TCC: Is GM planning a Camaro comeback?
12-14-2005, 12:46 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Chicagoland IL
Posts: 16,179
TCC: Is GM planning a Camaro comeback?
TCConfidential: Is GM Planning a Camaro Comeback?
Recycling is all the rage in Detroit this year. Consider Chrysler, which will follow this year's launch of the Dodge Charger with concepts dubbed Challenger and Imperial making their debut at January's North American International Auto Show. Even the Aspen is due for a return, as these shots on TheCarConnection.com illustrate. Over in Dearborn, Ford never abandoned the Mustang nameplate, but the brand was brought back to life with the current retro edition.
"So where's the Chevrolet Camaro?" we keep asking each time we snag a moment of General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz's attention. The answer, apparently, is in Detroit in January. TCC can confirm that a Camaro concept is heading to the Detroit show, wearing a retro body with some parts-bin underpinnings that could lead to a real production version by 2009.
It's been more than three years since the Camaro was pulled from production, a victim of mediocre design and slumping sales. At one time, Chevy's pony car gave Mustang a serious run for its money, but over the years, the Camaro started to look like so many other GM's design-by-committee products.
If the shots we're seeing (but which we cannot yet legally provide TCC readers) are any indication, GM has learned its lesson. There'll be no more jellybean muscle cars, along the lines of the forgettable new GTO. The concept is a lot more aerodynamic than the angular bricks that dominated Woodward Avenue 40 years ago, but it clearly picks up the heritage of the mid-'60s Camaro.
Sources have suggested that the Camaro would ride on a version of the Solstice platform or on a new rear-drive Holden platform. The truth is a little hazy at this point, but given GM's past experience with putting concepts together out of its global parts bin - the HUMMER concept was one great example - a Camaro derived from existing rear-drive, non-Solstice bits seems most likely. The Kappa architecture is simply too small, and even stretched would have a hard time handling all the brute power GM will build into a revived Camaro. As for powertrain, expect a range of engines, including a Corvette-derived LS1. Considering Ford's getting ready to punch out an impressive 450 hp from the Shelby Cobra, we'd be shocked if GM doesn't intend to go it one better with Camaro.
Stay tuned for more information as the Detroit show nears - and get ready to savor a trio of all-American muscle not seen since the 1960s.
Recycling is all the rage in Detroit this year. Consider Chrysler, which will follow this year's launch of the Dodge Charger with concepts dubbed Challenger and Imperial making their debut at January's North American International Auto Show. Even the Aspen is due for a return, as these shots on TheCarConnection.com illustrate. Over in Dearborn, Ford never abandoned the Mustang nameplate, but the brand was brought back to life with the current retro edition.
"So where's the Chevrolet Camaro?" we keep asking each time we snag a moment of General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz's attention. The answer, apparently, is in Detroit in January. TCC can confirm that a Camaro concept is heading to the Detroit show, wearing a retro body with some parts-bin underpinnings that could lead to a real production version by 2009.
It's been more than three years since the Camaro was pulled from production, a victim of mediocre design and slumping sales. At one time, Chevy's pony car gave Mustang a serious run for its money, but over the years, the Camaro started to look like so many other GM's design-by-committee products.
If the shots we're seeing (but which we cannot yet legally provide TCC readers) are any indication, GM has learned its lesson. There'll be no more jellybean muscle cars, along the lines of the forgettable new GTO. The concept is a lot more aerodynamic than the angular bricks that dominated Woodward Avenue 40 years ago, but it clearly picks up the heritage of the mid-'60s Camaro.
Sources have suggested that the Camaro would ride on a version of the Solstice platform or on a new rear-drive Holden platform. The truth is a little hazy at this point, but given GM's past experience with putting concepts together out of its global parts bin - the HUMMER concept was one great example - a Camaro derived from existing rear-drive, non-Solstice bits seems most likely. The Kappa architecture is simply too small, and even stretched would have a hard time handling all the brute power GM will build into a revived Camaro. As for powertrain, expect a range of engines, including a Corvette-derived LS1. Considering Ford's getting ready to punch out an impressive 450 hp from the Shelby Cobra, we'd be shocked if GM doesn't intend to go it one better with Camaro.
Stay tuned for more information as the Detroit show nears - and get ready to savor a trio of all-American muscle not seen since the 1960s.
12-14-2005, 01:22 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Exton, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,011
Re: TCC: Is GM planning a Camaro comeback?
Originally Posted by Z284ever
Considering Ford's getting ready to punch out an impressive 450 hp from the Shelby Cobra, we'd be shocked if GM doesn't intend to go it one better with Camaro.
Damn straight.
Stay tuned for more information as the Detroit show nears - and get ready to savor a trio of all-American muscle not seen since the 1960s.
12-15-2005, 08:21 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Oshawa - Home of the 5th-gen
Posts: 5,308
Re: TCC: Is GM planning a Camaro comeback?
Originally Posted by Z284ever
Considering Ford's getting ready to punch out an impressive 450 hp from the Shelby Cobra, we'd be shocked if GM doesn't intend to go it one better with Camaro.
.Especially since GM loves using parts from their "global parts bin" anyway
.
12-15-2005, 08:39 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 3,650
Re: TCC: Is GM planning a Camaro comeback?
Hmm... No respect for the 4th gen, which was a superior car to its competitor (Mustang) in just about every way except the high-school girl/drivability factor. 
I like how they predict: "As for powertrain, expect a range of engines, including a Corvette-derived LS1."
An LS1? Really? Interesting, considering the Corvette now uses the LS2, and so do the other previous LS1/LS6 cars (GTO, CTS-V). Even the SSR uses the LS2 exclusively. 
I like how they predict: "As for powertrain, expect a range of engines, including a Corvette-derived LS1."
An LS1? Really? Interesting, considering the Corvette now uses the LS2, and so do the other previous LS1/LS6 cars (GTO, CTS-V). Even the SSR uses the LS2 exclusively.
12-15-2005, 08:55 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,646
Re: TCC: Is GM planning a Camaro comeback?
Originally Posted by RussStang
I hate when people write lines like this for a magazine, because I could interpret the way that it is worded that all of the other generations of Camaro (or Mustang for the matter) do not match up to the original. It is obvious from the author's disdain of the 4th gen's design that he is glad to see a retro style car, but I really don't like when people dismiss all of the other generations of a Camaro (or anything for that matter). The Top Gear video review of the Mustang made similiar remarks about how the new Mustang was a breath of fresh air, and all of the other generations but the first were garbage (in so many words).
Of course, I don't look at the past through rose colored glasses.....
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
[New Jersey] Cure those winter blues with the NJFBOA!!!
njspder
Middle Atlantic
0
01-08-2015 11:13 AM
Chrisdude
Car Audio and Electronics
5
07-24-2002 02:25 PM