2010 Yenko Camaro officially rendered!

Recently we had news that the legendary Yenko brand would live on with a new version of the Yenko Camaro, and now we have an official rendering! Not only that, but General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI), the proud new owners of the legendary Yenko name and brand, have announced they will debut the first prototype of the 2010 Yenko Camaro at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

The "Phase I" Yenko Camaro will sport a supercharged V8 with a whopping 600hp, a Hurst short-throw shifter, larger brakes and Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system, not to mention the various Yenko badges affixed to the wheels, seats, sill plates, floor mats, and more.

GMCI has said that it will follow the Phase I with a Phase II and III. Check out the press release for more details.

PRESS RELEASE:

Westminster, Calif. – (October 28, 2009) General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI) announced today that it will present its official 2010 Yenko Camaro Prototype to the public in the OER booth (# 23795) at the 46th annual SEMA Trade Show in Las Vegas, November 3-6.

The company will present the modern Yenko almost 44 years to the day that Don Yenko's Corvair Corsa was officially recognized as a Class D Production Competition Car by the SCCA.

The official 2010 Yenko Prototype began its life on a 2010 Camaro SS platform. The vehicle then underwent several significant upgrades including modification to a "Phase I" Yenko Camaro Supercar. Preliminary highlights and specifications of this powerful vehicle include a high performance 600hp supercharged and intercooled LS-based engine, Tremec six speed manual high performance transmission, Hurst short throw shifter, 6-piston big brake package and Magnaflow high-flow cat-back exhaust system.

Plans call for three Phases to be available to take the fifth Generation Camaro from ordinary to extraordinary. This "Phase I" Prototype from GMCI maintains the unique retro appeal Yenko enthusiasts are so passionate about, while including significant performance upgrades to the stock GM specifications and keeping the car affordable. Phase II and III cars will have higher output engines and even more suspension and handling upgrades.

Additional Yenko branded upgrades to this prototype vehicle include: the Yenko stripe package, official emblems and badging, retro-styled 22" Yenko billet aluminum wheels, Yenko leather interior package featuring Yenko Super Car (sYc) embroidered headrests, Yenko/SC sill plates, Yenko/SC embroidered floor mats and more.

Nearly 45 years ago, racing legend Don Yenko embarked on a mission to build a race car that could effectively compete in the 1966 SCCA racing season. His inspiration resulted in the development of the Yenko Stinger, an SCCA race car based on the Corvair Corsa platform. It was in the last quarter of 1965 that Yenko's plans for that vehicle came together changing automotive history forever.

Originally, the 60s era Yenko car was a special order vehicle, designed and built by Don Yenko Chevrolet in Canonsburg, PA. Don Yenko used the Central Office Production Order (COPO) program, a program GM used for fleet vehicles like police cars, taxi cabs, etc. to special order the vehicles and then modify them into some of the most powerful vehicles available. Today, an original Yenko is one of the most sought after Camaros in the world.

For more information about GMCI or Yenko licensing, please contact GMCI Corporate Headquarters, P.O. box 12049 Westminster, CA. 92683 or info@gmcilicensing.com.

SEMA 2009: Ford shows off '34 with an EcoBoost V6

Hot rods with modern engines is nothing new, but this has got to be the first one that sports an EcoBoost V6. Detroit Street Rods managed to squeeze the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 under the hood of this 1934 Ford, and it packs a mighty punch with 400hp 400 lb-ft of torque.

Ford gets extra credit for incorporating this modern engine with a retro hot rod in a retro looking engine bay. The dual Honeywell turbochargers have been moved to the front of the motor among various aluminum tubing routing air and exhaust gases, and a single, large exhaust cone exits above the front fender on each side of the car.

PRESS RELEASE

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 28, 2009 – Hot rodders have always lived by the motto "There's no replacement for displacement," indicating that the more cubic inches an engine has, the better the resulting performance. Ford Powertrain and Detroit Street Rods are out to prove that thinking out-of-date with their EcoBoost™-powered '34 Ford hot rod.

To be introduced at this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, the Ford hot rod will be the "first" rear-wheel-drive application of the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 delivering an estimated 400 horsepower and 400 ft.-lb. of torque – power numbers that easily rival a typical hot rod's 302-cubic-inch V-8 or even a modern-day V-8 of similar size.

"EcoBoost technology shows that there is a viable replacement for displacement," said Dan Kapp, director of Ford Powertrain Research and Advanced Engineering, who will be part of a SEMA "Driving Green" technology briefing panel discussion during the show. "As consumers' demand for fuel efficiency continues to grow, and our commitment to delivering best-in-class fuel economy remains steadfast, it's important to show that performance does not need to suffer as a result."

"Hot rod builds provide blank canvases for SEMA member companies and SEMA is uniquely positioned to demonstrate that horsepower and green power can coexist without sacrificing performance or the cool factor," said John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of Vehicle Technology. "This '34 EcoBoost hot rod is a fantastic example of modern green technology being applied in a manner that any performance enthusiast would love."

The EcoBoost family of engines uses turbocharging and direct injection technology to deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy and up to 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions versus larger-displacement engines.

"The beauty of EcoBoost is that it enables us to downsize for fuel efficiency, yet boost for power," said Kapp. "We're able to decrease the size of the available engine – such as installing a V-6 versus a V-8 – yet boost the power using turbocharging to deliver similar power and torque to that larger engine."

The first EcoBoost engine, a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6, launched this year on the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO and Flex and on the Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT. The EcoBoost V-6 produces 355 horsepower (365 hp in the Taurus SHO) and 350 ft.-lb. of torque.

Ford has recently announced the first four-cylinder EcoBoost engines, launching in global applications beginning next year. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost I-4 first arrives in Europe, followed by the 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 launching on products in both Europe and North America.

Going forward, Ford will shift its powertrain strategy to be built around EcoBoost technology. Under the new system:

* A 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 would replace naturally aspirated V-8 engines
* A 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 would replace naturally aspirated V-6 engines
* A 1.6-liter EcoBoost I-4 would replace naturally aspirated large I-4 engines

Following the launches of the new EcoBoost I-4s will be the extension of the 3.5-liter V-6 to the first rear-wheel-drive configuration in the F-150 pickup truck late next year. Another global application, the Ford Falcon sedan in Australia, will receive a rear-wheel-drive version of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 in 2011.

The fun-to-drive nature of EcoBoost engines is leading Ford to introduce these fuel-saving powertrains in large volumes virtually across its lineup. For example, by 2013 more than 90 percent of Ford's North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost technology, and nearly 80 percent of Ford's global nameplates will have an available EcoBoost option.

By 2013, global EcoBoost volume throughout the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicle family is expected to be 1.3 million units, with up to 750,000 sales coming from North America alone.

'34 Ford EcoBoost hot rod project
Detroit Street Rods' latest build is a 1934 Ford and is a joint venture with Ford Motor Company and Experi-metal. In this '34 application, the EcoBoost engine is configured for rear-wheel drive and is coupled with a Tremec five-speed manual transmission.

"The decision to use the EcoBoost engine for our powertrain on this project was an easy one in that it gave us the opportunity to combine the iconic '34 Ford sculpted body lines with the advanced technology of the EcoBoost powerplant," stated Robert Smith, president of Detroit Street Rods. "The result is the perfect hot rod marriage of advanced technology for power and legendary automobile design."

While the stock Honeywell turbochargers that drive the EcoBoost engine are used, they were repackaged to fit the engine bay of this all-steel replica body. The engine configuration and turbocharger packaging was dynamometer tested by Ford Powertrain for proper calibration of the engine electronic control module (ECM). In addition to the all-stock engine, other components including the fuel pump, ECM, fuel pump module, fuel pump processor and drive-by-wire throttle were utilized in their original production configuration.

The body is from Steve's Auto Restoration and is the recently released 1934 Ford 3-Window coupe. The complete body and fenders are from brand-new tooling, and are designed, stamped and manufactured by Experi-metal in Sterling Heights, Mich. This "replica" '34 features all-steel construction, full fenders, running boards, electronic power windows, air conditioning and custom bumpers.

The engine was repackaged and fitted with an engine plate adapter to mate with an aluminum flywheel, performance clutch and a Tremec TKO five-speed transmission. The turbochargers were repositioned to the front of the cylinder heads and custom aluminum tubing was used to route the air from the custom air cleaner through the air-to-air intercooler. The exhaust gases are routed from the cylinder heads through coated headers, through the stock wastegates, and pass through large custom exhaust cones located outside the engine bay and just above the front fenders.

Dodge Challenger NASCAR Nationwide Series car revealed

NASCAR's new Nationwide Series has already generated some buzz with the debut of the new Mustang stock car, and now it has another pony car in it's stable: the Dodge Challenger.

Chrysler pulled the wraps off it's new ride in Talledega, and the pleasant surprise is that the car retains a pretty stock looking front end. The Challenger joins not only the Mustang, but as of now unannounced cars from Toyota and Chevrolet in four races on the 2010 Nationwide Series calendar: Daytona in July, then later dates at Michigan, Richmond, and Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The new car designs are expected to be fully adopted for the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series season. This process is the same way NASCAR rolled out the Car of Tomorrow in the Sprint Cup series. Check out Dodge's official press release below for more info.

PRESS RELEASE

Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes - Dodge Introduces Challenger For NASCAR Nationwide Series

TALLADEGA, Ala. (Friday, Oct. 30, 2009) – Dodge Motorsports today revealed the Dodge Challenger as the "New Car" for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and announced an expansion of its partnership with Penske Racing beginning in 2010. Dodge will provide support for Penske Racing's two-car operation in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, in addition to Penske's three teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"As the performance brand of our new company, we are excited to expand our relationship with Penske Racing and introduce the iconic Dodge Challenger as our entry into the NASCAR Nationwide Series," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Car Brand. "Motorsports are a significant part of the Dodge brand's legacy. Penske Racing has such a rich tradition in motorsports, and our partnership in the Nationwide Series will provide an excellent opportunity to showcase the Challenger and offer our loyal Dodge enthusiasts plenty of excitement in this very competitive series next year."

Penske Racing will field two teams, both running the full-season schedule. The Dodge Challenger will be used at the four "New Car" races NASCAR has designated, starting at Daytona in July. At the other 31 events that complete the 35-race season, Penske Racing will field Dodge Chargers as it did this season with the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger driven by Justin Allgaier. NASCAR is expecting full integration of the "New Car" in 2011.

Joining Allgaier will be Brad Keselowski in the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge. He also will compete in the Dodge Challenger for the four designated races and in a Charger for the remainder of the schedule.

"Today's announcement further reinforces our relationship and commitment to Dodge Motorsports, and we are excited about our future with this great brand," said Tim Cindric, President of Penske Racing. "We believe Dodge's relationship with Penske Racing will continue to elevate and highlight both our brands and deliver value to Dodge enthusiasts."

Allgaier, in his rookie season in the Nationwide Series, is currently fifth in the season point standings and the leader among Rookie of the Year candidates.

"Penske Racing has a very successful relationship with the Dodge brand," commented Allgaier. "I am honored to be one of Dodge Motorsport's drivers and to be able to drive the new Challenger in the NASCAR Nationwide Series is going to be awesome. The car looks great and will give the Nationwide Series its own identity."

2010 Dodge Challenger
The Dodge Challenger merges the best American muscle-car characteristics-unmistakable design, world-class handling, powerful engines and technology-to delight driving enthusiasts across several generations. The two-door coupe accommodates up to five passengers and is produced from the company's proven rear-wheel-drive platform. With three models of head-turning styling, two legendary HEMI® V-8 engine choices, up to 25 highway miles per gallon, more than 25 safety and security features and modern amenities, it's no surprise Dodge Challenger was awarded J.D. Power and Associates "Most Appealing Midsize Sporty Car" in its 2009 APEAL Study.

"The Dodge Challenger has proven to be one of the most sought after high-performance vehicles on the street today," said Dave Bailey, Senior Manager of Motorsports Engineering and SRT Body, Interior and Electrical. "Sharing our consumer's passion for performance through the race version of our Dodge Challenger will continue to showcase the unique engineering brought to our race and production vehicles."

Dodge will continue its support of Penske Racing's three-car operation in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2010 with drivers Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr. and Keselowski.

The No. 12 Dodge Challenger will take part in Monday's NASCAR Nationwide test session at Talladega Superspeedway for the "new cars" with Allgaier driving.