That's the word I'm getting.

I'm also getting conflicting accounts between contacts at Holden and North American GM regarding chassis and what's going on with the coupe.

I guessing things will be sorted out this winter.



This whole Kappa-Camaro thing is a fairly recent development.

No, as of this moment I am not aware of any Camaro-Kappa development going on. However, the idea of just this very idea has hit GM's upper management.

My standard rule is 3 sources make it so. I have something like 6 so far.

The only way on the planet I can see it coming out that soon is if this Camaro "skunkworks" is alot farther along than I (and a couple of other people here) thinks & is is based on Kappa. The Deleware plant will be ready and capable by that time.

 

The endless wait, year to year speculation, and rare, tantalizing teases, such as the "Ramones / Camaro ad" on the back of Newsweek a few years back has indeed been agonizing!

For my part, I bought a brand-new 2002 SS right off the showroom floor. I could hardly do more to encourage a new version of the car! I'm hoping that I didn't buy the last Camaro...

 

The more I'm learning about Kappa and the whole hydroforming process, the more beginning to swing to the other side on the Kappa-Camaro issue.

Now just build it GM.

 

I was wondering the same thing guion.....

 

is this skunkworks in detroit. cause i want something to go look for here in houston.

 

Sorry, missed ya last time I came through here.

Seems GM has spent alot of time since Lutz got onboard thinking up ways to create a wide rane of vehicles without the need to make tons of them to break even. This was the basis of the whole Kappa chassis. Kappa is very profitable with relatively small production numbers.

While GM North America came up with Kappa, GM Holden came up with the Zeta. This chassis, since it's modular, is much along the same lines. Various models using the same basic chassis, and components, with variations relatively cheap to engineer in.

Traditionally, Camaro would have to have volume at least approaching Mustang levels to be worthwhile, let alone profitable. GM has pretty humungous legacy payments to make to it's retired & retiring employees, so it takes them more effort to squeeze profits out of a car than say, Ford or Chrysler.

The Zeta coupes will be pretty high volume cars. There is at least 3 engines slated for them, they will be in coupe and convertable form, come in RWD and AWD, and will be sold through at least 3 GM divisions.

"IF" Camaro is being developed on a offshoot program of Zeta or Kappa, then it's probally being purpose built. That being the case, I'd expect the guys working on it to make it as simple as possible (very few options) to keep assembly costs down, or make it essentially a shortened Kappa coupe with a different body but identical in most other ways.

As for the "why", I suspect a combination of the uncertain politics surrounding the Camaro name at the time development started (the car has been under development for quite a long while) and Camaro's gatekeepers.

Word is the car significantly shorter than a Monte Carlo, and a little lower than a GTO, and a little large to be a Camaro. Plus, there is the very real possibility Camaro is a different car.

 

Will we see a Chevy Coupe at NIAS this year? Or will we see a ZETA coupe at NIAS this year? GM really needs to show something soon. It seems that DCX will have 2 rwd V8 Coupes at NIAS not including MB cars. And ford has the Mustang out alredy.

 

We'll see the new Monte Carlo.

I haven't kept up with things the way I did in previous years leading up to the auto show season. LA has numerous design studios, west coast auto industry outposts, and at least 2 companies that do concept cars for auto companies. Unfortunately, I live in Monterey now, so I'm a bit out of the loop on things that aren't related to introductions (what some people here confuse with "concept" car).

Just my hunch, I wouldn't expect a Chevrolet RWD coupe on display. Zeta coupe won't likely to be shown till GM within 12 months of production (meaning next season, not this one), and a next gen Camaro definately WON'T be on display. Chevy won't show any similar concept cars that will distract from the new Impala & Monte.

Pontiac or Buick on the other hand...

 

Thanks for answering Guion. Although, I DO NOT like what I'm hearing. The car being made on a more "Camaro-like" chassis is good. Being 100% purpose built, low option, and low production, is not good at all. The Camaro shouldn't be a 4-seat Corvette. Why don't they just take away V6 Camaros while they're at it?!

 

i would rather have a low production car. and have an exclusive team working on it (red). why would you not want a 100% purpose built car? also guionm do you think this low option (i think its a good idea) ties into what Red said a while back. there was a topic about the options on the vette i do believe, and from what i got out of it he said that high options are complicated and can lead to the customers not getting what they wanted. lower production helps to solve this.
red says have faith so do it guys. he doesn't have to take you for a ride in the car for you to know how its gonna come out. he has left hints over the years and it is going to be a very exciting car. i don't want this to become another bash GM thread.

every other day we get post about people saying "i can't wait anylonger i am buying a mustang" if these people would follow up on whats said, they will know that in a few years while their still paying on their old mustang, a very fast car will be being intoduced.

 

Because this is not "Camaro" and what it's intention is supposed to be. This idea is "4-seat Corvette" and nothing more. If it's not gonna compete with the M*stang, what's the real idea? They would still be handing F*rd the market just as if the car was not being produced.

 

Glad someone agrees with me on this! Everyone seems to be in the mindset of "if it looks like a Camaro, handles like a Camaro, is fast and has a v8, then its a Camaro". Yes it most certainly is, but another key element to Camaro at least in my mind is the way its always been sold. In v8 AND v6 trim. Being able to choose from a different array of options.

If Camaro comes back as a low-production, v8 only, limited option coupe, is it still a Camaro even though it may look like one???

My answer would be a resounding NO!!!!