A new, low-cost Camaro might not sound too exciting, but it’s worth considering.
A few years ago, the $50,000 Camaro GTI offered a few features that were not common on a car like the $100,000 Ferrari 458 Italia, but now the Camaro is a bargain, thanks to a low-key $25,000 price tag and no factory-installed, rear-drive system.
If you’re looking for a low price, however, we recommend the 2016 Camaro ZL1 GT.
It’s an affordable entry-level Camaro, but for a little more power and the ability to do a lot more with it, the ZL has plenty of features.
The car’s got a 5.7-liter V-8, but most of that power comes from a naturally aspirated, direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V-12.
With the Z’s power coming from a V-6, you get much of the power the Camaros are known for.
However, with the Z, the engine gets upgraded to a twin-scroll turbocharged V8 with six-speed manual transmission.
If that’s not enough to impress you, the Camry’s interior is made of leather, and the Z sports a black, two-tone, black vinyl roof.
For those who like a little extra luxury, the interior of the Z also comes with heated front seats, power windows, and a rear-view camera.
The ZL GTI has a V8 in its engine, but we can’t tell you how much it is due to its low price.
As with the Camoreas, the new ZL offers a 5-speed automatic transmission, but the new transmission gets a little trickier than the factory V8.
The factory transmission uses a manual gearbox that’s controlled by a paddle shifter, which means the car’s shifter is much more sensitive than in the standard Z. If we were to say that the new manual transmission is easier to operate than the manual, we’d be lying.
There’s a bit of a learning curve for the new shift mechanism, which makes it a bit difficult to understand.
However androids have become a common sight on our roads, and while we still get used to them, we still like them better when they’re on the road.
The Camaro has a large body kit that offers a large roof spoiler, which is a nice touch.
The roof spoiler is optional, but if you don’t mind having a roof spoiler on your Camaro and don’t want to pay the extra, the GTI does come with a roof cover that attaches to the front bumper.
You can choose between a vinyl roof, which offers the most protection, or a cloth-covered version that offers more visibility, but both are more expensive than the leather option.
A pair of chrome-plated alloy wheels is standard on the Z. The wheels are chrome-anodized, and there are also rubber-on-the-front wheels on the 2018 model year.
The 2018 model is available in a variety of trim levels, with standard and sport package options available.
A 2.5-liter EcoBoost V-10 with a 6-speed transmission is standard, but with the Sport package, the car comes with a 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-six with six gears.
The engine is a six-cylinder, which should be enough power to push the car over 400 horsepower, and it can produce 550 horsepower and 622 pound-feet of torque.
We tested the 2018 GTI with the 2018 M Sport package.
The V-5 engine produces 530 horsepower, which isn’t bad, but not enough for the GT to really impress you.
The only thing the GT gets better is its handling.
The front end is lighter and wider than the standard Camaro; the rear is much narrower and the center of gravity is lower, so the Camro’s rear end has less lift and a wider wheelbase.
The 2017 and 2018 models are also more agile than their competitors, thanks in part to the Camracing suspension and active differential.
The new 2017 model is rated at an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21/24 city/highway, which puts it well below the standard models.
However the 2018 is rated for 21/29 city/lowest speed, which can put the GT in the ballpark.
Overall, we would recommend that you get the 2017 or 2018 models, but there’s no need to jump ship to a 2017 or newer Camaro to get the best of the car.
If the price is right, you can get the car for $25K, and we’d even consider the 2018 for $30K.
It doesn’t hurt that you’ll get the Camo-tuned version, too.