Chevy rips the top off the Camaro

During its press conference at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, Chevrolet pulled the covers off its new topless Camaro, showing the anticipated convertible version of its retro muscle car.

Boasting that the current Camaro coupe outsells the Ford Mustang in all of its different trims, convertible included, Chevrolet held high hopes for the convertible version. The Camaro Convertible will be available in the same trim versions as the coupe: LS, LT, and SS. The former two use a direct injection 3.6-liter V-6, whereas the SS is powered by a 6.2-liter V-8.

For the convertible version, Chevrolet added bracing to compensate for the loss of rigidity provided by the hard-top roof. The soft top is power operated and folds down in 20 seconds. To preserve a clean body design, Chevrolet moved the trunk lock into the cabin and integrated the radio antenna with the rear spoiler.

With the convertible top, the driver's sight lines are much improved over the coupe version of the Camaro.

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible goes on sale in February of next year, with a price starting at $29,150, a big jump from the coupe's base of $22,680.