General Motors has officially confirmed that it will export a right-hand drive version of its upcoming Camaro to the European market. The UK should see about 1,000 Camaro coupes and 1,000 Camaro convertibles per year, with all three Camaro variants being represented — base V6, Z28 and SS.
However, it remains unclear how GM will market the Camaro in Europe. Since its Chevrolet brand is marketed as a budget brand, GM could offer the Camaro under its own brand, like it does with the Corvette in Europe. But Chevrolet is in the midst of a brand expansion in Europe, so the most logical choice will probably be to sell the Camaro at Chevrolet dealers.
Whatever the case, GM has some time to think about it as the Camaro coupe won’t hit the European market until early 2010 with the convertible following a year later.
The report by Autocar also suggests that one Camaro model will be equipped with a 400 horsepower 6.0L V8. This engine is presumably GM’s LS2 powerplant — the same used in the Pontiac G8 — and will likely power the Z28 model.
That power figure can also give us a rough estimate what to expect from the other models since GM will want to keep an orderly progression. The base V6 should be powered by the same powerplant used in the Cadillac CTS, with an output in the neighborhood of 300 ponies. The SS will need more grunt than the Z28’s 400 horsepower, so look for it to have at least 450, but the final figure will probably be closer to 500.
06/03, 11:02 AM
posted by:
xyunya
Why not sell Hummers there? Gas is near $10/gallon, I am sure it will compete well with Ferrari.
06/03, 11:05 AM
posted by:
HemiRoadRunner
“But Chevrolet is in the midst of a brand expansion in Europe, so the most logical choice will probably be to sell the Camaro at Chevrolet dealers. ” That would be a good place to start!
06/03, 11:05 AM
posted by:
moto-racer13
More money wasted by GM creating right hand drive versions of this camaro. I doubt there will be many people in Britain wanting this thing, especially in Europe where they have more cars to choose from than we got. I also doubt anyone from Japan, South Africa, even Australia where this thing was born would want to buy this already outdated car that is still far from hitting the show room.
06/03, 11:08 AM
posted by:
BlackX
selling 2000 a year will be no problem in UK.
06/03, 11:13 AM
posted by:
Need4SSpeed
Wrong LLN! Here’s what I just heard from my sources…
Camaro base V6 (306-310hp 3.6L V6)
Camaro RS (?) An RS package was spotted on a V6 Camaro in GM’s media prep room @ Milford Proving Grounds…
Camaro SS -Remember the black Camaro that was spotted on the Nurburgring? That was it. It’s going to have a very identical LS3 that the G8 GXP will have with 400-403hp
Camaro Z28 – getting the LSA that the CTS-V has w est up to 550hp
My speculation is that Chevy is going to once again be spotting the “Z” moniker for it’s top of the line performance model just like it did in the 60s 70s etc…
I wasn’t told anything on pricing or when each model is debuting but that’s what I heard.
06/03, 11:16 AM
posted by:
xyunya
Chevy brand expansion in Europe is selling Daewoo with bow ties below other brands price tag. They are competing with Kia on price there. Actually, in Europe Kia is not a bad car, especially ones build locally in eastern Europe.
06/03, 11:17 AM
posted by:
shaver
Aston Martin had better be worried.
06/03, 11:27 AM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Wot! Bloody elll. Woi not!
06/03, 11:27 AM
posted by:
A4
riveting
06/03, 11:34 AM
posted by:
Jigs
yeah!!! finnaly a muscle car in the UK!!! i want to see Dodge challangers here 2! or a new Charger
06/03, 11:57 AM
posted by:
Madcapp
I wasn’t aware of rampant redneckism in the UK.
06/03, 11:59 AM
posted by:
moto-racer13
Jigs is an american posing as a brit to make it sound like people in Europe are actually interested in buying a camaro lol
06/03, 12:19 PM
posted by:
CleanGTO
BULLY! They bleedin well would, wouldn’t they? I say, a piece of American bad assery to throw a bollocking on the ole chaps would be right proper.
06/03, 12:19 PM
posted by:
CleanGTO
By the way…are we sending instructions for how to cut a mullet along with it??
06/03, 12:22 PM
posted by:
VictorRaikkonen
Well, I live in Australia and the Camero would be welcomed here as possibly maybe, the next Monaro. However, I believe the CTS coupe and the Monaro are going to be similar. Although, the Holden Camero has a nice ring to it… hell, it was born in Melbourne. [its am not pm]
06/03, 2:39 PM
posted by:
LaCaLover
The mullet is back in vogue in the UK anyway, but it is now an ironic fashion statement and doesn’t mean you live in a double-wide and are married to your sister.
06/03, 4:33 PM
posted by:
chiefpontiac
The LS2 is out of production, and the LS3 going in the G8 GXP is 6.2 liters.
06/03, 4:56 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
And they will most likely be priced close to the BMW M5 in the UK, thanks to import taxes and all those people that want a ton of money for what they “do”. I can’t wait to see Jeremy Clarkson put it up against something similarly priced. See, European cars are cheap in Europe and expensive here, while American cars are expensive here and even more expensive in Europe.
06/03, 5:15 PM
posted by:
brassmonkey
Go smoke a fag you limey bastards!
06/03, 6:31 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
LaCaLover, you love your stereotypes don’t you? Good for the British, I know that even though we in America complain about cars they get in Europe, some Europeans complain about cars we get that they do not (Mustang etc.)
06/03, 8:50 PM
posted by:
iglesias294
I’m sure the dropout chavs with mullets and acid-washed jeans will love it!
06/03, 9:04 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
Oh look, another person with the stereotypes.
06/04, 6:05 AM
posted by:
Got Handling?
Corvette and Caddy were both flops in Europe, can’t say I’d have much hope for the Camaro. I imagine the Aussies and Saffers would like it though, and after a few years bartending in London, they could probably afford one when they got home.
06/04, 6:07 AM
posted by:
Got Handling?
I’ve got a stereotype for you NoName:
“only steers and queers come from Texas [...], and you don’t much look like a steer to me so that kinda narrows it down”
06/04, 12:13 PM
posted by:
Supermann1
I guess u have to try other countries too to muster up all the sale u can since it might not sell so well in the states, given that ford would be waiting in the docks with its new mustang to shove the camaro back into obsolescence as in the past.
06/04, 12:23 PM
posted by:
Need4SSpeed
Supermann1, the Mustang wan’t the main reason why the Camaro become absolete. Yeah the Mustang always sold more than the Camaro but that wasn’t why GM killed it. I still have a copy of a Car and Driver mag from like 2002 that compared a Camaro SS, Mustang GT, and Trans Am WS6. Guess which car came in last place in the comparo? It was the Mustang. The Camaro and Trans Am by far were better cars and offerred better performance. But they cost more than the Mustang and that’s what gave the Mustang the advantage. Because the Mustang was cheaper and performed almost as well. Also the F-body was prehistoric and the Camaro and Trans Am needed a new platform. Also they were killed off by bad judgement from GM when GM tried to give the SSR and later the GTO a go. (Which also flopped) Then the GTO didn’t survive because of its bland looks and once again cost more than the Mustang. I’m not making excuses because the Mustang is successful and I praise it for why it is successful. I’m not a pony car fan so I don’t really care, but your comment wasn’t true.