HSV's next Chevrolet Camaro in limbo

HSV insists it is committed to the Chevrolet Camaro beyond its initial production-run of 550 right-hand drive examples, but can’t say what specification the next batch will be and when they will go on sale.

It’s also playing down the prospect of expanding the range beyond the single V8 coupe model being offered now, ruling out a convertible and playing down the chances of the supercharged 485kW ZL1 any time soon.

The 550 cars currently being ‘remanufactured’ – HSV objects to the word converted – to right-hand drive are the last of their type in captivity, which is a pre-facelift model year 2018 sixth-generation 2SS automatic coupe in Argentina-spec with European compliance.

From model year 2019, which is a significant update HSV managing director Tim Jackson confirmed there would be no Argentine spec available.

That potentially leaves HSV with additional compliance work to do in Australia on Camaro as well as a fresh round of remanufacturing of new MY19 components such as now-standard LED headlights, which replace HIDs.

The 6.2-litre 339kW V8-powered Camaro SS retails in Australia for $85,990 plus on-road costs. HSV has spent more than $10 million developing the local remanufacturing program.

About 70 per cent of the 550 examples available have already been claimed by buyers.

“This Argentina spec exists for model year 18 but it doesn’t exist for model year 19,” said Jackson.

“So the assumption we just roll into model year 19 as easy as you like is not normal course of business.

“This spec goes away so we have to take another spec, and that adds a lot of extra work that needs to happen in addition to the work we have just done on this car.

“The assumption we just roll into a MY19 is not the right assumption.”

Jackson did confirm HSV had a specification in its target sights for its next build-lot, but wouldn’t go into much detail.

“We know what we want. We know what makes most sense within the overall framework,” he said. “Timing solutions are still up in the air.”

One addition Jackson did confirm when MY19 does arrive is a manual gearbox – as previously reported by motoring.com.au.

“Yes, we are planning a manual. It will be sometime next year. We don’t have a specific timeframe on it.

“If you look at our mix, typically we run 70/30 [per cent] auto to manual … so auto is fundamentally the more popular solution.

“We know who the customer is, that GM faithful. Those guys will want a manual down the track, but we just don’t have the timeframe when that will happen.”

With the build-rate at the Clayton factory currently running at three cars per day but expected to lift as high as six per day, HSV anticipates it will complete its current production run in the early part of 2019.

The good news is replacing that car with the MY19 Camaro will deliver a fresh-metal marketing boost. The bad news is there’s likely to be a pause in supply as HSV gets the new model’s development and remanufacturing process sorted out.

It’s a whole new logistical challenge for a company which spent its first 30 years tuning up locally-built Holden Commodore V8s.

“In the old world that used to be a lot simpler,” said Jackson. “But these things are more complex when you might have to do an emissions program, you have a bunch of other validations.”

All these challenges mean we shouldn’t be holding our breath for a rapid expansion of the local Camaro line-up from a single-spec coupe to a full range comprising manuals, convertibles or the spectacular supercharged ZL1.

In contrast, Ford offers turbo-four and V8 versions of the Mustang with both manual and automatic transmissions in coupe and convertible form. The limited-edition Bullitt will soon top the range, but there are no supercharged or Shelby versions officially sold here.

“If we do a convertible there is a completely different crash program required, so I don’t think that is necessarily justified by the volume,” said Jackson.

“The ZL1? Obviously, we think it’s a pretty interesting vehicle, but there are a lot of challenges to make that thing happen.

“People shouldn’t be holding their breath.”