One Fast Five-Star: Chevy Camaro Tops Tougher NHTSA Safety Ratings

ANDOVER, MASS. (12/05/2011)(readMedia)-- Sports cars aren't the first models to come to mind when it comes to crash safety, but the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe has become the first vehicle to earn all perfect scores in the revised New Car Assessment Program from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Starting with 2011 models, the NHTSA instituted more stringent crash-testing criteria that rate vehicles in a number of categories, and the latest Camaro Coupe earned the highest possible five-star safety rating across the board.

When the NHTSA revised its testing standards last year, the system was upgraded to include tougher crash tests and an overall score to make it easier for consumers to compare vehicles within a class. Currently available at Chevy dealerships, the 2012 Camaro Coupe earned five stars in the frontal crash, side crash, rollover and overall categories, making it both the first sports car and the first vehicle on the market to accomplish the feat.

"It's impressive that a sports car as powerful as the Camaro was the first car to sweep all of the safety categories, because the car is normally more associated with its roaring engine and raising customers' pulses," said Bill DeLuca III, president of Massachusetts Chevy dealership Bill DeLuca's Woodworth Chevrolet Cadillac. "It's not surprising though, because the Camaro is made by Chevy; even their fun toys incorporate their high build quality and wide array of safety features."

While its ultra-strength steel safety cage and six standard air bags helped the 2012 Chevy Camaro Coupe earn its five-star ratings, the sports car includes other high-tech features to help passengers stay safe. Antilock brakes and StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control reduce the likelihood of getting in a crash, and six months of OnStar Automatic Crash Response comes standard to dispatch emergency response teams if a collision happens.

The Camaro Coupe's brother, the 2012 Camaro Convertible, has yet to be rated by the entire NHTSA New Car Assessment Program, but it has earned a five-star safety rating in the rollover category, making it a prime candidate for anyone seeking a safe convertible. For those seeking even more power from their drop-top, Chevrolet unveiled the 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible at the LA Auto Show last month. Chevy's most powerful production convertible ever will share the same 580-horsepower LS9 V8 engine as the ZL1 coupe when it goes on sale in late 2012.

Chevrolet designed the Camaro ZL1 coupe to eventually accommodate a convertible model, so the vehicles share many structural similarities. The Camaro ZL1 convertible, however, is outfitted with a tower-to-tower brace under the hood, a transmission support brace, front and rear-underbody braces, and structural reinforcements to help stabilize the vehicle and do away with the wheel shake, vibration and noise that often plague convertibles. All of these features are intended to give the convertible a smooth, coupe-like ride while still delivering an open-air experience.

"Some automakers chop off the roof of their existing models as an afterthought and call it a convertible, and that's not the way to do it," added DeLuca. "Chevy actually had a convertible model in mind from the very beginning for the ZL1, and that's what's going to set it apart from other drop-tops on the market. That, and the fact that it has a 580-horsepower engine, of course."

About Bill DeLuca's Woodworth Chevrolet Cadillac:

Located on Main Street in Andover, Massachusetts, Bill DeLuca's Woodworth Chevrolet Cadillac is a premier new and used Chevrolet and Cadillac dealer. They offer a wide variety of Chevrolet cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as the entire line of luxury Cadillac vehicles, and their expert service staff can diagnose and quickly repair any issue their customers have. Interested buyers can browse their current Chevrolet and Cadillac inventory online at www.woodworthmotors.com or stop by their dealership at 339 N. Main Street in Andover. Their friendly staff can also be reached by phone at 978-296-4145 to answer any questions.