Chevrolet Camaro 2SS axed! HSV moves on from naturally aspirated V8 muscle car - for now

Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) has stopped locally remanufacturing Chevrolet Camaro 2SS coupes, leaving the company without a naturally aspirated V8 muscle car in its line-up.

Speaking to journalists at the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 media launch in Melbourne, HSV boss Tim Jackson said the Camaro 2SS program was wrapped up at MY19 because of two issues: the cost of its emissions development and validation, and exchange-rate pressures.

“The exchange rate had moved so far, and it continues to move in the wrong direction, so the ability for ourselves to make a profit as well as our dealers to make a profit was disappearing,” he said.

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“There’s still 200, 250 Camaros in the market, so they’re selling … consistently – we sell sort of 50 a month.”

Mr Jackson clarified the Ford Mustang GT-rivalling 2SS may return in MY21, pending HSV’s developing GM Speciality Vehicles joint-venture with Holden parent company General Motors (GM).

“We’re not doing MY20 2SS,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re not doing MY21.”

Mr Jackson added: “We’re doing ZL1 in MY20, and (Camaro) forms part of the discussions with GM around MY21 … that informs every part of our range now.

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“Our range, in our view, continues. What form that takes and where we bring in new model years and all of those sorts of things, that conversation is wrapped up in a lot of our discussions with GM.”

The 339kW/617Nm 2SS was priced from $86,990 plus on-road costs with a six-speed manual. Opting for a 10-speed torque-converter automatic added an extra $2200 to the total.

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The MY20 version would’ve ushered in minor revisions to the MY19 facelift, including more body-colour elements and a relocated ‘bowtie’ badge for the polarising front end.

As mentioned, Camaro buyers can still opt for the ZL1, which instead uses a 477kW/881Nm supercharged V8. Like the 2SS, the flagship is available in manual ($159,990) and automatic ($162,190) forms.