WINTERBOTTOM IMPRESSED BY ‘FUTURISTIC’ GEN3 CAMARO

Former Supercars Champion Mark Winterbottom has given the Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 his blessing after getting behind the wheel for a demonstration at Mount Panorama.

Both Gen3 machines, the Camaro and new Ford Mustang, were on display for fans throughout the Bathurst 1000 event after the official launch last Friday morning.

Several current drivers had the opportunity to test them out in short on-track sessions, Winterbottom getting his chance on Friday afternoon.

The Team 18 driver was impressed foremost by the driving experience, despite the brand- new Camaro design having 14 months left for development before its introduction in 2023.

“It was good,” Winterbottom told Auto Action.

“I think my first look at it was literally from inside the cockpit. It feels good and they feel like a really nice big platform car.

“The engines sound good and they’re fast, I feel like they’re going to be a lot of fun to drive.

“I think they’ve got it pretty right, there’s obviously a few things that will develop over the next 14 months, but initial impressions are that it’s a good thing.”

The Camaro replaces Australia’s iconic Holden Commodore, which has been ever present in national competition since 1980, ushering in a new era under the banner of Chevrolet Racing.

There was a strong risk of backlash from traditionalists over the design shift, but Winterbottom believes the new look is spot on.

“I think it looks really good,” Winterbottom said.

“I was surprised at the front how tough it looks, I think people are going to tune in to watch these cars on TV.

“They are probably the most futuristic looking race car around at the moment.

“It looks like a concept car at the motor show that gets unveiled and everyone goes and looks at it, it has that wow factor about it.”

Winterbottom was not just impressed himself, indicating that the fans had responded positively to the unveiling.

“When I drove across the top everyone had their cameras out,” Winterbottom observed.

“It’s not as good as it’s going to be, but I think that it already makes the current cars look dated, which is what you want from a new generation.

“I think it’s going to deliver.”

Gen3 will be further exposed to the public throughout 2022, demonstrations scheduled for selected rounds of the Supercars calendar.

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