To celebrate its return to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Chevrolet shipped a surprise across the Atlantic for its European debut – the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro.
The European debut followed the vehicle’s US launch on May 16 in Detroit, Michigan and the unveiling of its convertible variant on June 24.
The sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, revealed to prospective European buyers on Friday at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, was tested and tuned on more than eight tracks around the world as well as on the Autobahn.
The new model Camaro, goes on sale in the US this year and will be available in Europe in mid 2016. Prices and final technical specifications will be announced closer to launch.
The Chevrolet Camaro is the top selling sports car in the US and sold 86,297 new vehicles in 2014, beating the Ford Mustang (82,635) and the Dodge Challenger (51,611).
According to Chevrolet, the gen-six Camaro provides a faster, more nimble driving experience, enabled by an all-new, lighter architecture and a broader powertrain range.
In Europe, three all-new powertrain combinations are offered, including a 2.0L Turbo and the LT1 6.2L V-8, which is SAE-certified at 455 horsepower (339 kW) and 617 Nm (455 lb-ft) of torque – for the most powerful Camaro V-8 ever distributed in Europe. The 2.0L Turbo and the V-8 both feature an eight-speed automatic transmission; the V-8 is also available with a six-speed manual.
Camaro’s leaner, stiffer platform and slightly smaller dimensions are complimented by its sculpted exterior, which the company said was meticulously tuned in the wind tunnel and contributes to vehicle’s performance through reduced aerodynamic lift for better handling while enhancing efficiency.
“Redesigning the Camaro is thrilling and challenging all at once, but the secret is to offer something more,” said Alan Batey, Global Chevrolet brand chief. “For Camaro enthusiasts, it retains iconic design cues and offers even more performance. For a new generation of buyers, the 2016 Camaro incorporates our most innovative engineering ideas with finely honed performance and leading design.”
Chevrolet focused on three pillars for the new Camaro
Performance
- Vehicle mass has been reduced by 90 kg (200 pounds) or more, depending on the model, creating a more nimble, responsive driving experience
- Through extensive computer-aided engineering, structural rigidity was increased by 28%, while the body-in-white mass was reduced by 60.5 kg (133 pounds).
- Most efficient Camaro ever, with a new 2.0L turbo SAE-certified at 275 hp (205 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft)– with an estimated (GM) consumption of less than 8 l/100 km (equivalent to more than 30 mpg U.S.) on the highway, 0-100 km/h acceleration is expected to be reached in 6 seconds (0-60 mph in under 6 seconds)
- The most powerful Camaro V-8 officially distributed in Europe ever, with a new 6.2L LT1 direct-injected Small Block V-8 rated at 455 hp (339 kW) and 617 Nm (455 lb-ft) of torque
- Magnetic Ride Control active suspension available on Camaro V-8 for the first time
Technology
- All-new Drive Mode Selector, which tailors up to eight vehicle attributes for four modes: Snow/Ice, Tour, Sport and – on V-8 models – Track settings
- Segment-exclusive, Interior Spectrum Lighting that offers 24 different ambient lighting effects on the dash, door panels, and center console
- High-definition, configurable color displays – including dual, eight-inch screens.
Design
- More athletic-looking, sculptured exterior that complements the tighter, leaner architecture – and offers all-new, modern lighting signatures, including light-emitting diode (LED) technology
- Greater emphasis on customer personalization with wider range of choices, including 10 exterior colors, five interior color combinations, wheels and stripe packages available at launch
- Aerodynamically optimized design that is the result of 350 hours of wind tunnel testing, reducing drag on LT models and improving downforce on the V-8
- All-new interior with shifter-focused center console, intuitive controls, flat-bottom steering wheel, and higher quality materials throughout
- Unique control rings around the air vents used for temperature and fan speed adjustments, eliminating the need for conventional buttons
“We have had the incredible opportunity to meet literally thousands of Gen 5 Camaro owners who provided direct feedback on what they loved about their car and what they wanted for the next-gen Camaro,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “As a result, the 2016 Camaro builds on what made the current Camaro such a success with more power, more agile handling and more technology.
“We expect it will set the new benchmark in the segment – and give a new generation of enthusiasts a reason to fall in love with Camaro.”
