c/o The Verge
General Motors unveiled on Saturday the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, the first sixth-generation model, and arguably one of the most different Camaros ever launched. The car made its debut at a press event held in Belle Isle, in downtown Detroit.
Back in the day, it was “go big or go home” if you were a muscle car aficionado – the bigger and more powerful the engine, the better your ride was. That was very seldom the case with the Chevrolet Camaro, though this General Motors entry to the pony car sweepstakes typically came with V8 base engines. Today’s Camaro, however, is a radically different one, with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine serving as the base power plant. GM claims that version will be capable of going over 30 mpg in highway driving. Still, buyers can choose the Camaro SS trim, which comes with a 6.2-liter V8 engine that makes 455 horses.
Aside from the new fuel economy-centric powertrain selections, the 2016 Camaro is also substantially lighter than its predecessor, weighing 200 pounds less despite being longer and wider. Its design, as teased in several promotional photos and Friday’s leaks, is both a tribute to the Camaros of the late ‘60s, and a more contemporary take on an iconic pony car. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the outgoing model carries a base price of $24,700.
Indeed, it’s been decades since the original heyday of the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, Dodge Charger/Challenger, and other muscle cars and pony cars. But despite the changing times, these cars still remain relevant, throwing back to the past but looking and feeling modern enough in more than a few ways.