Camaro drops its top for the first time in the Middle East

Scheduled to arrive in showrooms across the Middle East region in April 2011, the highly-anticipated 2011 Camaro Convertible gears up for action at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi on March 16^th, 2011. 

“The introduction of the Convertible will further strengthen Camaro’s dominant position in the sports segment,” said Luay Alshurafa, Chevrolet Regional Brand Manager at General Motors Middle East Operations. “The new Convertible will attract new customers looking for top-down driving fun and precise engineering.” 

The convertible is equipped with similar model configurations as the Camaro Coupe. The standard model has a 312-horsepower direct injection V-6 engine delivering 8 L /100km highway while the SS model features the 6.2L V-8 engine producing 426 horsepower. 

The new Camaro Convertible enhanced body structure helps prevent cowl or steering wheel shake, for a strong, confident feel in all driving conditions. The top has a smooth, tailored fit, with acoustical foam in the headliner that helps deliver a quiet ride with the top up. The Camaro Convertible is offered in LT (V-6) and SS (V-8) trim packages with nine production exterior colors available and tops offered in black or tan. Rear parking assist is available on all convertible models. 

Strong structure

The Camaro’s architecture was designed to accommodate a convertible model, which means customers enjoy the fun of top-down cruising with coupe-like driving dynamics. Four strategic reinforcements enhance the already-stiff body structure to eliminate common convertible maladies of cowl and steering wheel shake. They include:

- A tower-to-tower brace under the hood

- A transmission support reinforcement brace

- Underbody tunnel brace

- Front and rear underbody “V” braces 

“Our goal in development was to make the Convertible match the Coupe as closely as possible in ride quality, handling and overall performance,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. 

A telling example of the Camaro convertible’s strength is evidenced in its suspension tuning – specifically, the lack of changes between the Convertible and Coupe models. 

“To compensate for the reduced structure of an open car, engineers often will make the suspension softer, making the convertible a boulevard cruiser,” said Oppenheiser. “Instead, we took the more difficult, but better path of bolstering structure rather than softening the suspension. We didn’t change a strut, bushing or spring rate from the Camaro Coupe.” 

The result is a Convertible that preserves nearly all the acceleration, road-holding and performance capabilities of the Camaro Coupe. 

Additional safety structural reinforcements are designed to improve noise and vibration characteristics, while also contributing to the elimination of cowl/steering wheel shake. They include a hydrofromed tube in the A-pillars, an inner reinforcement bracket in the windshield header, a reinforced front hinge pillar and reinforcements inside the rockers. 

Exceptional top refinement

At the outset, designers and engineers sought to eliminate the common appearance of convertible top support ribs and they succeeded, using composite knuckles rather than aluminum ones, as well as extending the top material below the belt line and revising the top’s stitch lines. The result is a top that has a smooth, taut and carefully tailored appearance that also retains the sleek roofline of the Coupe.

The power-folding top retracts in about 20 seconds. It is built in partnership with the same manufacturer as the Corvette Convertible top, and operates in a similar manner. That means it folds in a simple “Z” pattern and latches with a single, convenient handle located at the center of the windshield header. Other convertible models in this segment still offer convertible tops with dual latches, forcing drivers into two-hand operations reaching across the car.  

Once the latch is turned to the open position, the push of a single button lowers the windows and activates the top. The car doesn’t have to be parked for the top to be activated, allowing for spur-of-the-moment lowering while stopped at a stoplight. 

The top is made of thick, durable canvas and it features acoustical headliner material that provides a quiet, coupe-like ride when the top is up. It also incorporates a glass rear window and rear window defogger. 

Additional details

A myriad of fine details distinguish Camaro Convertible models, including:

- The radio antenna is embedded in the rear spoiler on LT equipped with RS package and SS models

- The trunk lock cylinder is moved to the rear seat area for a cleaner exterior appearance 

Because the radio antenna is mounted on the roof of coupe models, it had to be relocated on the Convertible. On LT models equipped with RS package and SS models, which include a rear spoiler the AM/FM radio antenna is hidden inside the rear spoiler. This patent-pending design creates a sleeker appearance. For LT models without a rear spoiler (without the RS package), the antenna is located in the center of the deck lid. 

The relocation of the trunk lock cylinder also cleans up the Camaro Convertible’s appearance, moving from the panel between the taillamps to a discreet area between the rear seat back cushion and driver’s side interior panel. The change retains full, lockable access to the trunk, with the keyless remote fob also offering easy trunk access. 

Performance

Camaro Convertible LT models are offered with a 3.6L direct injection (DI) V-6 that delivers more power through increased efficiency, while maintaining fuel economy and lowering emissions – including a 25-percent drop in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions. It is rated at 312 horsepower and 370 Nm of torque. Peak fuel economy with the direct injection V-6 is 8L per 100km on the highway. 

Two 6.2L V-8 engines are offered in Camaro Convertible SS models, including the L99 on automatic-equipped vehicles and the LS3 on manual-equipped models. Both engines are derived from the LS3 that debuted on the 2008 Corvette, with an aluminum block (with cast iron cylinder liners) and aluminum cylinder heads. Horsepower for the L99 is 400 HP and torque is 556 Nm. The LS3 develops 426 horsepower and 569 Nm of torque. 

The L99 features the fuel-saving Active Fuel Management System, which saves fuel by shutting down half of the engine’s cylinders during certain light-load driving conditions, such as highway cruising. 

All Camaro models can be equipped with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.