2011 Camaro convertible
Photo: Ryanandlenny, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Convertible production started on January 31, 2011, at Oshawa, Ontario. Chevrolet built 106,987 Camaros for the 2011 model year.
The Neiman Marcus Edition convertible, in Deep Bordeaux with ghosted stripes and a matching top, went on sale on October 19, 2010, priced at $75,000. GM said all 100 planned cars were reserved within three minutes. GM's own build counts, relayed later by Chevrolet's Scott Settlemire, show 75 built. The two numbers don't match, and neither source says why. A Synergy Series package (358 cars) and 500 Indianapolis 500 pace-car replicas were also offered.
Did you know
Motor Trend's early test of the convertible timed the top at about 16 seconds down and 25 seconds up, and its early-build test car leaked in two places along the windshield header during a Los Angeles downpour. The magazine reckoned the extra bracing and folding roof added about 253 pounds, and its later comparison weighed the SS convertible at 4,138 pounds against 3,859 for the coupe.
Chevrolet unveiled the ZL1 on February 9, 2011, at the Chicago Auto Show, after months of rumor that the top Camaro would revive the Z28 name, and quoted an estimated 550 hp and 550 lb-ft for the supercharged 6.2-liter. The final 580 hp and 556 lb-ft came in September 2011, when Motor Trend noted the ZL1 would be the first Camaro with electric power steering and that its supercharged LSA gained about 24 hp over the CTS-V's through a revised induction system.
The 2011 Camaro convertible paced the 100th Indianapolis 500 on May 29, 2011, with four-time winner A.J. Foyt at the wheel and Speedway chairman Mari Hulman George riding along. The paint combination echoed the 1969 Camaro pace-car replicas, and IMS gave one 2011 SS convertible replica away in a fan sweepstakes afterward.
The V-6's rise from 304 to 312 hp for 2011 was not new hardware. Motor Trend reported in July 2010, citing Chevrolet's own statement, that the same engine had been re-certified at 312 hp and 278 lb-ft for the next model year in response to Ford's announced ratings for its new V-6.
Chevrolet's 2011 sales were the best of the fifth generation: 88,249 U.S. deliveries, up 8.5 percent on 2010, against 70,438 Mustangs, a margin of 17,811 cars.
On October 31, 2011, Chevrolet showed a COPO Camaro concept at SEMA in Las Vegas, built to NHRA Stock Eliminator rules with a solid rear axle, chrome-moly cage and provisions for either a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter 427 or a supercharged 5.3-liter 327. GM's Jim Campbell, then U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports, called it a proof of concept and a sign that Chevrolet intended to homologate the Camaro for sportsman drag racing.
Red 2011 Camaro coupe with white stripes, front three-quarter view, at an outdoor car show car park Photo: Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates and faces blurred
Original photographLicenseBlack 2011 Camaro convertible with soft top up, rear three-quarter view, parked on a city street Photo: Mic, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates and faces and street numbers blurred
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Production
The table lists five production figures for 2011. It opens with Total production, 106,987, followed by 1LS / 2LS (12,244 / 2,039), 1LT / 2LT (25,520 / 25,114), 1SS / 2SS (5,062 / 37,008) and US sales (calendar year) (88,249).
Record
Count
Note
Total production
106,987
97,561 for the United States, 4,225 for Canada
1LS / 2LS
12,244 / 2,039
1LT / 2LT
25,520 / 25,114
Coupes and convertibles
1SS / 2SS
5,062 / 37,008
Coupes and convertibles
US sales (calendar year)
88,249
Calendar-year US sales, not model-year production
Black 2011 Camaro coupe, rear three-quarter and side view, parked on a city street Photo: order_242, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photographLicenseYellow 2011 Camaro coupe with black deck stripes, rear three-quarter view, at an outdoor motoring festival display Photo: Adam Woodford, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicenseWhite 2011 Camaro SS convertible pace car with orange stripes and Official Pace Car door lettering, front three-quarter view, in a museum display Photo: OctaviaCombi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicenseGreen 2011 Camaro coupe, front three-quarter side view, on a dealer lot Public domain (IFCAR), via Wikimedia Commons
Original photograph
Engines
The 2011 table lists three engines: the 3.6 L V6 (LLT), the 6.2 L V8 (LS3) and the 6.2 L V8 (L99). The highest power rating shown is 426 hp, for the 6.2 L V8 (LS3).
Code
Engine
Power
Torque
Note
V
3.6 L V6 (LLT)
312 hp at 6,500 rpm; 312 hp at 6,400 rpm
278 lb-ft at 5,100 rpm; 278 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm
LS, LT; April 8, 2010 GM certification release gives the first RPM pair; November 16 convertible specifications give the second. The published peak speeds differ.
W
6.2 L V8 (LS3)
426 hp at 5,900 rpm
420 lb-ft at 4,600 rpm
SS, manual; November 16, 2010 convertible specifications
J
6.2 L V8 (L99)
400 hp at 5,900 rpm
410 lb-ft at 4,300 rpm
SS, automatic; November 16, 2010 convertible specifications
Options, packages and special editions
The 2011 list has three options, packages and special editions. Of these, 1 shows a price and 3 show how many were built.
Description
Price
Built
Note
Indianapolis 500 pace-car replica
—
500
Neiman Marcus Edition convertible
$75,000
75
GM announced all 100 planned cars reserved in three minutes; GM build counts show 75 built
Synergy Series
—
358
103 V6, 255 V8
White 2011 Camaro SS convertible Indianapolis 500 pace car with red stripes and pace-car door lettering, front three-quarter view, in a museum Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicenseWhite 2011 Camaro convertible Indianapolis 500 pace car with red stripes and soft top up, side and front three-quarter view, at an outdoor display area Photo: Doctorindy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photographLicenseOrange and grey 2011 Camaro coupe pace car with race livery and roof light bar, side profile, on a race track Photo: likeaduck, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photographLicenseBlack 2011 Camaro SS coupe with orange hood stripes, front three-quarter view, in a car-dealer lot Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicenseWhite 2011 Camaro coupe pace car with event decals and roof light bar, front three-quarter view, on a race track Photo: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicenseOrange 2011 Camaro SS convertible, front view cropped close, with people beside and seated in it at an indoor auto show Photo: Tony, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photographLicenseDark grey 2011 Camaro RS convertible with top down, front three-quarter view, at an indoor auto show Public domain (IFCAR), via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photograph
Exterior colors
This table has 10 exterior colors for 2011. They include Summit White, Red Jewel Tintcoat and Synergy Green Metallic.
Color
Note
Summit White
Red Jewel Tintcoat
Extra cost; not on LS
Synergy Green Metallic
Extra cost; not on the convertible
Inferno Orange Metallic
Cyber Gray Metallic
Victory Red
Silver Ice Metallic
Imperial Blue Metallic
Rally Yellow
Black
Red 2011 Camaro coupe, front three-quarter view from above, with two men in red racing suits standing beside it on a grass field Public domain (U.S. Navy photo by Yeoman 3rd Class Tamara Vaughn), via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photographOrange 2011 Camaro SS convertible with Callaway badge and black deck stripes, rear three-quarter view, in a dealer car park Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicenseRed 2011 Camaro SS coupe pace car with Daytona 500 graphics and roof light bar, front three-quarter view, outside a speedway building Photo: Nick Ares, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Interior trim
This table has nine interior trims for 2011.
These choices follow Chevrolet's 2011 US brochure. LS cloth, 1LT/1SS Sport Cloth and 2LT/2SS leather appointments are separate trim-level offerings. The brochure does not print upholstery ordering codes in the fabric chart; the dash marks an unknown code, not an RPO. Accent-package restrictions stay with the affected rows. The chart is not a complete special-edition or paint/interior compatibility guide.
Trim
Note
Black cloth
Standard LS seating
Gray cloth
Standard LS seating
Black Sport Cloth
Standard 1LT and 1SS seating
Gray Sport Cloth
Standard 1LT and 1SS seating
Beige Sport Cloth
Standard 1LT and 1SS seating
Black leather-appointed front seats
Standard 2LT and 2SS seating
Gray leather-appointed front seats
Standard 2LT and 2SS seating
Beige leather-appointed front seats
Standard 2LT and 2SS seating
Inferno Orange-accent leather-appointed front seats
Requires the available Interior Accent Trim Package; 2LT and 2SS only
Specifications
This table gives 15 specifications for 2011, among them wheelbase (112.3 in) and overall length (190.4 in).
White 2011 Camaro convertible with black hood stripes, front three-quarter close-up, on an auto show stand Photo: Overlaet, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photographLicenseBlack 2011 Camaro SS convertible with soft top up, rain-wet, front three-quarter side view, on a dealer lot Public domain (IFCAR), via Wikimedia Commons
Original photograph
Identification
What to check on a 2011 Camaro: VIN, convertible and Neiman Marcus.
Item
What to look for
Note
VIN
2G1 … position 8 engine code, position 10 = B, position 11 = 9
Plant 9 is Oshawa, Ontario
Convertible
New for 2011
Neiman Marcus
Deep Bordeaux, ghosted stripes, matching fabric top, matte-silver windshield frame
75 built (GM build counts); GM announced 100 reserved
The fifth generation's biggest production year, and the first with a convertible in the range.
Black and red 2011 Camaro coupe with Chicago Blackhawks graphics and number 88 decals, low front three-quarter view, at an indoor auto show Photo: Tony, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred
Original photographLicenseGreen 2011 Camaro coupe, front three-quarter view, under a dealership canopy Photo: Ryanandlenny, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicense
The convertible comes back
Chevrolet announced the convertible on September 30, 2010, ahead of its premiere at the Los Angeles auto show on November 17. It reached showrooms in February 2011 at a starting price of $30,000 including destination, with the same trim ladder as the coupe. Before any were built, the right to buy one of the first sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction for $205,000, all of it given to charity.
The convertible was designed in from the start rather than cut from a coupe. Braces under the hood and beneath the floor, including a tower-to-tower brace and front and rear "V" braces, stiffened the open body against cowl and steering-wheel shake. The cloth top came in black or tan, lowered in about 20 seconds with a single latch at the windshield header, and was lined with acoustic foam. Trunk space was 10.2 cubic feet with the top up and 7.9 with it down.
2011 Camaro SS Indianapolis 500 pace car, in action Photo: The359, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Original photographLicense
More V6, more technology
The 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 was rated at 312 hp and 278 lb-ft for 2011. It still returned 29 mpg on the highway with the automatic, whose TAPshift controls on the steering wheel allowed manual gear changes. The 2010 version of the engine had been named one of Ward's 10 Best Engines. OnStar with turn-by-turn navigation became standard for the first six months on every Camaro. A new head-up display, standard on the 2LT and 2SS, projected speed, rpm, directions and even the radio station onto the windshield. Bluetooth and a 245-watt, nine-speaker Boston Acoustics system were available on LT and SS models.
A chassis tuned on the Nürburgring
Chevrolet's brochure put the car's handling front and center. The chassis was developed on test tracks in Australia and Germany, on frozen roads in Sweden and on American roads and circuits, and the SS was tested on the 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife. The Camaro had a 4.5-link independent rear suspension, 52/48 weight distribution and a stiff central structure. Chief engineer Al Oppenheiser called chassis control the team's single biggest engineering feat.
Black 2011 Camaro RS convertible with soft top up, front three-quarter view, parked on a city street Photo: Mic, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred
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The SS made 426 hp and 420 lb-ft with the six-speed manual. With the automatic it made 400 hp and used Active Fuel Management. Both versions stayed clear of the federal gas-guzzler tax, at 24 and 25 mpg on the highway. Four-piston Brembo brakes, 20-inch wheels on Pirelli PZero tires and a competitive driving mode with launch control for closed-course events were standard. The awards had already started: the 2010 car was named World Car Design of the Year, and Wards picked its cabin as a 2010 Interior of the Year.
Fifth-generation Camaro interior, photographed in June 2011. Model year and factory upholstery code are not established by the photograph. Photo: Tino Rossini (Stradablog), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia 960-pixel rendition, unchanged.
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