Project Corn Star came to us as your run-of-the-mill “cam only” fourth-gen. It had a slew of bolt-ons, but not much in the way of serious power. In other words, the typical LS-powered fourth-gen out there right now. But we wanted this to be an exercise in what it takes to make a fourth-gen a serious threat on the streets and the strip.

The first order of business? Add E85. Project Corn Star was aptly named because of its extensive use of ethanol-based fuel. We have never done an E85-powered vehicle on LSX and that needed to change. And, since we were adding a very knock-resistant fuel to the equation, it only made sense to see what the car could be capable of when combined with a little boost.

Several power adders were considered before landing on turbocharging–yet another first for the magazine. The project will explore the limits of both turbocharging and E85, as well as the fourth-gen Camaro’s driveline capabilities. The culmination of which will be an all-around street monster capable of half-mile racing, quarter-mile racing, the occasional autocross day, and fatty burnouts. In essence, we want our Corn Star to be well rounded–and potent.