In the wake of the humanitarian crisis that has unfolded since a 7.0 earthquake devastated the nation of Haiti on the evening of January 12th, individuals and organizations around the world have stepped up to help the people of Haiti cope with this disaster. Many businesses are included in the list of those contributing, and members of the auto industry are among them. A notable example of this comes from Chevrolet, who raised $250,000 in relief money from the auction of a limited edition Corvette Z06.

Take a look at the Corvette Z06 that brought in $250,000 in relief funds for Haiti’s earthquake victims

The following is a list of some of the Automotive Industry’s earthquake relief efforts, listed by company:

GM – Chevrolet will be collecting monetary donations of all denominations at the Washington, DC Auto Show, as well as at the Philadelphia and Chicago shows. The funds will be donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development fund and will be added to $350,000 resulting from GM contributions and the auction of the aforementioned Corvette.

Chrysler – Chrysler brought a Chrysler 300c to the Golden Globe Awards, where it was signed by several hundred celebrities. Dubbed the “300C Haiti”, the car, after being shown at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, will next be showcased at the Washington, DC Auto Show before being auctioned to contribute to the American Red Cross Haitian relief fund. Chrysler has also provided both Oxfam and the US fund for UNICEF with $50,000 and dealerships in Puerto Rico are collecting tangible good to be shipped to Haiti.

Toyota -  Toyota Motors North America has pledged to Donate Haitian relief funds totalling $500,000, to be divided equally among the American Red Cross, Save the Children, and Doctors Without Borders. The company has also pledged to match contributions to the organizations made by its team members and associates. These efforts are separate from those of independent Toyota distributors operating in the Southeastern and Gulf coast states.

Fiat – The Fiat group, in collaboration with the Fondazione Francesca Rava, is providing $1,000,000 worth of technical and financial support. Included in this are construction machinery, ambulances, automobiles and technical personnel.

Click for more about the auto industry’s Haitian earthquake relief efforts

Announced at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, SMS Supercars has added a Camaro to its roster that already includes Ford Mustangs and Dodge Challengers. Before I continue, I want to make sure we’re clear that when I say SMS I mean the SMS that stands for it’s founder, Steve Mark Saleen, who also serves as the namesake for another brand with which he has no affiliation. Mr. Saleen has been a superstar in the world of supercars since he began tuning professionally in 1983, and his reputation for excellence has been solid since.

Saleen’s (the man, not the company eluded to above) reputation should be cemented further with the SMS 620 Camaro. The 620’s engine is alleged to give 575 hp. If this is a little weak for your tastes, you can get 715 horses if you make the leap to the 620X version. I guess the 620X could be classified as a superdupercar.  You can get yourself either version in mid-2010. And, if you can’t buy one, hopefully you’ll get the pleasure of feeling the breeze of one of these babies blowing by on a highway near you.

Back in the 1960s, Don Yenko was the man responsible for a slew of go-fast GM cars—nearly everything from the Corvair to the Camaro got extra power and improved handling thanks to the GM Central Office Production Order (COPO) strategy that helped Yenko turn those specially ordered cars into street legends. Five decades on, General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI) has purchased the licensing rights to the Yenko name and intends to resurrect the Yenko Super Car with a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS upgraded and restyled to recall those historic icons.

The Phase I concept is powered by a supercharged and intercooled V-8 making 600 hp, backed up by a Magnaflow exhaust system, Tremec six-speed transmission with Hurst short-throw shifter, and a burly six-piston brake setup. The prototype is on display at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, but we’ll have to wait and see if GMCI can actually produce a car worthy of the historic Yenko name.

In its most recent encounter with a Corvette—July 2006—the Mustang didn’t fare well against Chevy’s Corvette. Road-course lap times favored the Vette, and even on something as uncomplicated as a drag strip, the big-horsepower Mustang didn’t cover itself with low-ET glory.So at a glance, this may look like another mismatch. On the other hand, Chevy’s new Camaro inventory has nothing that measures up to this latest Carroll Shelby–anointed Mustang, in either price ($50,895 as tested) or power.

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Ford forecasts runs to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. But even though it enjoys a power-to-weight advantage versus the Vette, in four tests with four different GT500s the best we’ve achieved is with this example: 4.5 to 60 and the quarter in 12.7 at 115 mph.There’s certainly no shortage of thrust. The GT500’s supercharged and intercooled 5.4-liter V-8 delivers potent midrange response and sounds terrific. But all that power makes it tough to keep launches from going up in smoke.

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Away from the track, the Mustang is more likable. We gave it a small edge in ride quality (though this is like the difference between flint and granite—both are hard). The quality of the paint, assembly, and interior materials is consistent with the big price tag—not a squeak or a rattle with 6400 miles on the odo—and if the seats aren’t as supportive as those in the Vette, they look snappy with their red-and-black color scheme. We gave a clarity advantage to the GT500’s nav system, and, of course, the Mustang has a back seat—extra points for that. We’d like the front buckets better if the seatbacks were power adjustable, and we’d like the Alcantara-clad steering wheel better if it adjusted for reach as well as rake—not an unreasonable expectation in a $50K car.

Still, no one was surprised that the Corvette took the trophy again. In part, this is due to the difference between a sporty car and a true sports car. But it’s also due to the Ford’s archaic rear suspension. The SVT troops have done a remarkable job of keeping it viable, but it’s like prepping for a hundred-meter sprint by connecting your ankles with a three-foot tether. Adding power can’t completely fix it.

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Check out Car and Driver’s piece on the Top 10 Muscle Car Tests of 2009. Featuring videos from the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS V-82010, Ford Shelby GT500, Ford Mustang Cobra Jet, 2009 Cadillac CTS-V, 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP, 2010 Roush Ford Mustang 427, R2010 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport vs. 2010 Ford Shelby GT500, 2010 Chevy Camaro SS vs. 2010 Ford Mustang GT, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, 2008 Dodge Viper, SRT10 Coupe, and the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1.

Wisconsin EcoCAR

We usually do not post about non-muscle cars at Chevy Muscle Cars, but here is an exception. I want to bring your attention to the EcoCAR project, and specifically Wisconsin’s participation with the project. The EcoCAR Challenge is a three-year competition that builds on the 19-year history of Department of Energy’s advanced vehicle technology competitions by giving engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicles that demonstrate leading-edge automotive technologies.  Wisconsin’s work hopes to create a practical road hybrid based off of GM’s Saturn Vue with innovation and engineering. The University of Wisconsin – Madison car’s battery pack’s fuel source is a 45 Amp/hr liquid cooled JCS battery pack. This large capacity pack is designed primarily to get 30+ miles per charge during plug-in mode. Wisconsin has chosen E85 as a fuel source for the EcoCAR competition to run in the MP750 Weber Engine.

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Chevy is answering customer demands for a more Z06-like Corvette, minus a couple limitations like the coupe-only and manual transmission-only features. Chevy’s solution is the 2010 Corvette Grand Sport. Adding larger wheels and tires, a stiffer suspension, bigger brakes, and shorter gearing, this Vette is two seconds quicker around the 2.9-mile road course than last year’s model with the Z51 handling package.

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The Grand Sport will keep the base car’s 430-hp LS3 V-8 and steel frame, while adding several Z06 features. Fuel economy remains unchanged at an impressive 16 city/26 highway mpg. Staring at $55,720, which is $5,840 more than the base Corvette, Chevy predicts that nearly half of future Corvette sales will be Grand Sports.

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We all know that we can buy cars off eBay. However, GM is running an innovative program that allows buyers to purchase new GM vehicles all from one place via an eBay sub-site. This may raise awareness while making it more convenient for buyers with almost 20,000 vehicles from 225 California dealerships being offered. Available models include 2008, 2009, and 2010 Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, and Pontiac vehicles. The site allows customers to easily purchase a new vehicle using the “Buy It Now” function if they agree to the dealership’s price, or even haggle for better price. This interesting trial program ends September 8, so be sure to check it out here.

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Hennessey Performance Engineering has begun production of the 2010 HPE550 Camaro to satisfy those who just can’t wait any longer for Chevy to resurrect the Z28. Through simple modifications including the addition of a Magnuson/Hennessey supercharger system, a Corsa stainless-steel exhaust system and custom engine-management calibration, the HPE550 adds to the 426-hp, 6.2-liter V8 Camaro SS, allowing it to produce 562 horsepower and 557 lb-ft or torque. According to Hennessey, this allows the car to reach 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and a quarter-mile in 12.1 seconds at 119 mph, on street tires. With several other available add-ons, including a half-day performance driving course at Lonestar Motorsports Park, the HPE550 package will run you about $15k for the powertrain upgrades alone. Still, a 562-hp Camaro for well under $50k…not bad.

Car and Driver is planning to re-launch its site. This new and improved site promises to be much more interactive and user-friendly. With increased functionality, it will be even easier to navigate. There is much more information and links on the new homepage, allowing for quicker, more efficient search.

In addition, one of the best features of the new site is the increased functionality of the buyer’s guide, which allows you to more easily search for vehicles specifically tailored to your needs. For example, if you choose a make such as Chevrolet, the new site instantly provides you with several links to the latest reviews, comparison tests, news, and advice on different models.

Then, selecting a model, such as the Corvette allows you to view all of its top competitors in that class. With the ability to drill down on specifications and view tons of interior and exterior images, the new Car and Driver site is definitely more interactive and user-friendly, and will enhance your Chevy muscle car shopping experience. Check out a screen-shot of this below, and feel free to email any feedback to caranddriver@hfnm.com.