General Motors unveils the ’16 Chevrolet Camaro convertible, wasting no time getting a drop-top version of the sixth-generation pony car to market.
“The 2016 Camaro coupe will set the benchmark for the segment in terms of technology, performance, and design,” Todd Christensen, marketing manager-Camaro, says in a statement ahead of its reveal today in Detroit.
“Adding the most sophisticated top in the segment brings another level of refinement, and driving enjoyment, to the Camaro convertible,” he says.
GM unveiled the redesigned coupe version of the new Camaro last month.
The convertible will feature a number of items GM considers segment-exclusive, including a fully automated roof with latches that automatically release and secure the top; the ability to open or close the roof at speeds up to 30 mph (48 km/h); a remote opener on the key fob; and a hard tonneau cover that deploys automatically to give the roof’s storage area a refined, finished appearance.
“With many convertibles, you have to affix a tonneau cover manually, if it’s done at all,” says Tom Peters, design director-Camaro. “The Camaro convertible’s automatically deploying hard tonneau not only makes it easier to enjoy convertible driving when the inspiration hits, it ensures the car always looks its best.”
The automaker also boasts about the Camaro convertible’s comfort and noise, vibration and harshness qualities, saying the roof system uses a multilayer construction with acoustic and thermal barriers designed to keep passengers warm in the winter, cool in the summer and quiet year-around.
From a styling perspective, the convertible’s top emulates the silhouette of the coupe, GM says.
The automaker says there will be no trade-offs in driving dynamics between the convertible and the coupe.
“From the beginning, the Camaro’s architecture was developed to incorporate a convertible with uncompromised driving dynamics,” says Al Oppenheiser, chief engineer-Camaro. “Customers will appreciate what they don’t feel: quivers, cowl shake or an under-damped chassis typically found in a 4-seat convertible.”
The Camaro convertible will be available with the same powertrain lineup as the coupe, which includes a 275-hp, 2.0L turbocharged 4-cyl.; an all-new 335-hp 3.6L V-6; and a range-topping, 455-hp LT1 6.2L V-8. Each engine is available with a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission.
The car arrives at U.S. dealers in early 2016, just a few months after coupe sales begin.
