Chevrolet Announces UK Prices for the Camaro, Starts from £34,995 (US$56,040)

The Camaro is the centerpiece of Chevrolet’s display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which begun today. And the company thought it was the perfect opportunity to announce the pricing of its UK-bound muscle car that will be available in early 2012.

The Camaro with the V8 engine starts from £34,995 (US$56,040) in coupe trim and from £39,995 (US$64,060) for the convertible, both with a manual transmission. If you want an automatic gearbox, you’ll have to add another £1,500 (US$2,400). In the U.S., the V8 model starts from US$31,070, which is equal to £19,400.

Available only in left-hand drive, the Camaro is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 which is rated in Europe at 432-horses, while Chevrolet claims that the suspension has been specifically tuned for European roads.

The UK-specification Camaro boasts a comprehensive standard equipment list that includes Brembo brakes, 20-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, full leather upholstery, a Boston Acoustics 9-speaker audio system and Bluetooth connectivity.

And then there’s, of course, the options list with things like a choice of premium bodywork colors, bonnet stripes, interior trim, a sunroof and polished alloy wheels.

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GM Claims Volt Owners Seeing up to 1,000 Miles Range without Filling up

General Motors says owners of the Volt are driving up to 1,000 miles (1,610 kilometers) before they need to fill up. “A sample of our early Volt customers suggest that they drive 1,000 miles before they fill up the gas tank,” Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for the Chevrolet Volt, told Bloomberg news.

However, the official driving range of the Volt, measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is much smaller than the GM executive's claims. The Volt's electric-only driving range is 35 miles (56.3 km), with another 344 miles (553.6 km) possible as the gasoline generator kicks in. The combined range therefore sits at 379 miles (610 km), way below the claimed 1,000 miles.

The explanation for this is simple: Volt owners who don't regularly drive long distances usually plug in the car every night, travelling more in electric-only mode than in gasoline-mode. This is why they can cover such distances without filling up with gasoline.

The Chevy Volt runs on batteries at all times. When they discharge, the gasoline generator supplies the battery-pack with electricity to extend driving range. Volt sales reached 1,210 in the U.S. in the first three months of this year, according to Autodata Corp.

By Dan Mihalascu

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