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source autoblog 600-hp, twin-turbocharged Artisan Camaro SS SA-600 by Damon Lavrinc on May 7th, 2009 at 8:01PM 2010 Artisan Camaro SS SA-600 - Click above for a high-res rendering Artisan is teaming up with Turbochargers.com to create a turn-key tuner out of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Using a similar formula as its Lexus IS-F SEMA car, the crew is employing a duo of rear-mounted GTK350 turbos, a cat-back exhaust, intercooler and a tweaked ECU to net a total of 600 whp from the SS' 6.2-liter V8. The body benefits from a 1.5-inch flare in front and a three-inch stretch in the rear where a set of 21-inch (front) and 22-inch (rear) iForged wheels reside, framing 14-inch SSBC Big Brakes. A new lip, rear diffuser, gauge package, Artisan-embroidered head-rests, BASF Glasurit paint and a numbered plaque round out the mods, and although the parts can be had separately, the full turn-key package will set you back $69,000 when the Artisan SA-600 goes on sale this June.

source autoblog ASC recreates Trans-Am with 2010 Chevrolet Camaro by Jeremy Korzeniewski on May 7th, 2009 at 2:28PM ASC Pontiac Trans-Am – Click above for high-res image gallery Pontiac is on its way out just as the new 2010 Chevy Camaro has arrived. Had this been a decade or two earlier, the Camaro would most certainly be accompanied by an equally sick Pontiac version, namely the Trans-Am. But even before it was decided to put the final nail in Pontiac's coffin, General Motors had no intention of developing a new Trans-Am based off the Camaro. Well, someone should, and someone did. Enter ASC, otherwise known as American Specialty Cars, the sub-contractor responsible for building many of the convertibles you see on the road today like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder and Toyota Camry Solara Convertible. ASC also has experience building whole specialty cars for manufacturers, having been the building force behind such machines as the Chevy SSR, GMC Syclone/Typhoon and even the unforgettable Buick GNX. Now, according to DUB, ASC will take your 2010 Camaro and transform it into a modern-day Trans-Am. We don't have too many details except for these few renderings, but the Pontiac-ification of the Camaro looks great from the front and we dig the duck tail spoiler. The air inlets behind the doors are a little much and for all we know are non-functional, but the overall treatment evokes Pontiac's past in much the same way that Chevy's new muscle car draws inspiration from past Camaros without copying them outright. We've got a request in to ASC for more information, so we'll wait and see if the Trans-Cam is the real deal. Gallery: ASC Pontiac Trans-Am [li] [/li]

source autoblog Save the Cheerleader? GM creates Hero Edition Corvette ZR1 to benefit Kids Wish Network by Jeremy Korzeniewski on May 7th, 2009 at 12:59PM 2009 Corvette Hero Edition ZR1 - Click above for high-res image gallery Want to be a hero? Or, do you at least want to drive a heroic car? May we suggest the 1 of 1 Hero Edition 2009 Corvette ZR1 that General Motors has created specifically for the Kids Wish Network. There may not be any changes to the stock ZR1's drivetrain, but that's fine – it certainly didn't need any. To separate the Hero Edition from the rest of its ZR1 siblings, GM's team of Corvette designers and engineers equipped this particular 'Vette with a bespoke graphics package with red accents in lieu of the normal blue. Other special bits include "additional carbon fiber components," though we're left wondering what those composite pieces may be. You can't actually go to your nearest Chevy dealership and order the Hero Edition, as it's a prize for the Corvette Dream Giveaway. Joining the 2009 Hero Edition ZR1 will be a fully restored 1967 Corvette in matching Tuxedo Black with red highlights, equipped with the desirable 427 cubic inch Big Block V8 engine with 390 ground-pounding horsepower. There's only one 2009 Hero Edition in existence, and if you want it, you'll need to order a $3 ticket... or, ya know, a few hundred tickets. There's no limit on how many times a single individual can enter the drawing, and the more tickets you purchase, the better your chances of winning will be. Shelley Breiner, Exective Director for the Kids Wish Network, expects this lone drawing to fund its Hero of the Month program for at least an entire year. So, order away – it's for a good cause. Thanks for the tip, Keith! Gallery: 2009 Hero Edition Corvette ZR1 [li] [/li]

source autoblog Ugur Sahin partners with Mallett for 999-hp twin-turbo Corvette Z03 by John Neff on Apr 6th, 2009 at 12:58PM UgurSahinDesign Corvette Z03 – Click above for high-res image gallery We're big fans of Ugur Sahin, who in the past has penned a modern interpretation of the Ferrari Dino that made our knees weak. Last year he unveiled renderings for a reinterpretation of the C6 Corvette called the Z03. Being used to seeing his designs remain on-paper fantasies, we were pleasantly surprised this morning to learn that his firm, UgurSahinDesign, has partnered with well known tuner Mallett Cars to bring the Z03 to life. Since we last saw it, the Z03 has undergone further styling revisions, and we say for the better. They tell us all the tweaks were made to increase engine cooling and improve downforce, while the new headlights were redesigned to better accompany the car's Z06-like see-through hood. That new powerdome provides some extra clearance for what Ugur Sahin and Mallett have planned for the Z03 powerplants. The base engine will be a supercharged version of GM's LS7 V8 producing 700 hp. For those interested in the ultimate of bespoke Vette conversions, however, there's an optional engine upgrade featuring twin turbos and an expected output of 999 hp. Just to convert your C6 into the Ugur Sahin design with carbon fiber bodywork will set you back $69,000, not including the price of the donor car. The engine upgrades will run $32,700 for the 700-hp, supercharged version and $35,795 for the 999-hp, twin-turbo version. At only a couple thou more than the supercharged engine, the 999-hp option seems like a steal. That is, until you tally the total cost and realize you've just spent six figures creating a super Corvette that still has the same interior. Be sure to inspect every inch of Ugur Sahin's new Z03 design in our high-res image gallery below and peruse more detailed tech specs after the jump. Gallery: UgurSahinDesign Corvette Z03 [li] [/li]

source autoblog Burt Reynolds' own Bandit Trans Am to be auction in May by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Apr 4th, 2009 at 2:01PM Click above for an image gallery of Burt Reynolds' Bandit Trans Am The black-and-gold Special Edition Pontiac Trans Am will forever hold a special place in the minds and hearts of Americans old enough to remember how little there was in the way of performance in the mid-to-late 1970s. Standing as a lone bastion of V8-powered adrenaline, the TA refused to give up its ties to the muscle car era, which otherwise died an inglorious death around 1973. Many point to the Smokey and the Bandit movie franchise for igniting sales of Pontiac's screaming chicken. In our minds, the star of the show was undoubtedly the car, but who can forget the image of Burt Reynolds and Sally Field running from Buford T. Justice, ably played by the late Jackie Gleason? Fans looking for the ultimate expression of Burt Reynolds adoration will have the chance to bid on the star's own personal 1978 Pontiac Trans Am Special Edition as it goes up for auction May 2nd in Hiuston. According to the car's description, it's been fully restored and features embroidered Bandit portrait headrests and, of course, a period-correct Cobra CB radio. Full press release after the break. Gallery: Burt Reynolds' Bandit Trans Am [li] [/li]

source autoblog First Drive: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500, Part 1 - Living on the (live axle) limit by Jonathon Ramsey on Apr 6th, 2009 at 11:57AM http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/swipe-featured.gif[/img]http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/swipe-first-drive.gif[/img] 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 – Click above for high-res image gallery The four pillars of Ford's SVT division are Performance, Exclusivity, Substance and Volume. No one is expecting the 2010 Shelby GT500 to have any problem with the last three – it's the first one that means everything. Ford told us the five tenets of the new car all start with the word "better" and end with horsepower, torque, handling, interior and fuel economy. Sent to Northern California for two days to drive it, we had only one question – whether all of those other "betters" truly equated to substantially improved performance than the previous car. The first day covered miles and miles of oceanside and backcountry roads. The second day covered figure-eights, the drag strip and the road course at Petaluma's Infineon Raceway. Follow the jump to see how the latest fanged horse does its thing. Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500, Part 1

mais qu'est ce qu'ont certains dans la tronche !!!

source autoblog First to the Punch: Roush unveils 2010 427R Mustang by Drew Phillips on Mar 18th, 2009 at 11:28AM http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/swipe-breaking.gif[/img] 2010 Roush 427R Mustang – Click above for image gallery If you're the type of person who loves every new Ford Mustang variation that hits the market, then this is what you've finally been waiting for. If you're the type who can't stand it, well, deal with it. Today, Roush is the first to dip its toe into into what will doubtlessly be a very crowded pool of tuner Mustangs with the introduction of its 2010 427R Mustang at its Livonia, MI assembly plant. Like the standard 2010 Mustang, don't expect drastic changes underneath – the meat-and-potatoes of Roush Mustangs over the past few years are all there but now with a fresh new face. Under the hood, the Blue Oval's V8 has been supercharged to produce 435 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, and it now features a more efficient intake system and improved cooling. The appearance package is relatively subtle (if you can call side stripes "subtle") and includes a new front fascia, front splitter, rear fascia, side sills, a three-piece rear wing and 18-inch wheels (20-inchers are optional). Roush has also spent countless hours tuning the suspension system, which consists of new springs, shocks and sway bars, although we can't imagine Ford's own setup being improved upon too much. Roush will have to send us a 427R to test so can find out for ourselves. Finally, all the little details that come with a limited edition production car are all there – fender badges, rear decklid emblem, aluminum pedals, embroidered floor mats and a serialized engine bay plaque. In addition to the standard features, customers can also choose from numerous upgrades including reupholstered leather seats, short-throw shifter, performance exhaust, and more. More details after the jump, and a low-res gallery is below (we hope to update with more higher-quality images as soon as they become available). Gallery: 2010 Roush 427R Mustang [li] [/li]

source autoblog Jeremy Korzeniewski[/color][/url][/b] on Mar 17th, 2009 at 6:59PM Chevrolet Corvemaro – Click above for image gallery Sometimes, the end result is less than the sum of its parts. Such is the case with this monstrosity that we've labeled the Chevrolet Corvemaro. It looks about as good as the name rolls off the tongue. From what we can tell, this is the front clip of a '73 Camaro grafted onto the chassis and running gear of a C4 Corvette of unknown vintage. Thrown in for good measure are a generic '70s-era power dome hood and fender vents that appear to have been lifted from a second-gen Pontiac Trans Am. Perhaps when it's completed we'll change our hatin' ways, but that seems unlikely judging by the unsightly "progress" so far. Masochists can view the gallery below for more unfortunate Bowtie-branded carnage, but we'd avise against it.

source autoblog Barrett-Jackson to auction first 2010 GT500, two concept Mustangs in Palm Beach by Drew Phillips on Mar 16th, 2009 at 3:58PM 2003 Ford Mustang GT Concept – Click above for high-res gallery Ahh, Barrett-Jackson. What would it be without a charity Mustang going up for auction? In the case of the upcoming event in Palm Beach in April, there will actually be three historic Mustangs going across the block with all proceeds being donated to worthy causes. First up is lot #665, the first retail 2010 Shelby GT500 that was initially supposed to be auctioned at the Scottsdale event back in January. The car comes in Kona Blue with white stripes, a color combination specifically chosen by Carroll Shelby. 2003 Ford Mustang Convertible Concept – Click above for high-res gallery The real news, however, is the sale of two Mustang concepts that ushered in the current retro design of the S197 platform with their debut at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. As much as we like the styling of the production car, looking at the photos reminds us how much we loved the concepts even more. Each features a supercharged 400-horsepower V8, 5-speed transmission and Brembo brakes, although we doubt either can be registered for road use. The Mustang concepts are being sold as separate lots, but we'd hope that any potential buyers would bid on both to keep the cars together. More details about the cars and the Palm Beach auction in the press release after the jump. Gallery: 2003 Ford Mustang GT and Convertible Concept

source autoblog Mi-bolide, mi-robot Posté le 10 - 03 - 2009 par Pierre-Benoît Sepulchre Catégories: Chevrolet, Modes, Marketing/pub , Nouveautés Recourir au cinéma pour assurer la promotion d'un nouveau modèle n'est pas une idée neuve. On a pu admirer les BMW Z3 et Z8, puis les différentes productions du groupe Ford dans les dernières aventures de James Bond. La MINI fut la vedette du film The Italian Job, tandis que les modèles les plus récents de chez GM furent une apparition remarquée dans le premier opus de Tranformers. Dans Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, le second volet de la saga robotique, GM remet le couvert en y présentant notamment la Chevrolet Volt, la Chevrolet Traxx Concept et surtout une sculpturale Corvette Sting Ray. Celle-ci est inspirée de la Sting Ray originale de 1959 qui présentait la particularité d'être dotée d'une double lunette arrière, d'où son surnom de "Split-Window". Le prototype que l'on peut admirer dans le film possède bien entendu le même attribut, tout en arborant un style qui nous rappelle que nous ne sommes plus au XXe siècle. Ce qui frappe le plus en découvrant la bête, ce sont ses quatre énormes pots d'échappement disposés l'un à côté de l'autre, à distance égale, ses deux gigantesques prises d'air faciales ainsi que la calandre quadrillée de chrome, rompant avec la "gueule" du modèle actuel. Sur grand écran, la Corvette Sting Ray incarnera également le rôle d'un imposant robot, dissimulé sous les traits de la belle américaine. Pourvu qu'elle inspire les designers lorsqu'ils dessineront la prochaine Corvette !

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source autoblog eBay Find of the Day: '85 Camaro IROC Z28 with four miles, mullet not included by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Feb 26th, 2009 at 5:55PM Click above for a gallery of the 1985 Camaro IROC-Z on eBay If you were able to suddenly don a mullet and hop in Doc Brown's time machine to travel back to the year 1985, you'd find that the pinnacle of affordable performance was available at your local Chevy dealership in the form of the Camaro IROC-Z. This was the first year that the Z was offered, and though this particular example seems to be equipped with the 4-barrel 305 and a five-speed stick, the IROC was the first Camaro to get the Tuned Port Injection engine, which displaced 305 cubic inches and offered up an impressive-for-the-day 215 horsepower, hooked up to a four-speed automatic transmission. Other uplevel bits included 16" 5-spoke alloy rims and meaty 245/50ZR16 tires cribbed from the Corvette. Here we are in 2009, and most of these cars were snatched up by young, hot-headed male drivers once they hit the used market, meaning that nearly all of the Z's still on the road are in less-than-stellar condition. Fortunately, eBay has come to the rescue once again with an auction for a factory-fresh '85 IROC with just 4.3 miles on the odometer. Most of the parts are there, minus the stock set of wheels and tires, but the car has been sitting for the last 23 years inside a warehouse of some sort. Perhaps it's a gem underneath all that dust and muck, but expect to perform lots of hard work if you actually want to make it drivable again. The current bid is well over $15K and the reserve has not yet been reached. We're not sure what an untouched '85 IROC is really worth, but apparently it's a bit more that we'd have guessed. Check out our gallery below and click here for the original auction page, and just to get you in the proper mood, we've included a couple of period Camaro commercials after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Charles! Gallery: eBay Find of the Day: 1985 Camaro IROC-Z [li] [/li]

source autoblog This is no way to treat a 1963 Corvette split-window coupe. Found in Washington by one of Google StreetView's drones, there's actually no barn to this barn find, just a car left sitting in the gray mist that folks in the Pacific Northwest call "weather." This Corvette had a 12-year shelf life, and then according to the owner, it's "been veggin' on the spot since '75." If you are interested, it's one of the fuel injected models and comes with an extra engine and other parts. Of course, if it's been sitting there for 34 years, it could fall to pieces when you try to move it... and you'll probably find more than a few dead (or perturbed) animals lurking thereabouts. But that wouldn't stop you, would it? Check out the gallery below of this forlorn '63 Vette

source autoblog It is neither a Mercury Grand Marquis nor a DeSoto, but perhaps it could be considered a kind of royalty. Furniture maker Steve Heller wanted to build a car of his own design, and possessed of a love of Fifties car details, he swiped the things he liked and built what he calls the "Marquis de Soto." It can also be called the New York Times Collectible Car of the Year. The Marquis is based on a 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis. The Marquis' wings have been poached from the rear of a 1957 DeSoto, along with 1959 Cadillac taillights, the front fenders and lights from a 1958 Lincoln, 1955 Cadillac bumpers, a 1965 Buick Skylark hood, chrome from a 1957 Buick, and a grille glommed built from two 1957 Corvette pieces. Heller spent 20 years collecting all the parts – he makes furniture using vintage car doodads – and spent four months building the car in back of his furniture shop. We dig it... but we dig it even more when it was just wearing primer. It has The Riddler written all over it. For more on the Marquis DeSoto, you can watch a great Heller-narrated slideshow or check out the gallery of photos below. Hat tip to Avinash

source autoblog Sur base Toyota MR2 !! We've seen some crazy automotive rebody attempts in our time, but the GTR350 from Ride Cars in the UK has got to take the cake as the oddest. If you wanted a "Gone in 60 Seconds" Eleanor replica, why would you go to the trouble of (poorly) recreating the Mustang shape when there are literally thousands of the original pony cars still available and in good shape? It's true that the GTR features a mid-engine design, but it's based on a Toyota MR2, – a fine car in its own right, but hardly the pinnacle of supercar performance. In any case, here we are with a kit that consists of a new front and rear body section, new door sills and skins, various lights and hinges, plus a supremely awesome set of rear window louvers. Get yours now in either a ready-to-assemble package for £3,995 (about $5,800) or partially assembled for £7,995 (nearly $12K).

beau projet en souhaitant qu'il soit abordable !!

source autoblog Corvette Stingray C7.R by Drew Phillips on Feb 21st, 2009 at 9:02AM Click above for a high-res photo of BadBoyVettes.com's Corvette Stingray C7.R rendering While the Corvette Stingray Concept (a.k.a. Autobot Sideswipe) introduced at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this month sports heritage-inspired cues, its futuristic styling could also hint at the design of the next-generation model. GM made no comment on whether any of the concept would find make its way into the C7 Corvette, but there will doubtless be plenty of people willing to speculate. The gang at BadBoyVettes.com have taken it one step further and have come up with what the C7.R would look like if the Stingray went to production as-is. Using one of our live shots from the show, they've added the Corvette Racing livery, complete with the "Jake" skull mascot featured prominently on the hood. We think they did a good job, which is to be expected, since BBV helped put together the design schemes for the actual C6.R racers. In full race livery, the Stingray looks like it'd be equally adept at chasing down Gulf-liveried Aston Martins or battling giant evil robots. After all, Jake plays no favorites; he's an equal-opportunity intimidator.

bien belle acquisition Laurent !!

source autoblog 2009 Corvette GT1 Championship Edition by Damon Lavrinc on Feb 19th, 2009 at 3:58PM Click above for a gallery of the 2009 Corvette GT1 Championship Edition Although General Motors is shutting down it's HPVO unit, the automaker has decided a special edition is in order to celebrate the the entry of the Corvette C6.R into the GT1 class of ALMS this year. Based off of your choice between the Corvette Coupe 4LT, Convertible 4LT or Z06, the 2009 Corvette GT1 Championship Edition comes swathed in the same yellow hue that adorns the C6.R or "41U" black, along with a "Jake" graphic that spans the Championship edition's hood. Chrome wheels and a body-colored spoiler pulled from the ZR1 join a "carbon pattern" engine cover, while inside a leather-wrapped ebony interior gets "GT1" embroidered on the seats, instrument panel and center console armrest. Those who opt for non-Z06 models also get the Z51 Performance Package and NPP Performance exhaust, and only 100 units of each model (600 total) will be available this spring, each carrying a $7,840 premium over standard models. Hit the jump for the release.

source autoblog The car you see here may not look like much, but it helped carry us into the nuclear age. Or, at least some of the scientists who brought us there. This 1941 Packard Clipper limousine is one of three that are still known to exist (coachbuilder Fitzjohn built 100 of the stretch cars that year), but we're willing to bet that the other two don't have nearly as colorful a history. This car was used to shuttle Manhattan Project scientists between the Lamy train station in New Mexico and the project sites at Los Alamos and Trinity Base Camp. As we all know, the work of those men eventually ended World War II and altered the course of history forever. As for the big Packard, it was supposed to be scrapped. Instead, it was acquired by a collector, and subsequently decayed over the the next several decades until its importance was realized. Now, the National Atomic Museum is embarking on a two-year restoration project of the big Packard, as well as a '42 Plymouth that carried plutonium used in the Trinity test explosion. An Albuquerque-based Packard specialist will do the work on the Clipper limousine, and enthusiasts interested in contributing to the effort can contact the museum for more details. une ptite restauration et hop !

source autoblog Gestation of a GT500: Lead designer shares early sketches by John Neff on Feb 13th, 2009 at 12:31PM Click above for high-res image gallery of early 2010 Shelby GT500 sketches One of Ford's biggest buzz vehicles this auto show season has been the Mustang. From the debut of the redesigned 2010 model at the LA Auto Show last November to the reveal of the 2010 Shelby GT500 at the Detroit Auto Show last month, Ford has managed to steal back much of the muscle car spot light that's been occupied by the Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro for the last couple of years. The 540-hp Shelby GT500 is the new reigning king of production Mustangs, and one person more than any other is responsible for its visual transformation from family friendly Mustang GT to I'll-eat-your-children-without-chewing Shelby GT500. His name is Rob Jensen, and he earns points from this peanut gallery for keeping his own blog at RobJensenDesign.com. Jensen recently sat down with our friends at idsketching.com for an interview and revealed some salient details about the Mustang's design process, as well as offered advice for budding industrial designers. He also handed over a digital stack of early GT500 sketches that shows the design's gestation from a unique perspective. Check out the whole batch in our high-res gallery and let us know if you think that the GT500 unveiled in Detroit was the right one.

source autoblog Posté le 13 - 02 - 2009 par Pierre-Benoît Sepulchre Catégories: Chrysler, Dodge, Modes, Style de vie , Nouveautés Le néo-rétro a la cote en ce moment, et plus particulièrement outre-Atlantique. Après la résurrection de la Ford Mustang et de la Chevrolet Camaro, le groupe Chrysler a lui aussi retourné ses caisses d'archives pour en ressortir la fabuleuse Dodge Challenger. On se souviendra notamment de ce modèle mythique dans The Dukes of Hazzard, une bonne vieille série américaine de la fin des années septante, dans laquelle la Dodge portait le nom de General Lee. En fans incontestés, les designers du groupe à l'étoile ont ressuscité la belle il y a quelques mois, comme Hollywood le fit avec la série en 2005. Les lignes de la Challenger ont bien entendu été adaptées aux goûts du jour, offrant du muscle, une franche virilité et une vraie gueule de prisonnier. La crise frappant le secteur automobile de plein fouet, avec des ventes en déclin constant, les constructeurs ont recours à des séries spéciales. La Dodge Challenger n'échappe pas à cette technique de marketing et reçoit donc une version hors-norme baptisée "R/T Classic", respirant bon la nostalgie et la fascination pour le modèle original. Malheureusement, cette série qui se dit spéciale n'apporte aucune modification fondamentale au modèle. On relèvera au passage quelques évolutions esthétiques comme l'ajout du nom Challenger sur les flancs dans une police on ne peut plus vintage, des jantes de 20 pouces spécifiques, un logo R/T sur la calandre, un bouchon de réservoir chromé ou encore un spoiler de la couleur de la carrosserie, mais ça se limite à cela. Le futur propriétaire pourra aussi choisir entre plusieurs couleurs d'époque dont un orange vif très tendance. Aucun changement n'est en revanche à signaler du côté mécanique, le gros V8 Hemi de 5,7 litres trônant toujours à l'étroit sous le capot. Peu politiquement correct, il développe 375 CV et 555 Nm de couple dans un grondement très m'as-tu-vu. Dommage que cette nouvelle déclinaison ne soit pas plus audacieuse, notamment vis-à-vis de l'habitacle qui semble tout droit sorti d'une "bête" Avenger.

ce qui me gène, c'est que la citroen GT et hyundai proto ont le même trait de crayon !!!!!!!