Official: Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

Chevrolet has officially revealed its sixth-generation Camaro Convertible two days after leaked images were splashed across the internet and less than six weeks after the debut of the Mk6 Camaro coupe on which it's based.

General Motors says there's no current plan to produce the Camaro in right-hand drive, so don't expect either the coupe or convertible to grace Holden showrooms any time soon, or to rival Ford's upcoming Mustang coupe and convertible in Australia for the time being.

Unlike the hard-top Camaro, the topless muscle car features what Chevrolet claims is the segment’s most advanced fabric roof, as seen in these previously leaked images and a hitherto unseen video.

The bow-tie brand says it's the only convertible in its class to offer a fully automatic electro-hydraulic power roof system with latches that automatically release and secure the top, the capability to open or close it at speeds up to 30mph (48km/h) and the ability to remotely open it via the key fob.

There's also a hard tonneau cover that deploys automatically, "providing a more refined, finished appearance when the top is lowered and stowed", while the multilayer construction includes acoustic and thermal barriers to produce "a comfortable, quiet driving experience in all seasons" and mimics the sleek silhouette of the Camaro coupe by fold down completely beneath the belt line.

“With many convertibles, you have to affix a tonneau cover manually – if it’s done at all,” said design director Tom Peters. “The Camaro Convertible’s automatically deploying hard tonneau not only makes it easier to enjoy convertible driving when the inspiration hits, it ensures the car always looks its best.”

On sale in North America from early next year, the new convertible benefits from the Mk6 coupe's smaller, stiffer body structure that's also claimed to be up to 90kg lighter than before, thanks to switching from the previous model's Australian-designed Zeta platform to a new Cadillac-sourced Alpha chassis architecture.

“From the beginning, the Camaro’s architecture was developed to incorporate a convertible with uncompromised driving dynamics,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “Customers will appreciate what they don’t feel: quivers, cowl shake or an under-damped chassis typically found in a four-seat convertible.”

As with the coupe, two model grades will be offered in the US initially (LT and SS), powered by six all-new powertrain combinations including a 205kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, an all-new 250kW 3.6-litre petrol V6 and the 340kW LT1 6.2-litre V8 -- the most powerful Camaro SS ever – all matched to six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmissions.

Chevy claims class-leading technologies inside the topless Camaro's driver-focused cabin, including a new Driver Mode Selector, configurable instrument cluster and a customisable ambient lighting.

The convertible will be produced alongside the 2016 Camaro coupe – the sixth since 1967 -- and convertible will be produced at GM's Lansing Grand River assembly plant in Michigan.