The Camaro->ke248 was first launched in 1967, in response to the overwhelming popularity of the Ford Mustang, which hit the market three years earlier. It carried on as a North American model only, just like the Mustang, for 35 years before being discontinued. It picked up where it left off as a North American model in 2010 when Chevy re-introduced it.

In 2013, the Camaro is set to makes its biggest move ever, as for the first time ever, the Camaro is heading over to the European market, legally. For many years, Camaro enthusiasts had to spend thousands of dollars in shipping fees, taxes, and registration to import a Camaro into Europe, but that’s all over for 2013.

Ford->ke31 is still massaging the new Mustang->ke428 body for release in Europe, making a model that is almost unrecognizable as a Mustang, but Chevy isn’t going that route. The Euro-Spec Camaro, on the surface, is just about identical to the American model. Now, under the skin, the Euro-Spec is a little different than the American version, but not in the way you would expect it.

Click past the jump to read our full review on the Euro-Spec Camaro.

2013 Chevrolet Camaro Euro-Spec

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Chevrolet Camaro Euro-Spec
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 234 @ 5900
  • Torque: 420 @ 4600
  • Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

As we said, on the outside, the Camaro is much like the ones we see running in the streets in the U.S. It boasts the retro styling of the 1960s with the modern flair of computer design and manufacture. It features a set of Xenon headlights surrounded in LED halo rings. A reverse hood scoop lets all of the other cars on the road know that this car means business and when we get to the engine, you’ll see that its bark and bite are certainly equivalent.

There are three colors that you can get the Euro-Spec Camaro in without paying extra pounds, including: Summit White, Black, and Victory Red. For an extra £550.00, you can get your 2013 Camaro in Ice Silver, Imperial Blue, or Ashen Green. Pony up another £800.00 and you can get it in Crystal Red, Rally Yellow, or Inferno Orange.

The Euro-Spec Camaro also comes standard with a body-colored rear spoiler, midnight Silver-painted 20-inch alloy wheels, aluminum door sills plates, fog lights, rear parking sensors, and dual exhaust with polished stainless-steel exhaust tips that protrude from the plastic insert under the rear bumper.

For an extra £400.00, you can add in a set of racing stripes in White, Cyber Grey, Black, Silver, or Orange, giving your Camaro a more bold appearance.

The Euro-Spec 2013 Camaro comes as either a coupe or convertible.

Interior

On the inside of the Euro-spec Camaro, you are getting a standard leather interior with a leather-wrapped steering wheel. You also get a heads-up display, which helps keep your eyes focused on the road instead of your gauges. In addition, you are going to get a standard rearview camera integrated with the rearview mirror.

In the sounds department, you are going to get a 9-speaker Boston Acoustics sound system with an AM/FM radio with CD player and MP3 capabilities. Included in the sound system is a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, and steering wheel-mounted controls.

You can choose from three standard color options for the interior, including: grey, black, or beige. For an additional £400.00, you can opt for an inferno orange interior scheme.

Unfortunately, this is still the Camaro interior that we are truly not too fond of. There is a little too much going on with the center stack than there needs to be. In addition, the squared gauges simply look goofy and need to be axed altogether.

Engine and Transmission

Under the hood is by far the most notable difference between the America-sold Camaro and the Euro-Spec model. With the European model more accustomed to higher fuel economy instead of raw power, we would assume to see the 3.6-liter V-6 engine in the Euro-Spec Camaro, or maybe even a boosted 4-cylinder.

Instead of the more fuel-friendly engines, Chevy->ke199 shipped the Camaro over to Europe with the massive 6.2-liter V-8 that cranks out 318 kW (426 horsepower) at 5,900 rpm and 420 pound-feet of torque at 4,600 rpm when fitted to the standard 6-speed manual transmission in the coupe or 298 kW (399 horsepower) at 5,600 rpm and 400 pound-feet of torque at 4,300 rpm when hooked to the 6-speed automatic in the convertible model.

There are only two transmission options available: a 6-speed manual trans is the base transmission and a 6-speed auto with a manual shift is an available option. Both models come with a limited slip differential and GM’s StabiliTrak traction and stability control.

This combination is good for a 0 to 60 time of 5.2 to 5.6 seconds, depending on the transmission and body selection. The top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). For a big nasty V-8-powered car, the Euro-Spec Camaro is better than expected in the fuel economy department, as in its 6-speed manual transmission variant it gets 13.5 mpg urban and 27.6 mpg extra-urban, and in its automatic variant it gets 14.9 mpg urban and 29.1 extra-urban.

In case you are keeping score at home, the Euro-Spec Camaro is almost identical to the Camaro 2SS offered in the U.S.

Suspension and Braking

On all four corners, you are getting four-piston Brembo calipers bringing the rolling Pirelli P-Zero tires to a halt. Just like the U.S.-based 2SS model, the Euro-Spec Camaro boasted the upgraded version of the FE4 suspension system. This includes a 23 mm rear stabilizer bar and a 24 mm front bar. It also boasts 4.5-link independent rear suspension to keep the rear end glued to the ground, while giving a smoother and quieter ride.

Pricing

The base price for the 2013 Euro-Spec Camaro Coupe is £35,025, which is $54,803 at the current exchange rate. That’s just about $30,000 more than the base 1LS Camaro in the U.S. and $18,023 more than the 2SS Camaro in the U.S.

The base price on the Euro-Spec Camaro Convertible is a hefty £40,025, which equals $62,627. That’s $21,597 more than the starting MSRP for the 2SS convertible in the U.S.

Needless to say, it is costing Chevy a pretty penny to import these machines into the European market, and it is passing these expenses onto the buyer.

Competition

The Camaro is the first pony car to infiltrate the European market yet, so there are no competitors yet. Once Ford officially unveils the new Europe-bound Mustang, we will have a better idea of what it is up against. With that Mustang likely boasting a boosted 2.3-liter engine good for 330 horsepower, Chevy may want to consider taking the Camaro in that direction soon to keep up.

Conclusion

The Camaro coming to the European market is no surprise at all. It coming to the European market with a concrete-pummeling 6.2-liter V-8 engine is a surprise. The European market is very fuel economy conscious, as it has dealt with significantly higher fuel prices for much longer than the U.S. and this is why we see cars like the Euro-Spec 300C boasting a V-6, as opposed to the 5.7-liter V-8 in the American model.

Only time will tell, but we think that the V-8 model Camaro will only last a year in the Euro market before GM decides that the market just cannot support it and replace it with the V-6 model. As we said before, with Ford exploring a 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, Chevy may want to start thinking the same thing for this blossoming market.