Ford revived the pony car genre in the mid-2000s (after inventing it in the 1960s) with the Mustang Mk5, but it was GM that modernized the segment with the 2010 Camaro Mk5. The Blue Oval followed GM’s example with the all-new 2015 Mustang Mk6, but it won’t be the only new kid of the block, as Chevrolet is readying its response with the sixth-generation Camaro that we spied here for the very first time.
The pictures were taken from a distance, so they’re not crystal clear, but they’re good enough for us to notice the shape of the car and certain interesting details such as the pair of vents on the hood, the quad pipes, big wheels and what looks like a big spoiler at the back.
As pointed out by our man behind the camera, these cues suggest that we could be looking at a high-performance edition of the next Camaro, possibly the ZL1 or the lesser-potent, SS 1LE replacement.
In regards to the shape of the car, it appears to have thinner, yet more rounded buttocks, together with a shorter trunk lid and a sloping rear windshield. And as if the current Camaro wasn’t claustrophobic enough, the roof seems to have been lowered further, or at least that’s what we get from these images.
While the exterior appearance of the new Camaro Mk6 will certainly grab the headlines, it’s not the only thing that will change, as significant revisions are to be found underneath the sheet metal starting with a new platform.
The new Camaro moves to GM’s lighter and more sophisticated Alpha rear-drive architecture found in Cadillac’s new ATS and CTS models. Given the good reviews that both models have received in terms of handling, the Camaro should prove to be a fun ride, especially if drops a couple hundred pounds, as rumored.
In the powertrain department, the current model’s 3.6-liter V6 should carry on with 323hp or even more, if GM tweaks it, while there’s a strong possibility that the SS may get the new Corvette Stingray’s LT1 6.2-liter V8 with 455-horses. To combat Ford and the new Mustang with the 2.3-liter turbocharged four Ecoboost engine, GM is believed to offer a tuned version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four found in the ATS and CTS, in which it generates 272hp.
Besides the traditional manual gearbox, the next Camaro will be offered with an automatic, possibly GM’s new 8-speed unit that was just introduced in the Corvette Stingray.
The new Camaro is expected to launch late next year as a 2016MY, initially as a coupe, with the convertible and top-end performance editions to follow in 2016.
By John Halas
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
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