Sixth-Gen Camaro-oh-yes!

Listen…. We need to talk. It’s not you, it’s me. And unlike every other time you’ve ever heard this, it’s actually true.

Recently, I wrote a blog on the sixth-gen Camaro. It consisted mostly of my abject disappointment in the car. And while those thoughts haven’t been completely assuaged, the car’s looks have been dramatically growing on me. Its powerfully bulged hood (heh-heh), its more aggressive front fascia and its wonderfully updated interior, all subtly burrow their way into my cerebellum, eliciting subtle feel goods – I still hate the rear fascia, this may never change, which is sad when you think about it; as that’s all most will get to see in the wild.

Image courtesy of Chevrolet

While the car has grown on me, you may be asking yourself what inspired such a 180 degree change in thinking. 455 horses are a wonderful place to start. If you’re reading this, you are most likely a worshiper of horse power yourself, and regardless of how you look at it, 455 is hefty. To put that in perspective, that is more horse power than the pinnacle of muscle cars, the 1970 Chevelle SS with the revered LS6! While the Chevelle’s factory rating was, and is, arguable—most people suspect the motor was putting out more like 500 horsepower, instead of the 450 it was rated at—it still doesn’t change the fact that the sixth generation Camaro would beat it up on the playground, steal its lunch money and then wait for Chevelle’s dad to come over after school to set things straight, only to beat the shit out of his dad too.  

I may have gotten carried away with my metaphor, but my point is, this modern muscle car is lightyears ahead of anything past, or even dare I say present.

The flagship model, the Camaro SS, loses 390 pounds compared to the previous generation… 390! They basically Jenny-Craiged the hell out of the thing. The extensive use of composites throughout the car aid the loss of weight; which is even more spectacular when you considered that the brand new LT1 The General saw fit to bestow upon it (which debuted in the 2015 Corvette), has all sorts of components that actually add weight. Lighter cup holders? More horsepower? Hey, I’m in!

Image courtesy of Chevrolet

And now, all of that weight is not only offset with light weight components, it now has the flattest torque curve known to man, thanks to its Corvette-sourced LT1 V8. This motor has 400 lb.-ft. from 2,500 rpm on and a whopping 300 AT IDLE! That is more torque than any Civic has ever dreamed of making at any RPM.

So what does it all mean, Basil? It means that the sixth-generation Camaro is, hands-down, one of the best performing vehicles out there. 60 mph comes in just 4 seconds, with the quarter mile ending in a scant 12.3 seconds at 116 mph when equipped with the paddle shifted automatic (12.5 if you wish to row your own cogs).

And don’t let those straight line numbers fool you, this pony can turn. Capable of .97 g on the skidpad, this is the best handling Camaro of all time, thanks in no small part to the fact that the magnetic ride suspension is now available on SS Camaros, instead of just the 1LE and ZL1 cars.

Have those numbers impressed you, or possibly changed your mind about how you feel about the new-generation Camaro? If it has, then you now know how I’m feeling. My disdain for the next-generation Camaro has slowly ebbed away and a firmly founded fondness has formed in its place – and a bulging hood (heh-heh).

With the release of the sixth-generation Camaro, General Motors has placed itself at the top of the hotly contested muscle-car market. With specialty models (Z28, 1LE, ZL1) more than likely on their way, the Camaro is set to reign supreme for many years to come. Hellcat, you better watch your back.

See a full list of stats here.