Pricing for HSV’s edition of the Camaro has been announced. It’s not cheap.

SIX figure sticker shock attaching to Holden Special Vehicles’ version of a big name American muscle car might raise questions about what value arrives with the project.

HSV has announced today that its version of the Chevrolet Camaro 2SS will price from $104,990 before on-road costs.

The same model has been a popular private import out of the United States for some years.

A check of TradeMe suggests those examples, which of course are US-market cars so represent in left-hand-drive format, generally sell for $60,000 to $70,000.

The HSV’s pricing also places it well above the Ford Mustang GT Fastback, which retails for $79,990. The models are direct competitors in North America.

Right-hand-drive conversion obviously has to factor into HSV’s calculation, as would shipping costs. HSV also cites Australia’s luxury car tax and other tariffs, however these should conceivably not impact in NZ, where no such impositions impact.

HSV has enforced that its Camaro is a premium and niche vehicle that will not be available in big counts – of the 550 cars allocated to Australasia, only 38 are set to show here. It nonetheless claims that interest in both markets is such that some of these cars have been pre-sold. Whether those sales are to actual owners, or to become dealer demonstrators, is not clear. 

The cars arrive at HSV’s new factory in Clayton South, Victoria, in a US spec, then are converted into right-hand-drive. 

The project has been more than three years in the making and has involved millions of dollars of investment in product development, testing and validation.

The Camaro 2SS has a 6.2-litre LT1 V8 petrol engine that produces 339kW of power at 6000rpm and 617Nm of torque at 4400rpm. By comparison, the Mustang fronts with a 5.0-litre bent eight, also naturally aspirated, creating 339kW at 7000rpm and 556Nm at 4600rpm.

The model fronts this year with an eight-speed torque-convertor automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Versions coming in next year are likely to update to a 10-speed automatic, the same gearbox as is now in Mustang.

The present transmission has four driving modes: Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice and Track.

An independent multi-link rear suspension with twin-tube shock absorbers also features alongside four-piston Brembo brake callipers and grey, split-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in a mixed set of Goodyear Eagle run-flat tyres (245/40 front, 275/35 rear).

HID headlights with LED daytime running lights (DRLs) pair with a bootlid-mounted spoiler and the bi-modal exhaust system’s stainless-steel dual tailpipes to complete the Camaro 2SS’ exterior.

The HSV edition has leather-trimmed power-adjustable front sports seats with heating and ventilation, a 7.0-inch MyLink touchscreen infotainment system - with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support as per regular Holdens – married to a nine-speaker Bose sound system. It takes an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a colour head-up display.

Other standard equipment includes dual-zone climate control, a power-operated sunroof, wireless smartphone charging, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, ambient interior lighting, and keyless entry and start.

Driver-assist systems extend to lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, cruise control and tyre pressure monitoring as well as seven airbags, including driver’s knee airbag.

Metallic paint is a $1000 extra.