Here's a little more info for the curious car fans that hang out here!!
First Look: New Camaro Unveiled, Ready for Sale in '09
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
By Don Hammonds
July 24, 2008
The long wait for Chevrolet Camaro fans is over.
A production version of the much anticipated car was formally unveiled this week, with a strong emphasis on a 26 miles per gallon fuel rating for its 3.6-liter, 300-horsepower V-6.
Two of the rear-wheel-drive Camaro's models, the LS and the LT, will come with the V-6 and a choice of either six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. A 422-horsepower SS also will be introduced to help uphold Camaro's legendary V-8 performance reputation. The V-8 will come with Active Fuel Management, which automatically shuts off some cylinders as you drive, to save gasoline.
All Camaros will go on sale during the first quarter of 2009, with production likely to begin in February.
With the recently introduced Dodge Challenger and the coming all new 2010 Mustang waiting in the wings, car lovers everywhere will no doubt enjoy plenty of accounts of the "pony car horsepower wars" in buff magazines, much like what happened during the late 1960s and early 1970s when those cars ruled the road.
Chevy and General Motors took a dramatically different approach to unveil the Camaro with its Webcast unveiling and its emphasis on showing the fuel-efficient V-6 models first, a nod to the current gas price crisis sweeping the country.
When Dodge introduced its Challenger recently, it was the Hemi-powered versions that were spotlighted first, with less expensive, fuel sipping versions taking a back seat until the fall, when 2009 versions will be introduced.
"We want people to know that this is not just a muscle car; it will be for everyday driving, too. We wanted to get that word out early," said Vince Muniga, manager of product communications on the Camaro team.
The introduction was a surprise to many auto writers, who had speculated that nothing would be heard until late fall or early winter on the new car.
"There's just been so much excitement around the car, and we wanted to end a lot of the speculation that was building. A lot of people were saying this and that, and people were talking about the interior and the different variations of the car. We thought the best thing to do would be to get the car out there so we can control things. It's no longer a blurred image. This is the real car," said Mr. Muniga.
The Camaro will come in 10 colors and have such features as variable rate power steering, "StabiliTrak" stability and traction control system standard on all models, Competitive/Sport modes for the stability system offered on SS models including "launch control" on manual transmission equipped cars, six standard air bags including heard curtain side impact air bags, and a choice of 18-, 19- and 20-inch wheels.
The Camaro also will offer to get a premium Boston Accoustics system, Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB connectivity, an ultrasonic rear parking assist system, OnStar and XM Satellite radio and a remote vehicle starting system.
Looks-wise, the production Camaro is largely faithful to the concept car that received wide applause a couple of years ago at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit when it was introduced. But you'll see a lot of the first 1967 model in it, too -- the fully open circular rear wheel wells, which differed from the later squared-off ones that appeared on the 1969 Camaro.
The new car does have such hallmarks as "side gills" that recall the classic 1969 model, arguably Camaro's most popular year. Other Camaro cures include broad rear fender shoulders and a forward V shape at the front of the car.
Inside, the Camaro has an instrument panel that will remind fans of the older model's desig