There is no shortage of aftermarket Camaro
offerings, so it's nice to see veteran General Motors tuners SLP come
up with a novel Camaro package, one that even has some historical
significance. The company calls its limited-edition series Panther, a
name used by Chevrolet for the original project to produce a Ford
Mustang rival in 1965.
That name was changed to Camaro
before the model went into production. Painted all black, appropriate
for something called a Panther, 100 augmented Camaros will be available
as 560-, 585- and 600-hp versions, with another 45 available in 700-hp
form. Because the stock LS3's 425 hp just isn't enough.
We
drove the 600-hp model in and around Las Vegas and found it very
appealing, devoid of unpleasant noises and comfortable to boot. The
extra power comes from a Magna Charge TVS 2300 supercharger package
abetted by high-lift rocker arms, springs and titanium retainers, along
with an SLP Blackwing cold-air induction system and an axle-back Loud
Mouth II exhaust system.
An upgraded spring package that
lowers the ride height about an inch is a standard chassis upgrade on
the Panther 600 model, but there also are various optional suspension
upgrades available, including an adjustable sway bar package for $695
and a coil-over spring/shock package for $2,595.
Needs will
vary, but our car's setup was optimal for real-world use. It had a
respectable ride quality, and the sound levels weren't obnoxious, apart
from some low-rpm boom when lugging along.
Much of the
Panther's appeal is in its appearance, and the basic package includes
fascia, hood and trunk graphics, plus side-gill inserts, a prominent
rear spoiler, Panther-logo mats and headrests and a car cover with the
logo. Our test car also wore handsome black-chrome wheels ($2,995), a
front splitter ($495) and a rear diffuser ($1,195), which improved the
look.
The car's makers estimate the Panther 600's
0-to-60-mph time to be in the region of 3.5 seconds, which is confirmed
by online calculators. But good luck finding a surface with enough
traction to support that claim, because our car would spin up in first
gear (even after a near-idle-speed launch) as the supercharger boost
came up.
Wheelspin in second gear is possible, too, so
optimal drag-strip performance probably will require wider tires and
lower pressures. But out on the regular highway, the extra power is
great for passing and for going really fast when nobody's looking. The
short-shift kit in the Panther pulls the gates closer than we'd like and
increases the effort beyond the need for everyday driving, but
hot-rodders seem to demand this feature, so what do we know?
The
stock Brembo brakes that came on the 1SS donor car seemed up to the
task of slowing this two-ton vehicle, but there are two Brembo upgrade
packages in SLP's catalog if you have cash to spare, and the pricier of
the two runs $6,000. It all sounds fabulously expensive, but SLP reminds
us that a basic Panther can be had for less than $60,000 and will avoid
the gas-guzzler tax found on the factory ZL1.
2012 SLP Chevrolet Camaro Panther 600
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $57,000 (in-cluding $32,000 1SS donor car)
DRIVETRAIN: 6.2-liter, 600-hp, 560-lb-ft (est) supercharged V8; RWD, six-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 4,000 lb
0-60 MPH: 3.5 sec (mfr)
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 15 mpg (est)
0 komentar:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !