Automobiles Review

Tag: Camaro

  • Volt, Orlando, Cruze, Camaro – four see chevrolet’s future!

    Not one, nor two nor even three major debuts is good enough for Chevrolet – the 2008 Paris Motor Show will see four brand new cars sharing the limelight as the company proves its commitment to growing its sales in Europe.

    The production version of the Volt, unveiled as part of GM’s centenary celebrations on September 16, is the latest all-new model to join the Paris show line-up, which also includes the all-new Cruze saloon, Orlando Show Car and production version of the Camaro.

    World premiere: Cruze

    On sale in the UK next spring, the Cruze is the first of Chevrolet’s new wave of truly global products. Its four-door coupe-like profile raises the bar in terms of styling in the value compact car segment, while Chevrolet’s distinctive double-decker grille and concave shoulder line further illustrate the focus on styling.

    Chevrolet Cruze

    Inside, Cruze features a driver-friendly twin-cockpit interior layout, with high quality materials and smart blue-backlit dials giving it an upmarket feel that buyers wouldn’t necessarily expect from a value brand.

    The UK market specification will feature a range of 1.6 or 1.8-litre petrol engines, or a common-rail 2.0-litre diesel.

    World premiere: Orlando Show Car

    Chevrolet’s first entry into the European seven-seat compact MPV market, the Orlando promises rugged styling, dynamic ride and handling, a high quality interior and a practical seven-seat ‘theatre-style’ seating layout that offers fantastic levels of practicality.

    Chevrolet Orlando

    While the Orlando is very much a show car in its current form, it signals the production intent of such a vehicle – a production model based on the concept will debut in 2009.

    European premiere: Volt

    The production-ready version of the Chevrolet Volt E-REV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) clearly illustrates GM’s commitment to providing viable low emissions motoring. Powered at all times by an electric motor, but with a petrol engine to operate as a generator when the battery is depleted, the Volt has the ability to travel up to 40+ miles with absolutely no exhaust tailpipe emissions whatsoever.

    Chevrolet Volt

    Unlike conventional electric cars, which have a limited range, the Volt’s additional petrol engine means that the car can continue to run once the battery is discharged, as the engine then generates power to boost the battery that powers the electric motor.

    Yet despite its revolutionary drivetrain, the Volt does not compromise on practicality – it’s a full-size four-seater saloon car, with excellent luggage and passenger space and stylish, contemporary looks. Production begins in 2010.

    European premiere: Camaro

    A legend reborn! The production Camaro makes its show debut at Paris, and features modern styling that is faithful to that of the original 1967 Camaro – a car with a very important place in the history of American motoring.

    Chevrolet Camaro

    Despite its heritage-based styling, the Camaro is every inch the modern performance car, with an advanced chassis and a mighty 400PS, 6.2-litre V8 engine. Sales of the Camaro begin in the USA next year, with European sales following in 2010.

    Chevrolet sold over 457,000 cars in Europe in 2007, and is on target to further that growth in 2008. A total of 18,360 of those were sold in Britain, an increase of almost 27.6 per cent over the previous year, while Chevrolet’s UK sales in 2008 are up 12 per cent compared to the same time in 2007.

  • US Muscle comes to London!

    Among the hustle and the bustle, make sure you check out the muscle!
    Chevrolet’s iconic concept car, the Camaro Convertible, will be making its first UK appearance at the British International Motorshow at Excel, London, alongside the Beat minicar concept. (more…)

  • Chevrolet unveils the new Camaro – a fun, efficient sports car for the 21st century

    Chevrolet today revealed the new production Camaro, a heritage-inspired sports car for the 21st century, combining great looks and performance, advanced technology and surprising efficiency. Sales in the United States will begin in the first quarter of 2009. The European launch will follow later. (more…)

  • Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

    The Chevrolet Camaro concept was the celebrated star of the American 2006 auto show season. Now, at the beginning of the 2007 auto show season, there is a new star rising: The Chevrolet Camaro convertible concept. It will be unveiled on the eve of the North American International Auto Show at GM Style, an exclusive, fashion-splashed event combining celebrities, couture and automobiles. Chevrolet already has announced production plans for the Camaro, which will go on sale in the US in 2009. A production convertible model will be added later that year.

    The Camaro convertible concept is based on the original Camaro concept, with only minor changes required to accommodate the convertible body style. It shares exterior dimensions with the Camaro concept (L/W/H: 4,730/2,022/1,344 mm), although the convertible concept’s windshield surround, which features a bright anodized finish, is changed slightly to accommodate the convertible top. The Camaro convertible concept is motivated by a torquey V-8 engine that rightly sends power to the rear wheels via a manual transmission. It also features a four-wheel independent suspension system and four-wheel disc brakes.

    “The best follow-up to last year’s award-winning Camaro concept is a Camaro convertible,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, global design. “The Camaro convertible concept instantly evokes an emotional response – it’s a vehicle that you want to make room for in your garage.”

    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007
    Chevrolet Camaro Concept 2007

    Like the Camaro concept vehicle, the Camaro convertible concept blends a dramatic, forward-looking design that is mindful of the brand’s storied heritage. That design includes classic long hood/short deck proportions and a wide, wheels-at-the-corners stance that gives the vehicle the look of hugging corners even when stationary.

    Additional design details include:

    • Tonneau cover over the folded top
    • “Halo” headlamps
    • LED taillamps
    • Rear spoiler with LED-lit CHMSL
    • Racing-inspired fuel filler door
    • Front-inlet hood scoop, inspired by the Corvette Z06
    • Heritage-inspired rear fender “gills”

    The Camaro convertible concept’s Hugger Orange pearl tri-coat color is a contemporary update of the classic hue, which was originally offered in 1969. It is complemented with twin gunmetal gray sport stripes. The modern interpretation of the classic color and its dark accent stripes simultaneously reflect the Camaro’s heritage and deliver a deep, lustrous and thoroughly contemporary appearance.

    The Camaro convertible concept rides on 21-inch front wheels and 22-inch rear wheels. The wheels have a deep-dish, five-spoke design and feature charcoal center sections with bright outer edges and an orange outline on the wheel edge. The charcoal wheels complement the gunmetal gray stripes on the body.

    Inspired cockpit

    Inside, the Camaro convertible features a simple yet purposeful interior that reflects design elements inspired by the muscle car era, including the first-generation Camaro. A new, light-and-dark color scheme enhances the airy feel of the convertible, particularly when the top is lowered.

    The seats’ fronts feature platinum-tone leather surrounding suede-like Alcantara® inserts, with black, sculpted seatbacks. The use of light color only on the seating surface is reminiscent of vintage houndstooth interiors, while a matching, tri-coat platinum paint is used to accent the door panels and instrument panel, giving a modern, bold feel to the interior.

    “The light-on-dark interior coloring makes a strong statement that conveys the spirit of freedom and fun that is embodied by a Camaro convertible,” said Micah Jones, interior designer.

    As with the Camaro coupe concept, the convertible concept features an instrument panel inspired by first-generation Camaros (1967 – 1969), including an intricate “round-gauges-in-square-holes” design. The gauges have a deep, three-dimensional appearance, with white faces and red pointers. “The instrument panel – including the four auxiliary gauges mounted in front of the shifter – pays homage to first-generation Camaros, while achieving a modern appearance through its refined integration of components,” said Jones.

    Craftsmanship and attention to detail are evidenced throughout the interior, including the smoke satin aluminum finish on trim plates, vents, seat handles and safety belt buckles. The shifter and pedals are made of billet aluminum. The steering wheel has a detailed, deep-dish three-spoke design and the front seats are hinged at the center – rather than the sides – for an integrated appearance. A separate ignition button is used to start the engine and the speedometer and tachometer needles complete full-sweep indexing when the engine rumbles to life.

    A “spine” motif runs through the center of the vehicle and on the seatbacks, including a prominent center console that stretches to the rear seat. The spine reinforces the symmetry of the Camaro convertible, as well as its precision.

    An attainable icon

    The original Camaro was introduced to the Baby Boomer generation, a large group of young, individualistic and mobile Americans that drove fundamental changes in the auto industry. The Camaro was personal, sporty and powerful – attributes that were typically found on more expensive, smaller and, often, foreign sports cars. The Camaro represented a real life-sized sporty car that was attainable for just about everyone. An almost endless list of optional features, colors and trim combinations ensured owners could tailor their Camaro to their exact taste.

    As Boomers transitioned into larger vehicles to accommodate growing families, younger drivers embraced used Camaros as their first cars, and third- and fourth-generations of the Camaro continued to deliver affordable fun and performance to a new generation of enthusiasts. Indeed, hundreds of thousands of owners of all walks of life have found driving fun in a Camaro during the past 40 years.

    The new Camaro concepts draw on their namesakes’ heritage, but also the global, youthful influences of the 21st century. These influences are seen in the Camaro convertible concept’s bold proportions, tailored wheel-to-body relationship and detailed interior – including the multi-dimensional instruments. It’s a design that resonates with a generation of younger car buyers influenced by highly stylized “tuner” cars and import sports cars.

    “Youthful buyers want a car that makes a statement in its design as much as its performance,” said Brian Smith, exterior designer. “The new Camaro concepts bridge heritage with contemporary style, with a design that is simultaneously admired among import-influenced youth and traditional enthusiasts.”

    Along with style and performance, the timeless spirit of fun is woven into the new Camaro concepts.

    “Camaro has always represented the American ethic that style and performance don’t belong exclusively to the wealthy,” said Smith. “Camaro has always been everybody’s sports car, and these new concepts demonstrate its spirit is relevant for a new generation.”