If you’re buying a Camaro, chances are you’re not just buying it just for the looks, but also for the power that comes from the perfectly tuned 6.2-liter V8 engine under the hood. A standard Camaro engine produces around 426 horsepower, but if that isn’t enough and you’re looking for a lot more power, you’re in luck. Specialty Vehicle Engineering has just released a tuned Camaro that generates 1,000 horsepower off the lot.
Let’s take a closer look at the 2019 Yenko Camaro!
Introducing the 2019 Yenko Camaro
The factory 6.2-liter LT1 engine isn’t anything to sneeze at, but the engineers at Specialty Vehicle Engineering were looking for more. They took that engine and rebuilt it so it displaces 6.8-liters, then added a supercharger for good measure. This new engine easily generates 1,000 horsepower and 875 pound-feet of torque. The new model is named after the famous Yenko Chevrolet in Pennsylvania, which spent decades creating custom muscle cars for its clients. SVE is continuing that tradition with an impressive, custom-built 416 cubic-inch (6.8-liter) engine, based on the 6.2-liter LT1 engine, that’s included in all Yenko Stage I 835-horsepower and Stage II 1000-horsepower Camaros.
Power and Performance
The Yenko Camaro is based on the SS 1LE model, which means it already has a ton of upgrades to the handling, braking and aerodynamics already installed. It comes equipped with an electronic limited slip differential, in addition to Magnetic Ride Control suspension parts and Brembo brakes. Sticky tires round out the handling upgrades, to make sure the Yenko at least has a chance of hooking up under wide-open throttle. A heavy-duty cooling system to handle all the heat generated by this beast of an engine rounds out the upgrades, including an engine oil cooler, a set of dual outboard radiators and a transmission cooler. Even the rear differential gets its own cooling system.
All About Aesthetics
Outwardly, the 2019 Yenko Camaro doesn’t look too different from other Camaro SS models, though it does have some minor differences. The spoiler is larger than the aesthetic ones that you might see on other Camaros, but that’s primarily because you’ll need it. It is also equipped with a carbon fiber hood, Recaro seats and will be available in 10 different colors, with nine choices for contrast and accent colors.
If this sounds like a car you need to have in your collection, you’ll need to act fast — it’s not called a limited edition for nothing. Specialty Vehicle Engineering will only be making 25 of these cars. It will also be making 25 Stage 1 versions as well, which only gets 835 horsepower, but is another option to consider.
If you’ve just got to have one, head to your nearest Canadian or American GM dealership and start the process before they’re gone forever. Unfortunately, this fantastic new Camaro can’t pass the California emissions testing, and it isn’t street legal in that state and can only be legally used while participating in sanctioned motorsports racing events. That still leaves you 49 states and thousands of miles of highway to explore, though.
