Lighter 2016 Camaro Delivers Benchmark Performance
Reduced weight and more power is a well-known recipe for enhanced performance. Chevrolet engineers have applied that recipe to the 2016 Camaro and have the results to prove it. With weight savings of up to 390 pounds, the all-new Camaro delivers performance numbers that reset the benchmark for the segment.
Chevrolet testing shows the all-new 455-hp Camaro SS coupe accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds, when equipped with the all-new eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission. That makes it the most powerful Camaro SS ever and, not by accident, makes it just a bit better performer than the 2016 Mustang GT.
You don’t have to get an SS model to get great performance. The other Gen Six Camaro coupe models are pretty quick also, with the 275-hp 2.0L Turbo delivering 5.4-second 0-60 performance and a 14.0-second quarter-mile, with the six-speed manual. With the 335-hp 3.6L V-6 and eight-speed automatic, the Camaro goes 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds and down the quarter-mile in only 13.5 seconds. Both of those models boast similar or even quicker acceleration than many of the V8 powered Camaro models of the 1990s, while returning much better fuel mileage.
Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer said “The performance of the Camaro 2.0L Turbo will challenge many of the iconic muscle cars from the 1960s, while the Camaro SS’s performance – including 0.97 g cornering – makes it one of the most capable 2+2 coupes on the market”. Oppenheiser also says “The performance numbers only tell half of the story, because the lighter curb weight also makes the new Camaro feel more responsive and agile behind the wheel. It brakes more powerfully, dives into corners quicker, accelerates faster and is more fun to drive than ever.”
With the standard 18-inch wheels and Goodyear Eagle Sport all-season tires, the 2.0L Turbo delivers 0.85 g in cornering grip and 60-0-mph braking in 129 feet. With the RS package, which includes 20-inch wheels and Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric all-season run-flat tires, the 3.6L V-6 delivers 0.89 g in cornering and 60-0 mph braking in 124 feet. The Camaro SS features Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 run-flat summer-only tires, enabling 0.97 g in cornering and 60-0 braking in 117 feet.
Lighter, stronger architecture
Much of the Camaro’s performance can be attributed to the development team’s focus on reducing vehicle mass and improving structural stiffness. They invested 9 million hours of computational time looking for opportunities to make the chassis lighter and stiffer. That computer-aided engineering led to a modular architecture strategy that tailored the chassis to each model (see accompanying chart).
“Every Camaro model offers exceptional chassis strength and rigidity, but the modular design made the architecture more adaptable and mass-efficient, because we didn’t have to compensate for the unique demands of, say, the SS convertible when building a 2.0L Turbo coupe,” said Oppenheiser. “The result was an elegant engineering solution: 12 chassis components that could be combined to meet the structural requirements of each specific model, without adding unnecessary mass to other models.”
Consequently, the base curb weight for the 2016 Camaro is 368 pounds (167 kg) lighter than the previous model. The 1SS model is 223 pounds (101 kg) lighter, while offering 29 more horsepower, for a 14-percent improvement in its power-to-weight ratio.
The 2016 Camaro goes on sale this fall, with a suggested retail price of $26,695 for the Camaro 1LT and $37,295 for the 1SS.
FAST FACT: The 2016 Camaro 2.0L Turbo’s 275 horsepower rating matches the output of the 1993-1995 Camaro Z28’s 5.7L V-8 – and offers comparable acceleration performance.
| 2016 Chevrolet Camaro | 0-60 mph (seconds) | Quarter-Mile(seconds @ mph) | Grip (max. lateral) | 60-0 mph braking (feet) |
| 2.0-liter turbo four w/18-in. tires |
5.4 (man.) 5.5 (auto.) |
14.0 @ 100 (man.) 14.0 @ 99 (auto.) |
0.85 g | 129 |
| 3.6-liter V-6 w/20-in. RF3 tires |
5.2 (man.) 5.1 (auto.) |
13.7 @ 102 (man.) 13.5 @ 103 (auto.) |
0.89 g | 124 |
| 6.2-liter V-8 w/20-in. RF4 tires |
4.3 (man.) 4.0 (auto.) |
12.5 @ 115 (man.) 12.3 @ 116 (auto.) |
0.97 g | 117 |
All Photos: Credit - GM / General Motors
