New Camaro

[TheGhost]

Chevy Camaro Concept Slated for '06 Detroit Show, '09 Debut

Date Posted 08-04-2005

DETROIT â€" Chevrolet plans to take the wraps off a concept Camaro at the 2006 Detroit auto show in January.

Also, Inside Line has learned the automaker is evaluating proposals to revive the classic performance-car nameplate in 2009-2010 on a new low-cost rear-wheel-drive platform.

Among the scenarios under discussion inside General Motors is the development of a lower-cost version of the Sigma rear-drive platform that underpins the Cadillac CTS and STS sedans. Another proposal would take the new rear-drive platform that's being developed in Australia for the next-generation Holden Commodore sedan and spin off a low-cost variant for North America.

GM planners are said to have targeted several body styles for the Chevy and Pontiac brands on a new rear-drive platform, including a sport sedan, a sporty coupe and a convertible. The Camaro and GTO badges could be used on those vehicles, according to company sources.

Across town, Chrysler is said to be preparing a concept Dodge Challenger for the '06 Detroit show, to test the market for a proposed two-door performance car it wants to introduce around 2008-2009 as a potential competitor to the Ford Mustang.

What this means to you: Guess it was just a matter of time and environmental awareness â€" the original definition of muscle cars doesn't fit well with new perceptions of what's best for the world...could there be a "green" muscle car in our future?




Question:  Who is planning on going to the Detroit Auto show?  I think we all would like pics of the Challenger concept, and, many of us would like to see this new Camaro.

[69bananabeast]

Muscle Car Wars back ?    would be nice if the camaro looks like that pic some kid drew awhile back. think it was the orange one

[hotrod98]

Don't hold this against me but even though I own mostly mopars, I actually work for a GM dealership. I received a company memo almost 2 months ago that said that the zeta platform was dead and would not be renewed. The zeta platform was going to be used for the 2008 Camaro and possibly the GTO. The memo said that there was no ongoing activity on the Camaro since it was a niche market and that current economics would not support a niche market car. They said that the Camaro had not made money in many years. The orders were never high enough to keep the plant going all year long which subsequently ate up any profits made earlier in the model year. They weren't interested in sharing a market with another brand (read that Ford Mustang).
I didn't keep the memo since I could care less whether they came out with another Camaro or not. Would probably get fired if I posted it here anyway. I've read that Corvette never made any money from day one, but was a status thing for GM, much like the Viper is to Chrysler.
You have to realize that the Camaro and Firebird were exclusively built on an assembly line that would not accommodate any other model. When orders are down, the line stops, but the cost of the plant goes on. You can eat up a lot of profit when you have to support a facility that size. GM will never operate like that again. The same goes for D.C., Ford and anyone else that plans to stay in business. The buying public will have to convince D.C. that enough hemi, two door, rear wheel drive vehicles will be bought for multiple years before they invest in the assembly costs.