The Camaro has been a huge hit for Chevrolet and today the company made several announcements relating to the heavily anticipated Camaro ZL1. Chevy said that the ZL1′s monster engine will be rated at 580 horsepower and that the base price of the vehicle will be $54,995. It’s quite a vehicle to introduce as Chevy celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The new ZL1 coupe is a 2012 model that will go on sale early next year.
The Camaro ZL1 features a supercharged 6.2L engine that makes it the most powerful production Camaro ever. The ZL1 goes from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds and hits a top speed of 184 miles per hour! It also features a Performance Traction Management system that helps this beast hug the corners.
Chevy will also introduce a ZL1 convertible as a 2013 model that they featured at an event ahead of the 2011 LA Auto Show and Bullz-Eye was on hand to snap some photos of this beautiful vehicle as you can see in the slideshow above. Anyone who appreciates convertibles will love this vehicle.
The 2011 Nissan 370Z Coupe Touring is one tough sports car with its 19 inch RAYS-forged wheels and sleek body design. We were already impressed with the 370Z, but after spending more time behind the wheel of this beast, we understand why there are so many Z fans around the globe. Stay tuned for our upcoming full review on Bullz-Eye.com!
Check out our review of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, the plug-in hybrid that is garnering a ton of attention. As you can see from the slideshow above, the styling is excellent on this vehicle.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how the Volt and other plug-in hybrids do in the marketplace. Cost is obviously a factor, but as more manufacturers put out electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, we should see the costs coming down.
The 2012 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LTZ is a sleek crossover with options that rival popular luxury brands. We spent a week behind the wheel of an Equinox, so stay tuned for our full review. In the meantime, check out the gallery below of our test model.
Bullz-Eye is reviewing a 2012 Cadillac SRX AWD Premium model and from early impressions it appears Cadillac has a winner on their hands. Sleek styling combined with a powerful and refined driving experience stand out in the Cadillac SRX Luxury Crossover. Stay tuned for our full review.
Check out this cool video from Scion for the new Scion tC RS 7.0. Scion’s sporty tC coupe was completely redesigned for 2011 and now it gets this new special edition for 2012.
We joined Ford this past weekend in Dearborn with bloggers from all over the country to see what Ford has in store for the future. How does a car company deal with changing times and new trends? All companies have to react to the changing world around them and marketplace developments, but spotting trends early can be a big advantage if a company is nimble enough to capitalize on these trends.
Some of the subjects addressed included Living Green, Aging Population and Youth Influence and Global Convergence of Design. Malcolm Gladwell kicked off the event with a keynote speech that addressed the issues of change. Gladwell is always entertaining, but I learned much more when we got to see up-close some of the real trends Ford is addressing and how they are directly impacting products.
Other companies may have been first with green initiatives like electric cars and plug-in hybrids, but Ford is pushing very hard in these areas and we’ll see new vehicles in 2012. Ford has teamed up with well-known conservation and green advocate Ed Begley Jr. who gave us a compelling presentation on what was coming from Ford in this area. Some of the changes are not obvious. One interesting innovation involves soy-based foam which is being used in the seats of cars. This foam is biodegradable and offers a great alternative to petroleum-based foam products.
We got to spend time with J Mays in the Ford Design Center and I was blown away by what they can do now in the design process. Everything is digital, and now they can see and test everything on a massive digital high def screen that covered the entire wall in a large room in the design center. Digital version of the car concepts can be places in all sorts of digital settings so the designers can see what the car can really look like in real life, all the way down to how different types of light would reflect off of different paint jobs, Even the promo “photographs” are now digitally created which saves on time and money.
On the last day we had the opportunity to drive a bunch of Ford vehicles in different settings on the test track in order to learn about various Ford vehicles and initiatives. The events were fun and I learned quite a bit. I started with the F-150 drag races and managed to win my heat. I definitely enjoyed the feeling of flooring the truck from a dead stop on a straightaway!
The most revealing exhibit involved the all-new Ford Explorer. Ford had a series of dirt hills and other obstacles built so we could put the new Explorer to the test in off-road setting. They were showing off the vehicle’s Terrain Management System and I came away very impressed. The system takes the guesswork out of 4WD capabilities. Drivers can pick from four settings – Normal, Mud, Sand and Snow. It was a breeze going up and down steep dirt hills.
It was definitely an eye-opening weekend, so we’re expecting some big things from Ford over the next couple of years.
