Trying to look unfazed by their company’s shaky financials, GM just unveiled the new 2010 Chevy Camaro. Set for availability in 2009, the new Camaro hopes to that car that would strike the balance between form and substance. And in today’s world of gallon-pinching, the Camaro’s return of 26 mpg makes it practical as well.

The Camaro uses GM’s rear-wheel drive architecture and would feature three variants sporting two different engines - a 3.6L V6 and a 6.2L V8. The V6 dishes out 300 hp while the V8 packs 422 horses. These engines are mixed and matched to six-speed trannies designed to give optimum performance and fuel efficiency.

All variants feature four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and are equipped with GM’s StabilTrak electronic stability control. The car also offers rear parking assist, remote starting, Bluetooth connectivity, airbags for safety, and an XM satellite radio.

I’d like to see how the new Camaro would fare in the market. The features and the performance figures seem to make this a practical choice for those gunning for a sports car that wouldn’t break the bank. Still, it makes me curious whether GM’s image as a faltering company will have an effect to public reception.

Source: Chevrolet

Green. Green. Green. I have no problems going green. In fact, since I’m a firm believer of Al Gore’s manbearpig, I am all for it (though I still have to save up some money before I could drive around smug in a hybrid). One stigma that hybrids need to overcome is the performance part. While many manufacturers have come a long way into making performance hybrids, I guess if everyone pushes for their own zippy hybrids then it would be an industry standard.

While everyone’s trying to do just that, GM isn’t really focusing on those details but they’re just complying with new rules that require fuel efficiency rates must be improved by 40% in 2020. So turning the Camaro to a hybrid is in by no means a way to make zippy hybrids, it’s just that they should be able to turnaround their whole fleet. I wonder why since they’ve got their own breakthroughs in fuel cells anyway.

Imagine that: a muscle car hybrid. And doing that would be a bit costly. That means that they’d be revamping the platforms and the new powerful gas-guzzling engines (the new V8) will be put on hold.

So for now, GM will be totally rethinking their plans on their developments for the Camaro. Though I still think that they’d be able to do that. They be content squeezing out all the juice they can get from a V6. Toyota has already done a performance hybrid with the FT-HS so why can’t they. Let’s see how the two top dogs would duke it out.

Source: World Car Fans