Camaro SS To Get Power Boost
According to GM authority and their inside sources, the Camaro SS will be receiving a boost in HP come 2012. Even though the SS has more HP than the Mustang GT 5.0, people at Chevrolet were upset enough about the quicker 1/4mile time that Ford has been able to publish with the Mustang to do something about it. Chevrolet acknowledged that they could have done lightening work on the Camaro SS to increase its time, and apparently some of that is being done with the newly revamped and improved interior that the 2012 SS is receiving. They knew that lightening the vehicle enough to best the Mustang GT times though would be a more costly exercise than just increasing the Camaro's HP output, so they're going with that solution instead, for both the LS3 and LS99 engines. There are no official numbers on the 2012's performance as of yet, apart from the fact that it will be more powerful, but as soon as Chevy releases something more official concerning this I'll be sure to update. Until then, speculate to your heart's desire as to what sort of HP the Camaro SS will have.
2011 Camaro News and Camaro Sales Numbers
We'll start with the bad news, guys. For the first time since May of last year, the Mustang has posted higher one-month sales numbers than the Camaro. We all expected this, with the release of the new model year Mustang, but it's still sad to see it happen. Mustang sales in May almost doubled their April numbers, while the Camaro took a very slight (3%) dip in that same time. Of course, this loss could actually be viewed as a solid win, as the Mustang released a newer, more updated and powerful model, yet could only muster a 1,000-unit victory, and this at a time when Camaro numbers are expectedly down since the new model year Camaros will also be hitting showrooms soon. Considering all of that, I expect these numbers to return to normal in a month or two, and for this May (and maybe June) to just be small speed-bumps on the beautiful highway of dominance the Camaro has traveled for some time now, and will continue to for some time to come.
The good news is that we now know the pricing on the next model year Camaro, and it holds up my bold ascertations from the last paragraph! The 2011 Camaro, which will be offered in Synergy Green, have a HP rating increase to 312HP, and come standard with the Heads-Up Display (HUD) on the 2LT and 2SS, will only see a rise in the 2LT and 2SS price by $350, and remain the same on all other base models. This is great, as most vehicles (especially those with the popularity of the Camaro) see price hikes in their second and third years, and this should also help guarantee further Camaro sales domination in the future.
Camaro 2011 Press Release
Well, the info is official and Chevy gave their press release for the 2011 Camaro. There's some pretty exciting stuff here, with the three biggest points being: the added HP on the V6 Model to push it from 304 to 312 HP, the HUD will now be standard equipment on all 2LT and 2SS models, and limited time availability of the Synergy Green color for all models. This is pretty exciting, and I really like the standard HUD as that should be standard on a powerful performance vehicle like the Camaro and is a nice touch, and am sure that the added HP, HUD and Synergy Green availability will help to increase Camaro sales through the new year. The full press release is copied below:
Chevrolet supports Camaro’s consumer momentum with exciting updates for 2011
312 horsepower for V6, expanded availability of Synergy color and heads-up display new for 2011
2010-04-08
The 2010 model year proved to be a very successful and exciting year for the segment-leading Chevrolet Camaro. For the 2011 model year, Chevrolet looks to expand the car’s popularity among consumers with the introduction of additional features.
“We are pleased with Camaro’s success in the market during its first year of production,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Chevrolet Marketing. “The 2010 model year has been a banner year for us, and we plan to build on this momentum.”
Horsepower increase for V6 engine
The 2011 Camaro V-6 engine completed SAE certification testing and is now officially rated at 312 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 278 lb-ft of torque at 5100 rpm. This rating is eight horsepower higher than the previous year and also marks an increase in torque from the 2010 rating of 273 lb-ft.
“The 304 horsepower in the 2010 Camaro was actually a conservative rating on our end,” said Tom Sutter, GM V-6 chief engineer. “But we knew already that this award-winning engine produced at least the amount of power we stated, but now we’ve gone the extra step in certifying the engine for this application and have verified an additional 8 horsepower.”
The 3.6-liter V-6 with variable valve timing (VVT) and direct injection employs four independent cam phasers to change the timing of valve operation as operating conditions such as rpm and engine load vary. The result is linear delivery of torque, with near-peak levels over a broad rpm range, and high specific output (maximum horsepower per liter of displacement) supporting overall engine response and drivability. When combined, direct-injection and VVT enable an unmatched combination of power, efficiency and low-emissions in gasoline V-6 engines.
SAE certification is a voluntary power and torque certification procedure developed by the SAE Engine Test Code committee. This procedure (J2723) ensures fair, accurate ratings for horsepower and torque by allowing manufacturers to certify their engines through third-party witness testing. Chevrolet was the vehicle brand to begin using the procedure.
Synergy color to be made available across the lineup
Earlier this year, Chevrolet introduced the Camaro Synergy Special Edition which is based off the concept displayed at the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas. The Synergy Special Edition is limited to a 1LT model, but the Synergy Green exterior color will be made available on all trim levels for a limited run during the 2011 model year.
“When we looked at the overwhelmingly positive reaction we received from SEMA attendees and consumers on Synergy Green, making the color available across the board was pretty much a no-brainer,” said John Fitzpatrick, Camaro Marketing Manager.
Customers will be able to order this color for a manufacturer suggested retail price of $325.
Head-Up Display
Already available on the Chevrolet Corvette,the 2011 Camaro will become the second Chevrolet vehicle to offer the popular Head-Up Display.
Camaro’s Head-Up Display will include:
- Vehicle speed
- Tachometer
- Compass
- Outside air temperature
- Manual Paddle Shift Gear Indicator (if equipped)
- OnStar Turn-by-Turn
- Audio functions
- Phone information
- Selected gear
- Turn signal indicators
- High-beam indicator signal
- Vehicle messages
“Head-Up Display has been a very frequent customer request” said Cheryl Pilcher, Camaro Product Manager. “People familiar with the HUD system simply love it. It truly enables drivers to keep their eyes on the road.”
Production of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro begins on June 7, 2010.
New GM LF3 Engine
Sorry I've been awhile for a while everyone. I went on vacation in my Camaro, but am very happy to be back and writing. An article concerning the trip itself will be coming soon. For now though, some GM news:
Apparently, the R&D boys over at GM have been hard at work (while I've been hard at play) putting finishing touches on their new, more eco-friendly, twin-turbo LF3. This V-6 TT engine is meant to be a direct competitor to the Ford 3.5L EcoBoost TT engine in both power and efficiency. At this point in time, no official HP or Torque numbers have been released, but it should be expected to be equivalent to or surpassing the 355 HP of the 3.5L Ford Ecoboost. This number doesn't seem too far-fetched either, considering the power that Chevy has been milking from their LS engines for so long now, and also applying the knowledge that this will be a Twin-Turbocharged monster. Of course, the TT does mean that some Torque will be sacrificed for the added HP boost. Only time can truly tell, but I can only imagine performance numbers of 350+ HP, possibly nearing the 400HP range.
Providing further merit to those HP speculations is the very recent (March 22nd) announcement from John Fitzpatrick, the head of marketing for the Camaro. Fitzpatrick hinted to MotorTrend that the 2011 Camaro's V6 HP numbers could exceed the numbers of the 2011 V6 Mustang. If not 2011, very soon. When asked if those HP matching numbers would be met in the next couple of years, Fitzpatrick was quoted as saying “you might see it sooner than that.” This show of faith in the future HP numbers of the Camaro engine lead me to wonder how those numbers will be achieved, and if the LF3 isn't destined for Camaro SS or Z28 designation as soon as it is finished and ready for production. I would love to see that LF3 hitting the Camaro sooner rather than later, but will also happily accept just some more HP from the base Camaro build. I do like the V8 and would be sad to see it leave, so I would hope that when the LF3 is done GM could find a means by which the two engines could live in harmony within the Camaro body. We'll see. Time will tell.