Sneak Peek -- Camaro SS

I'm sure the catfish crowd will be all over it. Personally, really doesn't do much for me.

Is it me, or is that just a horrible place to locate gages by the shifter? I would prefer to have them somewhere up top so I can keep an eye on them while driving and not have to shift focus from the road.

Other than that, I still prefer my 2006 Mustang GT over the new Camaro and Challenger. Sure, they may have me on power, but I am only a supercharger/turbo away from fixing that little issue.

I think that was a way to honor the original design, I read about it in some magazine. That's where they "have always been". Poor placing yes.

Jan

back in the 60s the non essential gauges were on the console. Essential gauges were speedo, fuel, and tach.

Yeah, lotsa' plastic moulding, and how about those plastic exhaust pipes, er, ports! :( I'll take stainless steel / chrome exhaust pipes!

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news:94255a22-adc6-4525-a54c-6483bf8601e5 @e67g2000hsa.googlegroups.com:

Sorry, Patrick, but that thing looks like crap. Way overdone and over the top IMO.

I just saw the new production Challenger in person at the Ft. Lauderdale International Auto Show, and it exudes class. Totally understated with its complete lack of flash and trash, it is as close to the perfect production custom as you'll get. Pictures don't do it justice.

That link, for some reason now, doesn't take me to the photo I first saw. The photo I saw was a white Camaro SS with a black side stripe, and view only showed the front clip. In that pic I first saw, the car looked great.

These six photos (red Camaro SS) however are.. being nice... much less flattering.

Dislikes:

1) That rear spoiler should be ground up and turned into a park bench. 2) Same for the angular side ground effects. 3) The taillights and ass-end view of the car is horrible. 4) From a straight-on side view, the rear quarters aren't balanced with the front half of the car -- they're too thick.

Likes:

1) From a straight-on side view, cover up the back-half of the car/ begining of the rear quarter panels on back. The front 2/3s, from this view, IMO, looks terrific. 2) Again, from a straight-on side view, the minimal front overhang/in front of the front tires, is awesome. 3) I like the grill. 4) Side glass shape looks good.

Reserving final judgment until I see it in person. Photos don't always do a design justice.

While I'm disappointed with the weight of the car, I have to agree. The Challenger is spot on! It's obvious they sweat every detail. Even the exhaust note -- they made the car as loud as possible. It barely met standards.

Final grade: A -

Oh, and did you hear the standard Hemi gets 370 ponies this year?

Patrick

Try this link.

Look at the still photo of the white Camaro SS... the pic that only shows the front clip.

Now see what I talking about?

Though in the video the car doesn't look very good.

Patrick

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b64g2000hsa.googlegroups.com:

That's an understatement IMO. ;) The red car is about as close to rice you can come without it actually being rice.

It's interesting that there's a qualification with your first 'Like'. :)

At the same show I saw the Challenger, Chevy had the Transformer Camaro on display. Of course it was what amounted to a full-size plastic model (even the 'mag wheels' were fake), and it looked garish at best. Simply not classic enough.

Unfortunately we didn't get to see the interior (the car was locked up behind ropes on a rotating platform), and you're absolutely right - the car is a pig. Then again, all cars are overweight these days, due at least in part to safety stuff, electronics, and other crap. However, you are also right in that it looks awesome, and from every angle as well.

According to Dodge's website, the 2008 5.7 Hemi MDS is rated at

340hp/390lb-ft; the 6.1 SRT Hemi is 425/420.

For '09, the numbers change as follows: 5.7 Hemi MDS - 380hp/404lb-ft with VCT (Variable Cam Timing). Here's the link:

BTW, I also saw two other very interesting cars at the show - the Pontiac G8 and the Hyndai Genesis. The G8 was roped off, but I did get to sit in the Genesis.

By far, the Genesis was the most comfortable vehicle I've been in in years. I sat in the back seat and could've easily fallen asleep, it was so comfortable. The driver's cockpit is awesome. it even has electrically-operated steering wheel positioning. Up, down, and telescoping. 18-speaker Lexicon sound system with built-in XM, leather all around, etc. They didn't have a price for it, but they said it was supposed to go up against BMWs and MBs for 1/2 to 2/3 the price.

The G8 stickers at around 32k for the top of the line, with the 6-liter motor, auto only. They said that the next year will bring a 6.2-liter with a 6-speed, but they had no pricing info on that.

Finally, the coolest car we saw, believe it or not, was the smart fortwo. 3-cylinder n/a, 70hp, 40mpg average. Top of the line convertible with a/c & monster stereo was $17k. Base car was $11k+.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news:88fae5d6-3989-4050-88f2- snipped-for-privacy@a1g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

Still looks a bit garish in the pic IMO.

In two years you'd be embarrassed to be seen in it. Reminds me of the horribly overdone Pontiac Firebirds of the late 70's (or was it early

80's). Might as well have a big decal on the side that says "White Trash".

Still don't like it. Chevy needs to get away from that "grin" front grill look that they are so in love with. It just looks stupid.

And then you see pics like this one.

And videos like this.

Patrick

I like the look of the one in the video; pretty clean, with the glowering, lowered-eyebrow look of the headlights carried over to the tail lamps. They did one thing better than Ford's S197: got the godawful front and rear bumper shelves of the Mustang to conform to the body shape; of course that probably triples the repair cost in a

5MPH bump ...

Other than the better bumper integration, I don't see any differences beyond details between the Mustang and Camaro. There's just so much you can do within a basic configuration without going over the top and potentially alienating everyone, rather than just brand loyalists.