Do you want a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro? You'd better be prepared to offer the dealer more money than the MSRP requires, and you'd better be willing to wait. Various reports have indicated that General Motors can't build the reborn bow tie pony car fast enough to quench public demand. The Camaro was originally built from 1967 to 2002; the 2010 model marks the brand's rebirth.
Gallery: Chevy Camaro Pictures
That's excellent news for a company that needs a reason to smile, and it could be even better for dealers donning Chevrolet's famous bow tie. After all, car sales are still firmly in the tank, and GM has seen more than its fair share of shrunken demand.
In May, GM announced that it would close 1,100 dealers by the end of 2010, leaving them with about 3,600. Dealers started selling the two-door Camaro in May.
Why It's Popular
Chevy representatives swear the 2010 Camaro's styling isn't retro, although it does bring forward some styling cues from older Camaros (namely the 1969 model) in a thoroughly modern manner. If you're not intimate with the historic Camaro design language, zero in on the new car's vestigial vents ahead of the rear wheels and the dual-plain grill flanked by round headlights. These elements overlay the long-hood/short-deck 2+2 body style Ford made famous with their original 1964 Mustang (the source of the "pony car" moniker).
Cocktail Party Cheat Sheet: Cool Stuff Inside The Camaro
| The fastest Camaro has a 6.2-liter V-8 engine, generating 422 horsepower |
| Despite its 304 hp, the V-6 Camaro gets a fuel-sipping 29 miles per gallon on the highway |
| The SS model offers 20-inch aluminum wheels and 4-piston Brembo brakes and offers an optional white stripe color option on the hood |
| Optional gadgetry includes XM Radio, a USB port and Bluetooth |
What's modern about the new Camaro's exterior is everything else. Short front and rear overhangs are modern, as are the large wheels (up to 20-inch compared to 1969 when 14-inch wheels were the norm). Furthermore, extensive aerodynamic testing shaped the brooding overhang of the grille, plan view shape of nose, and everything aft of the roof's rear pillar.
The blend of old and new carries through inside. High-quality and modern materials form the foundation for a driving environment bejeweled with instruments clearly inspired by the first-generation Camaro. The twin pods and their curiously canted numerals effectively communicate the Camaro's formidable performance. The Camaro's interior technically seats four, but because it's a 2+2, the rear seats don't offer much leg room. However, complaining that the Camaro doesn't have enough room in the rear is silly...much like complaining about a motorcycle having inadequate doors. (If you're looking for more interior room, check out the Chevy Malibu.)
Reserving A Place In Line
Dealers have already booked about 25,000 orders for the Camaro, yet only half have been delivered to date. Analysts reportedly told Bloomberg that dealers are getting $500 over sticker on average, too, and at least one dealer is guessing that he won't have a Camaro to sell in stock for at least a year. Bartow Chevrolet in Florida sold its first two Camaros at MSRP, and he's already booked 18 orders.
Gallery: Chevy Camaro Pictures
There is no question that the Camaro has grabbed the attention of the car-buying public, and the recent debut of Transformers 2 will likely give the pony car another marketing shot in the arm. GM sold 5,463 copies of the Camaro in May, and we're guessing that number will grow as production ramps up.
June figures will appear this week and GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan has gone on record saying that Camaro sales should be equal to that of the popular Ford Mustang by the end of June.
Rex Roy also contributed to this report.
Read More:
- First Drive: 2010 Chevy Camaro- Sports Cars
- How to Detail Wheels and Tires
Sign in to post
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Continue