Chevrolet Camaro facelifted – again

General Motors has revealed a facelifted 2020 Chevrolet Camaro muscle-car range in the US, little more than 12 months after the unveiling of the MY19 model that will be released in Australia by HSV within weeks.

As such, as was the case with the MY19 Camaro when it was revealed in the US on the eve of the MY18 coupe’s release in September 2018, HSV isn’t willing to talk about local timing for the MY20 Camaro.

Following its initial batch of 550 MY18 Camaro 2SS automatic coupes, the first of 1000 MY19 Camaro coupes to be converted to right-hand drive by HSV -- including 300 supercharged ZL1 flagships – will become available from this month, featuring a more powerful V8, more technology, a 10-speed automatic transmission and, for the first time, a manual gearbox option.

In turn, the upgraded MY20 Camaro range becomes available in the US from around September, banishing the controversial blacked-out front bumper/grille design of the facelifted MY18 Camaro, domestic sales of which have slumped since its launch in April 2018.

Now, bringing a new front-end look previewed by the Camaro Shock concept at the SEMA show late last year, Chevrolet says the 2020 model year Camaro comes in response to customer demand.

“Customers spoke, and we listened,” said Chevrolet's head of marketing for passenger and crossover vehicles, Steve Majoros.

“The overwhelmingly positive reaction to the Shock’s stylised design helped prompt its transition from concept to production.”

In effect, the MY20 Camaro SS looks more like the original sixth-generation model released in 2015, with a bowtie emblem moved back to the upper grille and the return of a body-color bar between the upper and lower grilles.

Other changes for the MY20 range in the US is the Camaro LT1, a new entry-level Camaro V8 variant priced from $US34,995 and powered by the same 339kW/617Nm 6.2-litre V8 as the Camaro SS, which remains mechanically unchanged from the MY19.

Six-speed manual and 10-speed automatic transmissions continue – the latter now fitted to 3.6-litre V6 versions unavailable in Australia – but other changes include new 20-inch forged alloy wheel designs, new Rally Green paint and more personalisation options across the range.

New MY20 Camaro SS options, which may eventually flow through to HSV’s Australian range, include red or orange brake callipers, red knee pads, red seat belts (previously ZL1 only), alloy pedals and sueded microfiber-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob.