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2016 Chevy Camaro Convertible gets cleaner looks, improved refinement [UPDATE]

UPDATE: We have live photos from the reveal. Scroll to the bottom of the story and check them out in the Related Gallery. Back in May, Chevrolet introduced a redesigned Camaro. Now, and not at all surprisingly, the Bowtie brand is showing off the latest Camaro convertible, based on the coupe that debuted on Belle Isle in Detroit. From the beltline down, this is the same car that was so well-received last month. But above the waist, there's an all-new, fully automatic canvas roof that can be raised and lowered at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. On top of that, owners will be able to drop the roof remotely by simply pressing a button on the key. Chevy does not, however, say if this new convertible roof is lighter than last year's top. The biggest change for the Camaro convertible, though, is something we've long yearned for – a proper hard tonneau cover that deploys over the folded roof. The current muscle car's roof fabric has the unpleasant tendency to flap in the breeze. The new droptop shouldn't have that problem, and will likely boast an even cleaner top-down profile to boot. Like the hardtop, though, the Camaro convertible does benefit from the same lightweight structure, that helps trim "at least" 200 pounds of body fat. It should also make use of the same powertrain lineup, with a turbocharged four-cylinder, a 3.6-liter V6, and a 6.2-liter V8 with six-speed manuals or eight-speed automatic transmissions spanning the lineup. "From the beginning, the Camaro's architecture was developed to incorporate a convertible with uncompromised driving dynamics," Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser said in the attached release. "Customers will appreciate what they don't feel: quivers, cowl shake or an under-damped chassis typically found in a four-seat convertible." Increased refinement, a cleaner look, better driving dynamics and a more usable convertible roof? We're looking forward to you 2016 Camaro convertible. Chevy claims the new car arrives in "early 2016," which means we should plan on seeing this droptop at the typically cold and snowy Detroit Auto Show. Until then, check out the full press release from Chevrolet. Related Video: Chevrolet Lifts Lid on 2016 Camaro Convertible Segment's most advanced top is fully automatic, with refined appearance DETROIT – Let the sun shine in. Chevrolet will offer a convertible model of the all-new 2016 Camaro, featuring the segment's most-advanced top.

Pony-car sales war: Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger [UPDATE]

Update: An earlier version of this story misstated the 2015 Mustang's weight when compared with previous models. Additionally, we have added comments from Chevrolet in the text. The Ford Mustang has blown past the Chevy Camaro as America's best-selling pony car, and in June, it wasn't even close. The 'Stang outsold the Camaro 11,719 to 8,611 cars. The Camaro remained ahead of the Dodge Challenger, which sold 6,845 units. Even though the Camaro did post an 11.5-percent sales improvement in June, the competition is arguably stronger than at anytime since the 1970s muscle-car era. The Mustang's sales leapt a whopping 53.6 percent, while the Challenger saw a gain of 56 percent. Several factors are weighing down Camaro sales, including its lame duck status. Chevy is launching a new generation of the Camaro this year that's more than 200 pounds lighter, offers a new turbo four-cylinder engine option, and has a nicer interior than the outgoing model. Put simply: wait a few months and you can get a better car. It's also unlikely Chevy will jack up the price much, as it's historically kept the Camaro within reach of everyday enthusiasts. While Chevy fans wait in anticipation for their new sports car, Ford and Dodge have downshifted. The new Mustang, which went on sale last year, is faster and more sophisticated than its predecessor. It also offers a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, which Ford has credited for the Mustang's recent uptick and makes up 36 percent of the car's sales, Ford analyst Erich Merkle said. View 17 Photos June's performance allowed the Mustang to widen its sales gap with the Camaro this year. Through the first five months, Ford sold 68,290 Mustangs, a 54.4-percent increased compared with 2014. Chevy sold 42,593 Camaros, an 8.7-percent decrease. The Challenger – long the No. 3 pony car in sales volume – has seen its sales surge 41 percent this year to 37,011 units. Spokesman Monte Doran said Chevy expected that 2015 would be a "relatively soft year" for the Camaro. "Mustang is taking advantage of years' worth of pent-up demand for an independent rear suspension," he said. "When Camaro introduced an IRS, in 2009, it helped make us the best-selling performance car in America.

Best car infotainment systems: From UConnect to MBUX, these are our favorites

Declaring one infotainment system the best over any other is an inherently subjective matter. You can look at quantitative testing for things like input response time and various screen load times, but ask a room full of people that have tried all car infotainment systems what their favorite is, and you’re likely to get a lot of different responses. For the most part, the various infotainment systems available all share a similar purpose. They aim to help the driver get where they're going with navigation, play their favorite tunes via all sorts of media playback options and allow folks to stay connected with others via phone connectivity. Of course, most go way beyond the basics these days and offer features like streaming services, in-car performance data and much more. Unique features are aplenty when you start diving through menus, but how they go about their most important tasks vary widely. Some of our editors prefer systems that are exclusively touch-based and chock full of boundary-pushing features. Others may prefer a back-to-basics non-touch system that is navigable via a scroll wheel. You can compare it to the phone operating system wars. Just like some prefer Android phones over iPhones, we all have our own opinions for what makes up the best infotainment interface. All that said, our combined experience tells us that a number of infotainment systems are at least better than the rest. WeÂ’ve narrowed it down to five total systems in their own subcategories that stand out to us. Read on below to see our picks, and feel free to make your own arguments in the comments. Best infotainment overall: UConnect 5, various Stellantis products Ram 1500 Uconnect Infotainment System Review If thereÂ’s one infotainment system that all of us agree is excellent, itÂ’s UConnect. It has numerous qualities that make it great, but above all else, UConnect is simple and straightforward to use. Ease of operation is one of the most (if not the single most) vital parts of any infotainment system interface. If youÂ’re expected to be able to tap away on a touchscreen while driving and still pay attention to the road, a complex infotainment system is going to remove your attention from the number one task at hand: driving. UConnect uses a simple interface that puts all of your key functions in a clearly-represented row on the bottom of the screen. Tap any of them, and it instantly pulls up that menu.