USA TODAY NEWS:
General Motors' redesigned, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro will be smaller than the current model and will be built on GM's Cadillac ATS compact-car chassis, Chevy says.
It also might offer a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, as the rival Ford Mustang does.
The next-generation Camaro goes on sale late next year.
Chevy hasn't provided any teaser photos of the 2016 Camaro, and says it doesn't plan to unveil the car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. In fact, Chevy says, it hasn't decided where the next-gen car will make its debut.
The current Camaro, launched in 2009 as a 2010 model, uses a rear-drive chassis that's a modified version of a Commodore by Holden, GM's Australian unit.
GM says it'll stop building cars in Australia in 2017 and turn Holden into a marketing operation only, so the Camaro has to shift to a platform that'll continue in production.
Cadillac's ATS coupe, the version of the ATS that's most like a Camaro, is shorter, narrower and weighs less than the current Camaro, and also is smaller than the new-design, 2015 Ford Mustang.
The ATS chassis was developed to make a car that could be a credible rival to the BMW 3-series, so moving to that setup will mean Camaro joins Mustang in emphasizing a European sporty-car driving feel.
It's a striking move for cars that have defined the American sporty coupe for decades. In fact, such cars are called "pony cars" after the pioneering Mustang launched April 17,1964.
Ford developed the 2015 Mustang to broaden its appeal to overseas buyers, hoping to boost sales globally. To target European and Asian shoppers, Ford gave the Mustang a more nimble chassis with independent rear suspension, and added a 2.3-liter turbocharged, four-cylinder to the engine lineup that includes V-6 and V-8 engines.
GM's Cadillac ATS offers a turbo four, so a version of that engine would be a natural for the new Camaro, as well.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...ssis/17599689/