One of the longest running and most loved models on the road is the Chevrolet Camaro. With this past generation being one that offered a throwback style to the look that resembled the muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s the Camaro certainly captured our attention, imagination and in some ways our hearts once again. Knowing this car has been through a variety of iterations the thought of a new generation for 2016 might have been a little scary since we fell in love with the Camaro once again, but there is no reason to fret as the new Camaro is back and better than ever.
For the 2016 model year the car has lost a lot of weight and even offers a shorter wheel base. Both of these factors make for a car that will easily handle much better than before and that’s saying a lot because the Camaro was built to win around the turns, and with the menu of engines this car can quickly rocket past competitors as it makes better use of the horsepower underneath than many of the others on the track. To give you an idea, the base model lost 368 pounds, down from 3,339 pounds. The V6 powered version lost 294 pounds and now comes in at 3,425 pounds and the SS shaved off 223 pounds to come in at 3,685 pounds; a svelte and high performing trio to be certain.
The weight loss was necessary to make sure the Camaro could be the power player we want it to be. Thanks to this the performance numbers have grown considerably. At the base model you get the all new engine which is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that reaches 275 horsepower. Even though this doesn’t sound like a Camaro engine, once you sit behind the wheel and propel the car to sixty mph in only 5.5 seconds along with a quarter mile that will only take fourteen seconds you will change your mind and realize this is an amazing car even at the base model.
Of course if you want to step up the fun and have even more to show off, the mid-level Camaro shows up with a 3.6-liter V6 engine that gives you 355 horsepower and a time to reach sixty mph of 5.1 seconds. With a muscle/sports car most of us put the base number at 300 horsepower so this makes a great choice for those of you who just have to have some power, but don’t need to head up to the cost of the SS. The quarter mile time of 13.5 seconds is certainly one to be fully enjoyed in this Camaro as well.
At the top of the lineup we find the SS which is powered by the 6.2-liter V8 giving this car a monstrous 455 horsepower under the hood. If you can swing the price for this beauty, its more than worth it, especially if you get the chance to log some track time. This big V8 will rocket this beauty to sixty mph in only 4.3 seconds and complete the quarter mile sprint in only 12.3 seconds, certainly enough power to give you plenty of fun on any open road or on the track.
One of the most pleasant features of the Camaro since its inception has been the fact that it’s a highly affordable car to own. The base model starts at $26,695 and the 1SS model asks for $37,295 to begin. There are additional features you can add which would inflate the price, but as a car that is much more affordable than nearly every other sports car on the road the Camaro is a great choice when you want power and performance and just can’t afford to reach up to the Corvette lineup and certainly don’t want the bulk of the Dodge twins.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.
