General Motors recently unveiled the production version of the much anticipated new Chevrolet Camaro that is due to go on sale in North America next year.

In Melbourne, the Australian-based designers and engineers involved in the new heritage-inspired coupe held their own reveal event at GM Holden's headquarters in Port Melbourne, giving a first glimpse of the iconic sports car that underwent much of its development and testing on Australian roads.

The new Camaro exemplifies GM's global development process with the design concept originating in the United States; engineering directed by GM's global rear-wheel-drive team in Australia; validation conducted on roads around the world; and assembly to take place in Canada.



Joining onlookers at the reveal was reigning V8 Supercar Champion and Camaro enthusiast, Garth Tander, who brought his own 1969 Camaro SS to Port Melbourne to meet the newest member of the Chevrolet family. Members of the Melbourne-based Camaro Car Club also joined the celebration by bringing their historical vehicles to the display.

With GM's global rear-wheel drive team based in Australia, much of the design and engineering work for the new Camaro was undertaken in Victoria, giving this vehicle an important place in Australia's automotive history.



The new Chevrolet Camaro combines great looks and performance; advanced technology and surprising efficiency.

Ed Peper, GM North America Vice President for Chevrolet, said the Camaro delivered all of the things that make Chevrolet such a revered, global brand.

"It competes with the world's best sports cars and does so with styling, fuel economy and value our competitors simply can't match.

"The new Chevrolet Camaro delivers a thoroughly modern, advanced package of performance, comfort and technology.

"It's a sports car for a new generation of enthusiasts that doesn't forget the heritage that helped make the original a cultural icon. That is no small feat and it took a worldwide commitment to achieve it," Peper said.



Australian, Peter Hughes, Camaro Exterior Design Manager, said they made sure there were many elements and cues that remained distinctly Camaro to make the new model instantly recognisable.

"We're incredibly proud of how faithful the production version is to the original concept. This is a 21st century sports car that acknowledges its iconic heritage, while at the same time is smoothly integrated into a very contemporary exterior," Hughes said.

Details such as frameless door windows contribute to the overall feeling of quality, substance and technical prowess.

A well-executed balance of heritage, modern design and attention to detail also characterises the Camaro's interior. A pair of deeply recessed instrument binnacles that feature round gauges in square housings gives a nod to classic Camaros.

Large, chrome-trimmed controls, low-gloss surfaces and premium fabric or acrylic appliqués convey a richness that is unprecedented in previous Camaro models – and challenge its contemporary competitors.

Advanced powertrain technologies, including engines with direct injection and Active Fuel Management, give the vehicle a balance of exhilarating performance and good fuel economy.



Gene Stefanyshyn, GM's Global Vehicle Line Executive, who led the Australian-based engineering team on this project, said they had four key objectives when creating the new Chevrolet Camaro.

"The first was to create a bold and beautifully styled vehicle – inside and out. The second was to ensure it had the ride, handling and performance dynamics of a true sports car. The third was to create a vehicle which boasts pristine quality. Finally, we wanted to back all this with outstanding value," Stefanyshyn said.

"This vehicle exhibits the depth and capability of our Design and Engineering teams here in Australia and I am incredibly proud of what they have achieved to help make this vehicle a reality."

Under the bonnet of the new Camaro is an advanced, efficient 3.6L direct-injected V6 with variable valve timing which is standard on LS and LT models. Direct injection technology helps the engine deliver more power through increased efficiency, while maintaining fuel economy and lowering hydrocarbon emissions.

The high-performance Camaro SS is equipped with a powerful 6.2L V8, with a choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Standard, manual transmission-equipped models receive the LS3 engine, which uses high-flow cylinder heads based on the Corvette Z06's LS7 engine enabling great low-end torque and high-rpm power.



A new, L99 V8 engine is used on automatic transmission-equipped SS models. This is based on the LS3 and carries all of its high-performance design features, but also includes GM's fuel-saving Active Fuel Management feature. This enables the engine to run on only four cylinders during light-load driving conditions, such as highway cruising, to improve fuel economy.



Sales begin in North America in the first quarter of 2009.