Friday 15th April 2016

Camaros on sale in the UK!

A Surrey dealer has 18 build slots available for Chevy's latest, but in left-hand drive only

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While the world has gone Mustang crazy with the introduction of right-hand drive, it's been easy to overlook the fact that the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is vastly improved over the previous model. Now muscle car fans in the UK will able to choose between them, as a few Camaros will be available over here.

It's coming for you Chipping Norton!

There are a few caveats though: all the cars will be left-hand drive, which will immediately put some people off, and they're only available through Ian Allan Motors in Virginia Water. And there are only 18 build slots...

So you will have to be pretty committed to the Camaro cause to get a new one in the UK. Those after a convertible will have to be really fast, as there are just three coming in either four-cylinder or V8 spec. The coupe is offered solely as a V8, with an eight-speed auto optional; the four-cylinder cars are auto-only.

However, if you do want a V8 manual Camaro - and much from our first drive would suggest you would - how much will it cost? £37,000, which looks quite good value. A Mustang is cheaper though, thanks to a starting price of £32,995. The convertibles are more expensive as well, both the £36,500 2.0-litre turbo and the £41,000 V8 around £2,500 costlier than the Mustang Ecoboost and V8 equivalents.

So it's a tough case for the Camaro, but credit to Chevrolet for bringing a few over here. It's one way to counter those people who say new cars all look the same! Orders are being taken at Ian Allan now, with the cars due in the UK from September. If a PHer does take the plunge, we'd love to hear about it - should be fun!

[Source: Autocar]

 

[bakerstreet]

I really like the look of these, but I'd probably be more excited if it was RHD. Pretty sure I won't be the only person with that view either.

[HustleRussell]

Sponsored content?

[DS197]

I'm surprised the other manufacturers haven't caught on to what ford are doing and trying to replicate it. If LHD cars weren't an issue they would sell loads here, but that obviously isn't the case. Chevrolet shouldn't bother with this imo.

Edited by DS197 on Friday 15th April 09:59

[jayemm89]

I spent some time in the states last year, had a Corvette for a week. Absolutely loved it, one of my favourite cars I've ever driven. The second week was in an entry level Camaro. Hateful in every possible way.

I do believe the new ones are "much improved" but they'd have to be to be even borderline acceptable.

[willisit]

So whilst the 5th Gen was an "official" car, this one gets 18 build slots. Oh well, nice it's happening in some tiny, pointless fashion.

[Theophany]

Shame, I much prefer the Camaro to the Mustang. Given the Mustang's success on these shores, you would've thought Chevy would wise up and make a proper go of a RHD spec car.

[GroundEffect]

Theophany said:

Shame, I much prefer the Camaro to the Mustang. Given the Mustang's success on these shores, you would've thought Chevy would wise up and make a proper go of a RHD spec car.

It'd take 2 years minimum to bring a RHD to market, if not 3...give them time.

[Theophany]

GroundEffect said:

Theophany said:

Shame, I much prefer the Camaro to the Mustang. Given the Mustang's success on these shores, you would've thought Chevy would wise up and make a proper go of a RHD spec car.

It'd take 2 years minimum to bring a RHD to market, if not 3...give them time.

A RHD ZL1... I could quite easily be placated for 3 years to get my hands on one of them!

[stephen300o]

Not really UK sized, left hand drive and tainted by that God aweful transformer franchise.
Think people will get the Mustang instead.

[woody2846]

Good Morning,

I'm Craig, and I work for Ian Allan Motors.

We are extremely excited to get our hands on the new Camaro.

Either Kevin or Myself will be on the stand at Goodwood FOS with the new Camaro. We hope to offer test drives after Goodwood as we will be taking back some of the show vehicles.

Any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

[paulyv]

woody2846 said:

Good Morning,

I'm Craig, and I work for Ian Allan Motors.

We are extremely excited to get our hands on the new Camaro.

Either Kevin or Myself will be on the stand at Goodwood FOS with the new Camaro. We hope to offer test drives after Goodwood as we will be taking back some of the show vehicles.

Any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Good for you taking a punt on this. Whilst I am not in the market for one myself I appreciate those who take a risk and wish you the best of luck.

[300bhp/ton]

Matt Bird said:

While the world has gone Mustang crazy with the introduction of right-hand drive

Really??

When almost the rest of the world is LHD.....

[300bhp/ton]

Matt Bird said:

the fact that the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is vastly improved over the previous model.

Why must every US car article in the UK always say something along these lines.... sigh

[300bhp/ton]

jayemm89 said:

The second week was in an entry level Camaro. Hateful in every possible way.

Not really sure I can believe that in any shape or form. I suspect you are either being over dramatic for the sake of posting on an internet forum, or are being completely unreasonable.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Friday 15th April 11:17

[KingNothing]

I'd still have a Mustang, cheaper, RHD, and a bigger supporting network.

[OverSteery]

Theophany said:

Shame, I much prefer the Camaro to the Mustang. Given the Mustang's success on these shores, you would've thought Chevy would wise up and make a proper go of a RHD spec car.

Wise-up? Possibly, but will the number sold here (with RHD) justify the expense to develop it? I doubt it. IMHO historically a better car that the Ford, but the public profile of the camaro is much much lower in the UK than the 'iconic' mustang, let alone BMW/AUDI/etc/etc

I'd guess the RHD mustang is a loss leader. The Ford brand/image/badge desperately needs an injection of something and the halo model effect of the mustang might well be the motivation above actual £/$ return on cars sold.

Not sure what the point of GM spending money on the Chevy brand in the UK is?

[rocknrollrich]

As a regular driver of LHD cars, I don't see what the issue is for a lot of people. I suspect most of the folk who complain about LHD have never actually driven one.
I used to drive a Mustang and a big Dodge RAM round the tight streets of Sudbury and Harrow nr. London. Personally speaking, it was far easier to look down and see the kerb/parked cars on the left side of the road and allowed me to keep further left than I did in an RHD car. Overtaking could be a pain, but you compensate - you've got the power underfoot so hang a bit further back to get a better view ahead - you've still got plenty of power and time to overtake.
Car parks could be an issue if you didn't have a passenger. Then again, you don't buy a thumping great v8 to go down the shops in...
I guess one issue may be changing gears, but personally I never noticed it and I regularly switched between RHD and LHD, auto's and manuals.

[Pan Pan Pan]

Theophany said:

Shame, I much prefer the Camaro to the Mustang. Given the Mustang's success on these shores, you would've thought Chevy would wise up and make a proper go of a RHD spec car.

My brother in law had a late model mustang, but was not impressed with driving experience.
He now has a Camaro, and said the difference in the driving experience was significant, with (in his words) the mustang being like comparing driving a tractor,(with its agricultural gearbox and back axle) to a normal car.
I have not driven either so can only take his words at face value.

[rtz62]

Am I the only one that thinks the front looks somewhat familiar? Something like...

[rtz62]

300bhp/ton said:

Matt Bird said:

While the world has gone Mustang crazy with the introduction of right-hand drive

Really??

When almost the rest of the world is LHD.....

Depends how you quantify it;
Around 162 countries are LHD and 75 RHD. this apparantly include countries Dependencies etc.
Obviously, the number of vehicles in those LHD countries are vastly more as they include the EU other than the UK, the Russian States, USA, South America and most of Africa. Although that is over twice the number of LHD than RHD markets (potentially), there are a greater number of cars IN those 162 countries.
It's probably the cost of not only engineering a car for RHD but also making it pass various con & use and emissions regs that is the inhibiting factor for manufacturers, so a big push by Chevrolet for the Camaro just wouldn't be worth it for the UK market..