Road trippin’ with the 2016 Chevy Camaro

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 25, 2015

To introduce the 2016 Camaro, Chevrolet invited automotive journalists to drive the new coupe through each of the 48 contiguous states.

My leg covered four of them: from Raleigh, North Carolina to Orlando, Florida. In two days, my co-driver and I traveled more than 800 miles in both V6 and V8 models.

The conclusion? The 2016 Camaro is a completely different animal than it’s ever been. With a move to a smaller, lighter and stiffer platform (shared with the Cadillac ATS-V), the new Camaro shifts from being a traditionally powerful pony car to much more of a refined sports car. Along the way, it has picked up the latest in driver assist, entertainment and comfort features and touts the highest quality we’ve ever seen in a Camaro.

Three engines will be available including a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, though our time was limited to the 333-horspower 3.6-liter V6 and 455-horsepower V8. While enthusiasts will want to opt for the growly V8, the balance of power and efficiency offered by the all-new direct injection V6 makes for an attractive daily driver that can leap from 0 to 60 in about five seconds. The turbo won’t be available until early 2016 while the others are arriving in dealerships now.

Available on the V8 SS models is GM’s Magnetic Ride Control that samples road conditions 1,000 times per second to maximize suspension performance. All Camaros gain a drive mode selector which allows drivers to tune the vehicle systems for sport, touring or snow/ice.

While the 2016 carries on the retro-design theme of the last generation, it does so in a more elegant way. Where the last version was almost toy-like in its adherence to heritage, the new one does so in a refined, modern way.

About the only problem with the new design is that you still can’t see a thing out of the short windows. Thank goodness for the backup camera that’s standard across the lineup. You’ll also want to opt for the blind-spot alert and parking assist.

Unlike this road trip’s drivers, the new Camaro has successfully gone on a diet. Versions of the car have lost nearly 400 pounds, and it’s shorter, lower and narrower than before. A convertible version will be arriving in time for next summer’s road trips.

Two available eight-inch display screens serve as the gateway to an impressive array of technology including a dedicated 4G LTE data connection. Your car can act as a digital hub, connecting phones, iPads and laptops to the outside world. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto complete the picture, channeling your phone’s functions onto the vehicle’s screens.

2016 Chevrolet Camaro

Base price: $26,695 (1LT 4-cyl. turbo), $37,295 (1SS V-8) including $995 destination charge

Type: Rear-wheel drive, 4-passenger coupe

Engines: 2.0-liter Turbo, 3.6-liter V-6, 6.2-liter V-8

Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 8-speed automatic

EPA estimated mileage: Turbo TBA, V-6 18 city/27 highway, V-8 15/25

Length: 188.3 inches

Curb weight: 3,339 lbs. (4-cyl., Automatic)

Final assembly: Lansing, Michigan

Reach John Vincent at JMVincent2848@gmail.com or @OregonsCarGuy on Twitter.