Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupes, Sports/GTs
Rumor Mill: Chevy Camaro Concept
Do we really need an excuse to do a post on the Camaro Concept? Fortunately Inside Line has provided us one by revealing some new nuggets of credible info on the Bowtie’s upcoming pony car revival. It’s being reported the car is “extremely close” to being green lighted by GM management. The bad news is that we’re still looking at a model year 2010 introduction, which means it won’t hit the streets until 2009.
News is coming from suppliers that are being prepped for the Camaro’s possible production, and they’re expecting a three-engine lineup. The base motor will reportedly be the corporate 3.9L V6 and there will possibly be an optional 5.3L V8, as well. Both engines would also be offered in the Impala and a pair of proposed rear-wheel drive sedans for Buick and Pontiac. All of the vehicles would also share a six-speed slush box. The top powerplant is likely to be a 6.0L small-block V8, probably the 400-hp LS2 found in the base Corvette.
The real question is whether or not anyone will care about the Camaro after waiting another three and half years for its return.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Steve S 9:19AM (2/17/2006)
And there is your 64 million dollar question. 3 years? Come on. Ford will continue to evolve their Mustang and Dodge will have the Challenger out by at least a year before. Not to mention what the Germans, Japanese, and Koreans will have out by then. Late to the party as always. I hope GM is still around in 3 years.
Reply
Tim UF 9:22AM (2/17/2006)
Seems to me like what made Chryslers second revolution (think viper, PT cruiser, etc; the first was iococca's minivan) was their ability to use computer modeling and rapid prototyping practices to get concepts, all their concepts, production ready extremely fast. This let them capitalize on the buzz their concept cars generated. If GM lets the camaro simmer for 3 years, they'll lose the buzz, and i'd bet good money that DCX gets the challenger out there for a 2008 model year.
GM showed how outdated their design facilites are by doing all their work with clay and shaved foams. sure they make great body panels doing it that way, but they could have done just the same work digitized (the same creative talent is still there). Its obvious that they have some talent doing design, they just need to get them doing the work digitally right off the bat, then the time to get to production would be much shorter.
Reply
James 9:29AM (2/17/2006)
You guys need to read around on the forums more often, such as cheersandgears.com and camaroz28.com, this story from edmunds inside lies has already be discredited. when the head cheese of the camaro project makes a post telling you not to pay attention to the rumor mill, you listen
Reply
max 9:31AM (2/17/2006)
"The real question is whether or not anyone will care about the Camaro after waiting another three and half years for its return."
No Jeff-we won't.
Even Lithous won't I'll bet.
Reply
Nick Haug 9:33AM (2/17/2006)
I really dont get it.
This has really proved to be quite popular among show goers and blog readers. No doubt the Camaro fame will begin to spread throughout the land over hill and dale. (I am being serious here) What is it that GM needs to do that will take over 3 years to do to get this car produced and in our local showrooms. I'm European and I absolutley love this concept. Everyone I speak to about it are in love with it. So do everyone a favour (ultimately yourself GM) and build the thing.
Right.. Where do I pay my deposit?
PerformanceGT.com
Reply
TheAwesome 9:38AM (2/17/2006)
I think the real question is whether or not anyone will care (read: buy) a few years after its release.
Reply
Matt Keegan 9:43AM (2/17/2006)
I want to see the Camaro built and waiting that long is a bummer. Still, once built the car will truly rock and give the Mustang and Challenger a run for the money:
http://thearticlewriter.com/autowriter/8/
Reply
Dm 9:50AM (2/17/2006)
I just wish DCX will at least come out and confirm the Challenger will be built AND it will be closely modeled from the concept. (2nd part is important)
Reply
Puff Chippy 10:05AM (2/17/2006)
"The real question is whether or not anyone will care about the Camaro after waiting another three and half years for its return."
The real questions is why didn't the visionaries at the worlds largest car company know enough about the market to greenlight a new Camaro three and a half years ago? If GM is to survive they must figure out a way to stop following and start leading.
Reply
Earl 10:09AM (2/17/2006)
Yep, and this is why GM is getting there a** caved in in.
Why the long wait for the car? Why follow the typical GM slap a badge name on a car and kick it out. As usual, looks good in the show ring and stubles out the gate.
I was honestly hoping to buy this car.....but maybe not now.
Reply
Michael Karesh 10:15AM (2/17/2006)
The Challenger would be much easier to produce for the simple reason that the platform is already in production. Much less has to be done.
Three to four years is pretty standard for taking a concept that is truly a concept (rather than a veiled version of a largely finished future production car) into production. This was the case for the Viper, SSR, Evoke/XLR, and Solstice.
The real question, as the previous post suggests, is why the Camaro is a true concept rather than a veiled version of a nearly finished production car. Nothing has really changed vs. two years ago. GM should have been able to decide to produce this car then if they were going to do it at all.
I do hope it shrinks a bit before hitting the street. As I've said before, if this thing were any wider it'd need marker lights on the roof. The concept is even wider than a Suburban. As is, it's gonna feel huge.
Reply
Jlewis 10:33AM (2/17/2006)
Look, I have seen the autobahn runners, even owned a few during my 3 tours in Germany. I know what the competion has to offer. I now sell Chevy's for a living and i know what the people want, desire and complain about. With gm employees running to ford for performance and rwd. You would only have to look at their weekend drivers to understand what needs to be done. Look Gm, If your late to this party with the Challenger pending release. You may as well keep the Camaro. You only need to ask salesmen what the customers are saying. YOU CREATE BUZZ, COME UP SHORT WITH LIMITED EQUIPMENT AND POWER AND LIMITED PRODUCTION. JUST LIKE THE COBALT SS. I have placed my order and taken one for a loyal customer hoping that you would come to the party with the Camaro. But now i'm thinking NSX.
Reply
Joe 10:45AM (2/17/2006)
The time from concept to production is always longer than it should be. GM is famous for drumming up excitement only to pull the fun out of it thanks to the bean counters. Look at the way they have handled the SS moniker. Don't get me wrong Ford does it too. Look at the blown possibility of the Mercury Marrauder. The original concepts were convertibles with superchargers and then the sedan had a 5.4L... The SSR, the belair concept, the trailblazerSS that had turboes, I mean its all carrots dangled in front of the performance car lover by these companies... It gets old. It gets really old. Heck by 2010 we may be running on diesel...
Reply
Lithous 10:48AM (2/17/2006)
"Even Lithous won't I'll bet."
Well max, if it isn't built in the U.S. or has a ton of foreign content (I think when I went to look at the Mustang when it came out it was only 45% U.S./Canadian parts) like the current Mustang then I will lose interest right away.
As much as I like GM products personally, I think that there is too much hype about this car (for the vaporware that it is right now).
So, even if being late to the game doesn't kill it, I think the hype for which no vehicle can live up to (which it is teetering around now), just might.
Either way, now, there is a 90% chance that GM is screwed with the Camaro. If they don't build it then they get hit for not building what people want (because so many people are saying to build it) and if they do build it then it will be late or over hyped (not necessarily from GM hyping, I don't think GM forces the numerous blogs about the Camaro which have been on autoblog, for instance). Of course, there is a slight chance that it works out, nothing is impossible.
Reply
Marc 10:50AM (2/17/2006)
I'm sorry guys but I love these Camaros. They just look nasty and sinister. GM is more than capable of making a world-class platform to put this car on and I believe they are working on it, hence, it wont be out for 3 1/2 years. But, when it does, if GM holds true to the concept with small changes, then there is gonna be quite a buzz. Think about it, Chevy will then have a truly world class sports car in the Corvette and the return of an icon with the Camaro...
3 1/2 years....just when I'll be getting out of college, Please GM, don't mess this one up too!
Reply
Tommy Ward 11:25AM (2/17/2006)
Too late. GM is paralyzed by whatever...bean counters, too many committees, too many worries about everything. As others have already said, they should have greenlighted the project years ago, and have the car to market now. The new Mustang has been out for about a year, and it is hot. If Chevy can't even follow Ford to market within a year, they might as well just give the money back to the shareholders and close down the factories. By 2009/2010, Ford will probably have the next generation Mustang out, and the Camaro will hit the dealers squarely aimed at today's Mustang. My first car was a Camaro, and if I ever bought another one it would be another '69.
Reply
Edsel 11:34AM (2/17/2006)
The Saab 9-3 would make a splendid platform for the new Camaro. It would save GM a bunch of money too. Heck, painted white with orange stripes the 9-3 would look just like a 1970 RS/RT Camaro - if you squinted.
Reply
Mike O. 11:36AM (2/17/2006)
I was personally hoping for an option for the Atlas 4.2 liter inline-6. I would have thought that this engine would be a natural choice for a RWD sports coupe.
Reply
Gardiner Westbound 11:39AM (2/17/2006)
GM showed the gorgeous Chevrolet SS Concept over three years ago. People beseeched them to build it. As usual, GM stuck its thumb up it's ass and did nothing. It would be close to being ready now. Take a look.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/2000-2003/2003-Chevrolet-SS-Concept-Front-Angle-reflection.htm
Reply
Tom W 11:43AM (2/17/2006)
Retro fans should look at the bright side.
In 3.5 years, today's Camaro concept could be considered retro!
Seriously though, I wish someone would explain why a design that's 90% complete needs another 3.5 years to make it to production. It must be some kind of scheduling issue because it doesn't take that long to tool up. But then I could be wrong. I think the union requires 5 workers be present to change a light bulb...
Reply