LOS ANGELES — General Motors had hoped most Camaro customers would go for the V6, but so far, most people are buying the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro with a V8. Based on Edmunds.com's own estimates, two-thirds of the 47,233 Camaros sold from April 2009 to October 2009 have been SS models.
Strong V6 sales would help raise GM's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). The V6 Camaro is rated 18 mpg city/29 mpg highway (17/29 with the six-speed manual gearbox) versus 16/25 for the V8 (16/24 with a manual).
To help encourage customers to go that route, Chevrolet priced the entry-level Camaro LS model at just $23,530 — quite the bargain for a rear-wheel-drive car with a 304-horsepower, direct-injected 3.6-liter V6. The least expensive V8-equipped 2010 Camaro is the Camaro 1SS, which starts at $31,595.
The V6 Camaros actually cost GM almost as much to build as the V8 versions, said Bob Lutz, GM vice chairman. So the company has been perfectly content to sell mostly SS Camaros.
Inside Line says: The more things change, the more they stay the same. — Erin Riches, Senior Editor
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nutcase says:
05:22 PM, 01/31/2010
Why buy a sport car with a V6. I have a 94 Camaro with a V6 with everything else but the kitchen sink added on. The V6 pretty much makes it a piece of crap, but the price was right buying it used. In my opinion anyone buying a V6 in a sport car, or heavy family car, is out of their mind. The couple of miles a gallon is not worth driving something akin to a covered wagon in performance.
harrison310 says:
07:24 PM, 12/06/2009
Unfortunately, in my neighborhood, Chevy dealerships are adding $5k to the price, so that $23k base V6 Camaro is NO WHERE in sight.
sgude says:
01:38 PM, 11/17/2009
No real surprise -- most people don't think the fuel economy penalty is enough to forgo the power and torque of the V8. Shoot, my 82 Z28 got 25 mpg at 65 mph and I thought that was awesome. ... the fuel economy, not the car, that is...