The New El Camino: The Holden UTE

Since 1959, the Chevrolet El Camino has been a super infatuation for car lovers. The sedan slash truck is popular among car shows and car cruises and definitely stands out as a vehicle in a class of its own.  

Since 1987, the rare-looking car has been discontinued, leaving a lot of El Camino fans wondering when and if they were ever going to bring it back. Chevrolet has brought back the COPO and the Yenko Camaro, GM as well has brought back other vehicles from the past and still planning to bring back others.

The question is if America loved the El Camino so much and Chevrolet was having such success with them, then why does Australia get to enjoy a version of the El Camino and Americans don't. The Australian car company Holden owned by GM produces a Holden UTE that looks just like an updated version of an El Camino.


General Motors had planned to have all of their production interest out of Australia by 2016 and that probably means that will be the end of the Holden UTE, especially since sales have been way down in the past 3 years. But one must wonder with GM making such strives by making big splashes in the industry from year to year with cars like the ATS-V, ZO6, Z28, a possible Grand National, etc. could an El Camino comeback be on the horizon?

The UTE is already designed with all top-of-the-line technology. The SS-V Redline series UTE already packs a 6.0L V-8 engine with about 367hp connected to a six-speed auto or manual transmission. Nineteen-inch alloy wheels with Brembo brakes and an FE3 Ultra Sport suspension is what helps control that power. All this would make it very easy for Chevrolet to put an LS motor and drivetrain in it practically with no modifications.

The Bells and Whistles:         

                      
8'' touch screen with Mylink
5-star ANCAP safety rating
Electronic Stability Control
park assist
rearview camera
blind-spot alert
front collision alert
electric parking brake
push-button start
lane departure warning
full range of airbags
Trailer assists
And much more...

It would just be pretty cool to see these Holden UTEs in America roaming around with a Chevy emblem on the front grille.

Cadillacs Bad Ass 2016 ATS-V

Recently Cadillac has been working hard to keep up with BMW sports sedans, and yes, they have been doing a good job of it too. The CTS-V was a good start, the CT6 really puts Cadillac on the map with its design, and the 2016 ATS-V, just unveiled, looks, and has the power to definitely take some customers away from BMW. 

Competing against the BMW 3-series is what Cadillac had in mind when they went to work designing the new ATS-V. Skipping the V-8, like what they used for the CTS-V, was a huge risk, but a V-6 twin-turbo seems to work well and competes more equally with BMW and other vehicles from across the pond.


The V-6 twin-turbo that Cadillac went with packs 450-RWHP and 445 ft-lb of torque. Buyers will have a choice of an eight-speed paddle shifter or a six-speed manual gearbox. For more improved performance, the ATS-V will come with an optional track-pack that will add 100 lbs. of down-force at 100 mph. You will also find that the new ATS-V will have 50 percent more stiffness in the handling than the original ATS.

With a curb weight of 3,600 lbs. and riding on a Magnetic Ride Control suspension with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires sticking to the ground, this is another Cadillac that not only can dazzle, while putting you in the lap of luxury, but also get you around corners like you're being chased in an action film.

Suspected price -- around $70,000.00

2015 Yenko Camaro: 700-HP it's Really Back

Unless you have been living under a muscle car rock for the last 40 years, you probably know about the Yenko/SC Camaros of the late 60's. They were very rare sought-after muscle cars that used the Corvette 427-cu.-in. powerplant to produce legendary Camaro power. Thanks to Don Yenko and the help of his dealership, they not only put the badass Corvette motors in them, but they also added cool visual effects that help the Yenko Camaros of the 60's standout and still draw huge prices on auction blocks today.

With the end of production of those Yenkos Camaros – probably didn't leave to many Camaro enthusiasts left that thought they would ever see another Yenko Camaro in production let alone a 21st century Yenko/SC Camaro. But General Motors had a few tricks up their sleeve when they bought the rights to the Yenko name in 2009 and moved forward in 2010 by unveiling a Yenko/SC prototype. It was pretty obvious after the enthusiasm that the Yenko prototype created it would only be a matter of time that we would see an actual production push of these bad boys.

At the 2014 SEMA show, Chevrolet unveiled a 2015 Yenko/SC Camaro that was built to tell the world that there would be a Yenko Camaro going into production. It was a joint project that involved the SLP company. A company that has joined up with Chevy many times in the past for high-performance specialty cars.

The new Yenko/SC will be much like the old – packed with all kinds of goodies and visual upgrades. Those upgrades start with an Eaton TVS 2300 supercharger stacked on a GM LS7 7.0-liter engine that packs a monster 700hp punch. Backing that will be either an automatic transmission or a manual trans with a dual-disc clutch assembly.

Visually the Camaro has a heritage style front-grille to go with an RTM cowl-induction hood. Yenko hood and body graphics are added with exterior 427 badges and Yenko door sill plates. To top all that off will be a badass looking black ZL1 rear-spoiler and five-spoke rims with a gunmetal finish and sYc center caps.

Only 50 of these Camaros will be produced this year and they will have to be ordered from SLP. So if this sounds like something you desperately want -- then you better order soon.

Camaro Gets Different Chassis for 2016

Although no photos leaks of what the new Camaro is going to look like, Chevrolet did confirm it will be using the Cadillac ATS coupe's chassis. The current Camaro chassis is a rear-drive modified version of the Holden Commodore by GM's Australian brand. The big move is due to the fact that GM no longer wants to be building vehicles in Australia in 2017, and this will ensure production will convert easily with no unneeded production shutdowns.


The Camaro will be on sale sometime next year but don't expect any spoilers until at least the North American International Auto Show, and GM says maybe not even then. Motor Trend has produced some spy pictures that showed what could be the 2016 Camaro all wrapped up, but they admitted they were not sure if they were on the right track.

The ATS chassis was designed to help the car compete with the BMW 3-Series. Out of all of GM's chassis, the ATS coupe's chassis is the closest fit to the Camaro. It is shorter in length, narrower, and weighs less than the current Camaro chassis. Chevy says it could help bring a little more of a European sports car feel when comes to the type of ride it will produce. But I'm not sure if that is a huge selling point for American sports car lovers.

The ATS already offers a four-cylinder turbo motor, and Chevy has confirmed that it is possible to see one in the Camaro as an option for 2016. Mustang, Camaros long time rival, already offers one, and since it would take no extra engineering to put a four-cylinder turbo in the Camaro to compete with Mustang, not to mention the European cars, I'd say the possibility is very real.  

All New Cadillac LTS RWD -- A Much More High-End Version for Cadillac in 2015

 


Although car lovers and GM lovers are already lucky enough to have beautiful high-tech Cadillacs to choose from, GM announces they will began building an even more top-end Cadillac for 2015.

The assembly of these new Cadillac cars will be taking place at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. It will be a rear-wheel drive vehicle and is expected to make its first debut sometime in the first half of the 2015 year.

The Hamtramck plant borders on Detroit and Hamtramck. As of now the plant produces the Opel Ampera, the Chevrolet Impala and the Cadillac ELR, and a luxury version of the Volt.

This is a project that GM is throwing $384 million at as an investment. Let's just hope after a rough Bankruptcy, they're not taking on more than they can chew. They have some very sweet sports and luxury cars, but let's face it, they're not the type of vehicles that keep the doors flying open at the dealerships. They may keep us looking at them on a computer screen or in a magazine, but the Average Joe is usually looking for something a little more practical.


 

  

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel Sales Are Down

 

It's been almost a year now since the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel went on sale, the first diesel passenger car that General Motors put on the market since 1986. 

General Motors had high hopes for the Cruze with the European turbodiesel engine, which was designed to compete with the well-established Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The Jetta and the Cruze are the only two competitive diesel compacts that are on the market today. 

So far General Motors has sold roughly 300,000 Chevy Cruzes for 2014, but only 5,974 (2.0 percent) were diesel models. Since GM was hoping on about 10 percent sales, the number is not a good number considering the Jetta TDI has sold 46,409 in the same period of time. But it should also be noted that one of the problems that the Cruze Diesel suffers from is the lack of marketing support it receives opposed to the already well-established Jetta Diesel.

Power Ratings

One thing the Cruze does have going for it is it has more power than the Jetta. The it is fitted with a 151-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine, which produces a substantial 264 lb-ft of torque. The only available transmission is a beefed-up six-speed automatic; unlike the diesel VW Jetta, there's no manual gearbox offered.

The current Jetta TDI has a 140-hp 2.0-liter turbodiesel that produces 236 lb-ft of torque. It should be noted, however, that Volkswagen is about to fit a new line of more powerful diesel engines across its entire small- and medium-size car range.

Fuel Economy 

The Cruze Diesel is rated at 33 mpg combined (27 mpg city, 46 mpg highway). That's higher than the Cruze Eco automatic, at 31 mpg combined (26 mpg city, 39 mpg highway) but lower than the automatic version of the VW Jetta TDI at 34 mpg (30 mpg city, 42 mpg highway).

To boost its fuel economy, the diesel Cruze also adopts some elements of the high-efficiency Cruze Eco gasoline model, including automated grille shutters that block airflow through the engine compartment at higher speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag.

What People Are Saying

The Cruze Diesel has received mixed reviews. It gets praised for its quietness, smoothness on the highway and a lack of noise, vibration, and harshness, but it's also been dinged for slow response and uneven power in stop-and-go city and suburban driving.

The 2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel isn't cheap. It's priced at $26,695 including delivery--or about $600 more than a Volkswagen Jetta TDI fitted with an automatic.

Compared to the comparably equipped gasoline version of the Cruze with 2LT trim level, there's a $2,400 additional cost to get the diesel.

Darth Vader Hot Wheels Chevrolet Corvette

 http://youtu.be/aDCx0PeVOTo
I have never personally seen Star Wars before ... but Corvette can attach their name to anything and make it work -- Hot Wheels, Star Wars, kids toys, big-boy-toys -- anything.  

2015 Cadillac ATS Video -- Looking Cool

The video was not supposed to be released so soon, but it's nice to see the 2015 Cadillac ATS looking good. The front end is sleek looking and the whole car just has a nice feel to it.

With a nice sticker price on this Cadillac, GM should enjoy a nice amount of these cars being sold, maybe even steeling some customers from some of their competitors. And if there is one thing for sure, with everything going on with GM right now, they can use the business.

Like always, Cadillac offers many great standard options, three different engine options, and two different transmission options.  

• New coupe body style available
• OnStar with 4G LTE and Wi-Fi hotspot capability standard
• Cadillac DockSpot wireless charging available
• Rear- or all-wheel drive
• Manual or automatic transmission

• Available Engines:
• 202-hp, 2.5-liter I-4 (regular gas)
• 321-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 (regular gas)
• 272-hp, 2.0-liter I-4 (premium)

• Transmissions:
• 6-speed manual w/OD
• 6-speed automatic w/OD and auto-manual

2015 Hot Rod Camaro – Limited Edition

 

When the legendary HOT ROD Magazine corporation teams up with anybody to make a project car, you know it's going to be something special. Just like in 2001, when Dennis Barker at Todd Wenzel Chevrolet in Hudsonville, Michigan joined forces with the magazine to design Special Edition HOT ROD Camaros, they produced something special. And that's why they're back at it again this year to build 2015 Special Edition Camaros.

A 2014 Special Edition Camaro made its first appearance at the HOT ROD Power Tour on June 7, 2014, at Zmax Dragway. Although this one was a 2014 Camaro, outside one other 2014, the rest of the Special Editions Camaros will be 2015s.


When asked about it at the Power Tour, HOT ROD and dealership staff both admitted to having a hard time agreeing with each other on even some of the smallest details, but both sides say regardless the project was fun and the outcome was spectacular. 

There will be 67 of these Special Edition Camaros sold at the Todd Wenzel dealership. Each Camaro will be sold in all V-8 trim levels including convertibles and will have plenty of HOT ROD Special Edition items including: badges and emblems, stripes, embroidered headrests, floor mats, sill plates, Forgeline wheels and center caps, exhaust diverters, slotted rotors, billet valve covers, and plug wires. 

You will also have a choice of many different colors, and each Camaro will have many different optional dealership performance upgrades to choose from. 

Each Camaro will be built by the legendary Nickey High-Performance Company and will have decals to prove it. What makes these Camaros so cool, with only 67 built, you can bet that you will be the only one on your block that owns one.

Chevrolet Tries to Prevent New Camaro Z/28 Cloning By Restricting Specific Parts

So the word is out, with the successful completion of selling out the 2014 Z/28s so fast, rumors sparked that Chevrolet would up the ante for 2015 and produce 2,500 Z/28s. That is no longer a rumor, there will be a total of 2,500 Z/28s built for 2015 as opposed to the 500 built for the 2014 year.

But more interesting than the limited edition Z/28 selling out so fast, to help keep the rarity of the Z/28s exclusive to the owners who actually shelled out the $75,000.00 for the Camaro, Chevrolet has made a move to prevent the cloning of a Z/28 by restricting the sale of certain parts.

Raging from high-performance parts to cosmetic, Chevrolet sent a list of 35 different parts to dealers that make up the Z/28 package and are not to be sold on the market to individuals or companies that can't prove the ownership of a Camaro Z/28.

Some of those banned parts include: the Brembo brake system and carbon-ceramic rotors, 19-inch wheels, rear differential, and rear axle, front fascia, the "flowtie" grille badge,  Recaro seats, hood scoop, fender flares, rocker panels, and rear fascia and spoiler, and the list goes on.

Now if it's the power of the Z/28 you are looking for, you can buy the power-plant in the form of a crate motor. The 505-horsepower 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 has been available since it was placed in the C6 Corvette ZO6.

It's easy to see why Chevrolet would want to put this plan into motion, but the question is just how long will this plan prevent cloning of Z/28s. They want to clone prestigious cars has been around since hot rodding its self. So even if Chevrolet won't sell these specific parts, aftermarket companies will see an even bigger market to make money. Nevertheless, no matter how many clones are out there, they can't take away from the authenticity of a real one and numbers don't lie. If you have a true Z/28, 1-of-500 or 1-of-2,500, you still have a significant piece of "Hot Rod History." 

Will Chevrolet Have to Build More Camaro Z/28s

 

2014 Camaro Z/28 - SOLD OUT

 
It wasn't too hard for Chevrolet to sell all of their 500 brand new 2014 Camaro Z/28s. Now with no more for car enthusiast to get their hands on this year, Chevrolet is faced with the question of, "Do They Build More?" 

Building more will definitely help the already popular Z/28 trending well into next year, but for the lucky owners of the first 500 units, it will take away from the rareness factor that Chevrolet was shooting for and probably what owners were counting on. Although the chances of Chevrolet building more Camaro Z/28s this year is probably slim to none, next year's plans for more than just 500 being built to meet demands is highly possible.

Camaro Chief Engineer, Al Oppenheiser, has said that next year could possibly see the likes of 2,500 units being built depending on demand and whether or not they decide to build more this year and if they do launch a project like that this year how it ends up panning out.

So unless you have been living under a rock for the last year and a half, you probably know what the 2014 Z/28 is all about. But I don't think anyone really expected this $75,000.00 Camaro would sell out so fast. If Chevrolet decides to build more this year, or ramp up the amount built next year, it's pretty hard to believe that they could lose on their decisions.