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Report: Sixth-Generation Chevrolet Camaro Heading To Australia Via Holden Special Vehicles

Holden faithful may soon be granted access to a piece of forbidden fruit: the Chevrolet Camaro. Thanks to internal efforts from Holden Special Vehicles and owner Walkinshaw, a new report states a right-hand drive, sixth-generation Camaro program is a go.

Motoring broke the news in an exclusive report, and Holden and HSV dealers have allegedly been informed of the imminent Camaro plans. Walkinshaw Group boss Ryan Walkinshaw and HSV’s man in charge Tim Jackson have lobbied GM brass in Detroit, Michigan hard for a condoned RHD Camaro program, and the long efforts seem to have paid off.

According to the report, GM product chief, and former Holden boss, Mark Reuss has given the project his blessing. Holden itself has given it a nod of approval as well.

2016 Chevrolet Camaro 1SS exterior - GM Authority Garage 029

HSV did not respond to the report, but sources tell Motoring an official announcement surrounding the RHD Camaro program is expected to arrive in the coming weeks. However, there is still plenty to be sorted out in the meantime.

GM’s factory support means Walkinshaw will gain a discounted purchase price on the left-hand drive Camaro, and the company will take what it’s learned from its RHD conversion program for Ram trucks and apply it to the Camaro program. It also helps HSV and Walkinshaw have been working with GM parts for a very long time. HSV is said to be targeting a sub-$90,000 AUD ($71,000 USD) price tag.

2016 Chevrolet Camaro 1SS exterior - GM Authority Garage 003

It’s expected the program will roll out with the updated 2019 Chevrolet Camaro, but it’s unclear if HSV will keep the Chevrolet badges and traditional Camaro design. Still, it’s the best measure to combat booming Ford Mustang sales in Australia—if the Ranger were axed from Ford’s lineup, the Mustang would be the marque’s best-selling car in Oz.

A factory right-hand drive program has supposedly been given the go ahead for the seventh-generation Camaro, but the car is likely five years off yet.

Nothing is official yet, but the Camaro may certainly help ease the sting of the Holden Commodore SS’ demise, even if it’s poised to be a pricey performance option.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. I’m sure they will change some cosmetic bits too. Hsv has a history of making some very desirable tweaks.

    Excited!

    Reply
  2. Surely they cant put hsv badge on a chevrolet
    That’s not right should be sold as a chevrolet and thats its.

    Reply
    1. It won’t be an HSV though – it looks like a name change to ‘Walkinshaw’ is on the cards.

      So it would be a Walkinshaw Camaro, i guess. There’s a bit more than slapping a badge on it; it’s a whole RHD conversion and all that that entails; steering, dash, pedals, wiring looms, handbrakes, aircon and so on and so on.

      Look no further for badge engineering than Hennessey slapping their name and model on their tuned vehicles…Hennessey HPE1000 et al.

      Reply
    2. Why not, Pontiac and Chevrolet have shoved their badges on Holdens!

      Reply
      1. Because GM owns Holden it’s not the other way around!

        Reply
  3. Should be sold as a chevy period! Now I hope it’s so expensive that nobody down under can afford it! I don’t see why GM should reward HSV a performance car after the people of their country gave up on GM!

    So I hope since GM has agreed to this that GM charges as much as they possibly can to drive the cost up!

    Then next time that GM needs help the people of Australia won’t turn their backs on GM. Because look who’s asking for help now?

    Reply
    1. We don’t need your help.

      Reply
      1. I think you do! Look how is asking GM for a fun car to drive? It sure isn’t the Americans! The people of Australia are begging GM to bring a performance rwd car to Australia.

        So yes you do need our help.

        Reply
        1. GM’s help that’s all we need.

          So far they’ve: denied us an export market that would have gone a long way to ensuring survival, provided minimal support for US exports for fear of eroding Impala sales, killed a national icon, deal the killer blow for a national industry and have the hide to serve fwd porridge as a replacement.

          Sorry Brian, we don’t need anymore GM help, we’ve been, well you know what, over enough already.

          Oh and Brian, you’d better buy your Camaro now, otherwise with the way your sales are going, Dear Leader might make it go the way of the Commodore.

          Long live Jacoby.

          Reply
          1. Our camaros will be just fine! As for Australia not needing GM I think your wrong! You guys are the ones that are asking for a performance rwd car from Chevy! So yes you do need GM oh and by the way the last time I checked Holden was owned by GM!

            Reply
            1. I applaud your optimism for Camaro, let’s hope its not misguided.

              We are asking for an affordable RWD performance car from GM, yes that’s true, but Dear Leader says no, you have to wait, one day if you are lucky…..

              But its not then end of the world if they don’t, we’ll go elsewhere Mustang,etc, etc. Which is a pity because GM misses out on sales which is the point of it all.

              Reply
  4. You get what you deserve as a people of Australia! You gave up on GM and now GM is giving you the same medicine!

    Reply
    1. If the Commodore was made by the U.S in would sing it’s praises and market the hell out of it. I get the feeling they don’t like the fact that Australian designers/engineers make a better car than they do. Hell the Camaro had a large Aussie influence in its creation

      Reply
  5. Put two of them, up your ass! And give me, four chicken nuggets!

    Reply
  6. What’s better zeda platforms or alpha platforms? ENOUGH SAID!

    Reply
    1. Lol Brian, if you are going to compare platforms, at least do it with ones that weren’t designed almost a decade apart…

      Reply
  7. Well then what platforms has Holden developed recently? Hmm that’s going to be a tuff one for you!

    Reply

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