In pictures, the Camaro looks massive, but after seeing it in person, it really is a rather small car. I have walked around it several times, and even seen it in motion. The 4th gen dwarfs the 5th gen visualy.

 

Funny, my experience with the 5th gen was contrary. I saw the real silver concept as well.

 

Thats a Mustang I would buy.

On the topic of weight...

The Nissan 350Z has more sound deadening material in it along with a few luxury items not found in the mustang.

I hope the Camaro sticks to pushrod engines for a while yet to keep weight down. I can't get over how massive a 4.6L V8 looks compared to the foxbody 5.0L V8s.

 

In case anyone's interested in some live shots:

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/new-y...helby-gt500kr/

I gotta admit that this car gives me wood.

 

They couldnt have done a better job! Can anyone tell if they took out the back seats?

 

Its a wide short motor, you get used to it though. If Ford hadn't planned on replacing the mod motors in a coupla years, it occurred to me that they would have been better off eliminating the V8s and just going to V10s (in both short -4.6- and tall deck -5.4- versions) for performance applications. Sounds crazy, but a short deck 5.0 V10 isn't to bad on paper (3.550 bore x 3.051 stroke) and using a stock 4.6 rod yields a nice 1.94 r/s ratio. While there wouldn't be any improvement in breathing due to is oversquare nature, the decreased stroke and increased r/s would probably boost high RPM power (that, and a bump from 281 to 302 CID)

 

I bought one and for the very reason that it is light and there are not a lot of parts to fail, like window motors, traction control, cruise control, etc. I mean seriously, is it really that hard to crank a window lever or flip a lock switch?

I always think it is funny when people scream about weight in a modern day fully loaded car. I drive a "stripper" so I can scream about weight!

 

I think the KR's 20" wheels make it seem smaller in pictures.

 

When you pull up to someone and you want to put the passenger side window down to talk to someone I would say yes. Especially with the low seat and leaning over the center console to do it.

 

That is true, so I just roll down the drivers side window and yell or use a cell phone and keep driving. This is not much of an inconvenience compared to having a power window motor fail and not being able to put the window down at all. Been there, done that, and it sucks. Opening the door at the drive through is comical though. Saw a guy in a Trans Am doing it just the other day and laughed as I cranked my window down

 

LOL yeah Ive been there with my 98 Camaro roll down windows. I used to open the passenger door at times. I got alot of "why didnt you just roll down the window?" responses. They never considered, rolling down actually meant rolling down. Its just one thing I personally thought I could go back to, but once I did reality set in. My Rx-7 was half the width so reaching across to roll them down wasnt as much of an ordeal.

 

Autoshow pictures.















That's how it should have been from the beginning. Why Ford disgraced the large rear Shelby emblems for a puny one on is unknown to me. The hood also looks much nicer then the current GT500 hood.

 

Some may recall that I did an open track event a few weekends back. There were 2 GT500's there - both in my class (though I don't know why?!?!).
1 checked-out after Saturday's events, the other stayed around for Sunday's events.

I can tell you - UNQUESTIONABLY - that the GT500 handled like nobody's business. It was as quick on the straightaways as most modified Terminator Cobras, and handled corners equally well too. I was passed by GT500s several times over the weekend, and it was clearly "my daddy".

In fact, it ran laps as fast as a few American Iron cars that were there. It was downright impressive. The guy I talked to on Sunday had only modified his car with rotors, pads, cold air intake, and tuning. As I saw him gaining on me during one heat Sunday afternoon, I started digging deeper and trying harder... I pushed my brakes to fade and tires were getting slick (rubber gumballs flying off in every corner too), but there was no way to hold-off that car... he got me in about 3 laps. It was simply brutal.

Now, having said all this... there were some turbo'ed MiniCoopers there that were doing almost as well, Z06 vettes that were comparable or maybe even faster in the hands of experienced drivers, and even I was only giving up 1-2 seconds/lap on a track with 1:40 to 1:45 laps. But - this was a guy about 60-65 y/o driving a car that was almost new and essentially unmodified running against cars with rollcages, Hoosier slicks, racing buckets, race brakes, etc.

I emplore you guys to be very cautious about "internet racing" the GT500 based solely on comments about it's weight. There's no doubt it's heavier than say a C6 or a Lotus, but then again, look at the MSRP and the back seat it has too. (Granted people are not getting them for MSRP yet, but that is not Ford's fault - they did put the sticker in the window for $45k... kinda like the GTO syndrome was for GM.) Having seen them not only on the street, but on a road course from the front, side, and rear(hehe!), I can assure you that they deliver on the promised performance... in fact, I think they are slightly better at the twisties than the 1/4 because of the weight, but that's JMHO.

I've got some vid and images of the ones at CMP track day, but need to get them to a server if anyone's interested.

As far as the KR goes... it's not the additional 40hp. It's the additional 2 letters behind the GT500, it's the limited run of 1000, it's the unique colors, and it's the man's signature on the car that matter.
The typical GT500 from Flat Rock will be the road warrior and battle boy... the KR's will do parades, shows, and keep the garage floors and car covers occupied. Bet me.

 

It's still a pig.

Bob

 

I'm call'n BS! Cause, you know, if its on the internet its gotta be true.