ZL1 Has a Leg Up on the Competition

DETROIT – When the new 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 arrives this spring, performance car enthusiasts will experience the hands-on driving satisfaction of a “stick” with the ease of an automatic transmission due to General Motors’ newly improved TapShift technology.

Since its introduction several years ago, TapShift has allowed drivers to control up- and down-shifts with paddle shifters. For 2012, GM powertrain engineers implemented a patent-pending software algorithm that improves tap response time by up to 60 percent compared to the previous system. No hardware changes were required for the upgrade.

“The faster you can get to the next gear, the better, and from the sound of it, the ZL1 automatic’s performance is going to make paddle shifting more exhilarating and satisfying for drivers of all skill sets,” said Eric Fedewa , director of Global Powertrain Forecasting at IHS Automotive. “We’re seeing a trend toward more manual-mode-capable, fun-to-drive automatic transmissions across all vehicle segments, and GM’s technology is leading the pack.”

The 2012 ZL1’s six-speed automatic transmission delivers a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds – a tenth of a second faster than the manual transmission time.

By staging hydraulic pressure in the clutch for the next gear, the new control module algorithm reduces tap delay for the 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5 up-shifts by 200-300 milliseconds. The system anticipates shift requests based on current gear, throttle, torque and speed. By pre-filling the clutch for the next gear, the tap up-shift response is near instantaneous.

“As great as the previous system’s performance was, we were driven to achieve even better results,” said Gabe Gibson, GM performance car calibration engineer. “Not only did we make the upgrade to Camaro, we implemented it on the 2012 Corvette as well, and will use it on all vehicles with TapShift control going forward.”

Staged up-shifts will help drivers of the 2012 ZL1 – the most powerful production Camaro ever – get the most out of its supercharged 6.2L engine that is SAE-rated at 580 horsepower (432 kW) and 556 lb.-ft. of torque (754 Nm).



ZL1 customers’ choice of an automatic 6L90 transmission with TapShift manual mode or a six-speed manual transmission is unmatched in its class. With 0 to 60 taking 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 184 mph, the power and acceleration of the ZL1 automatic rivals many supercars.

“We think Camaro drivers will really appreciate the performance improvement offered by staged up-shifts, whether they’re merging onto the freeway or putting their ZL1 through its paces at the track,” Gibson said.

The Camaro ZL1 Coupe will go on sale this spring as a 2012 model. The Camaro ZL1 Convertible will go on sale this summer as a 2013 model. Chevrolet expects the automatic transmission to command up to 50 percent of ZL1 sales.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Link via Camaro5

Smokin Bowties Camaro Club of NJ

For those camaro enthusiasts, Smokin Bowties is always looking for new recruits to join their club. Every generation camaro is welcome to join, they hold regular meets every week and make it their personal responsibility to get as many shows as possible for the season. So if you own a camaro and are in the NJ area click the links below and check these guys out.

 http://smokinbowties.com/

http://www.facebook.com/groups/347875136537/

Fifth generation 2010 Camaro

Fifth generation: 2010–present

Main article: Chevrolet Camaro (fifth generation)

 

2010 Chevrolet Camaro 1LT

 

Based on the 2006 Camaro Concept and 2007 Camaro Convertible Concept, production of the fifth-generation Camaro was approved on 10 August 2006. Oshawa Car Assembly produces the new Camaro which went on sale in spring of 2009 as a 2010 model year vehicle. The fifth-generation Camaro was engineered by General Motors Holden in Melbourne, Australia, and is based on the highly-successful GM Holden Zeta RWD platform.

Production of the coupe began on March 16, 2009, in LS, LT, and SS trim levels. LS and LT models are powered by a 3.6 L (220 cu in) V6 producing 312 hp (233 kW) mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic with manual shift. The SS is powered by the 6.2 L (376 cu in) LS3 V8 producing 426 hp (318 kW) and is paired with a 6-speed manual. The automatic SS gets the L99 V8 with 400 hp (300 kW). The RS appearance package is available on both the LT and SS and features 20-inch wheels with a darker gray tone, halo rings around xenon headlamps, and red RS or SS badges. Chevrolet announced the new 2012 ZL1 Camaro, it will have a 6.2L LSA supercharged V8 and is estimated to produce 555 horsepower. The LSA motor is the same used in the Cadillac CTS-V and makes it the fastest production Camaro ever produced.
On April 1, 2010, the Camaro was named the World Car Design of the Year at the World Car of the Year Awards.


In late January 2011, the production of (est.) 600 2011 Camaro Convertibles started. The first going to Rick Hendrick via Barret-Jackson Car Auction. Convertibles had the same options as the coupe (engines, RS, SS, etc.). The Camaro Convertible features an aluminum brace over the engine assembly, and under the transmission. Due to the 2011 Fukushima earthquake, certain pigment colors were not available to make certain colors for both the coupe and convertible.

References

1. ^ Holder, William G.; Kunz, Phillip (1995). Camaro. MotorBooks/MBI. p. 9. ISBN 9780760300923. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
2. ^ "Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Mustang in pony-car showdown". AutoWeek. 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
3. ^ Siler, Wes (2009-06-24). "Muscle Car Wars: Camaro vs. Challenger vs. Mustang". Jalopnik. Gawker Media. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
4. ^ Stone, Matt; Mead, Scott (March 2009). "Comparison: 2002 Chevrolet Camaro SS vs 2001 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra". Motor Trend. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
5. ^ General Motors (2006-08-10). "Auto Buyers Have Spoken: GM Will Build An All-New Chevrolet Camaro". GM Media Online. Archived from the original on 2007-02-25. Retrieved 2006-12-27.
6. ^ Settlemire, Scott. "The Day the Panther Died". GMnext. General Motors. Archived from the original on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
7. ^ Biggs, Henry (2006-02-03). "Top 10: Muscle cars". MSN Cars UK. Retrieved 2006-12-27. "When asked, Chevrolet sales executives claimed a Camaro was a: "a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs"."
8. ^ Antonick, Michael (2004). Camaro White Book. MotorBooks International. p. 86. ISBN 9780760318799. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
9. ^ "Camaro, Firebird lines to end with 2002 model year". Associated Press. Oklahoma City Journal Record. 2001-09-26. Retrieved 2007-06-01.
10. ^ McCoy, Guy. "Rising from the Ashes". Popular Hot Rodding. Retrieved 2007-08-04. "Publicly, GM blamed slow sales, a deteriorated sports coupe market, and plant overcapacity."
11. ^ General Motors (2006-01-09). "Chevrolet Camaro Concept: Capturing the Timeless Spirit of Camaro besides the 3rd gen camaros". GM Media Online. Archived from the original on 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2006-12-27.
12. ^ Greg Keenan (2006-08-18). "Canada to build Camaro". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
13. ^ Mateja, Jim (2008-03-10). "Chevy to Launch New Camaro Coupe, Convertible as ’10 Models". Ward's Dealer Business. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
14. ^ Ramsey, Jonathon (2008-03-12). "Chevy Camaro to be a 2010 model, not 2009". Autoblog. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
15. ^ Neff, John (2008-07-21). "2010 Chevy Camaro - Official Details and Images". Autoblog. Weblogs. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
16. ^ "2010 Chevrolet Camaro Review". JB car pages. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
17. ^ "Chevrolet Camaro: World Car Design of the Year 2010". AUSmotive.com. 2010-04-08. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
18. ^ "Australian Touring Car Championship List" (php). Retrieved 2008-02-27.
19. ^ Interview with John Stevenson, Speed TV Grand Am Montreal 200 broadcast, August 29, 2009
20. ^ "Stevenson Motorsports To Race A Brand New Chevrolet Camaro In The Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series".
21. ^ "'Better Off Dead' Camaro". Retrieved 2008-06-07.
22. ^ Huffman, John Pearley (2007-06-10). "Driving the Transformers Beater Bumblebee 1976 Camaro". Edmunds. Retrieved 2007-11-22.

• Edsall, Larry (2009). Camaro - A Legend Reborn. Minnespolis: Motorbooks. ISBN 978-0760328194.

2012 ZL1 Camaro

2012 ZL1

PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS


Overview
Model:  Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Body style / driveline:   four-passenger, front-engine, rear-drive coupe
Construction:  unitized body frame, one- and two-sided galvanized steel
EPA vehicle class:   coupe
Manufacturing location:   Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Key competitors:   Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Engines
  LSA 6.2L Supercharged V-8
Displacement (cu in / cc):  376 / 6162
Bore & stroke (in / mm):  4.06 / 103.25 x 3.62 / 92 mm
Block material:  cast aluminum
Cylinder head material:  cast aluminum
Valvetrain:  overhead valve, two valves per cylinder 
Fuel delivery:  1.9L supercharger with intercooler; sequential fuel injection
Compression ratio:  9.1:1
Horsepower (hp / kW @
rpm):
550 / 410 @ 6100 (estimated)
Torque (lb-ft / Nm @ rpm):  550 / 745 @ 3800 (estimated)
Recommended fuel:  premium required
Maximum engine speed
(rpm):
6200

Transmission
  Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual 
Gear ratios (:1):  
     First:  2.66
     Second:  1.78
     Third:  1.30
     Fourth:  1.00
     Fifth:  0.80
     Sixth:  0.63
     Reverse:  2.90
Final drive ratio:  3.73

Chassis / Suspension
Front:   double-ball-joint, multi-link strut; direct-acting stabilizer
bar; progressive-rate coil springs; with Magnetic Ride
Control
Rear:  4.5-link independent; progressive-rate coil springs over
shocks; stabilizer bar; with Magnetic Ride Control
Steering type:   electric power steering with variable-ratio, variable-effort
rack-and-pinion
Steering ratio:  16.1:1
Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock:  2.5
Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft / m):   37.7/11.5

Brakes
Type:  four-wheel disc w/ ABS; ventilated two-piece front and one-piece rear rotors; six-piston fixed Brembo aluminum front
and four-piston rear calipers
Rotor diameter, front (in / mm):  14.6 / 370
Rotor diameter, rear (in / mm):  14.4 / 365
Rotor thickness, front (in / mm):  1.26 / 32
Rotor thickness, rear (in / mm):  1.1 / 28

Wheels / Tires
Wheel size and type:  20 x 10-inch aluminum (front)
20 x 11-inch aluminum (rear)
Tires:  P285/35ZR20 summer (front)
P305/35ZR20 summer (rear) 

Dimensions
Exterior
Wheelbase (in / mm):  112.3 / 2852
Overall length (in / mm):  190.4 / 4836
Overall width (in / mm):  75.5 / 1918
Overall height (in / mm):  54.2 / 1376
Track, front (in / mm):  63.7 / 1618
Track, rear (in / mm):  63.7 / 1618 
Curb weight (lb / kg):  TBD
Weight balance (% front / rear):  TBD
Coefficient of drag:   TBD

Interior 
Seating capacity (front / rear):  2 / 2
Headroom (in / mm):   front: 37.4 / 950
rear: 35.3 / 897
Legroom (in / mm):  front: 42.4 / 1077
rear: 29.9 / 757
Shoulder room (in / mm):  front: 56.9 / 1444
rear: 42.5 / 1080

Capacities
Cargo volume (cu ft / L):  11.3 / 320
Fuel tank (gal / L):  19 / 71.9
Engine oil (qt / L):  8.9 / 8.5

Note:  Information shown is current at time of publication.


For more details visit http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro-zl1/#image1

2010 Chevrolet Camaro

On January 6, 2006, the first official word regarding a fifth generation Chevrolet Camaro from General Motors came at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, where the 2006 Camaro Concept was released. AutoWeek editors unanimously awarded the Camaro Concept "Best In Show." The concept is based on the new GM Zeta platform and was designed by South Korean-born Sangyup Lee. Road & Track offered an exclusive first look at the car which had photos as well as a short video on the day the concept was released.

2006 Camaro Concept.

The concept car features the following: 2-door, 4-passenger, rear-wheel drive coupe, while the body-styling is an homage to the first generation Camaro.^[12] The wheelbase is 110.5 in (281 cm), which is 9 in (23 cm) longer than the previous generation, but an overall length of just 186.2 in (473 cm), 7 in (18 cm) shorter. The Camaro Concept is powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) 6.0 L (366 cu in) LS2 V8 with Active Fuel Management and is equipped with the T-56 six-speed manual transmission. Other features include four-wheel independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes with 14 in (36 cm) rotors and four-piston calipers, and 21 in (53 cm) front / 22 in (56 cm) rear wheels covered in huge 275/30R21 front / 305/30R22 rear tires.

The 2007 Camaro Convertible Concept was announced January 6, 2007 at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. Early speculation by many automotive publications proved to be true when early embargo was broken on January 4, 2007.
At a glance it would seem that the only difference between the coupe and convertible concepts would be the roof and Hugger Orange pearl tri-coat paint job with a pair of dark gray racing stripes, but this is not the case. Besides the obvious convertible top, there are subtle changes to the exterior as well. Every surface was changed from the door-cut back. The rear fenderlines drop off from the horizontal surface to the vertical surface a couple of inches farther out than on the coupe to keep proportions good and the rear spoiler was reshaped. The 21 in (53 cm) front and 22 in (56 cm) rear wheels were also redesigned and a thin orange line was applied to the outer edge, a nod to redwalls available circa 1969.

There are many interior changes that were incorporated into the new concept. The retro houndstooth-pattern seats of the coupe were replaced with modern leather and orange stitching. The metal finishes, accent panel finishes, and seats are all different colors. The rear seats are 6 in (15 cm) closer together to make room for the tonneau cover. The clarity of the circular gauges in square frames were improved by making the faces white with black chrome numbers and a red anodized needle. The deep-dish three-spoke steering wheel and four-pack gauge cluster carry over from the coupe concept. Chrome seat-belt buckles are designed to look like the iconic belts buckles in late 1960s GM cars. This reworked interior of the Camaro Convertible Concept is now a very close representation of what will be seen in the production version of the Camaro.