GM

It’s for an “experimental” model called the Stir-Lec 1 and it is a freaking hybrid, using a little gas motor to generate electricity for the batteries that actually provide the power for the car.

We’ve never heard of this thing before, haven’t seen any photos, and didn’t know that it existed at all, and we’re kind of blown away that the company has not at least made mention of it with the promotion it has been doing with the upcoming and much anticipated Volt.

Sure, in terms of the technology of today this thing is about as crude as a concrete block, but it must have been space-aged stuff back in the late 1960s.

The whole thing was packaged up in an Opel Kadett body per the wording in the old advertisement.

Is there a chance that this car is buried in the basement of a GM engineering building? Did it ever actually exist as a real car? Does anyone know anything more about this project?

Once again, there’s nothing new under the sun. This is wild!

You’d be happy to find out about the fact that SymPowerco is coming to market with a new technology for vehicles that will allow current hybird vehicles to replace there cells with a retro fit kit. And newly developed Electric vehicles such as the GM Volt or the Telsa to run more efficently with there battery technology along with the innovative way of charging them back to 100%. Edwin Grey was the first to build such a motor that people said wouldn’t work until he built a 80 horse power motor that ran solely on electricity, Charging it’s own battery supply.

http://www.pureenergysystems.com/os/EdGrayMotor/PM_PEM_MG/EdGray/index.html

http://keelynet.com/evgray/evgray.htm

http://www.pureenergysystems.com/os/EdGrayMotor/PM_PEM_MG/index.html

http://www.waterfuelcarengine.com/edwin-gray-man-creates-engine-that-consumes-no-fuel.html

Number of Cars Sold Under The Program: 184,304

Dollar Value of rebates: $775.2M

Top 10 New Vehicles Purchased

1. Toyota Corolla
2. Ford Focus FWD
3. Honda Civic
4. Toyota Prius
5. Toyota Camry
6. Hyundai Elantra
7. Ford Escape FWD
8. Dodge Caliber
9. Honda Fit
10. Chevrolet Cobalt

New Vehicles Manufacturers

• U.S. Big 3 market share - 45.3%
• General Motors - 18.7%
• Toyota - 17.9%
• Ford - 16.0%
• Honda - 11.6%
• Chrysler - 10.6%
• Nissan - 7.0%
• Hyundai - 6.6%
• Kia - 3.8%
• Mazda - 2.3%
• Subaru - 2.2%
• Volkswagen - 1.9%
• Suzuki - 0.4%
• MINI - 0.3%
• Mitsubishi - 0.3%
• Smart - 0.2%
• Volvo - 0.1%
• All Other - 0.1%

Just under half of the new vehicles purchased under the program were from the U.S. Big Three, while all of the top 10 trades in came from the Big 3.

The Big Three’s share in this program (45%) equals their overall market share outside of the C.A.R.S. program.

Four of the top ten selling vehicles are manufactured by the Big Three.

Of non-Big Three purchases, preliminary analysis suggests that well over half of these new vehicles were manufactured in the United States.

Top 10 Trade-in Vehicles

1. Ford Explorer 4WD
2. Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD
4. Jeep Cherokee 4WD
5. Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 2WD
6. Ford Explorer 2WD
7. Chevrolet Blazer 4WD
8. Ford F150 Pickup 4WD
9. Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2WD
10. Ford Windstar FWD Van

Vehicles Purchased by Category

• Passenger Cars: 88,814
• Category 1 Truck: 52,391
• Category 2 Truck: 8,601
• Category 3 Truck: 295

83% of trade-ins under the program are trucks while 59% of new vehicle purchases are cars.

Vehicle Trade-in by Category

• Passenger Cars: 24,903
• Category 1 Truck: 99,186
• Category 2 Truck: 24,931
• Category 3 Truck: 1,081

Average Fuel Economy

• New vehicles Mileage: 25.3 MPG
• Trade-in Mileage: 15.8 MPG.
• Overall increase: 9.6 MPG, or a 61% improvement

Cars purchased through the program are 21% above the average fuel economy of all new cars currently available while 63% above the average fuel economy of cars that were traded in.

Requested Voucher Dollar Amount by State:

• ALABAMA: $7,087,000
• ALASKA: $1,166,000
• ARIZONA: $6,527,500
• ARKANSAS: $4,455,000
• CALIFORNIA: $39,926,500
• COLORADO: $7,758,000
• CONNECTICUT: $8,916,000
• DELAWARE: $1,562,000
• FLORIDA: $26,947,000
• GEORGIA: $12,469,500
• HAWAII: $963,500
• IDAHO: $3,395,000
• ILLINOIS: $33,740,000
• INDIANA: $18,729,500
• IOWA: $12,184,500
• KANSAS: $9,729,000
• KENTUCKY: $9,178,000
• LOUISIANA: $5,400,000
• MAINE: $5,450,000
• MARYLAND: $11,757,000
• MASSACHUSETTS: $13,844,500
• MICHIGAN: $44,399,500
• MINNESOTA: $30,182,500
• MISSISSIPPI: $2,431,500
• MISSOURI: $16,101,500
• MONTANA: $1,732,500
• NEBRASKA: $7,392,000
• NEVADA: $2,009,000
• NEW HAMPSHIRE: $5,474,500
• NEW JERSEY: $13,744,500
• NEW MEXICO: $2,366,000
• NEW YORK: $32,440,000
• NORTH CAROLINA: $18,472,000
• NORTH DAKOTA: $3,302,000
• OHIO: $37,653,000
• OKLAHOMA: $7,532,000
• OREGON: $10,229,500
• PENNSYLVANIA: $32,994,000
• RHODE ISLAND: $2,392,000
• SOUTH CAROLINA: $7,164,000
• SOUTH DAKOTA: $4,033,500
• TENNESSEE: $11,117,000
• TEXAS: $35,010,000
• UTAH: $5,095,000
• VERMONT: $2,376,000
• VIRGINIA: $18,376,500
• WASHINGTON: $12,351,000
• WEST VIRGINIA: $2,769,500
• WISCONSIN: $24,042,000
• WYOMING: $530,000

The mode-switching capability could appear in production models within a few years, improving fuel economy by several miles per gallon in millions of new cars each year. Over time, that change could cut oil demand in the United States alone by a million barrels a day. Currently, the U.S. consumes more than 20 million barrels of oil a day.

The MIT team presented their latest results on July 23 at the Japan Society of Automotive Engineers (JSAE)/Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2007 International Fuel and Lubricants Meeting.

Many researchers are studying a new way of operating an internal combustion engine known as “homogeneous charge compression ignition” (HCCI). Switching a spark-ignition (SI) engine to HCCI mode pushes up its fuel efficiency.

In an HCCI engine, fuel and air are mixed together and injected into the cylinder. The piston compresses the mixture until spontaneous combustion occurs. The engine thus combines fuel-and-air premixing (as in an SI engine) with spontaneous ignition (as in a diesel engine). The result is the HCCI’s distinctive feature: combustion occurs simultaneously at many locations throughout the combustion chamber.

That behavior has advantages. In both SI and diesel engines, the fuel must burn hot to ensure that the flame spreads rapidly through the combustion chamber before a new “charge” enters. In an HCCI engine, there is no need for a quickly spreading flame because combustion occurs throughout the combustion chamber. As a result, combustion temperatures can be lower, so emissions of nitrogen pollutants are negligible. The fuel is spread in low concentrations throughout the cylinder, so the soot emissions from fuel-rich regions in diesels are not present.

Perhaps most important, the HCCI engine is not locked into having just enough air to burn the available fuel, as is the SI engine. When the fuel coming into an SI engine is reduced to cut power, the incoming air must also be constrained–a major source of wasted energy.

However, it is difficult to control exactly when ignition occurs in an HCCI engine. And if it does not begin when the piston is positioned for the power stroke, the engine will not run right.

“It’s like when you push a kid on a swing,” said Professor William H. Green, Jr., of the Department of Chemical Engineering. “You have to push when the swing is all the way back and about to go. If you push at the wrong time, the kid will twist around and not go anywhere. The same thing happens to your engine.”

According to Green, ignition timing in an HCCI engine depends on two factors: the temperature of the mixture and the detailed chemistry of the fuel. Both are hard to predict and control. So while the HCCI engine performs well under controlled conditions in the laboratory, it is difficult to predict at this time what will happen in the real world.

Green, along with Professor Wai K. Cheng of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and colleagues in MIT’s Sloan Automotive Laboratory and MIT’s Laboratory for Energy and the Environment have been working to find the answer.

A large part of their research has utilized an engine modified to run in either HCCI or SI operating mode. For the past two years, Morgan Andreae (MIT PhD 2006) and graduate student John Angelos of chemical engineering have been studying the engine’s behavior as the inlet temperature and type of fuel are changed.

Not surprisingly, the range of conditions suitable for HCCI operation is far smaller than the range for SI mode. Variations in temperature had a noticeable but not overwhelming effect on when the HCCI mode worked. Fuel composition had a greater impact, but it was not as much of a showstopper as the researchers expected.

Using the results of their engine tests as a guide, the researchers developed an inexpensive technique that should enable a single engine to run in SI mode but switch to HCCI mode whenever possible. A simple temperature sensor determines whether the upcoming cycle should be in SI or HCCI mode (assuming a constant fuel).

To estimate potential fuel savings from the mode-switching scheme, Andreae determined when an SI engine would switch into HCCI mode under simulated urban driving conditions. Over the course of the simulated trip, HCCI mode operates about 40 percent of the time.

The researchers estimate that the increase in fuel efficiency would be a few miles per gallon. “That may not seem like an impressive improvement,” said Green. “But if all the cars in the US today improved that much, it might be worth a million barrels of oil per day–and that’s a lot.”

This research was supported by Ford Motor Company and the Ford-MIT Alliance, with additional support from BP.

Long joined at the hip, Porsche and Volkswagen have shared platforms, parts, and other key components for many decades. By 2011, the two German automakers will officially be united, formally tying together two very different, but important automotive brands.

1996 Porsche 911 Tag

Ferdinand, I Presume

The Porsche 911’s start came about thanks to some drawings made by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, grandson of the founder, in the late 1950s. Those drawings were used in its design which found its way into a full mock up version of what eventually became the 911. In Fall 1963, the Porsche 911 was introduced, replacing the Porsche 356 which was discontinued in 1965.

Porsche’s founder created the Volkswagen Beetle, using the same platform underpinning the original Porsche 911, while also utilizing a similar rear engined and air cooling system favored by the Beetle. That initial model introduced its infamous 2+2 seating configuration, a design that remains today. Needless to say, the rear seats in the 911 are virtually useless, but that’s a topic to be covered for another time!

A Sense Of History

The Porsche 911’s humble start belies its rich heritage, formed over many years of platform upgrades, engineering improvements, technological refinements and design changes. Even from the onset, the Porsche 911 incorporated features that took years to show up from its chief rivals including alloy wheels, five-speed manual transmission, and flat V6 “boxer” engine.

White Porsche 911

By the early 1970s, the 911 series had expanded to include a targa top model along with new engines, transmissions and the use of fuel injection. Handling improvements came about as subsequent models proved to be more powerful and faster, helping the 911 dominate on the race circuit. By this time the 911 was already firmly established as the benchmark by which all other sports cars were defined and contributed to the Porsche brand being the top in the world, a position it holds today.

Later Year Changes

From 1974 on, the Porsche 911 continued to enjoy success as the best selling Porsche model. New brakes, improved design, more comfortable seating, increased power, better handling all followed though by the 1990 model year the 911 appellation was dropped in favor of the 964. Yet, internally Porsche has called this and subsequent models the “911” with the latest generation model officially returning to its naming roots.

Today, the 911 soldiers on with no less than 14 model/trim choices.

2008 Porsche 911 GT2

And if it is speed that you need the Porsche 911 GT2 is the winner, propelling drivers from zero to sixty in just 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 204 mph. Not bad for a model who long ago abandoned its association with the lowly Beetle!

Max Rossi writes for fcpgroton.com, worldwide supplier of quality foreign car parts

While some of the most powerful and fastest cars are fairly new, some movies such as the fast and the furious have brought sexy back through some old and powerful models,

that is the case of the fully tweaked 1970 Dodge Charger, the 1965 Ford Mustang, 1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona, the 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner GTX, etc. These classic cars are surely attention grabbers since their original design is really unique compared to most modern cars.


Among the newest models featured in such film we have the fully customized 2003 Honda Accord, the 2005 Ford GT, 2005 Shelby GT500, 2006 Mazda RX-8, the 2005 Dodge Viper SRT10, the 2003 Nissan Fairlady, the 2005 model APR Mitubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR, etc.

There are several categories each car performs best at, so we can’t compare them all on a 1 to 1 scale, some are faster, others have more control, others are better for drifting, etc. In speed competition we can compare the acceleration times until each model reaches 60MPH, and these are the results:

To go from 0-60 the following models make 4.9 seconds: 1996 Ferrari F 355 Berlinetta, 2002 Acura NSX, etc.
The 2000 Porsche 911 Turbo and the 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10 are tied on 3.8 seconds.
The 2002 Ferrari Enzo and the 2002 Pagani Zonda C12-S 7.3 are also tied on 3.5 seconds.
The 2003 Bugatti 16/4 Veyron reaches 60 MPH in just 3 seconds.
And to top them all the 1994 Dauer 962 LeMans reaches 60 MPH in just 2.6 seconds!, how is that for a fast car?

Fast cars attract a very specific young group of people but for those who prefer style and sleek lines, there are newer models which have been released to the market fairly recently, these are the so called “Eye Candy” models:

The 2008 Porsche Chayenne which features the brand new TechArt Aero Kit, this stylish SUV. Another sleek car which was made famous by one of 007 movies “Casino Royale” is the Aston Martin. There are so many cars which would fall in this category a full blown blog is necessary!. Cars are part of the American culture but wherever you are, if your culture doesn’t involve cool fast cars, believe me, it will soon.

Here is a list of popular Audi cars of recent times -

Audi Q5

Audi Q5 is a luxury crossover vehicles launched last month in India. It was released for the international market in 2009. Audi Q5 is highly civilised to be driven by persons with pinstripe suits. It is also a soft of-roader capable of being taken on long drives.  The Q5 shares it appearance with the larger Audi Q7. Audi Q5 is a sophisticated compact SUV loaded with modern gadgets like multi-media interface, Xenon plus headlamps, Bang &Olufsen surround sound system, rear seat entertainment system with colour display screens,  three-zone automatic air conditioning, acoustic parking system, a rearview camera and leather seats. The Audi driver information system helps driver control a variety of interior and exterior functions.  Audi Q5 comes with a starting price of Rs 38.29 lakh on the petrol variant and Rs 44.19 lakh on the diesel version.

Audi A4

Audi A4 has been one of the most successful car models by the brand, Earlier to being named as A4 it was well known as Audi 80. This model was the first model in Audi range to get a fully galvanised body and a ten year warranty against rust of the metal. It single handedly revived Audi as a luxury car manufacturer. The first generation Audi A4 introduced in 1996 was a huge success.  Audi A4’s captivative Teutonic looks, impressive performance and stylish, well finished interior set the theme for the new Audi models since the 90’s. Though it is available as a sedan, convertible and wagon car styles in the western markets, it is available only as a sedan in India. A4 in India is powered by turbocharged engine teamed with a 7-speed multitronic gearbox. The A4 has all the typical Audi luxuries including the a well lit instrument panel and steering wheel with choice of interface mode and multi-media interface and top of line Audio system. A4 comes with three drive model selection. The shooting brake concept offers an impressive amount space and ample knee room. The A4 has a top speed that ranges from 227 km/h to 250km/h depending on the engine capacity. Audi A4 comes with prices starting from Rs 29 lakh.

Audi Q7

It is the largest vehicle in the Audi model range.  The Audi Q7 is a large luxury vehicle with all the quality and opulence that buyers have come to expect from the manufacturer. The plush interiors and high quality craftsmanship present a sophisticated vehicle. An array of luxury features like the seven person seating capacity with ample legroom, eight airbags, voice activated navigation system, adaptive xenon headlamps, adaptive cruise control, and a panoramic sunroof. Despite its big size, the Q7 offers excellent handling in corners, great traction on all terrain and an all wheel drive system enhances driving pleasure. Audi Q7 was the first in the Q series of vehicles from the marquee. Q7 was introduced at the January 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show.  The prices of Audi Q7 start from Rs 53.40 Lakh.

Audi TT

It is the sportiest of the car from Audi range. It was one of the most dramatic car to come out in the late 90s.  Though Audi TT is called a sports car, but it is not quite sport coupe or a roadster, but in essence it is a front wheel drive two seat GT. Audi TT is named after Tourist Trophy motorsports held in UK. The symmetrical styled aerodynamics design enhance high-speed performance. The 3.2litre V6 engine generates a massive 250 bhp of power and 320Nm of torque.  It could be among the few all wheel drive performance cars. The 3.2 Quattro delivers more punch to the drive on a straight road as it comes with an aggressive engine and exhaust sound. The dual circuit brake system with diagonal split, hydraulic brake assist and ventilated disc brakes on all wheels provide hardbraking at top speeds. Audi TT is one of the few luxury sports cars of the world, where the owner gets to savour opulence while enjoying a sporty drive.  Audi TT comes at Rs Rs 55 lakh onwards.

Audi R8

Audi R8 is a legend in motorsports. It is among the few motorsports car which have been adapted as production models. It is one of the high performance Audis ever made. Audi R8 is an attempt to take on the exotic cars of the world. It is also the first mid-engine car offered by the brand. The R8 is the culmination of Audi racing history. The R8 is followed by R10 which was unveiled during the 100 years celebrations. The Audi R8 has won several motors sports events including the 24hours Le Man races.  Much is its space frame is similar to Lamborghini Gallardo. It won the world car of the year for 2008. It is one of the rare breed of exotic cars that can be driven on race circuits as well as business. The engine belts out 420 bhp of power and the slick “R Tronic” sequential-shifting manual transmission with an automatic mode offers drivers an exhilarating drive.  Owing to its excellent motorsports history, Audi R8 comes with a price of Rs 1.13 Crores.

The vehicle Inspired by, and built to complete with the Ford Mustang, Chevy released the pony car, the Chevy Camaro. “Camaro” standing for the French word for “comrade,”  some argue that it’s Spanish for a type of shrimp.

Bumble Bee Model Camaro

The RS packagewith numerous cosmetic changes, including a blacked out grill that had hidden headlights, kind of a custom look we still duplicate these days in out madern cars…. I’m sure you’ve seen the Honda, Toyota’s and Nissans roaming the neighborhood streets…

They revised the parking and tail lights, upgraded interior trim, and RS badging. Of greater interest to enthusiasts was the SS package which included as standard equipment a modified 350 cid V8 (the first 350 engine Chevy ever offered) with an available 396 cid big block producing 325bhp (L35) and later a 375bhp version, along with simulated air-intakes on the hood, special bumble bee striping, and a blacked out grill. It was possible to order both the RS and SS packages, and get a RS/SS Camaro, in which case the RS badging took precedence. Camaro popularity soared when a RS/SS Convertible with the 396 paced the 1967 Indianapolis 500 race.

In December 1966, Chevrolet then quietly released one of the most famous options codes of all time, option Z-28. Unpublicized and unknown by most of the buying public (and most Chevrolet sales people for that matter) and not mentioned in any sales literature, the only way someone could order the Z-28 package was to order a base Camaro with the Z-28 option, mandatory front disc brakes with power assist, and the Muncie 4-speed transmission. You could not order the SS package, automatic transmission, air conditioning, or the convertible. What you got was a unique 302 cid small block (Non-California emission cars were labeled MO while California emission engines were labeled MP) that was created by taking the 327 block and installing the short-stroke 283 crank. Specifically designed to compete in the Club of America Trans Am racing series which placed a 305 cid limit on its entries, the Z-28 was available to the public solely to qualify the car for racing. Advertised horsepower was listed at just 290bhp, which was not very impressive until one hooked it up to a dyno and got actual readings of 360-400 bhp. The Z-28 also came with a competition suspension, broad racing stripes on the hood and trunklid and could be combined with the RS option package. There was no Z-28 badging at all, lest it attract to much attention. The Z-28 proved to be difficult to launch on the street because its high reving engine was lethargic under 4000rpm and worked best when it was shifted at 7500rpm (!). Once it got going, the Z28 was tough to beat and boosted a 140mph top speed and numerous racing victories. Only 602 Z-28s were sold in 1967, making it a truly desirable collectable.

The 1968 received minor changes for its second year. The grill took on a more horizontal look while the vent windows were dropped and “Astro Ventilation” (i.e. flow-through ventilation) was added. Side marker lights were added while the SS396 received revised chromed hood inserts (the SS350s stayed with the 1967 styling). Underneath, the 1967 Camaros pesky axle tramp was cured by the addition of multi-leaf rear springs to replace the single-leaf units and rear shock absorbers were now staggered. A new 350bhp 396cid option for the SS was added, while the Z-28 option (now just labeled MO) actually received some publicity and sold 7,199 units. The Z-28s were now easier to spot as they sported Z-28 or 302 badges.

Production:
RS: 40,977
SS: 27,884
Z-28: 7,199

Engines:
230 I6 140bhp.
250 I6 155bhp @ 4200rpm, 235lb-ft @ 1600rpm.

327 V8 210bhp.
327 V8 275bhp.
350 V8 255bhp.
(SS350) 350 V8 295bhp @ 4800rpm, 380lb-ft @ 3200rpm.
(SS396) 396 V8 325bhp @ 4800rpm, 410lb-ft @ 3200rpm.
(SS396) 396 V8 350bhp @ 5200rpm, 415lb-ft @ 3200rpm.
(SS396) 396 V8 375bhp @ 5600rpm, 415lb-ft @ 3600rpm.

Performance:
(SS396) 396/325bhp: 0-60 in 6.6 sec, 1/4 mile in 15.0 sec @ 94mph.

1969 saw several noteworthy changes to the Camaro. The grill became deeper set, the taillamps were longer and thinner and broken into three segments. A heavy “eye-brow” crease was added on the both sides of the car extending from the front wheel well to the rear wheel well. A matching crease went from the rear wheel well to the rear quarter panel. The Camaro also received new fenders, door skins, rear quarter-panels, grille and taillights which gave it a wider, lower appearance. Inside, the Camaro received a redesigned dash and more comfortable seats. Endura rubber bumpers were available on the Camaro as well as two ram air induction systems for the SS. The first was a new special hood with a rear facing inlet and cold-air duct underneath the hood. The second was a dealer installed cowl plenum kit that came with a special air cleaner and adapter. No special hood was needed. 1969 saw an explosion in engine choices. On the low-performance side, a new 307 V8 (a 327 crank in a 283 block) rated at 200bhp was added and a new 350 V8 rated at 255 bhp replaced the more powerful 327 engine. The Z28 continued with its seriously under-rated 302 (now called DZ) engine. The RS package was still popular, and included a special grill with concealed headlights (of a ribbed design) and washers, chrome wheel well moldings, drip rails, pinstripes, and RS badging. The SS standard 350 received a slight power boost to 300 bhp while the 396 engines continued in 325/350/375 bhp versions. Once again, a white RS/SS convertible with the 396 engine paced the Indianapolis 500 race, and Chevy offered replica versions as white convertibles with orange stripes and orange houndstooth upholstery (though most replicas were powered by 350 engines. Because of their collectibility, there are many “fake” 1969 Pace Car replicas out in the collector market so be careful if you are planning on buying one.

But real performance is more than special upholstery and the big news for 1969 was the availability of special 427 cid V8 equipped Camaros. The first were special dealer-installed units, most notably the Yenko Camaro 427. Yenko Sports Cars, based in Pennsylvania, along with other Chevy dealers such as Nickey in Chicago, Dana in California, and Baldwin-Motion in New York, would install the L72 427 cid block, rated at 425bhp by Chevrolet, ordered under the Central Office Production Order System (COPO) code 9562 into a buyer’s Camaro. The Yenko Camaro 427 is a typical example: it came from the factory with no ornamentation, badging, and the 427 engine in a crate. Yenko installed the 427 block, changed the rating to a more realistic 450bhp, and added 15-inch rally wheels, bigger front roll bar, and sYc (Yenko Sports Car) badging. A full complement of racing add ons were available and sub 13 second quarter miles were possible with a few more dollars.

Overshadowing these dealer modified Camaros was the factory Camaro ZL1. Specially designed to compete in the NHRA Super Stock drag classes, Chevrolet made it an option under the COPO system (code 9560). The cars began as SS396/375bhp Camaros with the F41 suspension. The SS trim and engine were deleted, and the 427 engine, cowl-induction hood, front disc brakes, a choice of heavy duty 4 speed transmissions or Turbo Hydra-matic, and a 4:10 posi axle were added. But instead of the regular iron-block and head L72 found in the dealer installed Camaros, the ZL1 sported aluminum heads and the first aluminum block ever made by Chevrolet. It shared the L88 aluminum head/iron block’s engine rating of 430 bhp but made closer to 500 bhp — making it probably the most powerful engine Chevrolet ever offered to the public. And the engine weighed just 500 pounds, the same as Chevy’s 327 small block. The car was blessed with a 5 year/50,000 mile warranty and was fully street legal. With factory exhausts and tires, it turned low 13s; with headers and slicks, it could turn 11.6s @ 122mph. This was the fastest car ever produced by Chevrolet. Performance had its price — $4,160 for the ZL1 engine alone pushing the price of the Camaro ZL1 to an unbelieveable $7,200 (about double the price for a SS396 Camaro). Chevy needed to build 50 to qualify the car for racing, and in the end built 69 Camaros and 2 Corvettes with the ZL-1 engine. Their high price made them difficult to sell and at least 12 engines were removed and about 30 cars were returned back to Chevrolet. It took until the early 1970s to sell them all. One can only wonder what they are worth today.

Production of the 1969 Camaros continued into the beginning of 1970 as the all new 1970 Camaros were not released until mid 1970. To add to the confusion, some late 1969 cars were titled as 1970 models.

Production:
RS: 37,773
SS: 33,980
Z-28: 19,014

Engines:
250 I6 155bhp @ 4200rpm, 235lb-ft @ 1600rpm.
Z28: 302 V8 290bhp @ 5800rpm, 290lb-ft @ 4200rpm.
307 V8 200bhp @ 4600rpm, 300lb-ft @ 2400rpm.
327 V8 210bhp.
327 V8 275bhp.
350 LM1 V8 255bhp.
(SS350) 350 V8 300bhp @ 4800rpm, 380lb-ft @ 3200rpm.
(SS396) 396 V8 325bhp @ 4800rpm, 410lb-ft @ 3200rpm.
(SS396) 396 V8 350bhp @ 5200rpm, 415lb-ft @ 3200rpm.
(SS396) 396 V8 375bhp @ 5600rpm, 415lb-ft @ 3600rpm.
(COPO 9561) 427 V8 425bhp @ 5600rpm, 460lb-ft @ 4000rpm.
(COPO 9560) 427 V8 430bhp @ 5200rpm, 450lb-ft @ 4400rpm.

Performance:
(Z-28) 302/290bhp: 0-60 in 7.4 sec, 1/4 mile in 15.12 sec @ 94.8mph.
(SS396) 396/375bhp: 0-60 in 6.8 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.7 sec @ 98.7mph.
(COPO 9561) 427/425bhp: 0-60 in 5.4 sec, 1/4 mile in 13.5 sec @ 102mph.
(COPO 9560) 427/430bhp: 0-60 in 5.3 sec, 1/4 mile in 13.16 sec @ 110 mph.

Source: http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/chevrolet-camaro/chevrolet-camaro-history-1.shtml.

So what do you guts think Bumble bee is, i guessing a SS model, as we haven’t seen a Z-28 running aroun the movie scene since the day’s of the bandit…..

Look out for more updates on this article to come, as Transformers two is due out June, 24 2009….