The Mustang-Camaro battle has been going on or ages and with Ford already coming out with a new version of their muscle car, it is only a matter of time before GM responds. But the wait is finally over for the Camaro fans as Chevrolet has finally taken the covers off their sixth-generation model which has gone through a lot of changes along the years.
Based on GM’s Alpha platform, the new Camaro managed to save over 60kg from the car’s structure compared to its predecessor. The kerb weight has also been reduced by 90kg, bringing it down to 1597kg. But the most significant weight saving move comes from replacing the instrument panel frame with an aluminium unit and introducing a new five-link rear suspension system. All these allow the new Camaro “delivers better lap times than the fifth-generation’s track-focused 1LE package”.
As for the engine line up, there are three variants offered by Chevrolet. The first one is a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged petrol power mill that produces 271bhp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Zerotohundred is rated in less than six seconds. The second option is a 3.5-liter V6 engine which pushes out 330bhp and 284 lb-ft of torque and features cylinder deactivation technology for the first time. Both variants are offered with either a six-speed manual or a new eight-speed auto with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
The one that catches the attention the most has got to be the SS variant which houses the 6.2-liter small block V8 with an output of 449bhp and 445 lb-ft of torque. In the power war, that is basically more than what the Mustang gets from its 5.0-liter V8 of 415bhp and 391 lb-ft of torque. The engine powering the SS is actually the same V8 unit found in the Corvette Stingray.
The SS is offered with the optional Magnetic Ride Control for the first time where the car’s dampers settings automatically adjusted for maximum comfort. A set of Brembo brakes come as standard in the new SS and stands as an optional extra for the other variants.
