Once the leaked photos of the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible showed up, everybody knew what to expect of the Golden Bowtie’s new drop-top. Nevertheless, we also received some tech bits and pieces with the official release and things are looking more refined.
Anybody who’s been in the fifth-generation Camaro Convertible knows that you could feel the drawbacks of the chopped roof, from cowl shake to a bit of wiggling here and there. Well, Chevrolet explains such issues are now gone. As Al Oppenheiser, the man in charge of the Camaro’s engineering puts it - “from the beginning, the Camaro's architecture was developed to incorporate a convertible with uncompromised driving dynamics."
The roof
Sure, once you go below the waist, this is the same car as the 2016 Camaro we got back in the Spring. But Chevy wants us to know a thing or two about the new canvas top. To start with, the Camaro Convertible now packs an automatic solid tonneau cover. This is basically a move that invites you to drive the car with its top stowed. On one hand it keeps that canvas neatly stowed at speed, while also offering the car a sharp silhouette.
The manual unlatching is gone and you can operate the top on the move, at up to 30 mph (48 km/h). When the car is stationary, a dedicated button on the key allows owners to perform the operation without too much hassle. In fact, you can see the top in action (at speed) in the second video below.
From hardtop to droptop
Just like the Coupe, the Convertible will be at least 200 lbs (90 kg) lighter compared to its predecessor. And while the generation change diet is obvious, we don’t know yet whether the roof system is lighter than that on the fifth-gen Camaro Convertible or not.
As expected the Convertible will borrow the Coupe’s engine range. Thus, it all starts with a four-cylinder 2-liter turbo delivering 275 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. This is followed by a 3.6-liter V6 delivering 335 hp and 284 lb-ft (385 Nm) of twist. Until the special editions arrive, the SS will lead the pack with its 6.2-liter V8 producing a nicely rounded 455 hp and 455 lb-ft (617 Nm) of torque.
The timetable
Chevrolet is keeping the 2016 Camaro on the market in Coupe-only form for now. The Convertible is scheduled to land early next year, so expect it to warm up the 2016 Detroit Auto Show.
Nevertheless, we’re probably going to receive more than this partial taste of the open-top Camaro by then. As you’ve noticed, what we have here is the RS model and the photo gallery isn’t exactly complete. For one thing, Chevrolet could introduce the Euro-spec 2016 Camaro at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at the end of the week and we’ll have to wait and see if the Convertible shows up.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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