1978 Chevrolet Corvette 25th Anniversary on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2016 Chevy COPO Camaro wears drag to SEMA [w/video]

Attendees to this year's SEMA Show get to be the first to check out Chevrolet's latest COPO Camaro that's now based on the new, sixth-generation model. As before, they packs a bevy of racing modifications to rocket down drag strips across the country. All of the interested customers might not get one of these hand-built machines, though, because Chevy is sticking with the tradition of only building 69 of them for 2016. Devised to compete NHRA Stock and Super Stock Eliminator classes, the latest COPO Camaro features the lighter, more rigid platform of the sixth-gen model. Buyers can choose from an array of V8s for power, including a supercharged 350-cubic-inch engine, a naturally aspirated 427, or an LT-based 376. All of them come with a race-prepped Turbo 400 three-speed automatic, solid rear axle, and adjustable suspension. The COPO on display for SEMA wears custom styling from drag racer Courtney Force that combines a Red Hot and black color scheme with her name slashing across rear fender. This one also packs a concept 350-cubic-inch V8 with a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger. If you're interested in owning it, the car will cross the auction block at a Barrett-Jackson sale in 2016, and the proceeds will go to the United Way. Related Video: CHEVROLET INTRODUCES GEN SIX COPO CAMARO Courtney Force-designed show car to be auctioned for United Way LAS VEGAS – With assistance from NHRA Camaro Funny Car driver Courtney Force, Chevrolet introduced the Gen Six COPO Camaro today at the SEMA Show. After visiting the COPO build center, Force collaborated with Chevrolet designers to create a custom appearance for the 2016 COPO Camaro SEMA show car. It will be auctioned at a Barrett-Jackson sale in 2016, with the proceeds going to United Way. Chevrolet will build 69 COPO Camaro race cars for 2016, extending the production legacy that began in 2012 with the fifth-generation Camaro. Like the previous editions, the new COPO Camaro is designed for NHRA's Stock and Super Stock Eliminator classes. "With the new Gen Six Camaro as its foundation, the 2016 COPO Camaro begins the next chapter of an historic racing legacy," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "It's great to have Courtney Force on Team Chevy and to work with her on the design of the new COPO Camaro show car.

New Toyota Tacoma, Ranger, Colorado/Canyon fight for midsize truck dominance

Sam Wedll has been driving his Toyota Tacoma pickup on the rugged roads of Northern California for seven trouble-free years, racking up almost 100,000 miles, so he’s interested in the redesigned version of the truck coming later this year. He paid $34,000 for his truck in 2016, loading it with plenty of options. HeÂ’s eyeing the new gas-electric hybrid Toyota Motor Corp. is going to offer, but Wedll, who does his own repairs, isnÂ’t interested in paying luxury prices. “The hybrid is pretty interesting to me because I like the idea of the fuel efficiency,” says Wedll, 47, a casino operations manager in Blue Lake, California. “IÂ’m just trying to save some costs wherever possible.” The Tacoma, known as the Taco to its legions of loyalists, is the leader of the pack in midsize pickups, one of the fastest-growing auto markets of the past decade. With outdoorsy weekend warriors and do-it-yourselfers looking for a truck that could fit in their garage, sales of midsize pickups more than doubled from 2010 to 2020. General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., which abandoned the market segment when sales slowed early this century, returned with new trucks to take on the Tacoma, which has dominated the medium truck market for almost two decades. Although it's easy to predict that the most lushly appointed versions of the new Taco could approach $50,000 (prices wonÂ’t be announced until later this year), Toyota insists it isnÂ’t backing away from budget buyers even as it rolls out fancier trucks. The current Tacoma starts at $28,030, and the company says affordability is critical to its success. In fact, Toyota will continue to offer the Taco with an old-school stick shift. The Tacoma controls 42% of the midsize truck market and outsells FordÂ’s offering 4 to 1. ThatÂ’s a role reversal from the full-size pickup market, where FordÂ’s F-Series has ruled the road for 46 years. Tacoma sales in the U.S. surpassed 237,000 last year, more than twice the number of GMÂ’s No. 2-ranked Chevrolet Colorado, according to consultant LMC Automotive. But as growth in the overall segment slows, the midsize market is developing into more of a turf war, with manufacturers vying for the sweetest highest-margin spots. “This segment is likely past its prime growth spurt,” says Jeff Schuster, president of the Americas for LMC Automotive.

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you

As much as our digital lives have cut down on our trips to the post office, there are still times that sending "snail mail" is necessary. With us car lovers in mind and philately in their hearts, the good folks at the United States Postal Service will introduce a new stamp design called "Muscle Cars" starting on February 22.
Designed by artist Tom Fritz, the new collection of stamps consist of five classic muscle cars: 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, 1967 Shelby GT-500, 1966 Pontiac GTO and 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda. In addition to just the stamps, the USPS is also commemorating the new series with plenty of collectable memorabilia. Previous car-related stamps include 50s Sporty Cars from 2005 and 50s Fins and Chrome from 2008.