The General Motors Co. Chevrolet 2016 Camaro Convertible is unveiled at the Motor City Casino in Detroit on Wednesday, June 24, 2015.Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg
"We nailed it. We know we nailed," says the North American marketing chief for General Motors, Alan Batey, pointing to the newly unveiled 2016 Camaro convertible.
Then he concedes that it's easy to talk the talk and marketing people are famous for it. Judge the all-new, slimmer, faster, sixth-generation Camaro droptop on how it drives and looks. Make your own judgments on:
1.) the car's sharp reflexes and nimble handling; and ...
2.) how beautifully the fully automatic top with the hard tonneau cover operates – opening and closing at speeds up to 48 km/h or remotely with the key fob.
"The fellows down the street in Dearborn (Mich.) should be worried," says Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, smiling ever so slightly at this gentle jab directed at the 2015 Ford Mustang.
Chevy types aren't sharing pricing, yet. The car won't arrive in dealerships until early 2016. But they are energetic in describing the electro-hydraulic power roof with its sound-deadending and cozy-in-winter multilayer convertible construction. Todd Christensen, the Camaro marketing manager, says it's the "most sophisticated top in the segment."
The car itself has gone on a major diet. Weight is down by 91 kg, yet the car's structure is stiffer.
"Customers will appreciate what they don't feel: quivers, cowl shake or an under-damped chassis typically found in a four-seat convertible," says Oppenheiser, adding that the chassis and body changes allow the top to fold down completely beneath the belt line, and is then finished by the hard tonneau cover.
GM will offer six powertrain combinations, including a 275-horsepower 2.0-litre turbo, a 335-hp V-6 and a 455-hp V-8. Six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions are available with all engine choices.
The design itself is an evolution of the outgoing Camaro, though designers say the shape is slipperier. Inside, changes include a new Driver Mode Selector, configurable instrument cluster and an ambient lighting feature that owners can customize.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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