Here is a bit from today's column from Jim Mateja (Chicago Tribune)

GM Could Reap Harvest Of Cars Off Solstice

"Bob Lutz, vice chairman of product development for GM, recently told us that the return of the Pontiac Firebird is a dead issue.

But Auto Horizon says now that the GTO is here and because Solstice soon will be, Firebird's cousin Chevy Camaro is still a live issue and a small, rear-wheel-drive model could appear in late '06 off a new platform from GM's Holden subsidiary in Australia.

GM insiders, however, insist that while a small rear-wheel-drive Chevy sports car may be under consideration for the near future, it wouldn't carry the Camaro name if it did appear.

Stay tuned."

It would really suck if the Camaro name didn't come back at all on a proper vehicle.

 

Don't lose any sleep.

 

What do they mean when they say "sports car"? When I hear sports car I think....Miata, MR2, Solstice, Corvette. A smallish (with exception of Corvette) 2 seater with at least decent power and very good handling.

Besides, I thought the solstice platform and future GTO platform were 2 different things. I think this guy is getting the facts all mixed up.

 

Isn't he just saying that Chevy might get a car off the Solstice (Kappa?) platform, but it won't be called a Camaro ??

 

I didn't realize how confusing this part of the article was when I first read it. Taken one way, it is like he is referring to a small, rear-drive Chevy based off the Solstice platform. Taken the other, it seems like he is reffering to the Camaro as a small, rear-drive model.

With the Camaro name as one of the most recognizable nameplates, would GM actually choose to not use it and lose all that marketing capital?

 

read what PacerX said and stop worrying

 

That’s how I read it. I’m not worried at all. The Camaro is coming. We know its going on “Sigma whatever “ with the next GTO. However this article looks like just one more nail into the coffin of the Firebird.

However it would be cool if Chevy got a Version of the Solstice. What would they call it? I guess it wouldn’t have quite the performance that the Solstice would have since Chevy is the “value” brand while Pontiac in the Performance version. But if it is the “value” version of Kappa could we see a RWD 2 seat vehicle in the high teens? That would be very cool. I’d buy one even if it wasn’t that fast.