The Camaro Comes Home
It’s official: The next generation of Chevrolet’s all-American muscle car—the Chevy Camaro—also will be built in America. According to GM, the decision to move Camaro production from its current home base, in Oshawa, Ontario, in Canada, “is based on a comprehensive business case.” that recognized the lower capital investment and increased production efficiencies of the change.
After the current Camaro ends its life cycle in the mid-term future, the all-new one will go into production at GM’s Lansing (Mich.) Grand River Assembly Plant. The result will be a center of expertise for rear-wheel-drive performance cars, since the new Camaro will be joining the Cadillac ATS and Cadillac CTS at the award-winning Lansing facility.
Just to be clear, however, there’s nothing wrong with the current Camaro. In fact, today’s lineup includes the fastest and most powerful production Camaro to ever wear the Bowtie. The Camaro ZL1 takes over that role with a supercharged V8 engine that makes 580 hp and takes the car from 0-60 in four seconds, with a terminal velocity of 184 mph. It’s no wonder the car has won a slew of recent honors:
Popular Mechanics chose the ZL1 as its “Performance Pick” in this year’s Automotive Excellence Awards, with the publication’s editors noting: “The ZL1 delivers a blistering 0 to 60 time and enough stopping power to shoot you through the windshield. But where it shines brightest is driving capability. This monster has the cornering chops to go fast through the curvy stretches, and not just the drag strip.”
In Esquire magazine’s 2012 Car Awards, the range-topping Camaro was named official “third car” in the publication’s car-culture hierarchy: “The first car you drive to work. The second is for your family. The third is the one you dream about.” Of course, it was real enough for noted automotive scribe Sam Smith, who wrote in Esquire that, “This car was meant to do one thing—remind you you’re alive.”
Most recently, Men’s Journal picked the Camaro ZL1 to join its Gear of the Year roster. The decision was made simpler by the fact that, according to the magazine’s Chuck Tannert: “[T]his thing goes like a bat out of hell. But that was expected. What surprised us is the car’s ability to seamlessly transition from track to street. … Very impressive.”
After the current Camaro ends its life cycle in the mid-term future, the all-new one will go into production at GM’s Lansing (Mich.) Grand River Assembly Plant. The result will be a center of expertise for rear-wheel-drive performance cars, since the new Camaro will be joining the Cadillac ATS and Cadillac CTS at the award-winning Lansing facility.
Just to be clear, however, there’s nothing wrong with the current Camaro. In fact, today’s lineup includes the fastest and most powerful production Camaro to ever wear the Bowtie. The Camaro ZL1 takes over that role with a supercharged V8 engine that makes 580 hp and takes the car from 0-60 in four seconds, with a terminal velocity of 184 mph. It’s no wonder the car has won a slew of recent honors:
Popular Mechanics chose the ZL1 as its “Performance Pick” in this year’s Automotive Excellence Awards, with the publication’s editors noting: “The ZL1 delivers a blistering 0 to 60 time and enough stopping power to shoot you through the windshield. But where it shines brightest is driving capability. This monster has the cornering chops to go fast through the curvy stretches, and not just the drag strip.”
In Esquire magazine’s 2012 Car Awards, the range-topping Camaro was named official “third car” in the publication’s car-culture hierarchy: “The first car you drive to work. The second is for your family. The third is the one you dream about.” Of course, it was real enough for noted automotive scribe Sam Smith, who wrote in Esquire that, “This car was meant to do one thing—remind you you’re alive.”
Most recently, Men’s Journal picked the Camaro ZL1 to join its Gear of the Year roster. The decision was made simpler by the fact that, according to the magazine’s Chuck Tannert: “[T]his thing goes like a bat out of hell. But that was expected. What surprised us is the car’s ability to seamlessly transition from track to street. … Very impressive.”
