When the Chevrolet Camaro re-entered the market after an eight-year hiatus, it did so with much fanfare but without a drop-top variant. That has since changed, with Chevrolet offering a drop-top variant for every engine level (V6 and the V8-engined SS model) of the popular ponycar.
For the latest model year Chevrolet has revised the Camaro's power figures again, but this time due to actual mechanical upgrades instead of simply changing the official numbers as it did the first time around.
The base Camaro Convertible is available in LS and LT guise, with an available RS cosmetic package. Both LS and LT (including RS-equipped) models come with a 3.6-liter V6 - mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission - and produce an uprated 323 horsepower (up 11 horsepower) and 278 lb-ft of torque.
Chevy says the added power comes from a new cylinder head design, an improved intake port design, longer-duration intake camshafts, new fuel pump with isolated fuel rail, new and improved fuel injectors and camshaft cap and throttle body design improvements.
While boasting more power than the V6 versions of the Ford Mustang Convertible, the V6-powered Camaro Convertible returns slightly lower fuel economy with 28 mpg on the highway, compared to the Mustang Convertible's 30 mpg. City fuel economy comes in at 17 for the six-speed manual, but gains one mpg to 18 city for the automatic.
Interior changes include a revised instrument panel layout, new instrument graphics and trim, a new steering wheel design and a power lift feature for the front passenger seat. There is also an available Rear Vision Package, which addresses the limited rearward visibility issue when backing up by adding a rearview camera system to the park assist functionality.
The Camaro can retract its power-folding soft top in about 20 seconds. Chevy says the Camaro Convertible need not be parked to put the top down or up, allowing for a quick change while waiting at a light.
A folding, one-piece tonneau cover is standard on 2LT (and 2SS models) and optional on 1LT (and 1SS). It covers the folded top for a finished appearance. An accessory windscreen is available from Chevrolet dealers. It installs behind the front seats to limit wind buffeting when driving with the top down.
Of course when you chop off the roof of a vehicle a significant source of structural rigidity is lost, something GM engineers took into account with the Camaro Convertible model by adding a tower-to-tower strut brace under the hood, a transmission support reinforcement brace, additional underbody tunnel bracing and front and rear underbody "V" braces to help retain as much of the vehicles' driving dynamics at possible.
Aside from the obvious differences between the Camaro and Camaro Convertible are some less noticeable changes, including the relocation of the OnStar/XM/AM/FM radio antennas from the roof to the deck lid on LT models with the RS package. Models with the RS package will have the standard radio antenna embedded into the rear spoiler, while XM will come to the car via a shark fin antenna on the deck lid.
The trunk lock cylinder is also moved to the rear seat area for a cleaner appearance and a new subwoofer design has the subwoofer located in the trunk between the rear seats. (This applies to the base eight-inch subwoofer and the optional 10-inch driver included with the Boston Accoustics sound system).
Other changes for the latest model year include the availability the Synergy Green exterior color on any Camaro model -- for $395 -- and the addition of a Head-Up Display system to the Camaro's option list.
Camaro's entertainment systems include a single-CD radio with six speakers that is standard on LS and LT V6 models. A premium, 245-watt Boston Acoustics nine-speaker audio system can be ordered on the 1LT model. XM Satellite Radio is standard on all models, along with power door locks and an express up and down feature on the driver and passenger windows.
The Camaro Convertible features deep, recessed gauges, located in square housings outlined in chrome, giving a nod to the classic Camaro. The instrument panel gauges include both speedometer and engine rpm, with a driver information center located between the large gauges, with its readouts and features capable of being controlled via a stalk on the steering column. There is also an optional, console-mounted gauge package includes oil pressure, oil temperature, volts and transmission fluid temperature.
Both the LS and LT models ride on General Motor's FE2 suspension, featuring an independent rear suspension. It's a 4.5-link system that includes a unique, L-shaped upper control arm that attaches to the knuckle at one end and incorporates a ride bushing in the rear.
An RS appearance package is available on the LT model, and includes HID headlamps with an integrated halo ring feature, spoiler, specific tail lamps and 20-inch wheels.
With four-wheel independent and StabiliTrak stability control standard, the Camaro Convertible tips the scales at nearly 4,000 pounds, but is said to have a near ideal 52/48 weight distribution.
The Camaro Convertible features a number of safety features, including: Driver and front passenger dual-stage air bags, driver and front passenger seat-mounted thorax side-impact air bags, head curtain side-impact air bags for front- and rear-seat occupants, front-seat safety belt load limiters and pretensioners and a front passenger detection system that senses children and small-stature adults, and suppresses air bag deployment when appropriate.
Overall, the body shape is very similar to the Camaro Concept - sans the hard top. GM added a B-pillar to the Camaro's body structure for added strength. Otherwise, the car is virtually unchanged from the concept as GM has promised.
Production takes place at a dedicated production line at the Oshawa, Ontario plant in Canada.
Key Competitors
Drop-top rivals to the Camaro Convertible include the Ford Mustang Convertible, the athletic Nissan 370Z Roadster and the smaller, more nimble Mazda MX-5 Miata.