THE next-generation Camaro, seen for the past two years in spy shots all over the internet, and made even more famous by movies like the’Transformers’, pays homage to the Camaros from the past and is the perfect candidate to round off our muscle car series.
Like its sister, the Pontiac Firebird, Chevrolet’s Camaro was hardly an original notion – it was a blatant GM ripoff of the Ford Mustang. But just because it’s stolen doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea.
Just as the first Mustang was based on Ford’s compact Falcon, so also the first 1967 Camaro was based on Chevy’s compact Nova. However, it was based on the upcoming redesigned ‘68 Nova and therefore more robust than a comparable ‘67 Nova.
The basic engineering of the Camaro was a unitary structure from the windshield and firewall back, with a separate steel rail sub-frame for everything up front. Double A-arms made up the independent front suspension while the solid rear axle was suspended by semielliptical leaf springs. As was typical of standard-equipped vehicles at the time, braking was by four drums, the steering was slow and manual, and Chevy’s rugged 230-cubic-inch straight six poked out an optimistically rated 140 horsepower while twisting a three-speed manual transmission.
Buyers could opt for a larger 250inch version of the six making 155 horsepower, a 210-horsepower 327-cubic-inch small-block V8 fed by a twobarrel carb, that same V8 with a four-barrel carb and a higher compression ratio was rated at 275 horsepower, or two versions of the 396-cubic-inch big-block V8 making either 325 or 375 horsepower.
Those engines could be lashed to a series of wide – or short-ratio three- or four-speed manual transmissions, or two automatics.
Through the next two decades, the Camaro badge soldiered on until 2002, when it signified nothing but an ungainly sportscar. This fourth generation of the Camaro had the go with modern fuel injected V8 engines, but amidst a group of modern sportscars, the looks were nothing spectacular. The muscle car resurrection age was happening with the Mustang and Charger spawning modern interpretations of the originals and it was about time that the 2002 Camaro was shown the axe. Simulatenously, work began on the 2010 Camaro Concept.
GM says the much anticipated 2010 Chevrolet Camaro will roll out in the spring of 2009. The production version looks essentially identical to the concept first shown at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a remarkable achievement given the demands a modern design must meet.
Compared with the retro-styled Mustang and Challenger, the Camaro has a more contemporary and angular appearance that looks more cutting edge.
This is not a reissued ‘69 Camaro, although it looks similar. In fact, some might have wondered if this car was designed in the Chevy studio at all. Its edgi ness looks Cadillac in spired.
The new Camaro will be available with a 3.6-li ter V6 aided by a six speed automatic, a combination expect ed to give good fuel economy on the h i g h w ay. T h e 3.6-litreV6 stan dard on the Ca maro LS and LT is direct-injected and features variable valve timing. It’s ex pected to gener ate 300 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual comes standard, a sixspeed automatic option al.
Enthusiasts will gravitate to the Camaro SS, equipped with a powerful V8 and a choice of manual and automatic transmissions and 20-inch wheels. The Camaro SS comes with a 6.2-liter V8 with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.
Cars with manual transmissions use GM’s LS3 V8 expected to produce 422 horspower and 408 pound-feet of torque.
The LS3 debuted on the 2008 Corvette and uses high-flow cylinder heads based on the Corvette Z06’s LS7 engine for strong low-end torque and high-rpm power. Camaro SS automatics come with a new L99 V8 based on the LS3 that carries all the high-performance design features but also includes GM’s fuel-saving Active Fuel Management feature, enabling the engine to run on only four cylinders when cruising on the highway to improve fuel economy . It’ll feel a bit like back to the future, as GM’s iconic pony re-emerges to compete with the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. Nevertheless, it will be great to see those iconic muscle cars playing on the streets all over again.