You are here:
Auto News >
BREAKING! It's really official now - GM's Wagoner confirms Camaro production

BREAKING! It's really official now - GM's Wagoner confirms Camaro production

Posted Aug 10th 2006 12:23PM

CommentsAdd

Autoblog's Erin Mays is on-site at the auto industry's annual Management Briefing Seminars this week, and she reports that General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner announced Thursday, "As evidence that we're not completely brain-dead, GM will build the Chevy Camaro." A fully brain-functional Wagoner posed with a red version of the concept car for the obligatory photo-op (above).

Production of the Camaro will begin in late 2008, and the much-anticipated car will hit showrooms in early 2009, presumably after a massive debut at the '09 Detroit Auto Show.

Not much new, but here are the highlights:

RWD with independent rear suspension
V6 and V8 versions, manual and automatic transmissions
styling will closely resemble the concept car
asked about a droptop Camaro, Wagoner would only say, "It will come in many shapes and sizes."
no comment on a possible Pontiac Firebird version

[Source: GM]

Category: Concept Cars, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

Tags: 2009 camaro, camaro, camaro concept, camaro production

Add a Comment

Sign in »

90 Comments

Filter by:

Markus

All this about high gasoline and brain dead corporate incompetence; hmmmm. How brain dead can they be if they can build a good looking 400 horse car that gets better than 30 mpg? Sounds smart to me. I will buy one of these when the convertible is available and use my 13 mpg Durango only for camping and hauling. After getting 13 to 14 miles a gallon for 5 years I will be VERY happy to get 30, I just hope I am not forced to buy something else while waiting because the Duranged Go is getting a bit old.

February 17 2007 at 1:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brad

Too bad it will go into production. I guess GM hasn't learned from such retro flops of theirs as the GTO and the SSR. The GTO looks like a Grand AM and the SSR looks like a swollen El Camino instead of a 50's truck. Now the Camaro is back in name only. They originally said that it was going to look like the 69 Camaro and even introduced it at the Detroit Auto show preceded by numerous 69 Camaros. There was mixed reaction to the Concept because it looks nothing like a 69 and is destined to head down the same road as the GTO. Eveidentally GM, you didn't let the designers know that you wanted it to look like a 69 Camaro. Also, the top is so chopped that even Jay Leno is packed into it like a sardine. In fact, anybody over 5'5" will be. The reason the Camaro was scratched from production a few years ago was because of lack of quality and also because GM got too far away from what the original looked like. I guess they are just taking off from where they left off. TOO BAD!!!!!!!!

August 17 2006 at 6:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

LLM

It's never to late to begin again!
GM will perhaps restore youth for some (myself included) having spent the 70's and the teen age years driving this car; a car offering absolute perfection.

August 14 2006 at 9:47 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

naif

#84, the engineers most likley were not asleep. it was the bean counters, they probably have a bat case of gas and it clouds their eyesight.

August 12 2006 at 10:43 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

dennis

people are losing the concept of muscle cars although these cars are nice factorys competed on the track against each other and built some of the best cars ever made this way there will never be a true muscle car unless they prove it we have gotten into an eara were we realie on the factory telling us its a muscle car at least the factorys are still try bringing them to us though. but it still needs to be big hps in a little body

August 12 2006 at 8:20 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Scott Welker

Boy this LOOKS like a (bitchin) Camaro! Very reminiscent of the 70's machines (by design obviously). Five years late, but that's why GM sucks, isn't it? I can't see it as a 'Bird without a total makeover. Which will take another 5 years.

On the other hand, By 2014 GM will be owned by Toyota or VW. And they'll probably name the Camaro's pointy-nosed flippy headlight version the "Supra" or "Scirocco," you know, for nostalgia.

August 11 2006 at 7:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Philip Merhalski

Of course we are all excited about the car; however, I still believe GM blew it when they waited too long. Not only would it have been very appropriate (not to mention the success the marketing would have made it) to have it come out in 2007 as the 40th anniversay promotion, but the new Mustang is going to be hard to beat. Why were the GM engineers asleep at the Wheel, so to speak?!?!?!?!

August 11 2006 at 11:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Matt

I like the car but with the slot above the front grill, is anyone expecting them to put in a red flashing light and to hear it talk like in Knight Rider?

August 11 2006 at 10:58 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brian

There's a lot of talk about the fuel economy of the new Camaro and the current gas prices. There is a lot of research being done regarding electric drive, fuel cell, flex fuel, hybrid gas/electric, and GM's DOD technology. Itâ€™s not unreasonable to think that GM will initially come out with a gas guzzler but keep in mind that this car will come out in 2009. A lot of technology can happen between then and now. They may swap out engine platforms a few times (think back L98, LT1, LS1, LS2) on each of these gas mileage went up and so did power, the '02 Camaro SS's were getting 26 on the hwy with a 6spd trans. Thatâ€™s not 30 mpg but see what happens to any of those 30mpg cars when you line up at the light in the new Camaro. GM is bringing back what we asked for; they didnâ€™t say it was going to revolutionize the industry. If you think they can't do it look at the Vette, itâ€™s a $45,000ish car that annihilates anything in its price range and gives most cars above its price range a run for their money. GM is very good at providing value. Before we judge them too much letâ€™s see what they come up with.

As for the mullet/redneck/white-trash bit, to each his/her own, if you like it, buy it if not then donâ€™t. Think back to when you were 16, what clothes were you wearing, what was your hairstyle, what was your budget for buying a car? Camaros have been known for cheap performance. A poor manâ€™s Corvette if you will. The guys that had money with big houses and etc. could afford to buy the Vette, those that couldnâ€™t bought a Camaro.

August 11 2006 at 10:52 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

phil goodyear

Too late, is my thought. You can't build a company on one old concept, that takes thee years to bring to market. Will it be offered with a snappy electric motor, when fuel hit fivr-dollars a gallon?

August 11 2006 at 10:44 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply