How has this partnership never happened before? Started and headquartered in Detroit, Carhartt has been making clothing since 1889, and Chevrolet has been making trucks since 1918. Both are mainstays of the American working class and both focus on durability as main selling points. So it only makes sense for the two to link up for this turbo-diesel-powered special edition 2017 Silverado 2500HD.
Considering it’s showing at SEMA, the concept is actually pretty caged. Then again, Carhartt has never been a flashy company, so it makes sense. Chevy characterizes the paint treatment of the heavy-duty Silverado as “two-tone Carbon Flash.” Split by a gold pinstripe at the beltline, the top is matte black while the bottom is gloss. The badges mimic the Carhartt logo, down to the font, but replaces the clothing’s brand name with the Silverado name.
With work needs in mind, this 2500HD has trailering mirrors, a 20-inch LED light bar, a lifted suspension, bed lighting, bed outlets, a swing-out toolbox, 20-inch nickel-plated aluminum wheels, and a bed cover in Carhartt’s distinctive fabric. That canvas is carried into the cabin with patches on the seats, center console, and the door panels. The Carhartt logo is lasered into the headrests, because what’s a special edition without 800 logos?
Now, if you excuse us, we’re going to go listen to some Smokey Robinson or maybe some Eminem, while drinking a Faygo and watching a Detroit Pistons game. Something’s got us in a Michigan mood.
What is SEMA if not an excuse to see absurd amounts of power and over-the-top body kits applied to pedestrian passenger cars? Hyundai is getting into the spirit with a fun load of modified cars for the Las Vegas show that starts this week. In addition to the 1040-hp Santa Fe Sport crossover, it also will bring slightly less insane versions of the Elantra, the Veloster, and the three-row Santa Fe. Still to be revealed is a new “skunkworks race concept” that sounds rather enticing.
The race-ready Elantra is a collaboration with Ark Performance, which lowered, turbocharged, and widened the unassuming compact sedan to create a so-called “Road Racer” concept. It also has an ARK brake kit, Nitto summer tires, a vinyl wrap for the body, and a diamond-stitched interior to ensure it won’t be confused for the milder Hyundai Elantra Sport.
The Hyundai Veloster outfitted by Gurnade has a similar aggressive stance with its wide body kit and huge rear spoiler. It’s also meant for the track, with its turbocharger, ECU tune, and Neo coil-over suspension. It’s finished in a paint color called Magic Magenta and the interior boasts racing seats, a roll cage, and a carbon-fiber steering wheel.
On the opposite end of the performance spectrum is the Rockstar Santa Fe, which has a majorly lifted suspension and beefy tires to give this crossover a big boost in all-terrain capability. Bead-lock wheels, 35-inch off-road tires, a winch, and a custom roof rack round out the package. Oh, and there’s also a nitrous-oxide injection system for good measure, because why not?
What It Is: A prototype of Toyota’s redesigned Camry mid-size sedan with a few surprising elements suggesting that a high-performance version of the top seller is in the cards. Unlike the current Camry SE and XSE trims, which consist of little more than mild appearance upgrades, this beefed-up Camry appears a bit more serious with […]
from Car and Driver BlogCar and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/2fy5F0A
via IFTTT
In what has become an annual tradition of sorts, Chevrolet will debut the latest COPO Camaro at the 2016 SEMA show. Production of the limited-edition 2017 COPO Camaro will once again be limited to 69 units in honor of the original 69 ZL-1–code 1969 COPO Camaros that tore up the drag strip back in the day. It will be available with a variety of engine options and will feature drag-strip-specific chassis components.
Although the folklore of GM’s COPO (Central Office Production Order) is pretty much common knowledge these days, we’ll remind those of you living under two rocks that, back in the day, COPO was basically a way of skirting the front office and getting a big, powerful engine in a smallish car. Chevrolet resurrected the acronym in 2012.
The COPO seen here, serial number 1 of 69 for 2017, is clad in Chevy’s Hyper Blue Metallic paint rendered in a new “anodized” finish. It sports a supercharged 5.7-liter V-8 backed up by an ATI TH400 three-speed automatic transmission and a set of Weld racing wheels. More than just a pretty (menacing) face, the COPO on the stand, as was the case with the COPOs displayed at SEMA in 2014 and 2015, will be auctioned for charity. It’s scheduled to go under the hammer at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Phoenix in January 2017, with proceeds to the United Way.
Philanthropy aside, all COPO Camaros are track rats at heart, and the 2017 COPO features a laundry list of specific parts and modifications designed for competing in the NHRA’s Stock Eliminator classes. In addition to the supercharged 5.7-liter engine of the SEMA car, buyers can also specify a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter (427 cubic inch) V-8 or an LT-based, direct-injected 6.2-liter V-8. The three-speed automatic is the sole transmission option.
As you would expect with a car of such low production volume, each COPO Camaro is built by hand starting with production hardware, including the same body in white used for production models. At that point, things take a decidedly high-performance turn with the addition of numerous strength-enhancing and weight-saving components. A beefy solid rear axle employing an aluminum center section, a lightweight steel spool, and 40-spline, gun-drilled axle shafts replaces the factory car’s independent setup, and suspension duties fall to an adjustable coil-over strut setup in front and a four-link rear suspension with double-adjustable coil-over shocks and a stabilizer bar. Lightweight, drag-race manual (that means unassisted by a pinch enhancing vacuum booster or other power means) four-wheel disc brakes handle the deceleration duties. A custom-built manual steering rack helps keep the front wheels pointed straight down the strip, and for the sake of safety a fuel cell replaces the factory car’s fuel tank. Finally, the wire harness has been specifically tailored for the demands of racing.
Buyers interested in getting their hands on a 2017 COPO Camaro must register at Chevrolet.com/COPO by December 15. An independent third party will randomly choose among the entries, Chevrolet said, and those selected will be contacted in the first quarter of 2017, at which point they will want to start budgeting for tires.
