Nick is laying low for this episode. He caught some nasty little kid disease, so he’s broadcasting from an FDA approved Level 5 Containment Facility to fill us in on our review of the week, the 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5  RS. This would have been the shortest episode ever on the account of a total lack of preparation on our part, but for the first time in history we decided to let our itunes listeners join in for the post show, which has typically been the domain of our live viewers.

Everyone knows me for being head over heels in love with the Dodge Challenger. It is the most beautiful car to have ever existed. Well, so certain glasses wearing, mail carrying, car nuts say. So much emotion is drawn from this muscle car and has thus far enjoyed a warm welcome by even the simplist of car lovers. Playing the waiting game from concept to my garage was border line torture. Unfortunately, this reborn beauty may be short lived.

In 2006, Chrysler revealed their newest eye catching concept. Demand of a production model came quickly. Somewhere in the design process, an accountant decided that the best retro muscle car to hit the market in recent years did not deserve a new engine. So it got the standard SRT8 6.1L V8, producing 425 horsepower. Yes, the nostalgia was purposeful, remembering that the old 426 HEMI from the 1970′s had 425hp. But we…cough, cough……enthusiasts were screaming for the more unique 6.4L which would put the approximate horsepower above the coveted 500 mark. However, Chrysler opted for a quick concept-to-production run, which I must say was executed quite impressively, and went with the proven motor.

It came near the date to finally put an order on the first of the true second generation Challengers. No, I don’t count that piece of *** Mitsubishi Galant that ran from the late 70’s into the mid 80’s. Excitement grew, talk abounded all over the internet forums, and enthusiasts flocked into dealership showrooms to hand over their astronomical down payments. But when they arrived, found that ALL the 2008 models would be AUTOMATICS! I’m tearing up just thinking of that saddening night in December. Don’t get me wrong, this newly designed Dodge Challenger has a smooth and quite responsive 5-speed automatic. Obvious though, the real men who like to enjoy their obscene automotive purchases prefer the love and control that only a manual transmission can give. 6-speed in 2009! Holy Mosses, that means no numbered badge. Crap!

If you purchased a Dodge Challenger in 2008, you got the SRT8. I know, history shows that most manufactures begin pushing the setup that will often bring the most money: the cheaper, lesser equipped cars. I believe Chrysler knew that while the Challenger had unanimously won the hearts of enthusiasts, the common buyer still didn’t “get it”. Let’s be honest, it weighs over 4,000lbs, is larger than many sedans currently on the market, but with two fewer doors, and the concept car’s color was orange when the whole country seemingly wants green. So if Chrysler wanted to bring this reborn muscle car to fruition, the only way to sell it would be to build the enthusiast car, get it out on the street and let others know that Dodge performance is back! Neighbors of the enthusiasts would then go to the dealership, figure out they can’t afford neither the sticker price nor the fuel mileage of the thirsty V8, so they opt for the 3.5L V6 instead. For 2009, Chrysler only sold a meager 25,852 Challengers, compared to Ford’s 66,623 Mustangs that same model year. You may think that’s pretty good, but consider just 10 years earlier, Ford sold a total of 126,067 Mustangs for 1999. Perhaps this is just a sign of the times.

For 2010, the Challenger got updates! That’s right, color choices now include Plum Crazzy Purple and Detonator Yellow, replacing Hemi Orange. Before your favorite colorful finger comes shooting out, let us think about how many other cars out there get any major changes within a year and a half of its generational debut. Yes, the die-hard, mullet wearing Challenger lovers were keeping their fingers crossed once again that the coming model year would include that dreamy 6.4L HEMI, but it didn’t. In reality, the let down wasn’t just the absence of the larger HEMI, it was the absence of really anything new coming out of Chrysler for 2010. Ford debuted the redesigned Mustang, GM released the sexy new Camaro after taking an 8 year break, and Chrysler, well…….brought yellow. Hold on just a second, rumor once again has it that the 2011 model Challenger WILL come with updated powertrains across the board. Please don’t let it be a HEMI Hybrid!

With US demand growing for more fuel efficient vehicles and Fiat/UAW/US Government owned Chrysler soon producing cars like the Fiat 500 and electric models on the way, the Dodge Challenger has little chance of surviving past its Chrysler-announced 2013 production end, where it may or may not get a 3rd generation update (once again, the Galant can rot in hell before I acknowledge it as a Challenger). If it does, it may come with two extra doors. The second-time demise of the Challenger might not come from popular demand of certain vehicles pushing out the muscle car, but rather the direction, or lack thereof, that Chrysler is headed. Currently, Chrysler is losing money hand over fist. The typical car buyer wants a car that is reliable, fuel efficient, and appeals to women; attributes not typically synonymous with Chrysler products. Therefore, it is my opinion that the Dodge Challenger in my garage will never have many brothers out there on the street. Some may think that’s a bad thing, but I almost prefer it that way.

Several weeks back Nick and I celebrated our birthdays with a podcast while were watching the 24 Hours of Daytona, with a few of our friends. (Yes I know this is really late deal with it.) Several beers later, this is what we ended up with. Much Toyota hate, a debate on the applications and philosophies of Drivers Education, some of Nick’s infamous news bits, and finally we wax eloquently about the 2010 GMC Terrain and the 2010 V6 Mustang which just happend to be living in the Burnout Radio stable that week. Then just when you think we’d be done we delve into the 2010 Buick Regal which I got to spend some time with at the Huston Auto Show.

This week I challenged my fellow co-hosts to find the best sports cars money can buy… for under five grand. But first Nick manages to drag up every boring, dreary, and dull bit of automotive related news that happened over the past week. Then we touch on the new 2010 Buick Lacrosse CXS.

The new GT500 is like a snake, a very, very pissed off snake that’s looking to try and kill you and that’s what makes it so fun to drive. You always feel like you’re driving on the edge even when your not. This car is far from practical, but once you mash down on the skinny pedal none of it’s impracticality matters because once that 540 horse power super charged v8 starts to sing it’s siren song all you can think about is MORE MORE MORE!!!!!!

Without further ado here’s the video you’ve been waiting for and once you’re finished with that you can listen to our indepth review of the 2010 Mustang GT500 here.

Why do I keep hearing heavenly angel music every time I say Corvette Grand Sport. Oh, that’s right, because only God could have made a car this awesome! Yes, we at Burnout Radio land have finally got our review video of the 2010 Corvette Grand Sport up for viewing. Gotta say, we’ve tested a lot of cars, but this one has become a favorite.

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It may seem odd, but for years I associated the Camaro with speed. It’s true. I had no feelings of malcontent, and I did not associate the Camaro with wife-beater t-shirts, mullets, and bondo. It looked good, had a great V8, was relatively comfortable, and provoked driving fast. That was a win in my book. It still is to some degree.

My entire first-hand Camaro experience was with a 1989 Camaro RS which had the 5.0 liter V8 option. By today’s yard stick, the engine’s 170 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque is quite meager. But in 1990, even short the 70 horsepower which was available in the IROC-Z’s 5.7 liter V8, it was a monster to this high school student.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in North Texas when a friend picked me up in his new RS. I immediately was addicted to the torque pushing me into the seat. The next thing you knew we were flying along at 135mph, T-tops removed, and my hair blowing in the wind. That’s right. I had hair once. Moving on…

Now let’s fast forward almost 20 years. Everything has changed. Here’s where the wife-beaters, mullets, and bondo come into play. In the 7 years following Chevrolet killing the Camaro in 2002 after 35 years of production, its reputation went drastically downhill. There still was that distant memory of high school, but that memory was all too often overshadowed by a giant mullet cutting me off in traffic with his bondo-covered Camaro apparently fitted with a smoke screen “feature”.

A few weeks ago, everything changed again. Chevrolet delivered Burnout Radio a 2010 Camaro 2SS, and I drew the long straw to drive it the first few days. This is the 5th Generation of the Camaro, and I’ve yet to find someone who dislikes the way the way this car looks. Every curve and angle blend together to make one of the best looking American cars produced in recent decades. This 2010 model urges you to reminisce of the first four generations while remaining wholly modern in design. Chevrolet nailed the styling, pure and simple.

Here is my experience:

As I slide into the driver’s seat, I am first amazed at how comfortable I am with no adjustments. I make a few seat adjustments and surprisingly quickly have the perfect driving position. The layout of the cockpit caters to the driver and everything is well within reach without taking my eyes far from the road. While I do like the gauge layout and design, the speedometer and tachometer need some work. First they are annoyingly vague with their sequoia sized needles. I want to know exactly how fast I’m going at a glance and not a 5 mph estimate. Yeah, yeah, I know there’s a digital readout option in the driver information center (DIC), but maybe I want something else on that screen. There are plenty of other good options to display there. Anyway, the gauges just feel a bit of an afterthought. Secondly, a few times the speedo even seems to stick a little while decelerating. It jumps down in 5-7 mph increments rather harshly instead of a fluid motion under braking. Otherwise, the gauges and DIC readout are very well placed and designed. The DIC is very easily navigated by controls on the blinker stalk. Most of the rest of the interior looks great. There is nifty ambient lighting in the top edge of the door panel inserts, which unfortunately is seemingly made of CD case plastic. The design continues across the dash, but for whatever reason the lighting does not. I am assured it is not broken and is not actually lit. Odd.

Now it is time to really drive this puppy. As I roll out, the clutch requires little effort while still feeling solid. It engages smoothly and quickly as a proper muscle car should. The 6-speed transmission is smooth with enough of a snick to know I am properly in gear, albeit with a bit of a long throw. Unfortunately though, there’s no good way to hold the shifter. It just feels peculiar in my hand regardless of how I hold it. The same goes for the steering wheel if you’re the 9 and 3 type (as all should be). Both are a bit awkward.

Next is the requisite downshift and foot to the floor to merge on the freeway. The 6.2 liter LS3 V8 roars to life, punches me into the seat with 400 lb-ft of torque, builds to its full 426 horsepower, and all thoughts of the aforementioned awkwardness go out the windows as I launch up the ramp. The colossal acceleration is well beyond anything I experienced that Sunday afternoon in 1990. That aside, this Camaro is different somehow. It is more composed…a bit mature even.

As I amble through traffic, I plug my almost dead iPhone into the USB port to give it a little charge on the way home. Much to my surprise, a few seconds later, “Trent’s iPhone” displays on the screen and my stored music begins to play automatically. Brilliant! I turn up the Boston Acoustics audio system equipped in this 2SS model. It sounds crisp and clean even at 70mph with windows down and sunroof open. It’s at this point that I notice the exhaust note could use a little tweaking, as it’s a bit of a nasal sound when behind the wheel. And since I’m nit-picking here, a little more volume under normal acceleration would be nice for those who like to roll the windows down and shift by ear. I have no complaints outside the cabin though, as a quick jaunt through a tunnel sounds great.

Yes, the 2010 Camaro SS has a few faults. Yes, it still has a bit of a back-woods reputation. Yet this is just the first year back from retirement. The Camaro will improve and will overcome the stereotype. Once again I am in love with the Camaro, although even with no hair I do miss the T-tops. The Chevrolet Camaro is back in the muscle car fight. Welcome.

Over the next few days, I was able to experience the Camaro in various scenarios. Unfortunately it rained almost the entire time, although I luckily got one small window of dry roads to explore the Camaro’s capabilities.

Ugh. More rain

THE RUNDOWN:

Rush-hour commuter: The comfortable seats, low RPM torque, and high gearing make bumper-to-bumper traffic easy. Throw it in 2nd or 3rd and leave it there. Gas mileage isn’t great, but if you’re buying an SS then it’s most likely not a priority. While on the gas topic though, the fuel cap needs a better hook to hold it while fueling. It is horribly small and rarely actually prevents the gas cap from hanging loose on the paint.

Highway cruiser: The comfortable seats and high gearing are great here as well. With the engine spinning less than 2,000 RPM at 80mph, it gobbles up the miles with ease. On-center steering feel could use a little adrenaline kick though, as it’s a bit vague.

Grocery getter: I wouldn’t advise going to Sam’s Club and grabbing a flatbed, but for an average grocery purchase there is reasonable space in the trunk. The back seats are easily accessible as well if the space is needed.

Family & friends hauler: If you only have friends under 6ft tall, you’ll all be happy with the occasional back-seat passenger. Notice I didn’t say passengerS. Unless you’re both jockeys, an average-sized adult won’t fit behind the driver. For those with kids, there is plenty of room for them even with a booster seat. If you have a child still in a rear-facing safety seat as I do, adult passengers over 5ft tall should avoid you like swine flu and take their own car. The passenger seat has to be fully forward and completely upright in order to fit the safety seat in back. Surprisingly though, it was relatively easy to install the safety seat in the back.

Occasional hoon-mobile: I find the SS suspension to be quite competent. The suspension is compliant, yet responsive and communicative with minimal body roll. As I stated above, steering feel does need some dialing in regarding on-center feel, which is a bit lifeless. However it is nicely weighted and communicative once you chuck it into a turn. If you take it into that turn smoothly and with a bit of reserve, there’s enough suspension compliance to get hard on the throttle on exit. Yet if you throw it in hard, you’ll get the obligatory initial understeer and a nice progressive switch to oversteer if you get on the go-pedal. I am quite pleased with the progressive nature near the limit. If one is to press the StabiliTrak button in front of the shifter once, traction control is disabled to allow tire spin while the stability control keeps you from getting sideways. If one is to press it twice, Competitive Mode allows a generous amount of tire spin and slip angle before bringing the tail back in line. It will make lucky bad drivers look good. Unlucky bad drivers will still crash. Competitive Mode also enables launch control. It’s as simple as holding the fun pedal down while the ECU limits engine RPM and dumping the clutch. Finally, holding the button for about 5 seconds will defeat all traction and stability systems and let you have your way with the Camaro.

Track toy: Most of the characteristics which make the Camaro SS a capable hoon-mobile apply here as well. The pedals are a bit widely spaced for easy heel-toe downshifts in my size 9s, but it’s manageable. The giant Brembo brakes work as expected and haul all 3849 lbs down quickly with good pedal feel. Modulating the brakes under hard braking is no problem. The Camaro handles well but is no Miata, so a tight course or autocross won’t suit it too well. Like usual with many production vehicles, a few modifications would be needed for a frequent track car, but the Camaro SS should easily handle a track day every now and then with no problem.

Dragster: Like all Camaros of yore, this car is at home on a drag strip. All but the novice will find faster times not using launch control. The engine and transmission beg to slammed through the gears and the suspension is compliant enough to give you a little of that muscle car squat under acceleration.

Click any image to view the gallery:

Thank you GM and Burnout Radio for providing the Camaro and making this review possible. Read more of Trent Landreth’s work at Reflections Of The Drive. ♦

Picture this… You adjust the temprature down a few degrees, turn on your seat ventilation and ask your chauffeur to open the panoramic roof so you can enjoy the beautiful Southern California sun. Then you sip your artisan spring water that’s been kept chilled by the built in refrigerator to quench that parched throat. How do the peasant folk survive? Now sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery along Pacific Coast Highway… that is currently flying by at 80+ miles an hour.

That’s exactly how my trip to San Jose went this past summer. You see my chauffeur for the afternoon was none other than Jack Baruth, vetran of the CTS-V Challenge, author of Avoidable Contact, and professional racing driver extraordinaire. We’re not in just any luxury cruiser either. No, we are in the 2010 Lincoln MKT equipped with the 3.6L EcoBoost and All Wheel Drive, which makes this quite possibly the fastest station wagon ever manufactured in the United States. It’s fast enough to keep pace with a very distraught BMW 6 Series up ahead who’s driver is quite frustrated with the fact he can’t shake this 5000lbs station wagon off his tail, not even in the twisty bits. Yes it seems the designers and engineers at Lincoln have reinvented that quintessential “Hot Rod Lincoln”.

As we’re winding down the Pacific Coast Highway out in California, I can’t help but wonder if this is the start of a revolution in America. For years we have had to sacrifice luxury for performance or vice versa. You couldn’t have both. You could either have a pillowy soft suspension devoid of any feedback or you could have a wonderful kidney jarring experience every time you stepped in to your underpowered v8 “muscle” car that got shit for gas mileage. Not anymore. With Ford’s new EcoBoost technology you can have your cake and eat it to.

We’re talking V8 power (355hp.) in a Twin Turbo V6 with the flattest torque curve I’ve ever seen (350lbs.-ft. @ 1500 – 5700 rpm). Add to that All Wheel Drive, and a luxurious interior and now you’re pushing the right buttons.

However there are a couple of things I find a bit lacking with all of Ford’s new EcoBoost hod rods. First is the suspension. It could be a bit more planted. In it’s current form it gives a wonderful ride, but in the twisty bits it does not inspire confidence. Second is the Breaks. There is no way to tip toe around this… they suck. Not just in the MKT but in the MKS and the Taurus SHO as well. They are adequate for daily driving, but if you are as predisposed to “spirited driving” as we are (this show is called Burnout Radio after all isn’t it?) then the breaks fade pretty quickly and they just aren’t big enough to stop 4000 to 5000 lbs. vehicles with 350+ hp. So Ford / Lincoln listen up because apparently you missed the memo, $40,000+ “performance” vehicles get break upgrades these days. And my last complaint is fuel mileage. There is no Eco in EcoBoost so far. Don’t get me wrong I love the 3.5L EcoBoost. It is my current favorite motor. 22 miles per gallon just ain’t going to cut it for anything named EcoBoost. Yes I understand this is a 350hp motor powering a 5000lbs. station wagon, but it gets practically the same fuel mileage in the MKS and the SHO.

Even with the set back in suspension, breaking, and fuel economy, the MKT is still one of the best cars in it’s class. It has iconic styling thanks to its bow wave grill, curving shoulder line, and it’s delightfully weird rear end.

Even with the set back in suspension, breaking, and fuel economy, the MKT is still one of the best cars in it’s class. It has iconic styling thanks to its bow wave grill, curving shoulder line, and it’s delightfully weird rear end. Lincoln has also updated their color palate to include colors like Tuxeo Black and Metallic Cinnamon. Mmmmm tasty.

I’d never thought I’d say this but I’m in love with a Lincoln, and it’s a station wagon to boot.  Somehow it just doesn’t seem right. A superpower twin turbo v6 in a giant station wagon / suv thing with a luxury interior and it’s been styled by designers not accountants. Congratulations Lincoln you making good cars again. Now I just have to come to grips with my new love affair.

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Well maybe not but it sure as hell should be able to! This week on Burnout Radio it’s ALL about the Corvette Grand Sport. 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds, and this car is so easy to launch your grandma could do it. We also found a BMW owner that’s a complete and total douche bag, and Low Flying Pelican strikes a Bugatti. Apple wants to ruin the automotive industry and we try to figure out just what in hades is an Arash?

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That’s right this week we are reviewing none other than the 2010 Ford Mustang GT500! It’s big. It’s bad. And it looks like, given half a chance, it would eat you. What more do you need? Listen along as I try to review the GT500 and Nick keeps obsessing over his beloved Challenger.

In other news we found the widest road ever built. We now know why Nick is possibly the scariest driver ever. There’s yet another new Ferrari, while Mclaren is delaying the launch of it’s new supercar. Then Chrysler is offering exactly what we don’t need in a moving vehicle… live tv! We’ve also found some of the ugliest cars of the past 50 years, and Toyota announces the FT-86 concept.

Ok we’ve finally gotten around to posting our review of the 2010 Camaro SS. Holy Jesus this car rocks! I’d bore you with the other stuff we covered in the podcast, but let’s be honest do you really care? So I’ll just leave you with some Camaro porn.

It looks as if the guys over at fordbastards.org can take one bastard off their list… or can they?

Sadly enough the SHO is not what it’s cracked up to be, but that is NOT a bad thing, it’s just not the SHO we were expecting. What we got instead was one bad ass full sized sedan. Gone are the days when the Taurus was the boring beige sedan of the rental car stables. The 2010 Taurus is beige done right and if you opt for the SHO version you will be pleased.

The 2010 Taurus SHO makes one hell of a sleeper thanks to it’s austere exterior. Anyone that misses the small SHO badge on the trunk will be surprised when you uncork that twin turbo v6 monster hiding under the hood. And yes it is a monster, but a mild mannered one. Cruising at highway speeds, Ford’s EcoBoost v6 lopes along at 1200 rpms, but a slight blip of the throttle raises the engine to 1500 rpm where it makes peak torque all the way to 5200 rpm. That hefty torque curve sends the SHO screaming to 60 mph in just over 5 seconds and then it rockets on to the quarter mile in just 13.92 seconds at 100 mph! Hard to believe that from a 5.5ft tall 4,000 lbs 4 doors sedan, but the video below proves it.

It may have one bad ass motor and a good 6 speed electronic gear box, but the spongy suspension, and Good Year all season tires will left me wanting more in the handling department. In hard corners there’s just too much body roll, and the all wheel drive system is setup to bias the front wheels, so it suffers from massive under steer thanks to the all season tires and the SHO’s 2 ton bulk. It doesn’t end there, as soon as the under steer is under control, the all wheel drive system sends power to the rear wheels resulting in tail whipping over steer.

So, no the Taurus holds no love for the twisty bits of road, but to dwell on the lack luster handling would be to miss the point of this new Taurus SHO. Ford may have missed the mark on recreating the old SHO, but what they ended up with instead is one of the best highway cruisers I have ever driven.

The car looks the part too, it’s low slung appearance hides it’s 5.5 height and it’s massive bulk. Earl Lucas has done a wonderful job with the exterior styling. The huge 20 inch tall wheels and low profile tires give the Taurus SHO an aggressive stance. That combined with the raking shoulder line, narrow projector style headlights, and a touch of chrome in the grill, narrow windows, and faux finder vents all serve to give the 2010 Taurus SHO an attractive yet unassuming design… beige done right. Who better to tell us about the exterior design that Earl Lucas himself as he was nice enough to give us a wonderful interview about his role in designing the exterior of the 2010 Taurus, which we’ve included below.

The interior of the Taurus SHO is one of the best in it’s class. Every single person I have seen get in to a new Taurus has said exactly the same thing, “Wow! This is a Taurus?” The exterior may have a subdued attractiveness but the interior fit and finish is anything but subdued. There is no mistaking the comfort and luxury afforded the occupants of the 2010 Taurus.

The heated and ventilated front seats are equipped with both 5 way adjustable lumbar support, and massaging seat backs / bases. Making them comfortable even on the longest of trips. The back seats are more than comfortable and have ample space for three adults. They are even equipped with seat heaters and rear air-conditioning vents.

The high center console in it’s slick piano black finish and the wraparound dash, give the feeling of sitting in a very large cockpit although some of the head unit controls are a bit difficult to reach. All of the storage bins are hidden under flush mounted covers that open by merely touching them. Under one of those covers hides the buttons that control the rear window shade and the ambient lights located throughout the interior.

With a tech options list that reads like a Mercedes: blind spot detectors, active cruise control, a collision detection system that primes the breaks in preparation for an emergency stop, back up cameras, back up sensors, and cross traffic alert that keep you safe in those ever dangerous mall parking lots; the new Taurus SHO has everything you could imagine in a car but for me in the end it is Ford’s Sync system that really rises to the top as one option I can’t do with out. Sync’s voice activation makes using the system’s many features very intuitive such as asking for directions; simply say Italian food and Sync will show you a list of nearby Italian eateries.

Sync’s Bluetooth interface allows complete voice control over your cell phones contacts list by simply loading your contacts into the system. Add to that A2DP connectivity, which allows you to stream your music (or even the Burnout Radio podcasts) wirelessly to your cars speaks. No wires to plug in, and nothing to connect.

I could go on for days singing the praises of Ford’s Sync system but that is for another article, suffice to say, Sync is the icing on the cake that is the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO.

So, no the new SHO is not what we were expecting, it’s something completely different. What it turned out to be, is possibly the best luxury sedan under $45,000.

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With Ford having success in the retro Mustang and Dodge recapturing the hearts of the Mopar crowd with a new Challenger, it was time for Chevrolet to step up to the plate. After a long absence, the Camaro is making its way back on the scene and what a way to do so.

We tested the 2LT/RS and right from the start you can tell this car is special. It’s curb appeal is second to none in the muscle car category. But we were a bit hesitant with the interior, from all the photo’s we had seen it appeared that the interior might have been a bit too retro but that isn’t the case at all. Chevrolet took a trip to some of the previous generation Camaros to get their inspiration. While some parts of the dash were inattentively boring, namely the passenger side, and the quality of material used was a bit disappointing, the interior still deserves an B+ overall. The old school gauges mixed with a touch of modern innovation really makes the interior a pleasure to look at. Outside of a few ergonomic issues with the steering wheel controls, all the other gadgets and amenities within the car are easy to understand and operate. And the seats are some of the best we’ve been in.

However, the exterior of this car is the real hero of the story, as you can see in the gallery below. Compared to its competitors, the Camaro is by far the sexiest design rolling out of Detroit. With the RS package you can get the V8 look without the V8 price, and few individuals will ever be able to tell the difference. This Camaro’s aggressive looks gather quite number of thumb-ups and appreciative head nods from passers-by.

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Not only that, but the ride and drive is both smooth and firm, thanks in part to the independent rear suspension. If you want the convenience of an automatic and the control of a manual, the 6 speed auto delivers some of the fastest shift we’ve ever seen in an automatic. However, the paddle shifters on the steering wheel are not very accessible while cornering.

Chevrolet designed a whole new 3.6L direct injected V6 that is a huge jump in both technology and performance from the previous generation Camaro. This 304hp pony will do 0-60mph in just 6.1 seconds. Unexpectedly though, a good burnout was quite difficult to come by.

If you’re the kind of guy that lusts after a big motor then, this is not the Camaro for you. Yes, the V6 has plenty of powerful, but with it’s weak exhaust note and lack of torque you’ll be left longing for the big V8 from the SS Camaro. No, this car meant for the individual that enjoys the history, the attention, and the overall persona that only a Camaro can bring.

If you still can’t get enough Camaro, then be sure and check out our video review below or listen to Episode 58 of our podcast.

Finally GM is listenening! We now have the affordable Corvette we’ve always wanted! this bad body falls right in between the base Vett and the Z06. Base vett price with Z06 performance… err well close enough. Bravo GM!

This week Thomas from MicrocarMag.com fame stopped but to talk what else but micro cars and Fiesta with us, and then we get all giddy about one bad ass Chevy Camaro 2LT RS!

If you guys will remember, awhile back we talked about the Garlic Bread Baron who offered to buy Viper from Chrysler Motor Corp. Well it just happens to be that the infamous Garlic Bread Baron goes by the name of Mr. Devon and he owns a little company called Devon Motorworks. In case you are not familiar with them they are the master minds behind the GTX which is the lovely beauty you see to the left… the car not the woman. Although I must say their taste in both is impeccable. Just look at this beautifully designed car.

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So what is the GTX? Well it’s exactly what it appears to be. A Dodge Viper with a body kit… or not really. That’s like saying a full on Saleen is just another Mustang. Take a look at the video below and see what I mean.

So we’ve established that it looks sexy as hell. So what about power? We’ll all we’ve got to go on is a rumored 650 ponies. Not too shabby considering the base Viper V-10 is pushing out just 510 horse power and 530 ft.lbs torque.

Beneath the skin of the Devon GTX is an 8.4-liter (510 cubic inches) V-10 engine that produces 650 horsepower (484.7 kW) at 6100 rpm. The V-10 engine is mated with a track-proven six-speed manual transmission.

- Devon Motors

Deveon didn’t stop there, the entire body is made from ultra lightweight aircraft grade carbon fiber. So that’s a combo that put the GTX in the books at Laguna Seca. Don’t believe it? Here’s more video proof below.

The GTX isn’t  just a boy racer though. It’s a full on super car as is apparent by it’s price. a whopping $500,000 dollars. Yes you read that right that’s 5 zeros. And for a half million dollars Devon Motors has got to deliver the goods and it appears they do with some trick stuff like fold a away gauge cluster and “sensory touch switchwork” that replaces mundane things like door handles and knobs. I’m not exactly sure what “sensory touch stichworks is”  but I’ll bet it translates roughly as “expensive” in English.

The Devon GTX is – on one hand – a race-inspired performance car, offering a 650-horsepower engine and a complimentary transmission and induction/exhaust system that will make it the most powerful naturally aspirated production powertrain system on the market today. On the other hand, the vehicle’s muscular shape represents a new expression of modern industrial design, blending both classic and futuristic cues to warn of the awesome power that exists within its shape.

- Devon Motors

It may be expensive but it appears you get a lot of techy gadgety stuff for that half million price tag and seeing as how Devon Motors is only building 36 GTX’s per year they shouldn’t have any problems finding some ex-hedge fund managers to buy them.

So it may be just another toy for the rich, but I’ll guarantee that little kids all over the U.S. will be hanging posters of what promises to be the next American super car. Not a bad first try from the upstart underdog, but if I could offer a few words of advice, the next Devon Mortors car needs to be an all Devon Motors car not a re-skinned something else. Source the motor that cool, but build the car yourself.

With that I’ll leave you with a bit more car porn courtsey of Devon Motors.

I love it when manufacturers create one off customs based on production model cars. Ford has done exactly that with the AV-X10. Check out the video below. Not only is it a cool one off custom car being auction off for a good cause. It’s built to pay tribute to one of my favorite airplanes the P-51 Mustang, and it’s sporting some nice nose art in the form of the Dearborne Doll.

Well this one is a bit late in getting to the masses. And that’s all my fault I’ve been extremely busy, and real damn lazy about getting these podcasts uploaded. But this episode’s worth the wait. We got our hands on a 2010 Mustang GT that Ford hooked us up with for a whole week. (I know right, what were they thinking.) After we put it throught it’s paces, which you can see over below, then three of us sit down and have a round table discussion about this reborn American classic.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

You heard me right! However, I am being a little misleading. Chevrolet has just announced a Transformers package for the all new Camaro. If you’re wanting to roll out with your personal Bumblebee, it’ll cost you an extra $995. This announcement came from, of all places, the Comic-Con convention in San Diego a few days ago. While this package will get you a bucket full of Transformers badges and racing stripes, it will NOT transform into the bumblebee character we all know an love.

So Vaughn Gittin Jr. is a huge name in drifting. Right up there with Tanner Foust and The Crazy Sweed. Apparently Vaughn got to live out his life long fantasy of drifting all the best tracks in Japan. What car did he use? Why the 2010 Ford Mustang of course. Which is only fitting since he is sponsored by Ford.

Why is this such a big deal? Because Ford wants to share the love with their new program The ’10 Unleashed They want you to live out your once in a lifetime fantasy in a 2010 Ford Mustang. All you have to do is follow this link and tell them what you want to do in 250 words or less and you could be one of 6 lucky people chosen actully live out their once in a lifetime opportunity.

For the love of God why does VW keep all the cool cars in Europe?!This drives me nuts! Incase it wasn’t bad enough that the Scirocco isn’t comming to the U.S., Volkswagen  is releaseing the R20T.  Well wait just a second, I just happend to find this little article on How Stuff Works.

Here’s an excerpt:

It’s not a done deal yet, but VW’s new sporty compact coupe may be coming to America after all. With GTI spirit and sexier style, the reborn Scirocco should be a bona fide European driving machine with good fuel economy and a reasonable price.

Regardless to whether or not this bad boy is due to hit the States, the Scirocco has a 2.0L 4 cylinder pumping out around 200hp. Not to mention it’s beautiful. But then agian I’m a tad partial to the hot hatch segment and the Scirocco is one hot hatch. The R20T is rumored to be powered by the same 265hp 2.0L 4 cylinder found in the Audi TT-S. Which leads one to wonder if the Scirocco would inherit the Audi’s all wheel drive system?

The R20T may be making it’s debut at the 24 hours of the Nurburgring. Which if you are unsure what that is, it’s possibly the best race track int he world. And you can drive it when ever you like, so long as you care to fly to Germany.

I want one!  Rather, I want the engine!  Rumor has it that the all new for 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be nicely equipt with the long awaited 6.4L Hemi, putting out at least 505 horsepower and 510 lbs-ft of torque.  This engine is expected to trickle through to other SRT8 models such as the Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Chysler 300.  Along with the awesome engine upgrade, the Cherokee SRT8 will also be updated with a lower, sportier suspension, larger rotors and brakes, and a cold air induction system utilizing a cowl air hood, though in the rendering there is a ram air hood.  Go figure.

Today’s reason for loving the near perfect british auto maker is the 2010 Vantage V12.  Once again Aston Martin has created a work of art, inside and out.  This model will boast a 6.0 liter V12 putting out 510hp and 420 lbs-ft of torque.  She’ll do 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and will top out at 190 mph.  If that’s not enough for you, they utilized todays usefullness of carbon fiber to lighten the car to about 3,700 lbs.  Unfortunetely, sense the Vantage is not the most road-hugging car aerodynamicaly, Aston Martin had to redesign the stability control program to keep her down.   To me, it’s unstability just means it’s that much more exciting!

You read that right! No more bunnies from Germany eating all your Japanese Rice.  Well, sort of.  The VW Rabbit will simply go back to being known as the Golf and will be uping it’s horsepower to 210 for 2010.  Let’s say it together;  210 for 2010! 210 for 2010! One thing I like is not only will you be able to get a 6 speed manual, but the available automatic transmission is also a 6 speed. Can you say close ratio gear box? Hopefully the automatic gearbox will make the missed down shifts of the last generation a thing of the past.

Yup thats right, Ford doesn’t suck! At least they won’t in 2010 when they release the Taurus, the Fusion, and the new Mustang. While GM has increased their suckage 10 fold by canning their HPVO program (high performance vehicle operations), and Top Gear managed to crash land a helicopter in New Zeland. Just so you know, we screwed up the background music in the next couple of episodes, so it’s a bit to loud during the news.