Ive got great news....

[BigAls87Z28]

And it doesnt involve switching my insurance.

It has been brought to my attention that the CAW no longer has any right to the name "Camaro", and now GM has control of the name.

For thoes who haven't been educated, back in 1987, GM gave full right to the CAW and the Ste.Therese plant to the Camaro and Firebird name for x amount of years. When production ended in 02, the agreement still stood, as well as the loans that GM has for the plant were still to be repaid. GM could not mention the Camaro or Firebird name for production, so everything was hush hush. Now, work on a 5th gen was started back in 95-96, but by 97 the plug was pulled and the design staff was pulled off, and they gave the Fbodies there last due.

Flash foward to late March of this year. The Ste.T plant was torn down and sold off. This plant was the "Berlin Wall", and its falling has brought a mass influx of info about an upcoming Chevy coupe. Now, this is very unusual to tear down such a new plant, and in 92, when production started on the 4th gens, it was one of the most high tech, high quality plants in the world.

Now, the only thing that stopped GM from saying Camaro is that the name was still tied up with the CAW. As of now, it seems that the Camaro name is now free of any obstructions...but things can happen in 3 years.

As of right now, there is a Chevy Coupe planned for production off the new Zeta chassis. Its up to GM and Chevy to call it Camaro. They could just scrap the whole Camaro name, and go with something else so that Purists and or enthusiasts wont get upset when its not an exact image of what they thought it was gunna be.

I will post more news as I get it.

[foff667]

And it doesnt involve switching my insurance.

It has been brought to my attention that the CAW no longer has any right to the name "Camaro", and now GM has control of the name.

For thoes who haven't been educated, back in 1987, GM gave full right to the CAW and the Ste.Therese plant to the Camaro and Firebird name for x amount of years. When production ended in 02, the agreement still stood, as well as the loans that GM has for the plant were still to be repaid. GM could not mention the Camaro or Firebird name for production, so everything was hush hush. Now, work on a 5th gen was started back in 95-96, but by 97 the plug was pulled and the design staff was pulled off, and they gave the Fbodies there last due.

Flash foward to late March of this year. The Ste.T plant was torn down and sold off. This plant was the "Berlin Wall", and its falling has brought a mass influx of info about an upcoming Chevy coupe. Now, this is very unusual to tear down such a new plant, and in 92, when production started on the 4th gens, it was one of the most high tech, high quality plants in the world.

Now, the only thing that stopped GM from saying Camaro is that the name was still tied up with the CAW. As of now, it seems that the Camaro name is now free of any obstructions...but things can happen in 3 years.

As of right now, there is a Chevy Coupe planned for production off the new Zeta chassis. Its up to GM and Chevy to call it Camaro. They could just scrap the whole Camaro name, and go with something else so that Purists and or enthusiasts wont get upset when its not an exact image of what they thought it was gunna be.

I will post more news as I get it.

very cool 8)

[skorpion317]

interesting...if GM knows their stuff (which i sincerely hope they do), they Camaro will return, and it will be just as, if not more badass than the previous version.

[Tru2Chevy]

I still hold out hope that GM will bring out a front engine/rear drive v8 2 door, with badass styling.....you know, like an updated 3rd gen :D

- Justin

[jims69camaro]

i don't think it's going to look like a thirdgen:
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0312phr_fifthgen_01_z.jpg

that thing is so bad ass, it'll make you forget all about thirdgen styling:
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0312phr_fifthgen_02_z.jpg

i mean, come on... that thing is SO sweet...
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0312phr_fifthgen_03_z.jpg

hideaway headlights like the firstgen RS trim...
even the first iteration gives me wood:
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0312phr_fifthgen_04_z.jpg

and now that he's worked the design a bit to make an LS2 fit under the hood... excuse me, i need to go to the bathroom for a minute.

[skorpion317]

it's not gonna look like that. GM already said they're not doing any retro-styled cars.

[Tru2Chevy]

Yea, but that little area at the bottom of the front bumper would be perfect for a front mount :twisted:

- Justin

[BigAls87Z28]

Yeah, it wont look anything like that concept, and that picture as well as its previous drawing, gives the designer headaches when people post it as "the next Camaro".

The next Camaro will have a lot of cues from the Chevy SS concept from 2 years ago. Again, the Chevy coupe is already been approved and ready for production. Delphi is bidding on a steering system for a "RWD Chevy Coupe".

This is how it looks so far.
The Camaro will be built off Zeta. Now Zeta is very flexable as to wheelbase size. Rumor is that the Camaro will be built off a smaller Zeta, while car like the GTO, Buick coupe, as well as Pontiac, Chevy and Buick sedans will be on a larger Zeta platform.
Engines are gunna go something like this.
3.9 V6 making upwards of 250hp
5.3 V8 making 325-330hp
6.0 V8 making 380-390hp
and there is a lot of news about a larger displacement engine that was first seen in the Woodward Colorado concept displacing 6.2 liters. Good chance we could see something like that in Camaro, or at least one of the Zeta cars.
Zeta is also designed for the brand new 6spd auto that will first show its head on the Z06 in January. It will be a manumatic design. Probably to keep costs down, the 4spd will still be around, but by the time the Camaro comes out, GM will have there 6spds out in all of there cars from FWD to RWD/AWD. Why take a step back?
Rear will be IRS, so wave bye-bye to your live axle. Zeta will be one of the best RWD/AWD chassis out there and will be under everything from Camaros and GTO's, to Commodores and Monaros, to Daewoos and Buicks. And Zeta will be built in the US, Canada, Oz, Europe, China, and South Korea. So imagine the parts bin for this car. The Camaro will get an EXCELENT interior just because it will share parts with Buick and Pontiac. Not to mention that it seems all GM cars are stepping up to the plate with great interiors.

So start saving your money, and think of your options.

Oh, and I dont think we will be seeing ttops on this one...sorry. I know Im sad.

[Ian]

If you cant get it with T tops, they might as well not call it a Camaro. :lol:

[Jersey_TA]

That's cool. I just want to say congrats to the camaro guys/girls if they bring it back. I know we all hated to see the F-bod stop production. But I know they aren't even thinking about bringing back the firebird = :(

Come to think of it, there really isn't much they can improve on when it comes to the look of the LS1 WS6s, so bring it back, slap in an LS2, and go racing 8) :D :twisted:

[twiztidz28]

Come to think of it, there really isn't much they can improve on when it comes to the look of the LS1 WS6s, so bring it back, slap in an LS2, and go racing 8) :D :twisted:

I would have to agree with you on this statement. that would be my car if i could choose but then again im a camaro guy :lol:

[89 Trans Am WS6]

I agree completly man.

[jims69camaro]

it's not gonna look like that. GM already said they're not doing any retro-styled cars.

and the SSR is what, exactly, if not retro? you can always let us know who your inside source at GM is, btw. then we could all get the good info like you've got it. :roll:

i love hearing people calling that the next camaro. maybe the designers will listen to the minority of us that sent emails - around 500 or so - and make that the next camaro. no? yeah, i didn't think so either. maybe if more people had communicated... :wink:

[Tru2Chevy]

Al's source: http://www.gminsidenews.com/

- Justin

[j0n]

That's cool. I just want to say congrats to the camaro guys/girls if they bring it back. I know we all hated to see the F-bod stop production. But I know they aren't even thinking about bringing back the firebird = :(

Come to think of it, there really isn't much they can improve on when it comes to the look of the LS1 WS6s, so bring it back, slap in an LS2, and go racing 8) :D :twisted:

:nod: you will be missed firebird...u had a good run

[skorpion317]

it's not gonna look like that. GM already said they're not doing any retro-styled cars.

and the SSR is what, exactly, if not retro? you can always let us know who your inside source at GM is, btw. then we could all get the good info like you've got it. :roll:

i love hearing people calling that the next camaro. maybe the designers will listen to the minority of us that sent emails - around 500 or so - and make that the next camaro. no? yeah, i didn't think so either. maybe if more people had communicated... :wink:

i believe Bob Lutz was interviewed about retro-styled vehicles, he said GM would NOT go down that path. He cited the decline in sales of the new VW Beetle, the Ford Thunderbird, and PT Cruiser as a major reason for not doing retro styling.

yes, i realize the SSR is retro-styled, it looks like old '50s Chevy trucks. However, it is the only new car from GM that has any retro styling. all the new cars GM is releasing (C6, GTO, Pontiac's G6, the new Caddies, the restyled Grand Prix and Bonneville, etc.) are NOT retro styled. Don't expect the new Camaro to be either. I, for one, don't want it to be retro-styled anyway. sure, it would be cool for a while, but you'd get tired of looking at it.

[skorpion317]

and if i'm not mistaken, those pics were photoshops done by some 16-year old kid.

[jims69camaro]

yeah, except he's not 16. strike two.

bob lutz hates retro so much his first idea was to introduce a sportster. i can't debate this issue - i have my own views which may or may not agree with what GM has or hasn't said, and it's more of what they haven't said. i can tell you that more than one person at GM looked at those photos above.

the GTO wasn't retro because someone had the bright idea to import an aussie car. don't get fooled - retro is in despite whatever comments were made about whatever models of other people's cars. or were the magnum and 300C not brand new cars with retro styling?

about the only reason i can think of for not liking retro is because you are surrounded by "fill in the blank" cars. if that's the only thing you've ever been influenced by, then it's no surprise if you don't like anything else. *ahem*Justin's fixation on thirdgens*ahem*

see, if they do it right, like the PROWLER, then there is no reason to claim retro is dead because there is actually demand for it. i'm not saying there is widespread demand for Kris Horton's digital rendering of what he thinks the new camaro should look like. i mean, one of the highest curculating magazines asked for an email drive and they got 500 responses. :roll:

enthusiasts are in the minority. we always have been, we always will be. a car like the mustang doesn't really appeal to us because it comes in so many flavors - which is also why it did so well; it appealed to more people.

don't take my comments about your source personally. they weren't meant that way. i tend to have a dry sense of humor, which, not surprisingly, doesn't appeal to too many people. :D

[ar0ck]

I want whats in the pictures nothing else! :evil:

[BigAls87Z28]

#1- calling thoes pictures "photoshopped" is horrible, and you should be banned from this site for saying such. That took a bit more work then photoshop. Kris Horton is 20 years old, and he used a very advanced 3d design software. He has spent many hours on thoes 2 different designs, and with the help of PHR mag, they sent all his drawings, as well as thousands of letters into GM.
Look, GM already has a design ready for the Camaro, before this was created.
You will NOT be seeing a full-on retro Camaro like the Mustang. If you want a retro Camaro, see the other thread abotu them making new skins for a first gen.
SSR is pre-Lutz, but its odd that Lutz had hand on the Prowler, PT Cruser, and upcoming HHR. The HHR was pre-Lutz, but I dont understand why Lutz doesnt crush it. Hrmm, retro-styled, 4dr cute-ute based off a compact car chassis using a 4cyl engine...sounds very familiar.

The 5th gen will cary some heritage, but nothing more then to make it a Camaro.

And I get my info from more then one place. 8)

[LS1LT1]

8) :D