We are in the midst of a horsepower war between the Big Three, with each brand pitting their chosen champions against each other on the track and in the showroom. The Mustang, Challenger, and of course the Camaro are at their peaks. Yet with looming fuel efficiency regulations, how will GM and the other American automakers get more MPG’s without sacrificing horsepower?
If a post on GM Inside News is to be believed, at the very least the Chevy Camaro could see its base V6 engine dropped in favor of a turbocharged four-banger.
Yes, you read that right. The 2016 Camaro could debut with an optional 2.0 liter, four-cylinder turbo engine. Why? Well the EPA is dictating that the fleetwide fuel economy average must be in the area of 34.4 mpg or greater. While GM will get bonus points for electric cars and hybrids like the Chevy Volt, even the base model Camaro must pitch in. When coupled with GM’s mild hybrid “eAssist” system (which basically shuts off the engine and helps accelerate the car at low speeds) an eco-Camaro could get as high as 47 mpg on the highway. Yes, you read that right, a 47 mpg Camaro. Awesome, right? And it should still manage a “respectable” quarter mile time of around 15 seconds. A Z-Spec turbo four-cylinder Camaro could have as much as 325 horsepower and make the quarter-mile disappear in less than 14 seconds.
Worry not though, as if this post is to be believed, GM will keep a V8 option under the hood of the Camaro SS with a next-generation V8 and a seven-speed (yes, seven-speed) manual transmission, or eight-speed automatic. Remember the days when three speeds were enough? Not anymore. Still, wouldn’t you like 400 horsepower and 29 mpg highway? Sounds pretty awesome, and if GM can deliver, well, we’ve got a lot to be excited about, because there’s also mention of a Z28, which will have closer to 500 horsepower. Also, and we fully expected this, all the new Camaros will be shedding close to 500 pounds. That will help out a lot with handling.
Of course, 2016 is a long ways away, a lot can change in five years, and there is no proof that this info is accurate. That said, we’re kind of excited to see what new changes GM can bring to the Camaro to keep it around.