gassed 'Vette take on the Nissan GT-R after the jump

The Garage 419 team is anything but conventional, so when they say they're going to race a Nissan GT-R against a $500 competitor, you know it's going to be entertaining. Host Matt Farah had the easy task of rolling to the strip in the Godzilla of street racers, with 478 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and launch control at his beck and call. Editor Gene Sanchez had the tougher task of obtaining a $500 car to challenge his co-worker. Sanchez had a couple tricks up his sleeve, though, as he rented a $200-per-day LS3 Corvette from the Hertz Fun Collection and added a bargain-basement $300 nitrous system. Unfortunately, the 'Vette was burdened with lousy run-flat tires and a six-speed slush box, but at least the yellow underdog had the crowd on its side. Does a juiced up Corvette have a chance in Hell of besting a bone-stock GT-R on a one-eighth mile drag strip? The only way to find out is by hitting the jump to see the race for yourself.

Continue reading VIDEO: Garage 419 pits GT-R against rented Hertz Corvette... with nitrous

VIDEO: Garage 419 pits GT-R against rented Hertz Corvette... with nitrous originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Web Rides TV pits the Audi R8 against the LS3 Corvette

Chris Shunk — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Audi, Chevrolet

The LS3 Corvette and the Audi R8 are have a similar purpose, but go about their jobs in completely different ways. The 'Vette is all about a big engine, with big power and pushing the rear wheels. The R8 utilizes a high-revving 4.2L V8 and AWD to keep the rubber firmly planted on the pavement. Both vehicles have over 400 hp, weigh in at under 3,500 lbs and have similar 0-60 times, but for the price of one R8 you could by a LS3 and Z06 Corvette.

The car nuts over at Web Rides TV put the two vehicles through a "Super Lap" consisting of a slalom, a straightaway, and two sharp turns to see which vehicle would come out on top. The result produced an entertaining video, some great sounds and a very clear winner. Hit the jump to see it for yourself.

Gallery: Review: 2008 Audi R8

Gallery: 2008 Chevrolet Corvette

[Source: Web Rides TV]

Continue reading VIDEO: Web Rides TV pits the Audi R8 against the LS3 Corvette

VIDEO: Web Rides TV pits the Audi R8 against the LS3 Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vauxhall VXR8 gets LS3 V8

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:35:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Vauxhall, UK

Click either image for a high-res gallery of the Vauxhall VXR8.

Our friends across the pond finally get to enjoy the new LS3 that's currently powering the Pontiac G8 GXP and Holden Commodore HSV, with the revised Vauxhall VXR8. The upgraded V8 has grown from 5,967 cc to 6,162 cc and is producing 425 hp at 6,000 rpm. Coupled with the revised automatic gearbox, 0-60 times drop to 4.9 seconds (from five), and the run from 80 to 100 mph is reduced from 4.3 seconds to four seconds flat. Fuel economy remains the same as the outgoing LS2 and automatic-equipped models now get a transmission cooler standard. The new VXR8 is currently on sale in the UK for £35,695, an extra £485 over the outgoing model.

Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Vauxhall VXR8

[Source: Vauxhall]

Continue reading Vauxhall VXR8 gets LS3 V8

Vauxhall VXR8 gets LS3 V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 May 2008 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 Eaton Supercharger in-depth

Chris Shunk — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Supercars, Chevrolet, GM

Click the photo above for pics of the ZR1 Corvette and its LS9 engine

Yesterday we showed you an overview of the Corvette ZR1's heart, the force-fed 6.2L LS9 small block V8. In naturally aspirated form, the LS3 powerplant hits in the base 2008 Corvette hits 436 horsepower, but the addition of a new four lobe Eaton supercharger lifts the ZR1 into the horsepower stratosphere. Ron Meegan, assistant chief of GM's small block engine program, took us through the ins and outs of the ZR1's efficient new supercharger and we had our cameras rolling. Hit the jump to learn how the Eaton supercharger works and what makes it special. We also attached a one-minute video that details some of the differences between the supercharged LS9 V8 in the ZR1 and Cadillac CTS-V.

Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Continue reading VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 Eaton Supercharger in-depth

VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 Eaton Supercharger in-depth originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyno-might: Dragtimes gets the numbers on the LS3 Corvette

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Chevrolet

When we told you about our first encounter with Chevrolet's new 2008 Corvette, one of the highlights was the new LS3 engine. Up from 6.0 to 6.2 liters, the new base 'Vette motor promisea 430 hp, or 436 with the optional exhaust. That was a 30 hp bump over the '07s. Not content to let sleeping dogs lie, the gang over at LG Motorsports decided to strap one to a dyno to verify those numbers. And the results were spot on.

First up was the 6-speed auto. It returned a plot that showed peak horsepower of 370.8, with torque at 363.8 ft-lbs. With a drivetrain loss of about 16%, that is spot on. Next up was the 6-speed stick. It came back almost 20 hp better than the slushbox. The numbers were 389.5 hp and 377.4 ft-lbs of torque. That shows about a 10% loss for that engine/transmission combo. Even better.

And then, just for kicks, LG added "longtube headers, performance cam, ported intake, K&N aircharger, under-drive pulley and a custom tune" and got a quick boost of more than 100 hp at the rears. That car now shows 506.7 hp and 457.1 ft-lbs... at the wheels! One of the best performance for the dollar bargains on the planet, this '08 Corvette seems ready to take on the world.

[Source: Dragtimes]

Dyno-might: Dragtimes gets the numbers on the LS3 Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #64

Dan Roth — Thu, 03 May 2007 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Supercars, Chevrolet, Hyundai

We're back with #64 after being laid low by illness and schedule last week. Starting it off is some analysis of the 430HP LS3 Corvette, which we were lucky enough to see unveiled in Bowling Green, KY. 430 horses in the base car...nice. Speaking of rear-wheel-drive sports cars, there's yet another special Mustang, the Super Snake. It's upper limit of 725 horsepower has instantly rendered the GT500KR that debuted in New York totally irrelevant. Wake us up when the rollouts of special Mustangs are over. *Yawn* Of course, we still manage to talk about some hot 'Stangs for a few minutes. We wrap the whole deal up with the new Hyundai coupe based on the Genesis sedan's architecture. Whether it's the new Tiburon (finally a contender?), we don't know. Nor do we know if the rendering we've seen is anywhere near accurate, but Hyundai's continuing with their aggressive push, so we'll see where it leads. It's a tight 27 minutes this week, so enjoy!

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Autoblog Podcast #64 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 May 2007 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 LS3 Corvette spotted in Kentucky

Alex Nunez — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:36:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Chevrolet

Click here for gallery

The official unveiling is apparently set for this Saturday, April 28 at the C5/C6 Bash at the National Corvette Museum in BowlingGreen, but thanks to a poster at Digital Corvettes, you can get sneak preview of the 2008 Corvette and its LS3 V8 right now. The new mill is expected to pump out 430 horsepower, and the '08 Vette will also sport new 5-spoke wheels and interior tweaks, among other things. We'll have to wait until the weekend for the full dog & pony show to go down, but one thing's certain: the presence of 430 standard horsepower will only further cement the Corvette's standing as an unbelievable performance value. Production of the LS3-powered Vettes is scheduled to start this week.

Thanks for the tip, Drew!

[Source: Digital Corvettes]

Gallery: 2008 LS3 Corvette

2008 LS3 Corvette spotted in Kentucky originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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