Chevrolet Camaro Testing in Europe

6 liters of muscle
by Frank de Leeuw van Weenen
April 8, 2008 1:50 PM
Filed Under: American, Chevrolet, Spy Photos

Today the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro was spotted in Germany without any camouflage. But, and there always is one, these headlights will not be on the production car. The new Camaro will be a traditional American muscle car with rear-wheel-drive with some modern twists, including the possibility of a independent rear suspension.

Even though there have been some rumours about a 4-cylinder engine, it seems certain now that a huge 400+ hp 6.0 liter V8 (with cylinder shut down capability to improve fuel economy) will be the power source. An alternative will most likely be a 3.6 liter V6.

The test car is fitted with 21 inch wheels in front and 22 inch wheels in the rear, but whether these will be standard is not yet known. The prototype is also equipped with bright red Brembo brakes which will be necessary for its Nurburgring test laps.

Further down the line, the Camaro range will be completed with a convertible and SS variant by 2010 or 2011.

Source: Automedia
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Comments

The car is wearing Australian licence plates from Victoria! Sure these pictures weren't taken in Australia?

by aggas_55 | April 8, 2008 2:09 PM
LOL Australia is the new Europe:-)

by homerlovesbeer | April 8, 2008 2:42 PM
the lights look good so why won't they be on the production model? and why is this car taking SO long to develop, come on put in production before we all die of boredom.... V4, 6, 8, 1.4 TDi Hybrid whatever, just make the thing

by joelynn | April 8, 2008 3:00 PM
It is taking so long because unlike countless other times GM wants to try and get it right. Camaro is an icon so it has to live up to its name, plus try and beat its competitors.

by foose1397 | April 8, 2008 3:07 PM
no there lights do not look good... and if this car Z06 well then its a hit!

by desiathate | April 8, 2008 5:53 PM
i actually admire GM for being "the pioneer" as always. in 1964 Mustang came out, it was something that took GM by surprise so they answered back in 1967.Cool. Mustangs have been produced constantly since then, but GM decided to take a break in 2002, because of sh**ty sales. I understand that, you can't sell the car that is barely screwed together with outdated rattling interior. now since GM has dissolved SS division, they are outsourcing this car from their little Holden subsidiary. I like the design and all that, but isn't this car supposed to stir some feelings in us to ummmm resurrect AN AMERICAN ICON? SURE, but wait a minute it is not made in AMERICA. So at the end of the day i do find myself liking it actually more then a Mustang, but at least Mustang is a true American ICON developed and built by American People... Do it Right GM and at least bring the production to America... Think about it, the core customer base for those cars are blue-collar guys, and back in a day they were building these cars for themselves. Now we have them bringing them from overseas, only to find those blue-collar guys working in Wal-Mart, because their Factories closed down and moved away.

by m555david | April 8, 2008 2:28 PM
The Camaro is actually gonna be built in Canada at the Oshawa Car Assembly Plant. And thats for Union reasons more than anything else. Maybe your thinking about the G8 being built in Australia.

by gmfan09 | April 8, 2008 3:20 PM
GM is being a pioneer????? They are simply jumping on the pathetic bandwagon of American companies living in the past gloy days instead of competing, and beating, import cars today.

by sensei | April 8, 2008 7:46 PM
Now, thats what I call a muscle car, the beast finally... You, all the fancy Europeans, the Bavarians, The Stutgart guys, those stylish Italians and snoby British brands, now stay off the Autobahns and the M1s, the big brother is here to kick your ... in your hometown. "Look Randy, he's got an El freaky Camino, it's like the Cadillac of cars"...from the TV icon "My name is Earl"

by trailer | April 8, 2008 3:34 PM
"Heart-beat of America, today's car is Chevrolet"...

Designers of Corvette's interior should take a look at this car's dashboard.

by trailer | April 8, 2008 3:43 PM
"The new Camaro will be a traditional American muscle car with rear-wheel-drive with some modern twists, including the possibility of a independent rear suspension." Hmmm... I think its been confirmed that it has independent rear suspension. It is built on a shortened GM Zeta platform (Holden Commodore/ Pontiac G8)

by AG4 | April 8, 2008 2:39 PM
Traditional American? it is not even built in America, what are you talking about

by m555david | April 8, 2008 2:55 PM
GM is an iconic American Corporation. GM is also a global automobile manufacturer and Holden is a GM subsidiary. So the Camaro is a car built by an American company. I understand m555 comments but as automakers consolidate worldwide operations and integrate platforms/components/engines this will become the standard method...and the money goes into GM wallet, not some nefarious foreign company...

by Benzian | April 8, 2008 4:23 PM
I agree with you completely. Most people don't understand that GM is a global company so why wouldn't they use all of their resources.

by gmfan09 | April 8, 2008 3:24 PM
the point i am trying to make is that core customer base for this cars don't live in New York or Los Angeles, that is where BMW sells briskly. i am talking about middle america, that buys those cars. and this middle america losses its jobs because GM builds them everywhere else, but the middle america. Come on guys, average joe that used to buy them now works in Wal Mart. ford is also a global company but at least they spared the fate of their Iconic Brand and kept the development and production here, where they sell them. that is fair

that is why scion is here. to replace those iconic brands that we all could enjoy back in the day.

by m555david | April 8, 2008 3:59 PM
I'd rather see GM re-focus as a global competitor and stop producing all its cars in America than try and please Unions, not make a profit and go under...

by benz_man | April 9, 2008 8:12 AM
The basic concept is still the same as that of the original American Camaro from the 60's. The main difference is its based on an Australian GM platform(the only RWD GM platform that fits the requirement).

PS: The current large RWD Australian cars(which always have big V8 options) are like modern versions of the old American muscle cars with some euro influence mixed in.

by AG4 | April 8, 2008 3:30 PM
the point i am trying to make is that core customer base for this cars don't live in New York or Los Angeles, that is where BMW sells briskly. i am talking about middle america, that buys those cars. and this middle america losses its jobs because GM builds them everywhere else, but the middle america. Come on guys, average joe that used to buy them now works in Wal Mart.

by m555david | April 8, 2008 3:46 PM
ford is also a global company but at least they spared the fate of their Iconic Brand and kept the development and production here, where they sell them. that is fair

by m555david | April 8, 2008 3:49 PM
that is why scion is here. to replace those iconic brands that we all could enjoy back in the day.

by m555david | April 8, 2008 3:52 PM
too bad the head light will not go into production..it looks so awesome...american cars kick ass

by phobos | April 8, 2008 4:40 PM
Those wheels aren't 21/22" by any means, 20/21" if anything. Yellow turn indicators for EU markets look nice.

by ck314 | April 8, 2008 5:31 PM
no matter where and how it is made, just a single glance, you see the good old days (Cutlass, ElCamino, GTO, Riviera, 8th, Chevelle, Eldorado etc, where are they?) with this one, razor sharp look and simply macho, I like it so much. I wish the rest of the GM range has similar and nice proportional feeling, but unfortunately most of them look so Korean, too bad.

by trailer | April 8, 2008 6:12 PM
that is what middle america seems to afford nowdays. Korean..and then Koreans will be out of reach, by that time Chinese will be here..and it just saaaaid

by m555david | April 8, 2008 5:36 PM
i mean sad:)

by m555david | April 8, 2008 5:36 PM
m555david; grow up, no one wants american cars anymore, and this one is craved by everybody in america. It's the fault of the unproductive work of the "middle-americans" that "middle-american" cars were, are and will be crap. So suck it up butter cup, buy a real, japanese or German car, maybe some of GM's new saturns or Pontiac's can compete, but stop trying to defend the sh*tty american car manufacturing comapanies.

by joshg_5 | April 8, 2008 7:10 PM
Read my point below, if there is no economy then that are no people buying cars. look at the bigger picture dummy and grow up yourself if you haven't realized that yet...soon you will...why do you think our economy is in the slump? don't even think about blaming middle class. In Europe middle class is protected...here it is a different picture....so grow up

by m555david | April 8, 2008 7:45 PM
YES it's wearing Aussie plates so chances of the pictures coming from Germany are unlikely ... YES it's engineered in Australia as GM's rear wheel drive centre of excellence is based in Victoria ... YES it will be built in Canada for whatever reason ... BUT ... isn't that all for the best if it results in a top quality modern 21st century product (unlike the "home grown" 20th century old school technology and the resulting poor driving dynamics of the current Mustang).

by daviepops | April 8, 2008 7:21 PM
m555david for all your above posts. You seem to be really concerned about all American's now working at Walmart. Do you work there? If so, I highly doubt that even 5% of the population works there. Also, scion's are less American then the new Camaro. They are owned by Toyota, you buy a scion... and there profits go to the Japanese. As to korean cars, they will always sell because they are cheaper. But since they are cheaper many people also turn their noses up at them. It's mainly in the American pride. "What American would want to drive a shitty import?". Also, if it was the unions that decided to make the car in Canada instead of the USA then your loss of job comment is also invalid. Union's work to keep people employed. If they moved the car up to Canada, that means there are more people's job's at risk up here then down there.

by Joe_Limon | April 8, 2008 6:41 PM
ok here it goes. Joe those words are not meant to be taking literally. You did mention your young age previously and i can understand your eagerness to pick on every word. by mentioning wal-mart i am generalizing a current state of economical despair that we are experiencing. This is not because of mortgage downfall. Nothing like that. it is mostly contributed to NAFTA and our low tariff system, where as every other country imposes higher tariffs on our products, hence creating an enormous deficit in our budget. I hold financial degree and degree in economics and actually deal with this matter on daily basis. and i can tell you with one thing for sure. America's middle class is dissolving at very alarming rate. Given that middle class is a backbone of american econonomy and a major drive of American Consumer power. Now, try to take the middle class out of equation and what would you have left??? a very dismissive market for those cars that GM is bringing. i live in new york but often travel to the heart of America; to Indiana and Michigan. and when i see the former workforce that used to make 40-50 dollars in hour working in manufacturing facility and now barely making $8. then the problems are little more apparent. and why did i mention scion, because at those hourly wages this is the only car that they can afford. Camaro is not high end car and people that buy BMWs and such, will never cross Chevy's doors so who is Chevy building this car for? the same people that they took jobs away from and moved them to Mexico or Canada. Unions don't need to be blamed. GM and others were very irresponsible with their investments back in 80's hoping for a government bail out if things would get worse.... to make it short...i think you should wake up and smell the roses, because our economy is on the brink of chaos and major internal restructuring of our legislature and corporate culture will save the day.

by m555david | April 8, 2008 7:22 PM
I agree we are going downhill fast. And yes it all comes down to labor costs. $40-$50 an hour is a ridiculous wage for general labor. It is no wonder we can't compete with China/Korea. We could restructure our businesses. But that "restructuring" word insists demotions, and mass firing. Or... that would mean we force upon ourselves a communist society where the employers equally share there wages with the employees. This will bump everyones wages to about $15 an hour. At which point you realize that American products are still more expensive and now everyone is going to buy the cheaper cars cause they can no longer afford there own products. Either way China wins. The only way I could see us beating the Chinese is adapting to the fact that they can produce mass quantities at cheap prices and have us focus on short run high quality items. This takes some investment though... through both machines and the fact that people need to educate themselves better. Sure my solution isn't perfect. But there are no perfect solutions in this game.

by Joe_Limon | April 8, 2008 8:17 PM
or better yet, introduce tariffs on imports as everyone else successfully doing to us...that way we can protect american worker and keep jobs inside the country. this is the only way to retain the superpower spot. think about it, 40-50 dollars is not a high wage. Adjusted to inflation it is about what workers were making in the 60's... therefore, the quality of life has gone way down because government has not protected the biggest asset that our country possesses, our MIDDLE CLASS.

by m555david | April 8, 2008 9:38 PM
What are you smoking? At $40-$50 an hour the average worker would make between $80,000 and $100,000 a year... In the 60's the average income was $4,743 a year. After inflation that comes to $33,389.72 about a third of what you are saying. As to tariffs. They are already working in your favor. Due to the NAFTA agreements the penalties imposed on Canadian lumber has crippled our lumber industry in the western provinces.

by Joe_Limon | April 8, 2008 9:59 PM
Joe, do you really think that 100,000 is a lot of money for a family of 5? i don't think so...i think it is a borderline middle class. and currently americans don't even have that....so go figure...in 60's proportionally people were making what would be 100,000+ in terms of todays prices... so go figure...

by m555david | April 8, 2008 11:22 PM
a. In todays workforce, many households have 2 people making income. So if they are each making a middle class income, then you are saying that 200,000 a year is middle class. Also, the $33,389.72 is the exact inflation on $4,743 between 1960 and 2007. The $4,743 is the average income. If you add in the fact that in the 1960's very few women were in the work force. The numbers add up to show today people are better much better off then they were almost 50 years ago. So your number of "100,000+" remains just a number you pulled out of thin air in the hopes to prove your point. Seriously, I expected more from someone who professes themselves as having a economics degree, and who "actually deal with this matter on daily basis".

by Joe_Limon | April 8, 2008 11:34 PM
Joe, 100,000 for a family of 5? This is a typical american family, where father brings an income and mother raises 3 children, given this proportion, not many women can have successful careers outside of their home. unless children are neglected. common use your common sense, not just the numbers... don't you know that numbers don't speak for the real issues...

by m555david | April 8, 2008 11:48 PM
Numbers don't speak for real issues, they prove points. I grew up in a family where both parents so are you saying I and a large portion of the population were neglected? If you aren't going to listen to numbers then I won't bother bringing up the statistics showing that there are more mothers who work then do not work. Since you aren't bringing up families in the 1960's anymore, I guess you concede on towards that point?

by Joe_Limon | April 9, 2008 12:16 AM
what are you talking about??? concede to what??? listen, the only thing i am saying, and i am not making this up, is that one income could support family of 5 40 years ago...where as income of two barely supports family of 3 nowdays...i am not making it up...try to expose yourself maybe to political shows on CNN where economists give interviews...your argument with statistics is irrelevant. people are poorer...what else don't you understand?

by m555david | April 9, 2008 1:44 AM
hahaha, people are poorer yet the numbers say they are richer... yeah right. "two barely supports family of 3" oh man that one is also a keeper. Your argument is humorous in just how out of proportion it is. I can't believe that you are actually saying that $200,000 a year barely supports a family of 3. The reason why you keep saying statistics is irrelevant is because they prove you wrong. Seriously, keep going I wanna see what you say next.

by joe_limon | April 9, 2008 1:57 AM
As to CNN, it is a news channel. If you knew the amount of filtering that was driven by their own political agenda you would never want to watch the channel again. If you are going to say you know more on this because you watch a channel, try watching several and notice just how differently they view the world.

by joe_limon | April 9, 2008 2:03 AM
Joe what are you talking about?? read above i have never said nothing of 200,000 supporting family of 3...your arguments become ludacris as you start picking on every word and in a heat of the argument starting to make your own. read everywhere above and you won't find those numbers you are throwing back at me. so what is the argument again? 100,000 or 200,000 because it gets useless to even say anything knowing that it will get twisted in be answered to your own twisted understanding of the issue.

by m555david | April 9, 2008 8:35 AM
$200,000 comes from a combination of..."income of two barely supports family of 3"..."40-50 dollars is not a high wage"..."in 60's proportionally people were making what would be 100,000+ in terms of todays prices"..."Joe, 100,000 for a family of 5...where father brings an income and mother raises 3 children" need more? You are saying $100,000 is a middle class income, and that two of these salaries put together can barely scrape by for a family of three. If you would have said $18 an hour, and $30,000 a year I would have had no problem with the middle class ranking... but your estimates are way blown out of proportion.

by Joe_Limon | April 9, 2008 8:47 AM
The main culprit is actually credit, the usury-based economy, the privately owned federal reserve, summing up, a pack of totalitarian socialist elite f*cks that have planned the destruction of the US and all major nations bit by bit from within in the name of global government (aka total dictatorship).

by ck314 | April 8, 2008 11:36 PM
CK, the only entity that is for free gobal trading agreements is US government...Europeans are very well protected, so are the Japanese, especially from our goods, Chinese are bigger threat not just to us but to themselves, and they know it better then us, and trying to slow the economy down... Federal Reserve, specifically, Alan Greenspan has been including this warning about the possibility of major shifts from manufacturing to service economy in his report since he stirred the economy out of chaos back in 1987... This magic man warned us all along about that...Man has a class, he did it with subtle hints...but the money making machine was too busy to pay attention to him...

by m555david | April 8, 2008 11:18 PM
Well, don't forget that US govt=federal reserve, and what do you mean Europeans are very well protected?? They're relentlessly destroying all concepts of national sovereignity in the name of a totalitarian centralized mega-bureaucracy, the same way the US is apparently on the verge of merging with Canada and Mexico. And where are "your" goods made? In China. Greenspan did smart moves in the past simply because it wasn't convinient to set chaos loose YET. But now things have changed. http://www.perfecteconomy.com/

by ck314 | April 9, 2008 2:50 AM
meaning that although things are more expensive in Europe because they slap on tariffs on all of the imports. and it sort of keeps employment at descent levels protecting middle class. where as Americans have to compete with Mexicans for the same job(not illigals here) but shifting manufacturing to mexico.

by m555david | April 9, 2008 1:50 AM
yes... yes... global evils=credit card companies, insurance companies, bush, and china.

by Joe_Limon | April 8, 2008 10:46 PM
Bush is a nice guy to smoke a joint with...no more no less..but to lead a country??? common, guy talks as if he is 5 years old

by m555david | April 8, 2008 10:58 PM
I doubt Bush smokes. He seems like the "can I get a bump" kind...

by benz_man | April 9, 2008 8:25 AM
Those pics were taken in Australia NOT Germany. FIX your article son.......

by Cabron89 | April 9, 2008 1:01 AM
just mabye good looking 6L whit only 400 pony it a shame, how old its that engine designe, 50??? GM pioneer jajaja yeah right pioneer as Hyundai designes jajaja an european car can get 400hp+ whit 3.6 Lt

by _M7_ | April 9, 2008 1:22 AM
well... I would like to see a European car that has 400hp for $30,000

by joe_limon | April 9, 2008 1:32 AM
Anyone can get any ridiculous power number from any sized engine. The point here is to make it efficient & reliable while mass producing it. If GM can still make the smallblock do all of this for cheaper than the DOHC competition, why shouldn't they? Because its different? Thats a selling point if your marketing department knows what they're doing!

by benz_man | April 9, 2008 8:30 AM
check these images out Champ. You might be surprised. That track ain't in Australia. http://jalopnik.com/377283/2010-chevy-camaro-ss-caught-on-nurburgring-stig-at-the-wheel

by aball | April 9, 2008 2:43 AM
Im not a big fan of those tail lights. Maybe if they where all red?? But I love everything else about this car. Especially because of the fact that it is replaceing an ugly camaro.

by moyusuf | April 9, 2008 6:21 AM
damnnn people... stop writing essays on here and argueing with people... its annoying now lol (ive stopped at least lol) other than that... those front lights are PERFECT! is that production lights?? (the black one...) the rear lights are still horrible though... like two squares??? seriously now... a little more can be dont by their design staff hopefully.

by carcrazy1234 | April 9, 2008 5:28 AM
m555david you just can't handle someone having a different opinion to your own please take your own unique brand of stupidness and crawl back down the sewer.

by davethepetrolhead | April 9, 2008 9:34 AM
agreed. and get a life and stop jacking off to this forum.

by MB.65 | April 10, 2008 9:47 PM
Guys, it is getting more interesting to read all what you write. Are you aware that we made the Camaro the most clicked car here. Thanks, it deserves, and what you write is almost all right, just different points of views. I am neither American nor European, but to be honest the downhill in US economy puts us in deep trouble even thousands of miles away. This car is gonna be very reliable and running even in 2050 when we wont have any oil left on earth as a masterpiece classic, but I doubt if the competitors with hi-tech DOHC engines can do the same.

by trailer | April 9, 2008 10:16 AM
First, sorry for my poor english.. second.. this is a comment from the country where some highways still got no speedlimit.. and the Country of Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, VW, Audi... VW is also the Owner from Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley, Skoda, Seat, MAN Trucks, BMW ist owner from Rolls Royce and Mini, Mercedes is Owner of SMART and the world largest Truckproducer... and Porsche is on the way to get the Hand on Power by VW and Audi... Non of this Cars a produced in total in Germany. Parts comming from all over the world. So.. times a changed.. it will be never like it was in the "good old days".. Reason to feel sorry? NO.. because all the rest of the world want to life like the europeans or americans do.. wrong? No.. what gives us the right to say.. sorry folks.. just we are allowed to drive big cars and life in big houses and got 4 weeks a year in holidays.. It´s very rear to get a.. oh.. yes you are right .. sorry that love also nice food and clothes for me... I can´t find any Konsumer Products made in USA in Europe.. only a i-phone and Windows vista with Google is not enough I m afraid.. maybe when i by a gun or a tank i will choose a american product.. and for sure it is not build completly in usa... but maybe the new boeing Waraircraft is build in USA.. what a shame to arrange everything again to let Boeing win against Airbus.. thats protection on lowest level.. but.. i love the new camaro.. i will buy one.. paying 1.60 euro a liter and enjoy life..

by German_Ralf | July 12, 2008 11:07 PM

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