Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

The mean-spirited, muscle-bound 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE showed up to the party looking for a fight, but not with just any opponent. This is strictly a grudge match with its track-tuned nemesis, the Ford Mustang Boss 302, says Cars.com reviewer Aaron D. Bragman. With styling flourishes like a matte black hood, spoiler, rear diffuser and 20-inch wheels, the SS 1LE aims for intimidation while its roaring 6.2-liter V-8 — good for 426 horsepower and a 4.5-second zero-to-60 time — reiterates its readiness to rumble. Could the nearly $6,000-cheaper Camaro steal the Boss' job? Read Bragman's review and decide.

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE Review

Most-Watched Videos of the Week

The 2014 Toyota Tundra felt the heat this week as our video of the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE burning up the racetrack broke the pickup's icy grip on the top spot after three weeks. The video features a surprisingly favorable critique of the track-tuned-yet-livable Camaro by Cars.com reviewer (and Ford Mustang Boss 302 admirer) Joe Wiesenfelder, who got behind the wheel of the 1LE at Roebling Road Raceway in Savannah, Ga. Holdovers from the recent Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows round out the top five. Check out what was popular this week:

1. 2013 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE
2. 2014 Toyota Tundra
3. Ford Atlas Concept
4. 2013 Toyota RAV4
5. 2014 Ram ProMaster

Mustang Boss 302 Discontinued after 2013

When Ford revived the Mustang's Boss 302 moniker for 2012, it was far more than a throwback sticker and wheel package. The Boss 302 is a dedicated track car with manually adjustable shock absorbers, limited options and side pipes with available adjustable loudness inserts. C'mon, freakin' side pipes! We’ll miss those side pipes, and the rest of the Boss 302: A Ford representative confirmed to Jalopnik that the 2013 model marks the end of a planned two-year production run.

Like the original Mustang Boss 302 built in 1969 and 1970, the current generation spans two model years, 2012 and 2013. For 2013, the 444-horsepower Boss 302 receives the same visual updates as other '13 Mustang models, plus the standard voice-activated Sync multimedia system, which was unavailable on the 2012 version. For 2013, it also gains a 4.2-inch LCD screen with Track Apps to track g-forces and times for braking, quarter-mile acceleration and zero-to-60-mph runs.

Rest in peace, Boss 302. We look forward to a fitting replacement in the future.

Related
Ford Kills The Boss 302 (Jalopnik)
2012 Boss 302 Review  
More Ford Mustang News

2013 Shelby GT500 Video

When it comes to bang for your buck, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 hits it spot-on. With a 662-horsepower supercharged V-8, Recaro seats, adjustable shocks and a tweaked exterior, the 2013 Shelby GT500 stands out in the crowd of muscle cars and high-performance exotics. Getting all that power to the rear wheels can be tricky, yet the GT500's nimbleness wins positive remarks from Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley.

Related
Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Crowned World's Most Powerful V-8
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible Photo Gallery

2013 Ford Mustang GT Video

Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

For 2013, the Shelby GT500 got a bump in horsepower, giving the pony car more power than any car should ever need: 662 hp from a supercharged V-8 engine. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says it's an unruly beast and an automotive hooligan … but that didn't stop him from having a blast driving it.

2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Review

What Does This Button Do?

Calling the 662-horsepower 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 a muscle car is an understatement. It’s like lumping a semi-truck-pulling, keg-hurling competitor from The World’s Strongest Man competition in the same league as your Facebook friend who abuses your wall by constantly checking in at the gym.

Numerous features harness the GT500’s immense power. One is activated by an “LC” button located to the left of the steering wheel. After using this feature, we think LC should stand for “Last Chance,” like it’s your passenger’s last chance to tighten the seat belt, put a death grip on the door handle and prepare for a wild ride.

Mazda Builds Last Mazda6 in Michigan

Mazda will give the redesigned Mazda6 a soup-to-nuts reveal in just a few days, but the family sedan won't come from Flat Rock, Mich. That's where the automaker has built the Mazda6 for a decade, but it announced more than a year ago that Mazda6 production in Flat Rock would end. That end comes today, as the Detroit News reports a small ceremony will mark the final Mazda6 rolling off the line.

Mazda plans to import future Mazda6s for the U.S. market from overseas. The automaker will retain a 50/50 stake with Ford in the Flat Rock plant, a joint venture between the two automakers since 1992. Flat Rock also builds the Ford Mustang and, with another 1,200 jobs and $550 million investment by Ford, will add the next-gen Fusion.

Carroll Shelby Passes Away at Age 89

Carroll Hall Shelby, the famous racecar driver and automotive designer responsible for the Shelby Cobra and high-performance carmaker Shelby American, passed away Thursday at age 89, according to USA Today.

During his career, which spanned some 60 years, Shelby was responsible for creating a string of iconic vehicles, from the original 1962 AC Cobra all the way to the current 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, which is certified as the most powerful regular-production vehicle in the world. Shelby American continues to sell and produce modified Ford Mustangs, including the GT500 Super Snake.

Shelby is survived by his three children, Patrick, Michael and Sharon; his sister, Anne Shelby Ellison; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and his wife, Cleo, according to Shelbyautos.com.

Read USA Today's portrait of the man's life here.

Recall Alert: 10,500 Ford Vehicles

Ford is recalling more than 10,000 vehicles because the transmission range sensor may be improperly calibrated for Reverse gear, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall affects the vehicles listed below:

• 2012 Ford Expedition
• 2011-12 Ford F-150
• 2012-13 Ford Mustang
• 2012 Lincoln Navigator

In the affected vehicles, the transmission may not go into Reverse, or the vehicle may go into Reverse but the "R" may not illuminate on the dashboard when the driver pushes the shift lever into Reverse in the F-150, Expedition or Navigator. In certain cases, the backup lamp may not illuminate in the F-150, Expedition, Navigator or Mustang. This condition increases the risk of a crash or a pedestrian being struck.

Ford will begin notifying owners June 25, and dealers will inspect and repair the transmission range sensor for free. Owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.