General Motors has released all the final specifications of its new sports coupe – 2010 Camaro. The Camaro has never been known for its fuel efficiency, but the new V6 version demonstrates the advantages of having extra gears in the transmission. With a 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 engine rated at 94 horsepower more than the 4.0L V6 engine in the 2010 Mustang, the Camaro delivers 3 mpg more on its EPA highway rating. The 380-pound-heavier Camaro has been rated at 17 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with a manual transmission. The automatic (also a six-speed) bumps the city number up to 18 mpg. The combination of the more efficient DI engine and taller gearing allows the new Chevy Camaro to cruise at lower engine speeds.

 

The Mustang with five-speed transmissions for both manual and automatic versions, delivers only 26 mpg on the highway. However, in city driving, the Mustang matches the Camaro with 18 mpg for the manual and 16 mpg with the auto-box. The Mustang is likely to get all new powertrains in 2010, including 6-speed transmissions and potentially an EcoBoost engine, which is likely to improve its efficiency significantly.