Its too early to toot my own horn but when the SS concept came out I suggested it was a trial balloon meant to measure reaction to a car with strong Camaro styling cues...they just stretched it and gave it rear doors to throw us off (and the CAW). All the guys in the know here poo-pooed all over my theory at the time.

I would think if they compared the car with a Mustang that we are probably looking at a Camaro concept. But its really too early, we need more info.

FWIW Doug I think the SS would look much better in person. W/o making a personal attack I have a hard time remembering when you've liked ANYTHING GM has done in terms of concept since I've been coming to this site.

 

danno02SS, you are very lucky to be one of the few selected to a GM Styling clinic. Not many people go to these but of the ones that do they use your info to actually design and make desicions on the cars direction.

What ever GM is up to they are serious about it, to make it to a styling clinic is a signal that the vehicle has a budget and some development being done on it.

To those who have made their minds up already please open your yoursleves up to something new. The old formula wasn't working if we are to get an affordable GM RWD performance 2+2 coupe then it may not be true to some of of the Camaro or Firebirds heritage in every aspect of the word.

My example is the Mazda RX8 returning after the RX7. Much the same but more user friendly in its layout and design. Revolutionary in the use of the rear doors. Yet not loosing the heart of the cars heritage.

 

This is the biggest Camaro news to hit this site since the retracted statement of Mark Reuss about "finding a suitable Camaro replacement platform." While I'm not a fan of retro, the SS concept didn't look bad at all. Hopefully they won't go overboard on the styling cues from the past. I'm going to hold off judgment until I see an actual concept rendering from GM.


Thanks for the info!

 

Maybe if GM gets their crap together a new Camaro might be released as a 2007 model or at least a 2007 1/2 (March/April 07 Launch) to make it for its anniv.

That only 4 years from now!!. GM better get moving

 

Better still is that if GM can match or beat it's time line from 15 years ago with the Saturn centric saw at his focus group... it could be ready for 2006...

EDIT: Plus keep in mind that Saturn didnt even exist at that point. The whole dealer network , marketing for the division, let alone the car... and all that had to be done on top of getting the car itself ready!

 

Guys, Like one board member said, the SS concept had 2 doors that where useles, sinse the first time that I saw here the SS concept( the drawings) not the pics I said that it looked like a 70s front Camaro...Definitive GM is working on it,

remember GM said "we don't plan to be out of that segment for too long" they said that to ford on a interview

NAIAS will be a KEY moment for the Camaro( my guess is that GM will show the Camaro Concept) just in time to let everybody know that there will be a new Camaro, the same time that the New Mustang will be starting production very nice to ruin their party!!

 

The styling clinic is one of the last stops before a product is presented for approval. Input from a clinic is either incorperated into a redesign, or if it's good enough, it becomes part of the presentation when the car goes up for final approval. Once approved, it should take about 18 months to hit the streets.

Word is also getting around (I haven't directly talked to anyone who would know for sure yet, so don't take it as godspell) that a Camaro concept would be at the next NAIAS this comming year. But what is certain is that there doesn't seem to be a specific structure being developed for Camaro at all! (interpretation: it will be another car under the skin).

One other tidbit that's been missed or forgotten is that Cadillac is also developing a coupe (this was even touched on in a Businessweek article last winter about GM's CEO).

Though I believed the Solstice was the logical chassis for the next Camaro, it now is begining to look as if there will be a coupe structure used by multiple divisions that will also include the Camaro.

Doesn't bode well for a RWD Monte Carlo.

 

So is it then fair to say that this news has caught some of you "insider" guys with your proverbial pants down?

Simply meaning you guys didn't really see this coming? If this indeed pans out to be accurate, then GM's successfully brought the program along a lot further than we imagined and did it under the radar of all the rumor mills. I mean, until I read this I didn't think there was even a budget.

If there's a budget then there has to be some basic engineering done...broad based stuff...a business case, etc. etc.

How will a debut at NAIAS conflict with the 2005 CAW contract hush hush deal, if at all?

 

Actually I mentioned quite a few times Camaro was back on target. I even e-mailed a couple of people earlier this year with the news. The igniter seemed to be the Mustang. So I knew Camaro was on the move, just didn't know what it was moving on.

Where I was way off, was in assuming Camaro would continue as a GT, and therefore be moved to the Solstice chassis, while failing to realize the possibility Camaro might share it's structure with the next GTO and Monaro (and possibly a reborn ETC as well).

I'll post more information after the PHR article has been out awhile because quite a lot has become clearer since March when I wrote that article.

 

Great job getting all the info, but i must admit the SS concept doesn't do much for me...I know about the 6.0L LS1, but the styling is bland...And what's the weight on that thing?? Are they trying to make a nimble performer like the camaro into a lumbering boulevard cruiser at 3900 lbs? I might make a little more sense for a chevelle

Senility must be settling in for Lutz

 

So GuionM, what does this say about Firebird? How would this news mesh with Branden's stuff I read last week about Pontiac folks insisting the name was not dead?

Could we see a base Firebird be the donor car for a GTO much like the original Tempest/GTO? Trans Am would not fit into that scenario but hey, at least the bird would be back!

 

Well, the only thing I remember is that there were a number of vehicles in development around the mid-lux platform.

Also, if Camaro is returning to pony car roots then why are they using SS in a styling clinic. I mean the car is really big!! Why would they want to compare a car that size with accord and mustang in the clinic?

Are they doing that because of money? Didn't have another styling concept to show? I was under the impression that GTO wouldn't be that large a car......

 

I believe it was said that the "Camaro" concept was based on the SS concept... but a shortened version of it... the size mentioned slightly longer than the 03 Mustang present, and slightly shorter than the 03 Accord present at the showing...

 

Just for reference... I looked up the Length of both the 03 Mustang and the 03 Accord Coupe...

Mustang: 183.2"
Accord: 187.6"

Which would put the this car around 185" or so in length, from what was said...

 

Anything under 190 would make me happy. The only thing that really annoys me about my car is the huge overhangs, particularly the front, and the almost 200" total overall length( the LT1 TA was the longest of the 4th gens, 198 inches)

I have considered converting to an LS1 style nose, hood and fenders just because it chops nearly 4 inches off the front overhang. I want to see at least a 108 inch wheelbase on the 5th gen.