Chevrolet may be cooking a cheaper V8 Camaro

In a recent interview with GM’s Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, we learned that the automaker is currently developing a more affordable version of the Chevrolet Camaro with a V8 engine. It was also hinted that it won’t be the only variant that will get special attention.

Todd Christensen of Chevrolet said to GM Authority that they are trying to come up with a lower end version of the said vehicle. By doing so, they have to think of ways to repackage and reprice the Camaro. Right now, Christensen says that they are exploring different options for this, and they also noted that the V8 engine seems to have a higher demand than what they have expected.

In fact, when they had the fifth generation Camaro, the automaker sold a lot of V6 engines, thinking that the sixth generation would be the same. But instead, the V8 demand increased for the latter. That being said, Chevrolet still sells more V6 Camaros, it’s just that there is something about the new V8 that are luring more muscle car fans.

Now, it will not be that easy for them because the Camaro SS already has a starting price of $37,000. That makes it $1,905 more expensive than the 2018 Ford Mustang GT (at around $35,000). To compare it with the base V8 Dodge Challenger with 355 horsepower, the said model has a price tag of $32,995, but you can get the more powerful 485 horsepower Challenger T/A for $38,995. This is why Christensen wants to develop a more affordable V8 powered model - as a way for the middle of the market to grow.

As mentioned earlier, it is not only the V8 model that is getting some attention from the research and development team. Apart from that, the company is also looking into developing the turbocharged 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine. Here is the thing, the Camaro only produces 275 horsepower (205 kilowatts) and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-metres) of torque. That is a lot less compared to the Mustang’s 2.3 liter EcoBoost four-cylinder that produces 310 horsepower (231 kilowatts) and 350 pound-feet (474 Newton metres) of torque.

It is too soon for Christensen to say when we will see the said variants. However, the American automaker is currently working on a facelifted Camaro and it is just practical if they wait for that to be unveiled first before introducing the cheaper variants like the more affordable V8 model as well as the updated 2.0 liter four cylinder. If our sources are right, the refreshed Camaro should debut as early as next month at the Detroit Auto Show.