Skip to main content

Age of inflation: 1967 ‘Bumblebee’ Camaro SS going up for auction

Say what you want about Michael Bay, but the man has good taste in cars. When he’s not bathing our childhood heroes in massive CGI explosions or awkwardly zooming in on female characters, the Transformers director is busy driving his Ferrari 458 Italia, Bentley Continental GT, Lamborghini Aventador, or Porsche 911 Turbo.

Until recently, Bay was the proud owner of a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS, the very same model that played Bumblebee in Transformers: Age of Extinction. The muscle car is due to receive another owner soon, as the car will be sold at the 2016 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona in January.

The one-off was heavily customized for its appearance in the 2014 blockbuster, and features an LS-series Corvette engine (the particular model is not specified), six-speed manual gearbox, custom suspension, a 9-inch Ford rear end, a roll cage, and Wilwood brakes. On the aesthetics side, the SS wears a satin black exterior with yellow accents, three-piece racing wheels, custom LED headlights, bespoke carbon fiber fender flares, and of course, graphics from the Transformers franchise. The car also equips a touchscreen navigation system and leather seats from a late-model Camaro.

Transformers: Age of Extinction was almost universally panned by critics, but according to Box Office Mojo, the movie grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide. Another sequel starring Mark Walhberg — the fifth in the franchise — is planned for release sometime in 2017.

DT Cars editor Alexander Kalogianni recently got a chance to take his very own Bumblebee on a trip around the southern United States. His 2016 2LT Camaro may not have saved the planet from hostile aliens or evil robots, but the bright yellow two-door proved a loyal companion just the same. Check out the video from his trip around the bayou here.

Editors' Recommendations

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more