Historically, the six-cylinder version of the Chevrolet Camaro has outsold eight-cylinder models by a margin of about 2-to-1. However, with the revival of the Camaro nameplate for the 2010 model year, General Motors is seeing far greater demand for V8 models.
According to Edmunds’ calculations, about 31,500 of the Camaro’s 47,200 sales have been for the V8-powered SS model, marking a 66 percent V8 take rate. Although that trend is likely tied to the Camaro being all-new for 2010, it’s still an extremely high percentage. The last time the Camaro was all-new – in 1993 – only 46 percent of buyers opted for the V8-powered Z28 model.
The news is also quite shocking considering the performance of the current Camaro V6 model. Whereas the 1993 Camaro V6 only managed an asthmatic 160 horsepower, the 2010 model makes a generous 304 horsepower. Moreover, the V6 Camaro even returns 29mpg on the highway.
Although the lopsided sales rate is sure to ding GM’s CAFE ratings – as the SS model only averages 19mpg – the Detroit automaker is perfectly happy with the results. The V6 model is only marginally cheaper to produce than its SS-counterpart, leaving GM with a healthy profit margin on V8 models. The base model V6 Camaro lists from $23,530, with a steep jump to $31,595 for the cheapest SS model.
