Chevrolet Camaro, presentation and road test in Switzerland

A few months ago we told you that the Chevrolet Camaro would go on sale in Europe, completing the range of the American manufacturer with this powerful 432 CV sports car. It is now already on sale in our country from 43,900 euros for the Chevrolet Camaro Coupé.

A vehicle that leaves no one indifferent, as we were able to confirm on the road test we did through Switzerland in the new Chevrolet Camaro. A model that houses under the bonnet a powerful 6.2-litre V8 engine producing 432 CV.

At the Chevrolet Centenary Presentation, as the American firm turns 100 years old next November, in Switzerland we were able to try the brand’s latest novelties, models such as the Camaro, Volt, Cruze 5-door or the diesel Aveo.

Today we will focus on the Chevrolet Camaro, a powerful sports car with American soul and body that will now be available in our country. Units will be limited since only 2,000 Camaros will be sold per year across all of Europe, with a starting price in Spain of 43,900 euros for the Coupé model and 49,900 euros for the Cabrio.

Exterior design and changes compared with the American model

Exteriorly we have a sports car with very pronounced lines, an aggressive front end where the daytime running lights stand out, which are bulb-type, while the position lights are circular and use LED technology. On the unit we tested, the Camaro Cabrio, the white stripes on the front and rear stood out, an extra available from 500 euros.

At the rear, we find robust, sporty and well-defined shapes, with the rear lights featuring LED technology (an element not fitted to the American version). Nor can we overlook the 20-inch alloy wheels, standard, with sizes 245/45 R20 at the front and 275/40 R20 at the rear.

In the case of the Cabrio, the roof is canvas, a real touch of elegance, but its operation is not fully electric. We have to unlock and secure it manually, and we must also fit a cover by hand over the boot lid. Even so, the operation takes only a few minutes.

Behind the wheel: Chevrolet Camaro Cabrio 6.2 V8 432 CV

We have seen it from the outside and reviewed its imposing image of a muscle car, but now it is time to see how the Camaro behaves. As soon as we sit down, we see an interior with a simple yet imposing sporty design.

The instrumentation stands out, with two dials concentrating all the information, and below the radio the four gauges for oil pressure, battery level, oil temperature and water temperature.

Another detail we liked is the interior lighting of the Camaro, which uses a combination of Chevrolet’s typical blue with red touches, emphasising the car’s sporty character.

The finish in general stands out for the presence of a fair amount of plastic. The fit is quite good, but you can tell it is an American vehicle, as there are hardly any soft-touch areas and plastic is the predominant material.

Now that we know the Camaro’s interior, it is finally time to see how it behaves on the road. As soon as it is started, a strong sound immediately tells you of the power of the 432 CV V8 engine we had under the bonnet.

The most notable thing when driving a Camaro is the power delivery: it is quite linear and, lacking a turbo, the thrust is more progressive. This thrust starts to be felt from just 1,500 rpm and continues without fading until approaching 6,000 rpm.

As we drive along a road through pastures and cows in Switzerland, we are enveloped by the engine’s sound. Although loud, it is not unpleasant and conveys the car’s power. When we reach a village, with a simple gentle downshift you can already hear the exhaust roar.

As for the driving dynamics, this is a rear-wheel-drive model with correct behaviour, it does not reach the level of many sports cars (such as an Subaru STI), but it holds up quite well on winding roads.

Our unit was a manual with a six-speed gearbox that stood out for its short gear-lever travel, although the feel was not the best.

The engine, sound, handling and so on all take their toll on fuel consumption. During sporty or rather spirited driving, average consumption hovered around 25 litres per 100 km. Later, on the open road and with smoother driving, we managed to drop to 16 litres per 100 km.

A figure within what could be considered normal, given that this is a 6.2-litre V8 engine producing 432 CV. Even so, the driving sensations of the Camaro are impressive, a car that enthusiasts of pure vehicles will enjoy, with no turbo or advances in that area, 432 CV from a V8 block.

Equipment and prices

The standard equipment of the Chevrolet Camaro includes multiple airbags (front, side, head and curtain), air conditioning, MP3 audio system with USB and AUX input, a 9-speaker Boston sound system (8 in the Cabrio) of high sound quality, cruise control, electric, heated and auto-dimming mirrors, electric and leather seats, a rear-view camera integrated into the rear-view mirror, among other elements.

• Camaro Coupé Manual (432 CV) 43,900 euros
• Camaro Coupé Auto. (405 CV) 45,900 euros
• Camaro Cabrio Manual (432 CV) 49,900 euros
• Camaro Cabrio Auto. (405 CV) 51,900 euros

In the next part we will talk about the Chevrolet Volt, another car we were also able to try at the presentation, a vehicle we liked for its running economy and performance.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira