HSV ends production of Camaro coupe to focus on trucks

HSV has quietly axed Australian production of the Camaro coupe to focus on American pick-up trucks.The Walkinshaw Automotive Group is wrapping up production of the re-manufactured Ford Mustang rival, which was converted from left to right-hand-drive by HSV in Melbourne.
HSV spokesman Chris Polites says it has “finished the run” of naturally aspirated Camaro 2SS models, though a small number of supercharged Camaro ZL1 models are still under construction.
“The SS program finished late last year, and the ZL1 production is finishing right now,” he says.
“Now is the time to buy one, because there won’t be one for the foreseeable future.
“We have no more plans to build Camaros.”
The move pours cold water on speculation the Camaro could feature alongside Ford’s Mustang in Supercars racing at Bathurst and beyond.
It’s tough news for Holden dealers already struggling to sell their existing allotments of the expensive sports cars.
Introduced following the death of V8 Commodores, the Camaro was available with a choice of 339kW or 477kW V8 engines.
The cheapest model cost $86,990 plus on-roads – about $23,000 more than the equivalent Ford Mustang. Range-topping Camaro ZL1 models originally cost $159,900 plus on-roads but can be found new for about $20,000 less than that.
Polites says shifting exchange rates made it hard to maintain a viable business case for the sports car. Available in America for $US62,000, the ZL1’s cost to HSV has increased by about $8500 since it launched in June 2019.
Space used to convert the Camaro for Australian roads will be used to re-work Silverado utes such as the V8-powered Silverado 1500 LTZ priced from $113,990 plus on-roads.
“There’s a lot more space to expand into that pick-up truck area than sports cars which are seasonal and have shorter production runs,” Polites says.
“We’ll revisit it when the external environment is a little more favourable, such as the exchange rate.”
There’s a chance the Camaro could return alongside Chevrolet’s Corvette as part of a GM Special Vehicles sub-brand mooted around the time of Holden’s closure.
Full details surrounding GMSV, which is expected to be part of the same group as HSV, will be revealed at a later date.