Chevy Unveils 2016 Camaro Convertible
On Wednesday, GM officially unveiled its all-new Camaro drop-top. Check out this video for a quick peak:
As with the coupe which was announced last month, the modern muscle-car convertible will be lighter, faster, and more advanced than any previous Camaro. Riding on the Alpha platform chassis that is shared with the Cadillac ATS, the Camaro is 200 pounds lighter. It was designed from the very beginning with a convertible in mind. GM’s tagline for the drop-top is “Wind comes standard.” As a PR person who loves clever taglines, this one is definitely catchy and memorable.
The Camaro comes with three available power plants: a turbocharged 2.0 liter, producing 275 hp and 295 ft-lbs of torque, a 3.6 L V6 with 335 hp and 284 ft-lbs of torque, and the V8 which cranks out 455 hp and 455 ft-lbs of torque. This SS is powered by the Corvette engine and is the most powerful Camaro ever. It will be offered with either a six-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission. Although the 6th generation car is brand new, some are already complaining that it looks too much like its predecessor. I understand their point, but at the same time, it is definitely sleeker than before. It also includes a much-needed interior redesign. The only design feature that I don’t like (based on the videos and images I’ve seen) is the over-prominent “ledge” that protrudes from the door. The convertible top has some unique features.
2016 Camaro interior. Photo: Chevrolet
There’s no longer a latch mechanism- the fully electronic top will lower with the key fob or the single push of the overhead console button. The top can even be opened at 30 mph, allow I hardly think this is a newsworthy feature. It has also been designed to look like the coupe, sporting a very similar roofline. When stowed, the top becomes completely hidden beneath a shroud cover. This is a nice feature, especially when compared to my 2006 Mustang convertible, whose framework was exposed.
In May, General Motors announced that the new Camaro will be built in Michigan. A second shift of 500 jobs will be resumed in order to build the cars at its Lansing Grand River Assembly plant. Camaro’s haven’t been made in the U.S.A. since the early 1990s. The 5th Gen Camaro was built in Ontario, Canada.
As far as muscle-car wars go, since the Dodge Challenger does not provide a convertible version (although it might with its next gen version), the only competition to the Camaro is the Mustang. But since the Camaro has more power (455 vs. 435 hp and 455 vs. 400 lb-ft of torque), and it will probably weigh about the same as the Mustang, the Camaro is sure to steal some of Ford’s thunder. Pricing will be announced at a later date, but shouldn’t be far off from 2015 MSRP’s.
2016 Camaro convertible Photo: Car and Driver
For reference, a base 2015 Camaro convertible currently begins at $32,200. GM says to look for the drop-tops to arrive early next year, just in time for spring road trips. Since I’m in the market for a new muscle-car convertible, it looks like the 2016 Camaro SS convertible might be just the ticket. If so, I’ll be sure to get a few of those!
Are you in the market for a new muscle-car convertible or do you have an opinion about this subject? We’d love to hear from you. Please join the discussion below.