1980 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 on 2040-cars

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Before Chevrolet's Redline, there was the Saturn Red Line

While Chevy rolls out Redline special editions across more of the lineup at this year's Chicago Auto Show, we've been eating some 'member berries and started thinking about the last time GM used the term. Back in 2004, Saturn rolled out Red Line (two words) editions of the Ion and Vue. The lineup was joined by the Sky Red Line in 2007, and the second-generation Vue kept the tradition going in 2008. This was in the heady days of the mid-2000s, before the financial crisis and GM's bankruptcy reorganization that saw the end of Saturn. The press release headline for the 2008 Sky is now cringe-worthy: "Hot-selling Sky helps drive Saturn product renaissance." Performance lineups were the hot new thing, as automakers attempted to cash in on the tuner trend popularized by The Fast and the Furious. Chevy had SS models, Pontiac had GXP, and Saturn had Red Line. Across the Detroit Metro area, Dodge had a slew of SRT models, and Ford's Special Vehicle Team brought us the SVT Lightning pickup, the SVT Focus, and a smattering of hopped-up Mustangs. The performance cred of Red Line models varied from car to car. The Ion Red Line shared the same engine as the original Chevy Cobalt SS, a 205-horsepower supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 65 hp more than stock. Car and Driver tested one with a 0-to-60-mph time of 6.1 seconds and said the Ion "tears down the wall that has separated enthusiasts from the Saturn brand for so long." The Vue Red Line, meanwhile, came with the same optional Honda-sourced 3.5-liter V6 you could get in the regular Vue, and added a stiffer, lower suspension, bigger wheels with more aggressive rubber, and recalibrated steering assist. When the Vue was redesigned for the 2008 model year, the Vue Red Line was a similar proposition. The engine was now from GM, and up 7 horsepower to 257, but you could get it in both Red Line and XE trim. Aside from the tire and suspension upgrades, Red Line models now came with a unique front fascia and rear exhaust cutouts. The most exciting Red Line, of course, was the high-performance version of the Sky roadster, which shared underpinnings with its Pontiac Solstice twin. This model came with GM's hot 2.0-liter Ecotec Turbo, good for 260 horsepower. The extra power was crucial in covering up the Sky's unfortunate manual gearbox ratios, which left the non-turbo model aching for torque in lower gears. As we all know, Saturn was taken by the grim reaper in 2009 after an attempt to sell the brand to the Penske Group.

Hot air balloons caught in high winds drag fullsize SUV

A sudden storm front whipped up enough wind to send some hot air balloons flying into the air in Wisconsin over the weekend. One ballon proved so energetic that it was able to drag a fullsize SUV across a field and into a stand of tents. The freak accident occurred at Balloonfest in Waterford, Wisconsin. Spectators were horrified as balloons dragged handlers to the ground and launched with terrified pilots clinging to their baskets. Organizers had started packing up the colorful balloons due to ominous storm clouds when the wind kicked up. "Happened just like that; it was crazy," Nathan Fricke, crew member, told Fox 6. Winds were clocked at 40 to 50 miles per hour. A balloon caught in the wind dragged a large SUV (we think a Suburban or Yukon XL) hundreds of feet and into a cluster of tents on the edge of the staging area where balloons were on display for festival goers. Considering that the SUV surely weighs well over 5,000 pounds, it's lucky that no one was injured in the incident. News Source: Fox6Now Weird Car News Chevrolet GM GMC SUV

Chevy working on production Impala Midnight Edition

To put together the Impala Blackout concept for SEMA, Chevrolet didn't need to go much further than its accessories catalog. The in-house connection is what could make it possible for Chevy to get a production version of the Blackout into dealers this model year, with its few bits of chrome trim and dark detailing on the 19-inch aluminum wheels set into an abyss of gloss black paint, black Bowtie, grille surround, rear spoiler and mirror caps. The interior is black leather, with stainless steel for the sill plates and pedals, and an 11-speaker Bose audio system, and it gets the optional 305-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6. The brand's marketing director for cars and crossovers, Steve Majoros, told Edmunds that it could come in late spring, and that it will be called "Midnight Edition." Majoros didn't give any indication of pricing or if the production car will be spec'd out like the concept. If you simply don't want to wait for late spring, you could work your DIY mojo by putting one together the same way Chevrolet did: give the accessories catalog a workout. Related Video: