The 2012 Chevy Camaro 45th Anniversary Edition gets unique details -- and 11 more horsepower.
It’s apparently not enough to be king-of-the-hill for the first time in decades. To celebrate its 45th birthday, Chevrolet wants to give Camaro some more muscle.
The maker is unveiling a special 45th anniversary edition for 2012, featuring an array of distinguishing touches, including unique red stripes, silver-trimmed fog and taillight bezels and special 20-inch wheels.
The special package will boast a jet-black leather interior, with a special 45th anniversary logo framed in patriotic red, white and blue, as well as distinctive white gauges.
But what should make a real splash is the upgrade in the 45th Anniversary Chevy Camaro’s drivetrain. The new 3.6-liter V6 engine, a direct injection powerplant dubbed the LFX, is set to be rated at 323 horsepower. That’s up 11 from the current version – but perhaps more importantly, it’s also 18 hp over the V6 Ford Mustang. Notably, Chevy promises fuel economy will remain the same for 2012, with a 30 mpg highway rating.
The automotive equivalent of the Hatfields v McCoys feud took an unexpected turn, last year, with Camaro taking down Mustang for the first time since 1985. That’s all the more impressive when you consider Chevy only had the Camaro Coupe – in various trim – to challenge Ford with.
A jet-black interior features special 45th Anniversary logos, along with special white gauges.
That’s about to change. Chevy officials acknowledge the need to keep the line-up fresh, which means a steady stream of new variants, as well as upgrades to existing models.
The new Camaro Convertible is rolling out and could add some significant incremental volume (even though demand for the Mustang Convertible has been slipping and now accounts for just 13% of total Ford pony car sales).
Next up is the ZL1, which General Motors’ global design chief Ed Welburn declares, “the most technically advanced Camaro every built by GM.” The muscle machine will pump 550 horsepower out of its 6.2-liter V8.
As the LFX plant suggests, Chevy isn’t playing a love-it-then-leave-it game. The current line-up will continue to see improvements. That includes a new FE4 suspension package designed to address some of the relatively rare criticism of the current top-line Camaro SS.
The FE4 features retuned front and rear dampers, new solid stabilizer bars and 20-inch wheels and tires. Along with adjustments to the basic suspension geometry, Chevy claims the package will deliver “more effective body control and more precise response in performance driving.”