The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro is ready to take on the Ford Mustang
General Motors introduced the car to the world last week in Detroit.
"Redesigning the Camaro is thrilling and challenging all at once, but the secret is to offer something more," General Motors executive vice president of product development Mark Reuss said in a statement.
"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," Reuss added.
We knew this day was coming. Detroit's big 3 manufacturers - GM, Ford, and Chrysler - have dedicated themselves to keeping fervent muscle-car fans happy with a slew of new and improved models.
With the arrival of Ford's new Euro-chic Mustang and Chrysler's world-beating 707-horsepower Hemi Hellcat Challenger, it was time for Chevrolet to up the ante.
It's all good news for dealers. So far this year, Mustang sales have skyrocketed 60%, while Dodge Challenger sales have jumped 41%.
But GM has witnessed Camaro sales fall 15%. In fact, Ford is selling nearly twice as many Stangs as GM is selling Camaros.
It could be time for that to change - radically.
According to Chevy, the only two parts from the current fifth generation car to make to the new Camaro are the rear "bow tie logo" and the "SS" badge.
So what makes the new Camaro so different from the car that's already on the road today?
Chevy worked hard to make the new car about 200 lbs. lighter. This means the Camaro is more nimble to drive and less painful at the fuel pump. GM tested the new car for 350 hours in the wind tunnel. The result is a Camaro that cuts a smaller, sleeker silhouette than its predecessor.
It's shorter, narrower, and lower to the ground than the current generation. But there's no question that it's a Camaro.
The sixth-generation car will be powered by a impressive, innovative batch of new engines.
At the top of the range is an updated 455-horsepower version of the Corvette Stingray's LT1 V8; it will provide motivation for the new Camaro SS. The new standard engine for the Camaro is a 2.0-liter, 275-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder powerplant, similar to the units found in the Cadillac ATS and the Buick Regal GS.
There will also be a mid-range 3.6-liter, 335-horsepower V6.
On paper, the new Camaro has the style, efficiency, and engineering to contend with the fantastic Ford Mustang. But it also has the performance numbers to take the fight to the Challenger at the track.
Camaro diehards are unlikely to be disappointed.
The six generation 2016 Chevrolet Camaro will hit showrooms later this year.
