It's hard to believe that all of the die hard chevy camaro fanatics that frequent this board have no difinitive knowledge of when and if a new camaro will be made. With all of the articles of future camaros that have appeared here and there the last couple of years, no one knows for sure? No GM employee can step up to the plate and tell us if it is or is not going to happen. Use a false name....Someone must know for sure. GM absolutely has to know by now. Almost 20,000 'stangs sold in one month? GM almost HAS to step up to the plate.

I own a 67 rs/ss 350 and love it. Will probably own it till the day I die or can't drive anymore. But, I would also like to own something new and a bit more comfortable/reliable that I can drive everyday. I, like most people, like the new mustang a lot. I would rather wait a couple years and buy a camaro, but if a 2006/2007 camaro is just a dream then......I guess I will be forced to buy a ford. I refuse to buy that s**t box GTO. So, I'm asking someone that WORKS for GM, not someone "who knows a guy," to step up.

Besides driving and owning a new camaro, it would be a whole lot more fun and interesting comparing the two (mustang vs. camaro), than everyone either gushing or hating the mustang.

END OF RANT!

as much as we all want to see a new camaro, like a poker game, would you tip your cards so your opponent could see your hand?
We have to be patient and pray I guess. Just dont expect any gov. type 'leaks' to happen. I quit worrying about it years ago and just trust that General Motors sees the mustang success and builds something to blow its doors off.

I completely understand what you are saying, but how long are we supposed to wait? It's been how many years since the last "so called" camaro (the car deserved to be terminated at the time). Plus, I'm jealous of the ford fans. They get a beautiful car, while we are still waiting around for that infamous car that no one even knows for sure if it exists. And, yes, I think by now I would tip my hand. I don't think I'm alone being a chevy guy considering a daily driver that is a new mustang. If everyone wanting a new muscle car buys a mustang, what market is there for the camaro? Look at the new vette. It's a great car, but look at the sticker. Then compare it to the new 'stang's sticker with all the options.

Definitive - there will be no 2006 Camaro... From there, all the rest is speculation. If you search this forum and read all the "new camaro" threads you'll find many GM employees have dropped many clues but don't expect any of them to come forward and spill any beans when it puts their employment on the line... My guess is by Jan '06 we will know if there is to be a Camaro in '07.

If you read all the web material available you may find some rather high ups at GM have dropped a few hints as well... The thing they tend to be throwing out is there will be a Chevrolet rear wheel drive, V8 performance vehicle in 2007 but they are not sure it will be called a Camaro...

A GM rep (can't recall his name) that spoke for a minute during the ACA dinner at the Carlisle GM Nats in June just said "...You'll be pleasantly surprized..." for the 2007 model year.
Whatever that means. A minute later someone said "It's not going to look anything like a 'Camaro'..."
:rolleyes:

Like everything else who knows? Only those keeping the secret. This article says most of what has been talked about over the last year or two.

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0409phr_camaro/

Joe

first thing forst, DONT buy the ford..

the GTO is just a grand am, so theres really nothing special.

The camaro cant come out untill 2007, from a deal chevy made.. plus the 2006 camaro would be ready to come out by now.

GTO is not a Grand Am it's a Monaro. Everone complains about no rear drivers and no performance and here it is staring you in the face 400 HP and loads of people are still not happy. Maybe they should have called it a Grand Am instead of a GTO who knows but one thing for sure it's a performer and will kick a Mustang GT's A$$. I do think they should have just imported it as is and not changed a thing but I still like the GTO the way it looks, I just like the Monaro more.

Monaro Web Site (http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modeloverview?modelid=12001)

I suppose no one wants anything like this to hit the states also Elcamino style (http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modeloverview?modelid=15002)

yeah- the 02 Camaro Z28 sucked.
it only had-what?- 340 or so HP, did 0-60 in about 6 seconds, and blasted thru the traps at the end of a 1/4 mile in the mid 13 second range at over 100 mph.
and then, after you got done kicking butt at the track, you got 25mpg or better on the drive home from the track with the AC blowing ice cold and the stereo cranked.
all for under $25 if you ordered it right.
yeah- it was a POS that deserved to die.
the same can be said for the new GTO- it's fast, rwd, comfy, and not too bad of a deal if you can score one from a dealer for under $30k- or maybe into the $25k range with all the "you pay what we pay" deals going on now.
yeah- what a ripoff. GM doesn't know how to build cars anymore...

dude, the 02 camaro might have been quick, and good economy-wise, but it was one sad looking car. Ugly even. The body style deserved to be put out of it's misery. The same with the new "GTO." It might have great performance, but why call it a GTO, when it ain't? For me, looks are just as important as performance. That's why I'm so envious of new 'stang.

Thanks to everyone for the info. I don't feel any better, but will wait at least another year.

The only hand G.M. is holding is ACES and EIGHTS!

sincity...I work for GM.

I say what I can but understand there are proprietary boundries that I must stay within. I've read a lot of what's been said on this message board and have made comments where I've felt they were appropriate.

But know this..........if the car was indeed a dead horse and there were absolutely no plans to build another one, GM would not have a problem with me saying so. Why would they? What's to hide?

However....to this day, I have not said that. Wanna guess why?

I'll throw you a crumb....here it is.

January '06......Detroit......Stay tuned.

That is the whole issue with bringing back a car... you'll definately will not make everyone happy. The people that are wishing for the return of the Camaro will probably be the first to say "This car is ugly or not a Camaro" There are 4 generations of Camaro owners that they need to appeal to. We'll see if they bring it back...

GM can't win for losing... JMHO

I normally don't post on these threads discussing the future of the Camaro, etc., since 'mums the word on everything', ...and half what we hear (and read) is inaccurate. "Infamous's" post however is right on the money, ...much is said when saying nothing at all. Those that are involved in whatever capacity are 'sworn to secrecy'. Speak up and lose your job, ...or keep quiet about what you're working on, ...pretty easy choice if you need the job.
I don't work for GM, ... but I think it's safe to say there is a 5th gen on the horizon. As for the question of when? ...I really don't know, ...but might think '07/'08.
As for anything sooner, ...I'll agree with the guy throwing those crumbs, ... there may be good reason to travel into the snowbelt in January '06......


...until then, I'll enjoy my '02 SS vert :thumbsup:
...not bad performance for the money.


Kevin

Infamous and Kevin,

Thanks. The crumb you tossed out made my day. That's what I've been waiting to hear from a GM employee. I've read past posts, but most of the posts I found were "a guy whose knows a guy from GM." You can't believe all of that stuff. As far as satisfying four generations, I dissagree. I believe you only have to satisfy the first three. Has anyone ever started a poll on here for the most popular gen? I bet the 4th would lose handsdown, and I'm sure GM is perfectly aware of it. I would be VERY happy with something that looked anything like the second and third generation, and would be estacic if a new car would resemble a first gen car.

Infamous and Kevin,

Thanks. The crumb you tossed out made my day. That's what I've been waiting to hear from a GM employee. I've read past posts, but most of the posts I found were "a guy whose knows a guy from GM." You can't believe all of that stuff. As far as satisfying four generations, I dissagree. I believe you only have to satisfy the first three. Has anyone ever started a poll on here for the most popular gen? I bet the 4th would lose handsdown, and I'm sure GM is perfectly aware of it. I would be VERY happy with something that looked anything like the second and third generation, and would be estacic if a new car would resemble a first gen car.

Infamous has been very vocal on the subject for years here. He's one of the ones I made reference to earlier. The site here is focused on 1st gens so I doubt a vote would discover anything earth shaking. My guess is the true 1st gen guy wouldn't really want to see a 2007 that looks just like his classic.

Personally I feel a true Camaro nut will embrace what ever is produced, retro or not. A true camaro nut may have a favorite year or generation but will stand true that a Camaro is a Camaro no matter what year or body style. You just don't stop loving a family member because they don't look like the rest of the family now do you?

I have owned 1st gen 3 gen and I have freinds with the an 02, I can drive all day in 3rd gen and the 02 and no one anywhere says a word to you. I hop in my 1st gen and I cant drive a block without a beep or a thumbs up, The first gen camaro excites people like no other camaro ever. Most people dont know what kind of car it is or what year they just think its cool looking.AND IT IS.
I cant belive myself how intrested people are in this car even ladies that dont care at all about cars think its hot. In my opinion they (GM) should have been the first retro camaro like the stang no dought 1st gen. But look at it this way they came out with the camaro late in the first place because of the stang. THEY BETTER GET MOVING! People are buying stangs that dont need a car they are loosing market share as we speek. and boy do they need market share. GM GET OFF YOUR......... I may have to buy a stang to tied me over.

i just don't get why everyone thinks the 4th gens are so ugly. yeah- they are uncomfortable for me to drive, and have hella blind spots while you are driving them- but they more than make up for it in perfromance. but they are a sleek, tough looking car.
they are what they were intended to be- but the Mustang always has done everything else better. the Mustangs are a comfy, easy to drive and live with car from day to day- that's why about 75% of them are V6 cars sold to young women drivers looking for a cute car. the Camaro is more like a street legal race car with lots of perfromance potential- and i think the V8/V6 ratio on them is exactly the opposite of the Mustang. the big wigs at GM figured that instead of marketing a car for everybody, they'd let it be the performance model, and let the women buy Cavaliers if all they were looking for was a cute, easy to live with car.
as for the GTO, i remember a few years ago when the GTO rumors started to surface that almost everyone said they would buy a RWD V8 powered midsize 2 door NO MATTER WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE. well, you all got offered what you wanted, but won't buy it because it's "not a real GTO" or it "looks like a Grand AM" or whatever.
personally, i think 95% of the people that complain about the styling of late model cars can't afford one anyways, so they are content to yell and scream and make sure that the people that actually are in a position to maybe buy something like that will choose something else, so that they won't have to be reminded everyday of what they can't get. you know- the old "sour grapes" deal.
but that's just my opinion, i could be wrong.
I'll get a GTO in a few years when the prices come down and i have some extra $$$ to buy one.

as you know by now, my opinion, and its only an opinion is that the first three gens were a lot better looking cars than the fourth, and this new "GTO." I went to a car show a few weeks back and saw an 2002 camaro SS, it was like a number 200 out of 2,500 made (something like that). Mint condition. The guy said the car ran awesome. Fast, reliable, the whole ten yards. But, I did not think it was a good looking car. There was also a new GTO. The owner said the same things. Great performance. But, again, the car did not look like anything special. I have not heard anyone talk bad about the performance of these cars, we/they would like an awesome looking car to go along with great performance. We want our cake and eat it to. What's wrong with that? The ford people got it, why can't we? It ain't like we are asking for a $10,000 corvette. I also don't think the same people who said they would buy a GTO "whatever it looked like" expected it look like every other car on the road.

I never understood new cars at car shows unless they were part of club participation or extreamly modified... Has anyone actually gotten the opinion if a true classic mustang nut on the new mustang? If the car is selling to the masses it doesn't mean the enthuast are buying it. The grass is always greener...

Personally I feel a true Camaro nut will embrace what ever is produced, retro or not. A true camaro nut may have a favorite year or generation but will stand true that a Camaro is a Camaro no matter what year or body style. You just don't stop loving a family member because they don't look like the rest of the family now do you?

I agree I would embrace a new Camaro whether it is retro or not, as long as it is a performance car. As far as loyalty I believe a lot of Nova family members put the 80's Nova up for adoption. :D

I really should stay away from these posts, too... after all, I sold a 98 vette to get my wife to let me have the 68... and I could buy another today if I chose to, and the 4th gen camaro and current GTO are/were nearly as fast, and handle almost as good, for half the money, but...

The new mustang (fastback, somehow the ragtop don't look much different than last years) just flat LOOKS like a MUSCLE CAR should.

The 4th gen camaro looked plain lousy... the third gen was a disguised Monza descended from Vega, and the second gen didn't come in a drop top. As for the fifth, guess we'll wait and see... but GM, my biggest complaint with the C4 was that it was too slick and too smooth... not like the C3, you paid a price to drive that, pretty much the same price I pay when I slide into that ole 68 vert, get it?

This is just my opinion,

My first camaro ever was a 70 1/2 camaro. I since then picked up a 67 and a 68 camaro which I like the best out of all the years..(67-68). I have seen the pictures of the prototype and although it in some ways resembles the first generation 67-69 it also crosses into the 70ish early look with the round tailights.. I think they should do like the stang in my opinion and come back with a replica of the 67 .. and not mix stuff, I know people will argue the retro look with me, but I myself would rather put the 30 grand into what I already have lol then buy a cross over ... I mean this, I spoke with a person in my neighborhood about his old stang that resembles this new one, I dont know him as a friend just an older adult living about a mile from me that i always pass by on the way to school in my camaros, he says he is extremely happy that ford recreated the replica of his because its made more people notice his car, I think it would just be better for chevy to do what ford did and remake one of the years but without the mixing and matching of the body styles... I hope im not out of line with this thought... I could never afford to spend 30 or so thousand on it anyways my wife would have a heart attack especailly after ive dumped so much money into my 67 and 68 camaros :)

Well, I've always liked Camaros. The 2nd gens were "new" when I was growing up, the 3rd gens were also... The 1st gens were a cool "hot rod." You know Day 2 stuff from back then: Cragars (or whatever offbrand) or Slotted Ansens, Huge bias plys on the rear, hiked to the moon with airshocks and/or shackles, and pizza cutters on the front, Maybe a Cragar rear louver, and a L88 hood scoop (or a primed cowl hood). glasspacks and a vinyl roof that was a bit natty... Endless lines and metalflake... Neat stuff.
Anyway...from the moment I saw the 4th gen I thought; "donor car!" Man this stuff would be cool in a 1967-1992. I liked the Firechicken a bit more but not enough that I owned one for any length of time...

So a 5th gen would have to be better in the styling department (yes this from a guy who still likes slotted mags...) before any thoughts beyond, "should I use a wrench or a sawzall to get this engine out?" rang out.

Excuse me, I've gotta head back to grab some new Pro Trac tires for my slots....

I agree with the majority of people and think that GM should retro the new camaro and I do believe they will build one. If GM does not retro it, it will appeal to a limited number of people. Meaning that just about everyone already holds an opinon on their favorite style. So if GM comes out with a completely new style there will be a few first Gen guys/gals who will embrace it, a few 2nd and so on. If they do it this way their target audience will be those who hold no opinion and just like a car for what it is. If they retro it they will pull a lot more of the first Gen guys in as well as the 2nd (who generally have a lot more disposable income). They will also get the same target audience as the completely new design would have and it will be a win/win for them.

I know this, if they retro it they should use the 67 year as their design platform. Think of it this way, first model was 67 they then bring it back in 07. They can draw from the 40 year anniversary stuff. Then they can progress from there. I know a lot of guys want them to start with the 69 lines and work from there becasue it was the most popular design. Not in my opinion but I know a lot folks think that way. But if they start with the 69 they can't work backwards where as if they start with the 67 they can move forward to the 69 styling in the following years.

If they retro the 07 with the 67 lines count me in, will will buy a base level convert all black and have a bumble bee stripe shot on the nose. And I wouldn't have any reservations bring my 67 and 07 cars to rhe shows park them side by side, set back and enjoy.

JJ

Don't expect to be able to buy a 2006 or 2007 Camaro. However, you may be able to buy a 2008 Camaro in late 2007.

Still, if you are interested in a 5th generation Camaro, then you really should visit Detroit this January. :D

This may be old news, but I just found it.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=107210

DETROIT — General Motors has revived the Zeta rear-wheel-drive platform for North America, six months after it chopped the program.

Jim Queen, GM's vice president of global engineering, told Automotive News a revised version of Zeta is back on track. Developed by Holden, GM's Australian division, the new Zeta platform — or "architecture" in GM-speak — will form the basis of the next-generation Pontiac Grand Prix and GTO; the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo; and a new version of the Camaro.

The cars could appear as early as next year — an indication of how advanced Zeta was before GM pulled the plug — though they are more likely to be 2009 or 2010 model-year cars. The revised Zeta program is being developed in GM's Australian engineering center.

What this means to you: The success of the Dodge Charger and the Ford Mustang has put pressure on GM to include some traditional American muscle in its U.S. range — so Zeta's back on track.

Since this is really a 1st gen site, most of us here prefer the older camaros, but when I first saw a picture of the 4th gen camaro on the cover of Car and Driver, I knew I had to have one. I think the 93-97 are bad *** looking cars and I still think my 96 Black RS is a beautiful yet mean looking camaro. I think a lot of it has to do with the color. Plus that mother handles so well. I think more people would appreciate the car if they drove one. I know not everybody would care for it, but I think it would gain some new fans. My all time favorite is the 69 camaro, but as with any car, some look better than others. If they make a new one, all I hope is that it has v8, rear wheel drive, more room than the 4th gen it wasn't designed by the guys who worked on the Pontiac astek or the new Dodge Charger. Now, the new Dodge Charger looks like it ran a 100 yard dash in a 90 yard gym.

The 4th gen cars handled great and didn't look too bad. They were by far the best performance bang for the buck in a long, long time. I miss my 93 Z28 and with a simple supercharger bolt on it was a blast to drive and got 26-28 mpg on the highway. The new Mustang is ok, but I see more 6 cyl cars in my area and they honestly look stupid with that 69 Mach1 fastback style look when they're nothing but a non performance car with the 6 cyl. I couldn't car either way for retro styling or not and I don't understand why so many people are hung up on it. If you want a Camaro to look like a 69 Camaro, then get a 69 Camaro. I'm looking forward to something new and hopefully my JL8 car will be done by then and I can afford something newer to drive.


http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/jeffhansbury@comcast.net/pacecar/pace0804.jpg

I do respect everyones opinion. My only critique is on the design on the new camaro. Why make it so retro just starting with the design of a 67? Why not simply bring back the 67 replica? I dont think ford lost any customers doing this just because there are other generations of ford year lovers after their 1st generation series. Heck they are even coming out with the cobra and the ugly ugly salem 80s car for christ sake. I am a 1st generation camaro fan and i know that your car being a 3rd or 4th generation may beat my 67-68 camaro but i think they are ugly. I agree to disagree here in a respectful way. It has come to a point that anything bought back from the 60s is going to be viewed as cool. (Can you say dodge dart....? I hope not) but no I mean I just dont like the fact that they are crossing models and this trend hasnt clearly given me a direction on how the majority feel other than most just want the return of the camaro. I really would rather see them come back with a complete replica of a 1st generation camaro whether its a 67-68-69 makes no difference to me or even a fisher body 70 1/2-73 but dont dont dont mix and match at all. it may look cool to some to do that but i think most YOUNGER people like myself who love old muscle cars would love to do what Ford has done, because I dont have to argue the facts show hands down that ford did a great move by bringing back the 1st generation stang and they didnt have to do a bunch of retro crap to it to make it look appealing........

I've been told its not going to be as retro as some people think. :D


We'll soon find out won't we.