Wanaka based automotive and marine accessories company Tallon has received a Design Award from General Motors (GM) at the recent SEMA Show 2011 in Las Vegas for the Most Innovative Chevrolet Accessory.

Described by GM as the ‘Oscars’ of SEMA, the award was presented to Tallon and partner company Ram Mount, for the installation and showcase of the Tallon Elite Socket and Ram Smart Phone and iPad mounts in the Chevrolet Sonic custom built by LDRSHIP Designs in California.

Held every year in Las Vegas, The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s hottest new products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. It is the ideal opportunity for accessory companies like Tallon to demonstrate their products in front of the worlds leading automotive manufacturers.

The partnership between Tallon and US Company – RAM Mount, enables any tablet or phone model, including the widely popular iPad, to be easily attached to the Tallon Elite Socket, while also providing power to the device using the 12V socket or USB port, also giving the opportunity to communicate with other electronic devices such as computers, stereo’s and DVD players.

When the Tallon is not in use for electronics, users have the option to mount a vast range of RAM Mount or Tallon accessories in its place, or simply close it up to leave a clean finish.

Tallon General Manager, Duncan Good says interest in the new Elite Socket and iPad Mount has been immense. (more…)

Performing testing on any new car can be a long and grueling process. If it’s a performance car the testing needs to be even more rigorous and GM decided to push things even further when testing its new top dog Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

At the Milford proving grounds in the States, Chevrolet engineers pushed the Camaro ZL1 around the track at high speeds for four hours per day over six days straight. That’s quite the work out for a production machine.

The tests were conducted in 40-minute segments, of which there were 36 sessions in total. Many brand new cars couldn’t hack a schedule like that, especially on a track which is designed to unsettle cars and push them to their limits. (more…)

General Motors has just revealed exact power figures for its new 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and they’re suitably impressive. The new Camaro will be officially rated at 580 horsepower (432kW) and 752Nm of torque.

These staggering figures mean that the 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine is the most powerful unit ever fitted to a Camaro, beating the rated output of the 1969 Camaro ZL1′s 427-cubic-inch V8 by 150 horses. The motor can be matched up to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic fitted with Drive, Sport and Manual modes.

With all this power on tap, GM are understandably talking it up.  Al Oppenheiser, chief engineer of the Camaro, said, “The Camaro ZL1 delivers supercar performance and technology in the sports-car segment. For sheer power, the ZL1 delivers more horsepower than a Ferrari 458, more torque than an Aston Martin DB9 V12, and a better power-to-weight ratio than a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS.” (more…)

Over in the States, GM has worked some facelift magic on the Chevrolet Silverado as the pick up truck enters the 2012 model year.

Aesthetic updates include a new chrome mesh grille with a chrome surround and top spec models receive a silver-painted lower bumper and new 20-inch alloy wheels. Four new exterior colours have also been introduced including Silver Ice Metallic, Mocha Steel Metallic, Carbon Flash Metallic, and Graystone, plus two new interior color combinations, Dark Titanium/Light Titanium and Dark Cashmere/Light Cashmere. Cashmere? This is meant to be a tough truck.

For 2012, every Silverado except for the Hybrid will come standard with trailer sway control and hill-start assist while cruise control is standard on all models. (more…)

Cadillac’s staunch looking ELR Coupe enters production with good news and bad news for badge fans. The good news is it looks fantastic and will offer all the luxuries expected in a Caddy, the bad news for purists is that it uses a range-extending hybrid drivetrain.

First shown as the Cadillac Converj at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, rumours have been around ever since that it would enter production. Now, development has been officially confirmed with the new model, named the ELR Coupe, borrowing technology from the Chevrolet Volt.

“The concept generated instant enthusiasm,” said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. “Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving.”

No official specs have been released but Cadillac has confirmed its ELR will use a version of the same Voltec drivetrain as the Volt, but possibly a more advanced set up. This will feature a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. (more…)

The new-generation Chevrolet Camaro has been selling hotter than party pills since it was reintroduced in the States in 2009 but it has just celebrated a milestone that goes all the way back to its great grand daddy in 1967.

General Motors has just built the five-millionth example of its Camaro, but surprisingly few of these cars are the latest iteration. Only 225,844 of the total 5 million sales come from the current-generation model. The remaining 4,774,156 models arrived between 1967 and 2002.

The Camaro has an enviable position as being a popular car in its current form and also in its classic form. When we ran a NZV8 website poll asking readers for their favourite classic muscle car the Camaro achieved a credible third place losing out to the Mustang and the Dodge Charger. (more…)

Little known German coachbuilder Endora Cars has made a big splash this week with the announcement that it will build a retro-inspired supercar called the SC-1.

With the release of rendered images it’s plain to see that the SC-1 borrows heavily from American and European sports cars of the 60′s and 70′s. It’s a mish-mash of styles and eras but the most telling design features are lifted from the Corvette like the Coke-bottle profile and distinctive rear end. That’s no surprise really, considering the SC-1 uses the Corvette as a platform.

Under the bespoke body lies the chassis and mechanical hardware of the sixth generation Corvette. Endora Cars will offer tempted buyers the choice of three configurations. A base model which comes packing GM’s 6.2-litre V8 with a 325kW output, while a second option will be a larger 7.0-liter V8 with 381kW and 636Nm of torque. The range topper will be a supercharged version of the 6.2-litre V8 engine that will put a scary 482kW and 817Nm of torque to the rear axle. (more…)

The GM Enthusiasts Club is holding its annual GM Day Out event this Sunday (May 8).

It’s geared up to be a family day for all those interested in any and all vehicles produced by General Motors. As in previous years the event will be held at Clevedon School in Clevedon, Auckland. The event is set to showcase all things GM from immaculately restored Cadillacs through to Holden Doorslammers and everything in-between.

It’s a nice little cruise out to Clevedon and there is a pub next door to the school if you want to get a beer or a feed on. It’s also just a minute’s walk from the Clevedon village for a look around.