Is Chevrolet Corvette the Greatest Racing Brand in America? - /SHAKEDOWN
THE DRIVE:
Is Chevrolet Corvette
the greatest
racing brand from America?
Well, it could be.
In 2012, in the America Le Mans
series, Corvette racing
won the GTE championship.
In Grand Am with the Corvette
Daytona prototypes, it helped
Chevrolet win the engine
manufacturer's championship
with those five Corvette DP's
running around with
the 'vette body work.
60 years of Corvette
racing and winning.
Now we're not going to take a
deep dive, but just a taste of
Corvette racing through
the years.
A snapshot look at each
generation of Corvette from C1
all the way through today's C6,
maybe a little bit of C7.
And I'm not ignoring
the current news,
but you know what?
Looking at what's going on, I'm
going to wait until some
things happen.
For example, with
Lewis Hamilton.
Sure, he left McLaren
to Mercedes.
But I want to see what he does
performing for the rest of the
year, and what happens next
year when he gets in that
silver car.
I could have talked about the
2013 F1 schedule, which now
has two US Grand Prix.
One confirmed, and
one not so much.
Circuit of the Americas
starts in 2012.
And I could have talked about
what's going to happen in 2013
at the circuit.
You're going to have a Grand
Am race, a combined double
header of WEC and the American
Le Mans sports car racing, and
then the F1 race.
But I want to wait to see
that action happen.
I could have talked
about new cars.
Hyundai, for example, announcing
their WRC car at
Paris, coming in 2014 to
compete with Toyota and
Volkswagen, and God knows
who else, and pulling
out of all US racing.
But again, I want more facts.
And I could have talked about
my trip to Lime Rock for the
Grand Am race.
Where the Grand Am officials got
all insulted that I didn't
show up with a Drive camera,
just like I did at ALMS.
But we talked to them, their
attitude is pretty much on the
same page of looking forward
to the future.
So let's talk about Corvette,
because it's going to be all
Corvette between Grand Am and
American Le Mans next year.
So it's time to take a look
at what they've done.
So today we're going to talk
about Corvette racing, but
before I do, let me get the
suit issue out of the way.
I've got a couple of business
meetings, and
we're dressed to impress.
And if you don't like it,
please email me at
subscriptions@ge
ntlemensquarterly.com, and
understand what fashion's
all about.
Let's get to the Corvette
racing story, because it
started with the Daytona
prototype thing that happened
this weekend.
They won the manufacturer's
championship for Chevrolet,
and Corvette and Chevy
are going to make a
big deal about that.
But what I'd like to do is
go back and look at their
history, which includes how
they won Le Mans with the
production based race car, and
all those ALMS championships.
So is Corvette the greatest
racing brand ever out of the
United States?
Well, let's start with C1.
First generation Corvette
from 1953 to 1962.
And this may be the first
Corvette race car ever.
The car ran the Panamera
down in Mexico.
But the real story of the first
generation Corvette was
the 1957 SS Mule that Zora
Duntov developed, brought to
Sebring, had Fangio in the car
doing some practice laps.
It evolved to the SS race
car you see here.
Which got us to 1963 to '67,
and the C2 generation.
And the racing story
here was really all
about the grand sports.
Five of them, maybe six were
built, and guys like Penske
got a hold of them.
Here's Penske's grand sport
in the Sebring paddock.
C3 Corvettes ran from
1968 to 1982.
And the two racing stories,
well, actually the three
racing stories caught
my mind this way.
In Europe, Greeter--
I think it's Greeter--
ran the Le Mans Corvettes
multiple years.
There was always that yellow
car and a blue car, and
actually, if you watch McQueen's
Le Mans movie, you
can see the Corvette pulling out
of the start right behind
the Porsches.
In America, there was the
Greenwood Corvette programs.
First of all, production
based.
As you see here the,
car number 28.
And then more exotic, with all
that bat wing, wide fender
shaping that actually, Zora
designed for John Greenwood
and those Corvettes, and they
ran IMSA GT in the US and
internationally.
And it all evolved to the most
extreme Corvette, John Paul,
his dad, the Sun team ran this
IMSA GT car, which had pretty
much everything exotic, and
pretty much non-Corvette.
But it was out there
under that brand.
That brings us to the
C4 generation's
Corvette, 1984 to 1996.
And the production race cars
kind of took a backseat to
this Corvette racing GTP, raced
by Hendrick racing.
Not a V8, a twin turbo V6,
but mega horsepower.
And a lot of people think
this is a beautiful,
beautiful, race car.
It kind of performed.
It was always up front, 12 pole
positions, but only two
wins in its life.
But it certainly got attention
for Corvette racing.
From the production standpoint,
Corvette built
their own racing series
back then.
The Corvette challenge series.
And here's one of
the race cars.
Becoming pretty good collectible
cars, and
certainly the launching point
for a lot of name drivers back
in that time.
And Corvette racing, the
production side actually did
do some international racing.
In 1995, a guy named Doug
Rippie, a real Corvette racing
fan, built this ZR1 with the
Lotus ZR1 based motor, his
version of new arrow, and took
it to Sebring to race.
Didn't do well, but developed
it to bring it to Le Mans.
It didn't succeed, but it
certainly got people's
attention being there.
And back in the US, a company
called Protofab built a
modified tube frame GTO
Corvette, and ran an IMSA in
that class.
And I believe won those
championships.
Which got us to C5, the 1997
to 2004 years for Corvette.
And frankly in racing, what
everyone really remembers most
is when the C5R raced at Daytona
with Dale Earnhardt
Sr. and Jr. in the cars.
Now, I don't think the Dale
number three car won, but it
was certainly there at the
finish, and everyone was
paying attention to
the great Dale
Earnhardt racing a Corvette.
And the stories go on that if
Dale was still here, he would
be running his own Corvette
racing team.
C6, the current generation.
2005 up to 2013.
And we all know about
the ALMS car.
GTE championships many,
many times.
And repeated Le Mans 24 wins,
because really, that's the
focus of this program.
And then in 2012, Corvette
decided to spend some money at
Jim France's behest to build
Corvette body work.
And they won eight of 13 Grand
Am races, but the chassis
underneath is really a
Riley or a Delara,
or the Coyote chassis.
But the body work is supposed
to be all Corvette.
The engines are from the
Earnhardt Childress racing
engine company.
They did the motors, they
won the manufacturer's
championship for Chevrolet.
Does that Corvette
Daytona prototype
body work look familiar?
Well, it kind of should
if you've been
following Corvette racing.
Because back in 2010, Pratt
Miller did a design study, an
engineering study, for a
Corvette GTP, which were to be
the new ACO Le Mans rules
for a category of car.
It went all the way to
a wind tunnel model.
And I've still got the
engineering proposal sitting
in my files.
Shh, don't tell.
Which gets us to C7, the
new car coming in 2014.
Here's the Jalopnik.com release
of what the production
car will look like.
And as you probably know, and
maybe have heard in an earlier
Shakedown, Pratt Miller
is working on the
C7R are as we speak.
And I'm assuming the Daytona
prototype body work will be
updated to C7 look as well.
So here's where I stop and
ask you guys to weigh in.
This was a snapshot look.
I'm sure you experts about
Corvette and racing have a lot
more details, and can fill in
a lot of blanks about what
went on with Corvette
racing history.
Sure, they won a lot of
championships over the years.
And there were a lot of
race cars out there.
Back in 1973 at Sebring, for
example, there were a full 18
Corvettes running that race.
But how well they performed, and
how much they really won
maybe is a topic for you
guys to discuss.
And any details of great
Corvette racing history, we'd
love for you to share.
And that's the bottom line
question I want you to ask.
Is Corvette really the
greatest racing
brand out of America?
Or is there something else we
should be talking about?
On Friday we'll get to some
other racing news, and like I
said earlier, with the big
racing news, we'll catch it as
they do things.
Who cares about my opinion?
Now, I'm going to go straighten
my tie, go to work,
make some money, and you
stay tuned for Tuned.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Hot Lap! - 2017 Best Driver's Car Contender
MotorTrend Channel:
(racecar engine)
(racecar engine)
- [Narrator] How do you make
a 650 horsepower Camaro even better?
Think like a track day weekend warrior,
which is exactly what Chevy did.
Stick your tires, stiffer
shocks, and a big old wing.
In fairness, the ZL1 1LE's arrow kit
is much more than just a wing.
There's a stiff splitter,
shin-splintering dive planes,
and the previously
mentioned carbon fiber wing,
that taken together help
create 300 pounds of downforce
at 155 miles per hour.
Then you have the
specially developed tires
from Goodyear that provide
tremendous amounts of grip
to go along with all that downforce.
Finally, the shocks are
spool valve dampers,
the same technology
you'll find on super cars,
like the 4GT, hyper cars,
like the upcoming AMG Project One,
and honest to goodness F1 cars.
But how does it all add up on the track?
(racecar engine)
- Now this car stops.
(racecar engine)
Brutally strong power
and I like it.
(racecar engine)
I got to long neck so visibility
out of the Camaro's just fine by me.
(racecar engine)
Your old manual shifter.
(racecar engine)
Please work.
Gah look at this thing stop!
(racecar engine)
Camaro generates a lot of g's.
(racecar engine)
Don't put me in the weeds.
(racecar engine)
You know what, a pleasure to drive,
(racecar engine)
a beast of a car.
I love pony cars and that right there
is the ultimate, ultimate
pony car right now.
Yeah, I have my little knits
to pick here and there,
but wow, the power, this
thing just handles so well.
It was very much at home on the racetrack.
I love the huge power.
It's not a lightweight car,
but it handles like one.
The overall grip was tremendous.
It was interesting how this car
at a similar speed
would stick to the road
over the jump in turn one,
and that's the benefit of that giant wing,
and we can see these huge dive planes
on the front of the Camaro.
I'm going to say it was
not perfectly balanced
but when we put it in the
context of what it is:
a front engine, rear drive
car with 650 horsepower,
the traction was incredible.
It put down power extremely well.
Tremendous amount of
braking grip was available.
Very, very pleasing and
satisfying how late I could brake,
in what is a relatively heavy car.
Tremendous power going up the hills.
The bottom line is here,
Chevrolet has built the ultimate pony car.
- [Narrator] Meet the
super car killing Camaro.
The ZL1 1LE's time of 134.30
is not just quick for a Camaro,
it's quick for a super car.
That time is better than any McLaren
we've ever ran around Laguna Seca,
save for the million dollar P1.
It's quicker than any
Nissan GTR, full stop.
Just five short years ago,
that time would have been good enough
to set the production car lab record.
Again, we're talkin' about a Camaro.
Why fifth place then?
Some judges felt that the stiff,
and we're talkin' crazy super stiff,
rear suspension,
made the ZL1 1LE more
of a track day novelty
than an actual driver's car.
Also, the four cars ahead
of it are just that good.
(racecar engine)
(racecar engine)
1973 Chevrolet Camaro: An American Let Free In The French Countryside
Petrolicious:
I've been passionate about cars
since I was a little boy.
I was lucky to have a dad
who was a mechanic
and who taught me the basics
from a very young age.
I would spend my time
fiddling around with my dad,
in the evening, on weekends,
on the family cars.
He taught me a lot of things,
but he mostly communicated
his love of do-it-yourself
and gave me tips and tricks
to repair cars,
but also about life in general.
At first, you start working on cars,
fiddling with engines and bodywork,
and you quickly move on to other steps,
like learning how to weld
or creating small boxes
out of sheet metal.
You basically try anything you can,
until you realize
you can do pretty nice things.
You twist objects, and people like it,
so it makes you happy.
It is a very rewarding experience.
Every day, you have an idea
of what you want to put into practice.
My name is Gabriel,
and I drive a 1973 Chevrolet Camaro.
I've always had a soft spot
for VW Type 1s.
I've had a lot of fun restoring a few.
These are great memories,
but when you keep on seeing
four-cylinder cars in American movies,
you end up wanting one.
From the time I was 18, I drove Type 1s,
and V8s were just a fantasy.
You think it's impossible,
until one day you say, "Why not?"
Another car enthusiast friend and I
started dreaming
of fetching a V8 in the U.S.
And we did, in 2013.
We took the plunge
and left to each buy a car.
We didn't have a set idea in mind.
Contrary to popular belief,
we didn't necessarily want a Mustang,
but we wanted a V8,
the typical American car.
So we flew all the way to Los Angeles,
but, of course,
we couldn't miss out on Las Vegas,
so we went.
Right in the middle of the desert,
I took a look at the gauge
and realized the tank was almost empty.
I knew I wouldn't be able to go 200 miles,
so we took the next exit,
which was Victorville.
We had no clue where we were going,
and there was nothing in sight.
We truly were in the desert.
So we took the Victorville exit
and tried to find a station to fill her up,
and, luckily, we found one.
Half of the shops were closed.
We were a bit lost,
but we quickly got gas at the pump.
While doing that, my friend saw
a vintage car off the road
and wanted to check it out.
I could tell it was apple green,
which is not a color I like,
but we had might as well take a look,
because the car was for sale.
So we got closer, and it was a Nova.
It was not my favorite model,
and I didn't like the color,
but then a Mexican guy showed up.
His name was Roberto.
So, Roberto came up to me and said,
"What are you looking for?
Why are you here?
Do you want to buy a car?"
So, I told him,
"Yes, I am looking to buy a car."
And he said, "Follow me."
We entered a shed full of dismantled cars.
I saw a car under a dusty tarp
and recognized a Camaro.
My interest was peaked.
He removed the dusty tarp,
and I got all excited; I loved that car.
He fiddled with the starter for a bit,
and then it made a thundering noise.
The car lived again.
I had goosebumps.
The noise filled my ears,
and I could smell gasoline.
So, we took a serious and closer look.
We looked under the car and inside,
and it was very dirty,
but despite the dirt,
it was in very good shape.
Then I confirmed with Roberto.
"I can wire the money.
Is everything okay with you?"
He said, "It's all good with me.
You'll have the car
as soon as I get the money."
The nice thing about this story
is that you indulge yourself
when you discover the car,
but also when you re-discover it
a few months later,
when the vehicle finally arrives home.
You had forgotten a lot of things.
Of course, you had pictures,
but you had forgotten the smell of it,
the sound it makes.
Details had been erased with time.
Especially since I had never seen it
all clean and shiny under the sun.
So, when the car arrived, I was awe-struck.
I couldn't believe it was my car.
This car is unique to me,
because it allowed me to meet
so many people,
and it gave me the chance
to have unique experiences
that I will never forget.
2019 Chevrolet Blazer: First Drive — Cars.com
Cars.com:
When Chevrolet told us that they were
going to be introducing a new 2019
Chevrolet Blazer we got very excited. We
thought hey cool here's a new 4x4 meant
to go up against real serious
off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler or
the new upcoming Ford Bronco but that's
not exactly what Chevrolet had in mind.
Instead they've introduced the new
Blazer as a five passenger two row
premium crossover vehicle meant to go up
against things like the Ford Edge or the
Nissan Murano. Now it's got the V6, it's
got all wheel drive but it's also got a
very sporty version in the new RS that
you see behind me. We came here to San
Diego, California to get a better look at
the new Blazer, to drive it and to see
exactly what Chevrolet is brought to the
new crossover party. You can have your
Blazer in one of a few different flavors.
The base model comes with a standard 2.5
liter four-cylinder engine making 193
horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque
mated to a 9 speed automatic
transmission. Front wheel drive is
standard on all Blazers but if you want
all-wheel drive you'll have to bump up
to one of the V6 models, you can't get it
with the four-cylinder engine. This base
model is peppy and agile, has a decent
interior and features most of the
dramatic styling that makes the new
Blazer a real standout on the streets.
The front end bears a definite
resemblance to the more sporty
Chevrolet's like the Camaro but the
headlights are a little unusual.
Those lights up high on the fenders are
just LED running lights, the actual
headlights are HID projector style units
down in the bumper. All Blazers have a
floating roof design first seen on the
Nissan Murano many years ago but now
copied on to just about every automakers
new SUV. The overall effect is attractive
however especially if you get one of the
more standout colors like bronze or
bright red. Add the V6 to the basic
Blazer L and you'll get what Chevy calls
the Blazer V6 trim available with either
cloth or leather interior or spend a
little more coin and get one of the two
top trim levels, the Premier or the RS.
Both come with General Motors
omnipresent 3.6 liter v6 engine making
308 horsepower and 270 pound feet of
torque. Like the four-cylinder it's mated
to a 9 speed automatic sending power to
the front wheels. All wheel drive is
optional on all these six trim levels
but the Premier and RS trims get a
special dual clutch all wheel drive
system instead
of the more basic single-clutch system
in the lesser models. The Premier gets
a monochrome exterior paint job with
body-colored bumpers and fender trim as
well as 20-inch wheels. The RS gets a
sportier look with black out fender and
window trim, a more aggressive black mesh
grille and black painted 20-inch wheels.
21 inch wheels are an option on both the
Premier and RS trims. Inside the
influence of the Chevy Camaro is clear
from the design of the multimedia system
atop the dash to the big round air vents
that also control the temperature. The
Blazer looks decidedly sporty-er than
any of its competitors like the Ford
Edge or Nissan Murano. The more luxurious
Premier trim has some decent luxury
touches inside like unique leather dash
trim while the RS goes for a racy
two-tone look. Both have acceptable
quality trim on the dash and center
console but that material quality falls
off on the door panels and in the
backseat.
I will give Chevy credit for keeping the
height adjustable seat belts, something
they've been removing on new models
lately. The interior is comfortable up
front with plenty of width and height to
the cabin. This is a bigger SUV than the
compact Equinox crossover. It's almost as
wide inside as the much larger full-size
Chevrolet Traverse. The second row
features a sliding seat to maximize
either cargo space or back seat legroom
and the seat backs fold flat
via mechanical handles in the cargo area.
The back seat is comfortable for two but
might be a bit tight for three full size
adults across the bench. The cargo area
itself is spacious. This is a bigger SUV
then you might think. It is easily a
match for the new Honda Passport
or even the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Out on
the street the difference in driving
experience is actually greater between
the four-cylinder and six-cylinder
models than between the top Premier and
RS trim levels despite the RS' more
sporting pretense. All Blazers feel solid
and surprisingly substantial with
excellent body control and a ride and
handling balance that's impressive.
The RS gets a slightly more aggressive
suspension tune and a quicker steering
ratio but not really much else. It's not
like the Traverse RS that gets a unique
engine. The same engine power is the
Premier trim too. It's sporty-er than a
Murano or a Santa Fe but a Ford Edge ST
with its twin turbocharged V6 will
easily spike a Blazer RS in a contest
of acceleration. Suffice it to say the RS
delivers more
sporty looks than athletic ability
providing a fun styling statement and a
slightly tighter driving experience.
Choosing one trim over the other really
becomes more of which one you think
looks most appealing. The new 2019 Blazer
is not cheap. A base-model 2.5 L starts
at just a tick under $30,000 including the
destination fee while the least
expensive V6 front-wheel drive model
starts at $34,495. All wheel
drive adds $2,700
to that price. The RS starts at $41,795
while the Premier starts at
$43,895.
Load up an RS or Premier with all-wheel
drive and every option on the sheet and
you're easily into the low $50,000 range
which is a lot of coin for a midsize
Chevy SUV but is indeed comparable to
what you'd pay for a Murano, Edge or
Grand Cherokee. With its sophisticated
styling, its excellent ride handling
characteristics and the technology-laden
interior the new Blazer really is a
quite formidable competitor to the
Murano and the Edge. It's on sale now in
dealerships across the country and if
you'd like to learn more about the new
Chevrolet Blazer
please come look us up on Cars.com.
Havana Cuba Classic American Cars - 1954 Chevy Belair
louididdy:
Cesar Lozano & His 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS - Lowrider Roll Models Ep. 7
MotorTrend Channel:
(inspirational music)
- If you set your mind
to doing something,
nothing's impossible.
Everything's possible.
You could have whatever you dream of,
and if you keep continuing dreaming big,
you will get there one day.
(hip hop music)
You got to have a lot of patience,
dedication, and passion to
build one of these cars.
My first car was a 1963 Impala,
which I had purchased in Bakersville.
It was a project car.
The '63 Impala was a
car that was unrestored.
We took that car, stripped it all down,
frame-off restoration.
We painted it Candy Blue
with a patterned top.
It was called 'Juiced 63',
which was featured in
a couple of magazines.
So what happened when it got featured,
I got contacted a couple months
after the car got
featured in the magazine,
and they had offered me $40,000.00 for it.
And I said you know what, why not.
'Cause it was something
that I couldn't refuse.
I said, you know what, it's your car.
So, it went to Japan.
(hip hop music)
I love the cars.
Since I was a kid, like I said,
I've loved to see low riders.
There's different ways
of building a low rider.
To me, it's an art.
That's the beauty of low-riding.
Right now I'm currently
working on 1963 Impala.
A hard top.
Ive had it for 17 years and now,
I have the opportunity to try
to put it all together now.
I want it all original GM factory parts.
You know, all NOS parts,
which is New Old Stock.
It's going to also have a
whole bunch of accessories,
as it's a hard top,
it also has a few more options
that the convertible didn't come with.
This car is going to be fully loaded.
As a matter of fact, that's
what I'm calling the car, is
'Fully Loaded'.
And we should be done with
this car within the next month,
so people will see it out there.
They will appreciate it
just as much as I am.
(hip hop music)
I own a 1963 Impala
Super Sport Convertible.
When I seen this car,
it was a car that I just had to have.
It was a car that was fully
loaded with factory options.
It's very rare to find a
very optioned car out there.
When I bought that car,
I said, Im going to restore this car.
but a lot of people said,
"No leave it alone, dont mess with it."
Which i agreed with them.
I don't want to just yet go
into that full restoration
on this car because
you can still smell the old of it
when you're driving it.
It drives so nice, and it's real.
I didn't put them on there.
This car came with them already.
It's an original Honduras
Maroon, with black interior.
With a 327 engine, two speed transmission,
four barrel carburetor, with
fully optioned accessories.
Factory seat,
a cruise control,
four-way flasher,
autronic eye,
tilt steering column,
power windows,
trunk release,
tachometer,
compass,
vanity mirrors,
under the dash ashtray,
AM/FM radio,
padded dash,
power steering,
power brakes,
locking gas cap.
It was something that you just
don't see out there no more.
(light music)
when I was a young kid,
there used to be a shop down
the street from our house,
right there off of
Pacific and Walnut called
The Gold Exchange.
There used to be a guy there
that used to work there,
his name is Richard Silva.
He went by 'Ritchie Rich'.
He was the number one hopper at the time.
He was a champion for a lot of years.
He would give us money to wash his cars,
to clean the windows,
and just keep all the
kids in the neighborhood,
try to keep us off the streets,
teach us right from wrong
and talk about his cars
and the rare stuff that he had on there.
That's how I got the
passion of low-riding.
I come from a family of 11.
We learned a lot from each other.
My mom, my dad worked all
their lives just to support us.
My mom sometimes had to
work 2 jobs day and night
just to put food on our table,
clothes on our backs.
They couldn't give us everything we wanted
just because it was so many of us.
My mom was in the sewing business,
and she used to work
for a factory, sewing.
And my dad was a janitor.
It was tough once you get older,
you kind of realize what your parents did
to try to provide for you.
Once I got older, if I
wanted name-brand clothes,
I had to go work for them.
And, I found every little
way of getting out there
and hustling to try to make money,
so when we did go back to school,
I had money to buy the clothes
that I wanted, you know?
I went from collecting cans,
to selling raspados at the park,
from buying stuff at the 99-cent store and
selling it for more money.
I'd buy baseball hats
that they had one time
at the 99-cent store,
and I bought a whole bunch
of them for a dollar each
and go sell them at the
park for five bucks.
I didn't go out there begging for money,
I went out there and worked for my money.
I was a collector.
I would collect baseball cards,
hot wheels, action figures,
stuff like that that I would
go to the store and buy
a couple of the ones I
thought that were rare,
and then I was holding on
to them 'cause I figure,
one day, I'mma have a business where
I can make money with this stuff.
And my dad told me,
if you graduate,
I will help you on
whatever you want to do.
That was his dream, just try
to keep me out of trouble.
I was working for a guy at
the Santa Fe Spring Swap Meet,
which was selling the same
things I used to be a collector,
you know, baseball cards, action figures,
just stuff like that on the weekends.
I learned a lot from him.
After I graduated from highschool,
I said, that's what I want to do.
I want to have my own business,
I want to sell sports
car, to action figures,
collectibles.
I started at the outdoor
swap meet doing that.
With a small booth, $500.00.
That's how (chuckles) my dad
helped me out, with $500.00.
He didn't have much, but we
made it grow as it went on
and on and on and on and on
and it was just a weekly thing.
Once that business grew, I
got into the Compton Indoor.
The business just got bigger,
and bigger as I was in there
with more of the collectibles,
and stuff like that.
Baseball cards...
I love toys.
Maybe because we didn't get to have them
when we were kids.
We went to the store,
and all we could do was look at them
because our parents couldn't
afford to buy them for us.
When I got to a point where
I was already in junior high
and I was already making
a little bit of money,
I would go out there
and buy it and save it,
and appreciate what I had
and praise it,
like, oh, man, this is rare, this is good.
Because I didn't get to
have that when I was a kid.
I'm the founder of Collector's
Choice Toys and Hobbies.
We're located here in the
city of Paramount, California.
I started Collector's Choice back in '93,
with a simple $500.00 investment,
to being one of the biggest distributors
in the West Coast for toys.
We're a distributor,
and we're an importer, exporter of toys.
We distribute toys from
Mattel,
Revell,
Funko,
Jada,
Maisto,
McFarlane.
We sell products to customers in Mexico,
Australia,
Spain,
Japan,
you name it, world-wide.
Once we open all these doors,
we were able to sell to a
lot of mom and pop shops
that were doing what I
did when I first started.
(inspirational music)
I love what I do,
and it keeps me motivated
'cause it's fun.
It's fun and I see that
I could do more with it.
Because my toy business was so successful,
I was able to start DGA Tees
with David Gonzales,
the creator of the Homies,
which does all of this art work
which caters to the Chicano industry.
We do from T-shirts, to
seat covers, from blankets,
you name it.
There was a logo for the Lowrider Man,
but there was nothing made for him.
So I contacted Lowrider and
asked if there was an
opportunity to make this toy.
And I've seen an opportunity
to be able to license
the figurine for this Lowrider Man.
I asked Dave if he could
design me a figurine and
he was more than happy to do
it because he's always had
a passion for the brand.
He was really excited to
design the figurine for us.
Someone that doesn't get low-riding,
they're missing out.
When I'm driving my cars,
it's never bothered me
what other people thought.
Low-riding is an art.
And when I see people out
there driving a low rider,
and it's nice and clean,
you got to give it to them because
I know that ain't come easy.
My advice to a lot of the
people that are out there
that are going through the hard struggle
that I went through,
nothing is impossible.
And I encourage everybody
that's out there to not give up.
Everything is possible in life,
and you can do whatever you
accomplish yourself to do.
Just keep moving forward.
Keep opening them doors,
and once you get there,
you're going to see
the light shine on you.
My name is Cesar Lozano,
I'm an entrepreneur,
and I'm a Lowrider Roll Model.
(instrumental music)
2019 Chevrolet Silverado - Review & Road Test
Kelley Blue Book:
When Chevrolet first revealed their
fourth-generation full-size Silverado
they dangled it from a helicopter onto a
massive stage.
Hey, our reveal is just as extravagant.
Okay so maybe we need more helicopter
budget, but we're on dirt and those used to be pine trees. So here it is the
fourth-generation Chevy Silverado.
Okay, I can't.
You know I'm not sure this looks that
different from the previous model. There
are four grille options, this is one of
them and it's bigger and beefier than
the previous generation, but other than
that it looks pretty much like a
Silverado. It does have a steeper
windshield and adds a roof spoiler for
better aerodynamics, but also rides an
inch higher than the third generation.
Thanks to its new bigness the second row
in the crew cab expanded. There are three
more inches back here of space for your
legs, but if you prefer to haul stuff
inside the 60/40 seats fold up. There are
a lot of cool storage spaces.
Check out that cubby. It's pretty neat.
This is bigger than some apartments I've
lived in.
Bed size also benefits from the
Silverado's expansion to the tune of
seven inches of width thanks to GM now
stamping the beds into pieces. It's also
stronger, which is a good thing for tough
payload.
Even the 12 standard tie-down loops are
stronger, and there's an optional power
tailgate, which we think is cool. The
Silverado comes in eight models. The Work Truck
comes with vinyl or cloth seats
and 17-inch wheels, remote keyless entry,
a USB port, seven-inch touchscreen and
Chevrolet's Infotainment 3 system with
Apple CarPlay and Android Audo. Optional
safety features include front and rear
parking assist, lane change alerts with
blind zone warnings, and rear
cross-traffic alerts. Those are some good
options for a base model truck. The
Custom trim adds 20-inch aluminum wheels
and LED tail lights. The Trail Boss adds
a 2-inch lift and the optional Z71
off-road package, which of course
requires four-wheel-drive and includes a
locking rear differential, skid plates,
and 18-inch Goodyear Duratrack tires
for off-roading. Step up to the LT trim
and there's the aforementioned
optional off-road equipment, an
eight-inch touchscreen comes standard as
well as a step up to the 8-speed
automatic transmission from the 6-speed
in lower trims. Hill descent control is
also a good option for when you're
coming down from all those mountains
you're driving over. The LT Trail Boss
includes the off-road capabilities of
the custom Trail Boss. Looking for a
sporty or Silverado the RST trim
includes body coloured exterior trim LED
lighting and 22s.
This high country is at the top of the
Silverado trim mountain, and it is swank
at the summit. Everything is covered in
leather and it's pretty comfy in here in
a truckie kind of way. Both front seats
are heated and ventilated and the
driver's side has 10-way power
adjustment including lumbar. Micah!
It's wireless charging capable and the
storage in the center console is so big
you could probably fit a whole bucket of
fried chicken in there.The Bose audio
system is awesome, you know what, if I
went camping I would probably just stay
in here. Six powertrain choices are
offered on the Silverado. Those larger
two are new options and include GM's new
dynamic fuel management system which is
able to use as few as two cylinders
cutting fuel to the rest for improved
fuel economy. The diesel option is new too. Some EPA numbers weren't available for
various power trains at the time of this
videos making, but here are those that
are.
The 4.3-liter V6 offers up 285
hp and 305 pound-feet of torque.
The 6.2-liter V8, which is in this High
Country crew cab I'm driving has 420
horses and 460 pound-feet of torque. With
a curb weight of 5,000 pounds, a payload
capacity of a little over 2,100 pounds,
and towing capabilities of 12,000 pounds
I'd say that power is going to come in
really handy. That's cute.
Incidentally that's less towing capacity
than a similarly powered Ford F-150 but
more than the RAM 1500 and the same as
the GMC Sierra, which makes sense because
they share power trains. But how does it
drive I hear you ask? You know what? I
have a really good way to find out. Why
thank you.
On the road the Silverado feels sturdy
and solid but surprisingly un-trucky. It
actually drives like a much smaller
vehicle. That might be thanks to Chevy
shaving off up to 450
pounds depending on which Silverado you
drive. The Silverado makes easy work of
curvy mountain roads and is maneuverable
enough to not get you in too much
trouble when parking in relatively tight
spots. The High Country's more refined
road manners are partly due to a 10-
speed automatic transmission with which
it is equipped. Shifts are quick and
smooth. It's tight ratios keep the engine
closer to peak power when at full
throttle. It also makes for easier
operation when towing. It's too bad this
transmission is only an option on the LT
trim and above with the diesel or 6.2-
liter engine. The cabin is quiet. I don't
hear the road and there's no notable
vibration or noise coming from the
engine when that DFM system is doing its
thing. You know if someone was looking
for a midsize crossover alternative with
more utility and towing capacity then
the Silverado drives nicely enough that
it should be considered an option.
Base price on the Work Truck will cost
you around $31,200 including
destination. Our tricked-out High Country,
which is at the top of the spending
spectrum is more like $67,000. This one
also has the Deluxe package that
includes safety features like forward
collision alert, lane keep assist with
lane departure warning, low speed forward
automatic braking. It also has a sunroof,
all-season tires, as well as the Tech
package that gives us the surround
vision camera and head-up display. Those
safety features come in handy especially
in a big truck like this. Sometimes
little things like Miatas or cyclists
are really hard to see. You know, I kind of
feel like the blind spot warning is
pretty much on all the time in this
thing.
The purchasing sweet spot though is
probably the LT trim that starts at just
under 40 large and comes standard with
the 5.3-liter engine and the 8-speed
transmission, but is optional with the
diesel engine mated to the 10-speed. It
also opens up more optional packages
that include tilting and telescoping
steering wheel and navigation. If you're
in the market for a full-size truck the
fourth-generation Silverado has a lot of
competition to check out including the
F-150, Sierra, Ram 1500 and even the
Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra,
but the Silverado has a lot of great
qualities to consider. It's well equipped,
nicely powered and a good-looking truck
that rides nicely on the road. See no
splashy helicopter entrance necessary.
2019 Chevrolet Camaro v Ford Mustang Comparison | carsales
carsales.com.au:
[Marton] After 40 years of Falcon versus Commodore,
welcome to the new V8 rear-drive grudge match.
Camaro versus Mustang.
[Bruce] Come on Marty, this one writes itself.
The Mustang is newer, it’s cheaper, it’s
got more gear.
[Marton] Bruce, the Camaro is more exclusive,
it’s got a bigger V8 and it looks the duck’s
guts.
[Bruce] So what are we going to do?
[Marton] Well, one of two things, road or
track?
[Bruce] Well what about both?
[Marton] For once, we agree.
If you’re watching this you’ll know the
latest Mustang is the first global factory
model.
While the Camaro comes to us via HSV which
is converting just 550 examples initially
and that’s why they’re a lot more expensive.
Both are 2018 models but while that means
the Mustang GT is upgraded with a 10-speed
auto and new driver safety aides, the Camaro
misses out on them but matches the Ford for
power and beats it for torque.
At $86,000 plus on-road costs, the Camaro
is almost 20 grand pricier than the Mustang,
but that hasn’t stopped up to 80% of them
being pre-sold.
[Bruce] So Marty, one of the big talking points
about the Camaro is being the local right-hand
drive conversion job by holding special vehicles.
I’ve got to say, I’m pretty impressed.
They’ve done a great job.
It’s almost to OE standard, I reckon.
[Marton] I agree.
You’d be hard pressed to pick at it.
If anything, the Mustang looks more like a
conversion than this because the handbrake
and the volume knob are both on the wrong
side.
[Bruce] Yes, you’re right but I reckon there
are a couple giveaways in the Camaro.
Well, I get the armrest while you get the
cupholders.
You get to put your elbow on the cupholder
which is something that they obviously haven’t
spent the money on.
[Marton] Not ideal.
But something they haven’t been able to
change is the dash, which is plastic.
They’ve left it all right-handed.
It’s plastic.
Something Mustang doesn’t have.
[Bruce] No, Mustang has a higher level of
presentation than this car.
I think the Mustang has an advantage.
It’s got a broader width of capability in
terms of, with those optional MagneRide dampers,
you can go from just toodeling around on them
or wind them up into sport plus mode and you’ve
got a pretty firm riding car.
This car, is just firm all the time.
[Marton] It’s the biggest difference between
them, isn’t it?
This is just tied down, old school.
It’s not compliant like the Mustang.
[Bruce] No, not at all.
No, the Mustang has got an advantage there.
[Marton]It’s the more complete car.
[Bruce] I’ve got to say, I love this Chevy
small-block, it winds and winds, it just pulls
like a train.
[Marton] Enormous mid-range, sounds okay,
only really sounds good up top but the Mustang
sounds good everywhere, doesn’t it?
[Bruce] It does.
And that Mustang, gee, it can even rev so
quickly.
[Marton] And the 10-speed auto, it’s almost
like a dual-clutch isn’t it, compared to
this?
[Bruce] It is so quick and it reacts early.
Braking for a corner, you’re lifting the
throttle and it reads and it goes bang, bang,
two gears.
Whereas the 8-speed in the Chevy, it’s slower.
[Marton] Sure, it’s a bit slower.
It doesn’t always do what you want it to
do.
The Mustang is always in the right gear.
People say it hunts, I disagree.
It’s busy but of course it’s going to
be busy with 10 speeds.
So on the road, these two muscle cars are
pretty evenly matched.
But the bumpier the surface gets, the greater
the Mustang’s advantage.
And it’s also more comfortable to live with.
But as they say in the classics, when the
flag drops, the bull dust stops and the let’s
face it, straight line speed is what these
pony cars are all about.
Despite the Mustang’s dragstrip mode and
the Camaro’s willingness to break traction
even mid-strip, the Chevy was consistently
quicker by about a tenth to a hundredth and
more than two tenths over the quarter-mile.
So just as I suspected, the Camaro is quicker.
[Bruce] Yes, you got me but only by a fifteenth,
Marty.
And I know one thing, I’m going to be more
comfortable than you riding home to Melbourne
today.
[Marton] Well you enjoy that Bruce, because
when I get home, I’ll be the only bloke
in my street with a Camaro.
[Bruce] So you take the Camaro, I’ll take
the Mustang and we’ll agree to disagree.
[Marton] It’s a deal.
Let’s hit the road.
Chevrolet Tahoe RST 2018 | Full Review | with Steve Hammes | TestDriveNow
Steve Hammes New Car Reviews:
High performance SUVs - yes, they’re a thing
and their numbers seem to be growing.
But in recent years, GM hasn’t fielded an
entry.
Until now - with this new Tahoe RST, available
for the first time with the company’s 6.2-liter
V8 and other street truck upgrades.
Perhaps you remember the TrailBlazer SS, Silverado
SS or SSR – hot rod Chevy trucks of recent
vintage.
Now it’s the RST editions that are reviving
the pedigree.
Short for Rally Sport Truck, the big boy Tahoe
and Suburban are the first up to go RST.
Remember - there’s the RST Edition which
only gives you part of the street truck look
and then there’s the RST Performance Package
that drops in the 6.2, 10 speed Auto, and
performance calibrated suspension.
These brakes and Borla exhaust are extras.
Available on the 2 highest Tahoe trims, the
RST Edition adds $2,630 to the price and includes
22” wheels, black bowties – seems like
every Chevy has them these days, gloss black
grille, black mirror caps and black badging.
Set against this summit white paint the RST
has certainly got the look.
But it’s the next $2,820 that adds the real
stuff.
That’s where you’ll find the 420 horsepower
engine, the Ford-developed 10-speed gearbox,
high-capacity air cleaner, a transfer case
with 2-wheel, auto, 4-high and 4-low settings,
Magnetic Ride Control suspension with a performance
calibration and a trailer brake controller.
The larger front brakes which really seem
more like a necessity with this much power
and weight are a dealer installed option and
cost a hefty $2,795.
The dual side-exit Borla exhaust with black
chrome tips is another $1,249 and nets an
additional 7-10 horsepower at the wheels.
You get the picture – a loaded Tahoe 4WD
RST with Performance Package isn’t cheap.
How does $80,000 sound?
Definitely some sticker shock here.
Don’t think of the RST in the same vein
as a Trackhawk or the like - it’s just so
much bigger and heavier that it’s impossible
to extract that much performance.
You won’t be taking this to track day or
autocross.
What it is: is a brawny, body on frame truck
with a stiffer suspension.
Add in the throaty exhaust and upgraded front
brakes and it’s a confident Tahoe for those
who crave a little more of everything.
I can’t rectify its price per pound of additional
fun so it’s a pass for me but I’m sure
some will see the allure.
The Tahoe feels massive at over 5,600 pounds
as you tower over just about everything else
on the road.
And these seats are created for the fat cat
who can afford one so there’s virtually
no holding you in place during spirited driving
– a sport seat option would be nice.
Despite the normally excellent MRC dampers,
this Tahoe has lost its smooth, big rig ride
quality with the 22” all-season tires playing
a factor while adding considerable drag on
the steering.
Yeah, it bites a little harder on turn in
and body sway is muted but not to a degree
that would warrant this kind of investment.
The most impressive RST component is the powertrain.
This high-tech V8 and its 460 pound-feet of
torque can go into V4 mode to save fuel and
is direct injected with variable valve timing
– quite the engineering marvel.
And it gets a legit 17mpg in combined driving…far
more than you’d expect though it wants premium
gas.
But this transmission needs a sport mode in
order to keep the power on demand because
the 10-speed sometimes takes an awful long
time to kick down.
Plus, the gas pedal is designed for truck-like
work so it takes a deep push to extract the
power.
Once you’re there though this Tahoe can
run a sub-6-second 0-to-60mph time which sounds
more impressive than it actually feels.
I’d like even more rumble from the exhaust,
though…it’s pretty tame for Borla.
Towing is rated for 8,100 pounds.
Inside, features abound from wireless device
charging to a blu-ray player to a head-up
display to top-notch infotainment.
It’s living large 3-row style with every
creature comfort inside to make it comfortable
and easy to use.
This Cocoa/Mahogany combo looks rich in quality,
too.
A huge center consoled bin, power operated
2nd and 3rd row seats from the tailgate area,
all-weather floor liners, living room accommodations
with a drop down screen, easy access 3rd row
seats, vibrating safety alert seat replete
with all of today’s electronic helpers…OnStar,
Wi-Fi – this is a great place to spend time
and Chevy has aged this cabin very well.
The big price tag seems more legit when viewed
from the prism of amenties.
Keep in mind, because of the Tahoe’s construction,
the 3rd row seats are fine as long as you
don’t have long legs because the floor is
raised so they’ll be in your throat.
The panoply of RST bits takes the Tahoe in
a credible street truck direction but its
performance fails to wow with the force of
$80,000.
Ford Shelby GT500 v Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 : Street & Circuit - /CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS
THE DRIVE:
CHRIS HARRIS: Couldn't get more
American if we tried--
Manhattan skyline and the two
muscle cars of the moment--
Camaro ZL1 and Mustang GT500.
Between them, they have
1,259 horsepower.
And yet they cost a lot less
than a 997 Turbo S.
So I've got two days
with these cars.
I want to drive them in New
York, because that's a fun
thing to do.
And then I want to drive
them on a circuit.
And then I want to reach
some conclusions
about the two of them.
As a European, I'm massively
excited.
Because they're so powerful,
and they
represent so much value.
Let's get it on.
So is this the worst place on
the planet to drive a car?
MALE SPEAKER: To drive?
CHRIS HARRIS: Could
be, couldn't it?
MALE SPEAKER: Yeah,
I think so.
CHRIS HARRIS: Could be.
Anyhow, at least I've
got a Camaro ZL1.
I suppose I'd better get that
straight first, haven't I?
Am I going to call it
a ZL1 or a Zed L1?
I suppose, being in America,
I ought to call it a ZL1.
Luckily and handily for these
purposes, General Motors has
decided to detune the
ZR1 Corvette engine
and put it in a Camaro.
And it's only got
588 horsepower.
Get that?
Detuned to 588.
566 foot-pounds of torque.
And I'm going to be able to
demonstrate about, oh, seven
of those, I would have thought,
where we're going now.
Initial thoughts, then?
It's not a difficult car
to drive slowly, this.
It's not a difficult
car at all.
Three petals, clutch is fine,
gearbox is light.
We forget that, don't we, that
if you had a car with this
much power 15 years ago--
actually, they didn't exist,
did they-- but a mega horsepower
car had awful
slackness in the gearshift,
and the whole transmission
moved around on rubber mounts
and it felt horrible.
This doesn't feel like that.
It's a little bit of slot.
But it's tight.
And it's easy to drive.
I like the cabin too.
This thing is $48,000 basic.
So it's kind of slightly
well-equipped 325i BMW money.
And you get 588 horsepower.
I don't have very good form
with New York City.
I've been here once before and
I got off the plane, had a
good afternoon, and then
the lights went off.
This was August, 2003--
I think it was-- when they
had the blackout.
I got stuck here for two days.
I spent $500 to sleep on some
stranger's floor one night.
So I don't have much
good history.
But I do find it a great place
to come on [INAUDIBLE].
And it's good for cars too.
You see some really interesting
cars, because
people just seem to use some
old, eclectic stuff and leave
it on the street side.
This morning I saw
a BMW E28 525e.
I was just cooing all over it.
People thought I was mad.
But it looked so incongruous and
cool next to all the other
new, modern cars.
Ah, look.
G63 or G55.
G55.
Are you allowed to drive a G55
if you've not got a Russian
passport and a cocaine habit?
[LAUGHTER]
MALE SPEAKER: Getting a lot of
looks around here, though, in
these two cars.
That's for sure.
CHRIS HARRIS: That's what it's
all about though, isn't it?
They are partly about being seen
and heard, aren't they?
They're pretty good at it too.
I'm at a red light and it's
clear road ahead of us.
So the temptation is to
make a lot of noise.
But I don't know, is that a bad
thing to do in New York?
What's it like in first gear?
[ENGINE SOUNDS]
CHRIS HARRIS: It's
quite quick.
I went a bit more
than 30 there.
MALE SPEAKER: What's the
speed limit here?
CHRIS HARRIS: It's a lovely
thing to tool around in.
I like it.
The seat is nice.
They've been quite
clever here.
Everything that you touch has
got sort of Alcantara on it.
So all the contact points--
there's a stumpy little gear
lever here which looks
like it was just
nicked from an M5 actually.
It feels great, because it's
all quite a soft touch.
I like this thing.
Strangely when I said I liked
it, everyone back at the Drive
office just went, [GROAN],
it's a Camaro.
I don't like them.
It's wrong.
They're all very pro-Mustang.
Of course, being a complete
foreigner, I don't really
understand the complexities and
the subtleties of the Ford
versus Chevrolet thing.
I just want to take them on
merit, really, and judge them.
This, to me, feels like
a nicely resolved car.
So I'm going to spend a bit of
time making sure that it
shifts gear well at low
speed, that the
engine's got usable torque.
It may have massive numbers,
but it's up to you how much
you use of it.
And that's all I'm going
to say about
driving the ZL1 slowly.
Because we need to go and do
some stupid stuff with it,
really, don't we?
So this is a Mustang GT500.
Its numbers are so
extraordinary, I'm not even
going to mention them now.
I'm just going to sort of settle
myself into the beast.
And then we'll discuss the
numbers in a minute.
Because they are,
frankly, [BLEEP]
ridiculous.
This is a bit brutal,
isn't it?
Jesus.
Talk about a short shift.
To quote the best motoring
journalist cliche of all, it's
like a rifle bolt.
[BLEEP]
me, that's fast.
It's got loads of grunt.
I feel like I'm sitting in
a Range Rover, though.
I'm too high relative to
the steering wheel.
If I was to get twirly in
oversteer, I could probably
shave my testicles with the
bottom of the wheel.
It's actually not the easiest
car to drive slowly, whereas
the ZL1 really does just feel
to me like any sort of three
pedal, American, fast car.
This is a bit more difficult.
The clutch bite point is high.
Because of this seat being in
the wrong position, my angle
of attack from my knee down to
the petals is a bit funny.
I'm sitting too high relative
to the wheel.
And of course there's
that power figure.
We'll come to it now.
671 horsepower.
Say that to yourself.
671 horsepower through,
effectively, a live axle.
It's just barking, isn't it?
Who was it who said, sort of
post-Lehman that Ford and GM
were going to have to sort their
shit out and stop making
muscle cars.
Well, a few years later,
we're at the 670
horsepower Mustang mark.
So someone called that
wrong, didn't they?
Torque--
631 foot-pounds.
It's a monster.
It's a much, much, more powerful
machine than that yob
yellow thing behind me, which
itself is crazy enough.
I love it.
And the price of these things--
they are $35 grand
cars if they were sold in the
UK at the same price as they
are over here.
So you could have the thick end
of 700 horsepower for the
price of a sort of mid-style,
three series BMW.
Isn't that something
to be celebrated?
When you get to that sort of
level, I don't really care
about the way they handle
or whether they're as
good as a BMW M3.
It makes no odds whatsoever,
does it?
Obviously, I'm a limey
tourist here today.
We've driven around New York.
And we've seen a few
bits and bobs.
But J.R. said, if there's one
place you want to go to, where
would it be?
Times Square, all that stuff--
not really very interested.
I like the Chrysler building,
but I've seen that before.
And I've been at the
Empire States.
And we're in cars.
But there was one place I wanted
to visit, and I've
always wanted to visit ever
since I first saw a little
program called The Sopranos.
I wanted to go to the Bing.
Who wouldn't want to
go to the Bing?
Not go into the Bing and use
its services, obviously,
because I don't need a happy
ending as we're speaking now.
But here we are-- the Bing.
[ENGINE REVVING]
CHRIS HARRIS: Boy do these
cars get some attention.
They look and sound the part.
And most of Manhattan appears
to adore them,
even the local police.
MALE SPEAKER 2: So that's
three pull-overs in
literally one hour.
And every time you've
gotten out of it.
CHRIS HARRIS: There's something
to be said for
mooching and posing in them.
Because they're not actually
that good on the open road.
I tell a lie.
That's unfair on the ZL.
The GT500 skips over bumps, the
power delivery is pretty
savage, and the exhaust
noise is grating.
The ZL is much more composed.
In fact, it's just a nicer
fast road car--
quieter and easier.
But do you buy muscle to
be easier and quieter?
I don't know.
Let's go to the track and wreck
some tires before we
even attempt to answer
that one.
OK, we're at Monticello Motor
Club now and finally have the
chance to use some of this
massive amount of horsepower.
We're in the ZL1 first, the
weakest by some margin.
How often do you say that of a
car that has 580 horsepower?
This is quite a heavy
brute though--
1,860 kilograms.
So I don't expect, given that
it's about 85 degrees outside,
to be able to pound around
for too long.
So let's go and do a couple
of laps and just
see how the car behaves.
And for me as a European, I have
to say, people like me
have quite a jaundiced view of
these American performance
cars-- too big, too heavy,
and not really on a
par with the Europeans.
But these are quite serious
performance cars.
They've got a lot
of performance.
Motor's great.
But it doesn't feel like
it's got 580 to me.
Maybe that's because
it is so heavy.
Brake pedal-- a little
bit blunt.
To me, feels like sort of M3
performance and a bit.
I've got the safety systems
on at the moment.
And it's really working
hard at the back axle.
We have got oversteer whenever
we want it, boys.
Bodes well for [INAUDIBLE].
Do you know what?
As a European, this does not
feel at all bad, this thing.
It's not the last word.
But it's pretty good.
It's really pretty good.
I have to say, initial
thoughts--
this car has hugely benefited
from having an
independent rear end.
It doesn't feel like the most
sophisticated rear end.
But it does feel--
well, I know it goes over
bumps in the middle of a
corner and doesn't get
spat sideways.
And the chassis is not being
completely overpowered by this
engine, not by a long
shot actually.
It feels like quite a nice
balanced package.
Yes.
Now we can let it move
around a bit.
But its advantage over the Ford
is it's got 305 section
rear tire-- so less power,
more mechanical grip.
It's quite a useful
recipe, isn't it?
I'm going full power here.
I can't make the thing drift.
A surprising, slightly strange
car we have here, Thomas.
I'm properly trying to back
it in, but it won't do it.
Maybe the ambient temperature
isn't helping the old girl.
Here's a good question
to ask yourself
on a Thursday afternoon.
What does 671 horsepower within
a body weighing 1,747
kilograms feel like when
it's transmitted to the
road via a live axle?
Welcome to the GT500.
I'm leaving all the systems
on to start with.
First thing's first.
This seat--
I'm sitting too high.
I've already got traction issues
and I've just used
about a third of throttle.
Yeah, this is going to be a
handful, this thing, isn't it?
What an engine.
So much more powerful than
the Camaro engine.
Yeah, this car is dominated
by its motor.
It's an engine looking
for a chassis.
I'm not convinced it's
found it in this
particular car, either.
Now we caught them-- but the
axle is absolutely having a
massive tantrum with itself.
God, it just feels so much
faster in a straight line.
Braking--
OK.
Has it got a spool diff
on it or something?
It feels like a drift car.
I think it's extraordinary,
absolutely extraordinary.
And anyone from my continent
that sniffs at it not being as
dignified as an M3 can saw it
off, because this is properly
exciting, this thing,
properly exciting.
The engine just keeps going.
And rarely has a car said to me,
as clearly and as loudly,
please turn the traction
control off.
Please turn the traction
control off.
This is a factory car--
670 horsepower.
It's not some tuner nonsense.
This comes with a warranty.
I do like it.
I do like it.
It's crude and it's--
but you know what?
For all that crudity, it's just
much more exciting and
much faster than the Camaro.
Where there's no bumps, the live
axle isn't as much of a
problem as you'd expect.
But when there are bumps,
it's not ideal.
There.
It's making me wait an eternity
to get on the gas.
It's so much fun though.
And it's the same price
as a loaded up 325i.
These are actually quite
different cars.
The Ford is lighter,
more powerful,
and generally crazier.
The Camaro is much
more rounded.
In as much as I could imagine
living with it every day the
way I could, say, an Audi RS
or an AMG Mercedes, how you
judge them clearly depends
on your Chevy or Ford
affiliation.
But once you've chosen your
tattoo, it actually comes down
to what you expect from
a modern muscle car.
Because I'm a limey not
regularly exposed to this
stuff, I wanted to rip my arms
off and scare my children.
And the ZL doesn't do that.
It's too good for that.
Despite giving away power and
weight, it was two seconds
faster around Monticello
in my hands.
But in the land of muscle,
bad is good.
And the GT500 is the
baddest of all.
Now how do I import one
to the UK again?
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