By David Colman
Hypes: Faster Than a Speeding Train, Able to Leap Tall Investment Hurdles
Gripes: Automatic Tranny Tends to Hunt For Upper Gears at Steady Speed
To give you some idea of how rare this car will someday be, my test Camaro, finished in Silver Ice Metallic, and built in June of 2012, carried a VIN number whose last 5 digits read 00081. A VIN Number that low borders on prototype/pre-production status. It’s hard to top that for rarity! And better yet, at $65,800, this Camaro is also a stunning bargain. If you’re young enough to park it in a garage and wait 30 years to sell it at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in 2043, you can plan on harvesting more than a quarter million bucks for this super Chevy. Why? Because history dictates that ZL1 Camaros from the late 60s are worth at least that much today, and there’s no reason to expect future financial performance will differ from the accepted norm.
The 580hp supercharged ZL1 is a stellar performance car, one that will gradually disappear from the scene as government-imposed 54MPG dictates sound the death knell of 14MPG ground pounders like the ZL1. But it’s not too late to enjoy the ultimate in musclecar status if you act now. The ZL1 is available as a coupe or a convertible. The coupe is lighter and stiffer than the convertible, but the convertible will be the more valuable investment in the long run because GM will build fewer of them since its base price is $5,450 more expensive than the coupe. Personally, I would elect to buy the coupe for its better handling, but I have to admit that the convertible I drove made a stout case for a drop top.
For one thing, it’s so much easier to see out the back when the top is down. The stylistic limitations to visibility of the latest 5th generation Camaro mean it’s difficult to see anything in back of you in the coupe, or in the convertible when the top is up. Luckily, the week I spent with the ZL1 was clear and warm enough to leave the top down most of the time. Once you’ve swiveled a header latch handle open, the rest of the job is automatic. Although you don’t need to use it, Chevy fits a nicely fabricated folding tonneau cover which gives the car a finished look and takes only 3 minutes to fit.
With fuel prices continually rising, 40+ mpg cars are looking like a great option for consumers who can’t afford or don’t want hybrid technology. Without breaking the bank, these affordable fuel efficient cars range from $15,000 to about $20,000 and all provide 40 mpg or more highway mpg driving. Companies that have joined the 40-mpg club are Ford, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Hyundai, Chevrolet, and Smart.
News has emerged that the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze will be available as a diesel engine option for the North American market, with sales expected to begin sometime in 2012. GM Inside News sources at the Lordstown, Ohio assembly, where the Chevy Cruze is produced, are said to have confirmed they will start building a diesel model for the 2013 model year. The Chevrolet Cruze is a popular car that is sold in over 60 countries worldwide in gasoline and diesel engine models and was just recently launched in the North America market. With Americans becoming more interested in fuel efficiency and smaller sized cars, the diesel powered Cruze could be a step in the right direction.
