The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro has a 304-hp V6 engine. More than enough for the average driver, but Ford has announced a new V6 for its 2011 Mustang, with 305-hp. Gosh! Chevrolet’s biting the dust. It’s a matter of honor, the Bow tie guys had to react, and they did. The 2011 V6 Camaro will make 312-hp.

How did they do it? It’s not an easy question since Chevrolet hasn’t changed anything on the car. Only the power rating has changed because, as Chevrolet says: “The 304 horsepower in the 2010 Camaro was actually a conservative rating on our end“. Instant power. OK, so Chevrolet has the most powerful engine, but is this what people want? Sure, the Camaro is a sports car, but how about a Camaro that would do 25 MPG in the city?

312-hp is a lot of power, do all customers need that much? Back in the sixties, there were the small-block Camaro for the average guy, the big-block one for the tough guy, and an inline-6 for little old ladies. With today’s gas prices, there should be a market for a 200-hp Camaro that would return more than 25 MPG. That would make the Ford guys bite the dust!