What should Chevy's next step with the Camaro be.

[V8s Rule]

I feel that the performance market is going too much toward imports. What the fuck happened??!!! Someone in 1990 decided to modify a civic and the shit hit the fan. Why must we have to fall short to i-4s???!!!! The V8 is still my king. With the camaro, however, we should make it like the new mustang; with a low pricetag for a V8 and can run 12s with a few bolt-on mods, then we have some old competition in America again, and something that will eat a ricer like nothing within the same price range. 280 HP is needed AT LEAST!!!

[EZFrank]

They need to make the retro Camaro with a 454 Big Block and make with a 4speed Muncie that would be awsome. I would Definetly purchase one.

[Seannz28]

Well, From what I've heard the reason for discontinuing the F-body was as described:
1. GM did a huge survey, and it pretty much revealed that if people were gonna spend that kind of money on gas, they would rather spend the extra 10-20 K and purchase a Corvette.
2. GM redesigned the f-body for 2005, did a crash test, and the windsheild shatterd at very low speed collisions. In order to correct this problem the entire front end was going to be redesigned. This was going to cost GM more than they wanted to pay.

And as for all oif the retro cars that american companies are bringing back, GM tried it and built the SSR. Unfortunatly that had a very weak response and I wouldn't be surprised if that went away in a few years. The idea that GM hates most about bringing a retor looking car into production is the fact that it leaves very little room for improvement/ development on the body. Sure they can add different performance packages, and upgrade with technology as we move along, but what you can do to manipulate the exterior is very limited.

But don't get me wrong, if they made a 2007 camaro based on the 1st generation body style, I would deffinetly consider it a berak thru. But if they do decide to bring the "Camaro" back someday, I bet it will be closer to 2011...and look nothing like any camaro we've ever seen.

Thats my 2 cents

[PYROMANIAK777]

There are some good ideas floating around, I took a look at the camaro's on that web page, and think the first grill looks good, w/ the rally sport style hidden headlights without that big wide emblem from the pickup. A chrome bow tie, and they should have different engine options from a 6 banger to keep sales up with people who are gas concious as a standard, with a bigger engine upgrade selection for an SS, then then cream of the crop with a bigger engine, and the tricked out lights and a few other sweet things as the SS/RS, which was the sweetest camaro ever made. I do like the idea of all wheel drive, just makes sense to bring this bad boy up into the future.. have a kick ass suspension that would round the whole package off nicely, w/ some big american racing torque thrust II style rims, w/ nice size meats still squeezed in there.

[NOVA71]

I think GM should definately bring back the legendary Camaro. If there's sales for the Mustang, there's definately sales for a Camaro. Ford was first to release the Mustang and when GM released the Camaro, it took no time to out sell the Mustang. Give the people what they have always wanted. An affordable performance car. Why not? The technology is their, the engine options are countless, suspension technology is far superior. I mean think about it, you could have a mild mannered base V6 model for people who only want the looks, maybe a supercharged 3.8 or 4.3 RS model, an LS1 V8 Z-28 model, and maybe even a special SS version with the new 572 big block. Can anyone say VIPER KILLER??? And Mustang who??? GM cuold do this and should, I think. Nevermind this sales B.S. What's going to sell more units, a model that appeals to alot of people with different incomes or something like the Corvette. And they still make them. Sure lots of people buy Vettes because they are soooo good on gas, and can take the wife and kid and go cruisin in it and the dog can come too. And of course they're soooo affordable. NOT!!! Why didn't they kill that car off years ago. Maybe the executives at GM liked drivin around flauntin thier money in them too much. Don't get me wrong I'm not bashin the Corvette, just trying to prove a point. I think if there's room for the Vette, Monte, Malibu, Cavalier, etc. etc. etc. there's room for the Camaro. Just to let you know I'm not much of a Camaro fan though because I've always found that every Tom Dick and Harry had one. Even I owned one years ago. Funny aint it. GM kills off the Camaro because they don't sell enough units, and I don't like em because there was so many of them on the road.

BRING BACK THE CAMARO AND LET HER RULE THE STREETS AGAIN !!!

[Aces0vr8s]

what do the top dragsters use? BIG BLOCKS nough said!

[BLU CIVIC]

next step is to keep it retired...or for you guys that want it back...will return in retro styling, and that means that you will probably wish it stayed retired by the looks of the current mustang, gto and charger

[ctesla]

I love my 2nd gen split bumper, but agree with Blu Civic;
if GM brings it back (which I doubt from there current struggle with financial clout; the big 3 continuous recalls, and the ones in power wanting $, but no cajones to spend $ on competition) it will not look like the Camaro of olde, they won't dump a big block in it, because they can't compete against Vettes (which is what was built first, and then Ford created the Mustang to compete against), so GM is stuck;
-the imports (German and Japan) win (with longevity, safety,
MPG!!! (a big one with current fuel costs), horsepower potential (my daily driver Saab; 220+hp, can shame a GT Cobra with 1/2 the pistons and 34mpg while doing it), and features that normally, only Cadillac people would have (leather, heated seats/mirrors/lights, elec.tuned suspension+ride control, etc.)) and although I am saddened that the American Corporations are not competing (I noticed a failed attempt with an SS Cobalt supercharged, not a Camaro) it makes me happy knowing my classic, big block, hot rod is worth more;
but almost unaffordable to drive.
ctesla

[Chevy-SS]

I have absolutely NO faith in GM to bring back the Camaro in a design that would appeal to many of us Chevy lovers.

Just look at what GM did with the GTO. They took a revered old name and disgraced it with a plain, generic body that looks like a Toyota Camry.

I'd rather they let the Camaro RIP, than subject it to a disgrace similar to the GTO debacle.

[thecackster]

I say bring back the Chevelle.....

[Indycarlover]

I think they need to make it lighter and easier to drive (Shorter) then the last several years models...

[Jaguar D-Type]

GM reverses course, says revised version of Zeta rear-drive architecture is back on track

Automotive News

9/12/05

DETROIT - Six months after General Motors halted plans to use its Zeta rear-wheel-drive car architecture in North America, the company has revived the program.

In an interview with Automotive News last week, Jim Queen, GM's vice president of global engineering, said a revised version of Zeta is back on track.

Engineered at GM's Holden subsidiary in Australia, Zeta was expected to be the basis of the next-generation Pontiac Grand Prix and GTO; the Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo and a new version of the Camaro; and other vehicles. Vehicles in the program were expected to debut as early as 2006.

Queen did not discuss vehicles on the new version of Zeta or timing. Some vehicles that could be in the Zeta program include the next-generation Pontiac GTO as well as a Chevrolet coupe and sedans. They could debut by the 2009 or 2010 model year, say one company source and one industry analyst.

Queen said initial plans for Zeta stretched the architecture beyond its limits for some North American vehicles. "We needed to reassess and reconfigure the program," he said.

"As we started counting who was in and who was out of Zeta, we realized too late" that Zeta would not work in North America, Queen said.

Part of GM's reasoning in slowing Zeta's development was to focus on pulling forward its full-sized SUVs and pickups. GM's next-generation SUVs will debut early next year.

At the time, GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz wrote on GM's FastLane blog that GM had "canceled … plans to build rear-wheel-drive vehicles off the Zeta architecture."

"But that does not mean we've canceled plans to build rear-drive vehicles altogether," Lutz wrote. "We are simply reallocating resources (human and financial) to pull some other programs ahead and get other vehicles to market sooner."

The revised Zeta program is being developed in GM's Australian engineering center. The vehicle line executive on the program is Gene Stefanyshyn, the former vehicle line executive for GM's Epsilon, or mid-sized cars, in North America.

A GM spokesman said no product plans have been approved and that GM still is studying design themes, performance characteristics and variants for Zeta vehicles.

GM uses the term "architecture" to signify a common set of components, performance characteristics, a common manufacturing process, a range of dimensions and connecting points for key component systems.

[ZL1power69]

chevy has canceled the 07 camaro. it was suppose to be based on the zeta platform which gm canceled. it f***ken sucks.

[mokicruz]

I would like to see a camaro with a high reving v6 or 4 cylinder engine lighter than the mustang and a lot faster. Body styles in retro from are fad cars like the T-bird died out after the first year. There are more young kids going to buy the car than 40 to 60 year olds. If gm built a 375 hp v 10 with 300 cubic inches that would wind ten grand and get 30 miles to the gallon even richard petty would buy one. body size is important to the younger generation so BMW size would be about right to atract a larger market. The price needs to stay inline with the mustang. GM has to be creative and come up with NEW NEW NEW as they have been hanging on to the old technology chyrsler and ford are slowly taking the markets they dominated.

[94ToyoCam]

i love the concept camaro.(Btw, i just turned 18 last week nd i'm not sum 16-21 yr old ricer...i appreciate muscle cars) If chevy made an affordable camaro ($20K-$25K) range i'd defintely buy it. There's sumthing about V8's that 4-bangers just don't do for me......it might be the sound, the power......i don't really know but i love those V8's!!(even with the rising gas prices)