Chev recreates original Hot Wheels Camaro

Forty-four years after its Spectraflame paint job, side-exit "zoomy" exhausts and red-line wheels launched playtime fantasies for millions of children, Chevrolet Performance has paid homage to the original Hot Wheels "Custom Camaro" toy with this full-scale tribute.

Translating a 1:64-scale toy car into a 1:1 real car was complicated, as the proportions don't exactly match a full-scale first-generation Camaro, but the designers interpreted the original toy in a way that Chevrolet says conveys its spirit in a realistic form.

"A literal interpretation of the toy car would have been too cartoony - it just wouldn't look right on a full-size car," said Chevrolet Design Manager Dave Ross. "The stance and wheels of the concept vehicle are different, as well as some of the proportions the toy has, but the body lines and styling cues are all the same."

The concept vehicle has been painted in GM's 'Kinetic Blue', the same shade used on a 2013 Hot Wheels® Edition production model Camaro to be released in the US.

Additional vehicle highlights include:
_ Shaved door handles with remote keyless entry
_ Hood (bonnet) that matches the design of the original Custom Camaro toy
_ Hot Wheels exterior badges and grille emblem
_ Stainless steel "zoomie" side-exit exhausts
_ Custom 18x9-inch (front) and 18x11-inch (rear) aluminium wheels with red-line accents
_ 2012 Camaro front bucket seats with shortened head restraints, trimmed in white leather with blue accent stitching
_ Silver vinyl-wrapped instrument panel, door panels and rear inner quarter panels
_ Silver perforated headliner and sunshades
_ Custom instrument panel and console gauge kit
_ Leather-wrapped steering wheel.

In addition to paying homage to the Hot Wheels connection, the '67 Camaro also features an all-new, emissions-compliant LS3 E-ROD Connect and Cruise crate powertrain system that matches the 430-horsepower LS3 engine with a 4L65-E four-speed automatic transmission.

"Chevrolet Performance pioneered the industry with E-ROD emissions-compliant crate engines a few years ago and we did it again last year with the Connect and Cruise crate powertrains, which combine the crate engine, electronically controlled transmissions and the controller for them in a convenient and economical package," said Campbell.

"We've now combined those two great ideas with the LS3 E-ROD Connect and Cruise crate powertrain, delivering convenience with a CARB EO number - making the kit legal for installation in more than 20 million pre-OBD II vehicles in California."

Other drivetrain and suspension components include a hydroformed front subframe with tubular control arms and adjustable coil-over shocks, a four-link rear suspension with adjustable coil-overs, rack-and-pinion steering and heavy-duty four-wheel disc brakes featuring six-piston calipers.

Additional Chevrolet Performance concept and show vehicles on display at SEMA 2012 include:
_ 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels® Edition
_ Camaro ZL1 Touring Convertible concept
_ Camaro Performance V-8 concept
_ Camaro Performance V-6 concept.

The 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels Edition has already been covered in a separate online article. Watch this space for details on other Chevrolet Performance production and show cars from SEMA.