Dealers say 2016 Camaro could hit the lot next month

LANSING — Car dealers expect the 2016 Camaro to hit the lots as early as mid-November.

Most Chevrolet dealerships in the region have placed orders for the Lansing-made muscle car, which has generated a lot of buzz. It’s the first time the Camaro has been made in the U.S. since the third generation models in 1992.

“Any of the cars built in Lansing always seem to do real well because people know the quality here,” said Matt Miller of Glenn Buege Chevrolet in Eaton Rapids.

Miller said the dealership will likely receive six Camaros next month and replace them as they are sold.

“It’s huge for us,” said Matt Sloan, owner of Graff Chevrolet in Okemos. “There’s a lot of excitement from us and for customers about it.”

Sloan expects the Camaro will be one of the dealership’s best sellers since the 2014 Chevy Corvette C7.

The starting price is $25,700 for the Camaro 1LT which is powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder or 3.6L V6 engine. The 1SS model with a 6.2L V8 engine starts at $37,795. The vehicle is available in coupe and convertible body styles.

“It will be a fun car and a good seller because it’s made in Lansing and people like that,” said Ralph Shaheen, owner of Shaheen Chevrolet in Lansing.

Shaheen said he ordered five Camaros, which he expects to be on the lot by early December.

GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant has been producing pilot Camaros for the past few months for testing purposes. The plant hired 450 people this summer and added a second shift to produce the vehicle.

For more information on the Camaro, visit www.chevrolet.com/2016-camaro.

Contact Alexander Alusheff at (517) 388-5973 or aalusheff@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexalusheff.