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General Motors unveils 2016 Chevrolet Camaro convertible

General Motors has introduced its 2016 Chevrolet Camaro convertible to the world. It may just look like a cute convertible, but it has some interesting features to improve the driving experience, writes Bengt Halvorson.

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Rebecca Cook/Reuters
General Motors introduced the new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro convertible at the Sound Board inside the MotorCity Casino & Hotel in Detroit, Michigan June 24, 2015.

General Motors [NYSE: GM] has officially previewed its 2016 Chevrolet Camaro convertible; and while it’s hardly surprising how this drop-top pony car looks, GM has detailed a series of features and structural upgrades that should make it a big step forward in refinement and general driving enjoyment.

In sheetmetal, and in overall look, of the Camaro convertible is essentially the same as the coupe below the beltline. So is the underlying structure, which was, developed from the start to accommodate a convertible, so that quivers and cowl shake is a thing of the past. As with the Camaro coupe, the 2016 Camaro convertible is built on a much lighter structure that saves “at least 200 pounds” versus the previous version.

The fully automatic power top is capable of opening and closing at speeds up to 30 mph, and it has a hard tonneau cover that deploys automatically to add finish to the look when the top is down.

The Camaro convertible is a four-seater, although the back seat, as is often the case in this class, looks very small. The top also includes a feature that allows remote opening with the key fob, and full multi-layer construction, with both acoustic and thermal barriers, should help keep the cabin from being too noisy or drafty for four-season driving. And the Camaro makes the jump to the realm of driving modes and configurable instrument clusters.

Just as with the coupe, the powertrain range includes a 275-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a 335-hp, 3.6-liter V-6, and a 455-hp, 6.2-liter LT1 V-8. With each of these engines, there’s a choice between a six-speed manual gearbox or eight-speed automatic transmission.

The 2016 Chevy Camaro convertible will be built alongside the Camaro coupe at GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan.

While the Coupe arrives this fall, the convertible won’t arrive until early next year—in the meantime see our review of the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro lineup and start planning for next summer.

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