Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupes
Debut of the Chevrolet Camaro Concept
You would think Autoblogger Chris Paukert were at a Hollywood movie opening instead of a car show when he arrived at the Camaro debut. In his own words:
More pomp and circumstance than any other debut I've yet seen this week. Full-on local marching band; parade of vintage Camaros; 250 hardcore Camaro buffs; Dr. Jack Arute (Motorsports Commentator); Leeanne Tweeden, who is a celeb for some reason or another; guys with LCD monitors strapped to their backs; absolute crush of humanity; lots of cheering.
GM Media was offering ear plugs due to the roar of the vintage Camaros. Nothing could be done, though, about the intoxicating smell of their exhausts.
But the "star" of the show stood proudly while cameras flashed around it. The Camaro concept features GM's 6.0L LS2 V8 producing 400 ponies and delivering over 30 mpg on the highway thanks to Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation). The tranny is a proper yet modern six-speed manual. 21-inch wheels up front and 22-inchers in the rear keep this (future) blast from the past on the road.
More specs from the press release and pics after the jump.
CHEVROLET CAMARO CONCEPT:
CAPTURING THE TIMELESS SPIRIT OF CAMARO
- Thoroughly modern interpretation of the classic sport coupe
- Dramatic design, responsive performance
DETROIT – Combining dramatic design and exciting performance, the Chevrolet Camaro Concept recaptures the spirit of one of the most popular sport coupes of all time and redefines the Camaro for new generations of fans.
The Camaro Concept embodies the performance and passion that have made first-generation Camaros some of the most sought-after collector cars, updating the formula with a fuel-efficient powertrain, sophisticated chassis and contemporary design execution. The goal is to make the sport coupe relevant to younger enthusiasts while retaining its appeal to its current fans.
“Millions of people of all ages fell in love with the Camaro for all of the right reasons,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, global design (pictured). “Camaros were beautiful to look at and offered performance that could rival expensive European GTs. Yet they were practical enough to drive every day and priced within the reach of many new car buyers.”
Though only a show car at this point, the Camaro Concept is intended to explore customer reaction to design and engineering elements that might lead to an all-new version of the Camaro.
The long hood, short deck and wide stance of the Camaro Concept leave no doubt that it is a serious performance car. Those looks are backed up by a 400-horsepower aluminum small-bock V-8, a six-speed manual transmission, and a sophisticated chassis with four-wheel independent suspension.
Like its forebears, the Camaro Concept would be practical enough for everyday use. It features fuel-saving features like Active Fuel Management™ cylinder deactivation technology, yielding highway fuel economy of 30 mpg or better. Its overall size is a comfortable fit for city streets and suburban parking lots, and its back seat provides occasional seating for two adults.
Lean, muscular design
Because of Camaro’s powerful heritage, the GM Design team chose a theme that pays homage to the original Camaro, while being instantly recognizable as an all-new car.
Said Bob Boniface, director of the Warren Advanced Design Studio, “The fact that the Camaro has been out of production for a number of years made it particularly important that the Camaro Concept honors the Camaro heritage in the right way.”
The 1969 Camaro, considered by many to be the best first-generation design, was a significant inspiration. But as GM design teams in Warren, Mich., worked on alternatives for the Camaro Concept, they also turned to the latest Corvette and to aircraft like the YF-22, seeking a design that encompasses the spirit that made the 1969 Camaro great, but interprets that spirit in a fresh, exciting way.
“The overall proportions, long hood and powerful fender forms say, ‘This is a front-engine, rear-wheel drive performance vehicle,’ ” said Tom Peters, design director, rear-wheel drive performance cars. The prominent front grille and hood bulge hint at the power of the Corvette-derived V-8 engine. Large wheels and tires, exposed high-performance brakes and prominent fender shapes signal that the Camaro Concept has the handling and braking to go with the powertrain.
The cockpit of the Camaro nestles between sharply defined fender forms, a design element inspired by fighter planes and the new Corvette. And like any high-performance vehicle, the clean, purposeful design is integral to the aesthetic. “The Camaro Concept isn’t just a styled shape,” said Peters. “The design incorporates what the vehicle needs to perform to its optimum level.”
The same purposeful design is reflected in the interior of the Camaro Concept. The gauges and splash of orange trim hint at classic first-generation Camaros, but the overall design and execution reflect the no-nonsense functionality that drivers expect from a high-performance Chevrolet sports car.
Performance for the real world
The Camaro Concept features the latest generation of GM’s legendary small-block V-8. The 6.0-liter LS2 engine features an aluminum block and heads for light weight, and Active Fuel Management™, which shuts off four cylinders to save fuel when the engine is lightly loaded. This concept version of the LS2 is rated at 400 horsepower, yet it could also deliver more than 30 mpg at highway speeds.
The Camaro Concept’s six-speed manual transmission provides a wide spread of ratios for aggressive acceleration off the line, confident passing and merging and efficient highway cruising.
Modern sports cars are about more than just straight-line speed, so the Camaro Concept features a sophisticated rear-wheel drive chassis. Its independent front and rear suspension features progressive-rate springs and gas-pressurized dampers. Four-wheel vented disc brakes with 14-inch rotors provide confident stopping under all conditions.
Enhancing both the performance and appearance of the Camaro Concept are unique five-spoke cast alloy wheels, 21 inches in the front and 22 inches in the rear.
An American icon
Designed in the mid-1960s, the first-generation Camaro captured the optimism of an era. The Baby Boomers were in their teens, rock-and-roll and Motown ruled the airwaves, and American culture was sweeping the globe.
Like the Impala, Chevelle and Sting Ray, the new Camaro showcased Chevy’s strength of bringing stylish, high-quality cars to a mainstream audience. Its dramatic proportions and graceful lines recalled both the Corvette and the Italian Gran Turismo cars of the era. And its powertrain lineup, which soon included both the potent Z-28 small block and big block 396s and 427s, gave the Camaro the performance to go with its looks.
But what really made the Camaro an American icon was that it was accessible to millions. Chevy sold more than 699,000 Camaros in its first three years. So for every Z-28 taking the checkered flag at the track, there were thousands of less exotic Camaros cruising the drive-ins, picking up the groceries, or taking the family on vacation.
“The Camaro Concept is designed to have that same broad appeal, with unmistakable style, spirit and performance,” said Welburn.
SPECIFICATIONS – CHEVROLET CAMARO CONCEPT
Vehicle type: two-door, four-passenger rear-wheel drive sport coupe
Wheelbase (in / mm): 110.5 / 2806
Length (in / mm): 186.2 / 4730
Width (in / mm): 79.6 / 2022
Height (in / mm): 53 / 1344
Track (in / mm): 63.8 / 1620 front; 63.3 / 1607 rear
Engine: 6.0-L V-8 LS-2, 400 hp / 298 kw, with Active Fuel Management™
Transmission: six-speed manual T56
Suspension: four-wheel independent: MacPherson strut front, multilink rear, progressive rate coil springs, gas-pressurized dampers
Brakes: four-wheel disc, 15” rotors with four-piston calipers
Wheels: cast aluminum, 21” front, 22” rear
Tires: 275/30R21 front, 305/30R22 rear
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 56)
Takeo 4:15PM (1/09/2006)
Nice, a performance car that gets 30MPG! See GM? You CAN do it! Now let's see some of this same excellence in the rest of your more "bread and butter" product line. While you're building halo cars, your competitors are eating your lunch where it really counts.
Reply
SPtheALIEN 4:15PM (1/09/2006)
Those orange things, I bet, are meters of some sort. For instance, for fuel or voltage even. The cluster in front of the wheel is only for speed and RPMs--just like the '67 we used to have.
Reply
matt 4:17PM (1/09/2006)
GM AND DODGE: "must copy ford, can't make original design, mustang too good" by the time they make this it'll be just like the 2005 mustang, but with good ol' chev quality. I can't believe it.
Reply
bruce 4:18PM (1/09/2006)
Very sweet car. It brings back the great design of the late 1960s Camaro. Love the retro gauge package in the console-similar to the original. It needs a stirrup style shifter and RS style hide-a-way headlamps doors like my '69. GM could offer this car in a many trim/option levels like the original and let the customer literally build their own car like buyers did in the late '60s. A convertible version would be over the top!
Reply
josh 4:25PM (1/09/2006)
man! that camaro is sweet. im glad they decided to build a camaro like the old body style from the 67-69. if they make that i deffinitly want one i know i would have one before my life is up. i have a 68 rs and i love it i got it for my sixteenth b-day! and my dad hooked me up.
Reply
Kyle Wyse 4:27PM (1/09/2006)
Can't give a rating on the rest of the car since I can't get past that ugly grill.
Is it japanese?
Is it a smiley face?
It's not agressive but just wrong.
Before you guys tool up the dies look closely at the Challenger and GT500 your competitors rolled out.
Those front ends look GOOD.
Reply
dasmb 4:29PM (1/09/2006)
Yes -- I'd say that Camaro offically qualifies as "bitchin'"
Reply
kpogoda 4:29PM (1/09/2006)
My only recommendation is to straighten up on the front end a bit. The pointy front end makes it appear like a Saturn Sky look-alike. Other than that, it really looks how I would want it. Surprisingly that is my only comment on it.
Reply
Ben 4:31PM (1/09/2006)
GM had an opportunity to hit a Grand Slam, but instead they squared off to bunt, and struck out.
Is Ford the only Automaker that gets it? Americans want muscle cars that look like muscle cars, not the Jetsons vehicles. The Mustang has a very retro look that people are eating up.
I was anticipating the Camero coming out looking much like the 69 version (i.e. the renderings that have been on the web for a couple years). GM had a shot, but wiffed.
Reply
jwer 4:33PM (1/09/2006)
On the Chevrolet website it says that those four orange things are the oil, battery, fuel, and temperature gauges.
Reply
Mike Luczak 4:34PM (1/09/2006)
pretty close GM, but think about proportion!!It looks like a Friggin drift car on acid. Go back to the 67'68'and really look...slim and tight.till then I'll make mine a new challenger in sublime green.
Reply
Emery Walker 4:49PM (1/09/2006)
I have never stopped believing in GM. They are too much a part of the Fabric we American's(and other's who inhabit this land)thrive upon. I know that GM will do this Chevy right! Don't I? Heck' Yeah! Let's get the ball rolling again GM. This Camaro will bring much more needed momentum.
Reply
chris 5:03PM (1/09/2006)
Id like to see a z/28, or ss concept.
different hood/spoiler, etc.
although i overall really like the look of this concept. The c6 looks great, and im glad that same person was the head designer for this.
Wonder what a giant 2nd gen camaro spoiler option would look like for this, or a larger cowl hood. Or a ram air SS style hood.
If it doesn't weigh 4000#, and gets GMs VVT V8 which puts down 450hp (as a z/28 or ss option say) If 2008-9 is when it could come out, i'd hope by then GM would use something other than the ls2. not that it's a bad engine, just think they might have a better v8 by then, which might not be too pricy to put in at that point.
The bottom two pics look like you can pick different colors for the interior dash.
As much as I like my 99SS, i'd trade it in, in a second for this new camaro.
wonder if they will offer a 'copo' version, with the zo6 427ci engine.
Reply
Mike A 5:09PM (1/09/2006)
Holy crap, this car us FUGLY. It's trying too hard to look cool and it ends up looking like another of GM's angry household appliance cars. Or something you'd buy to chase the cat around the house. "Gee, where can I get something with none of the Challenger's charisma but with all of GM's poor reliability built right in?"
YUCK.
Reply
Russ 5:25PM (1/09/2006)
General Motors has been telling Dealers that this was something else and could not say much I am very suprised that they kept as good of wraps on it as they did, My GM source as I work for a Chevrolet Dealer has told me for months it would be unveiled today, and might see production as early as late 2007 as an early 08 model, you know as well as I do that may never happen but as much as people seem to love it I sure hope it does
Reply
Shelley LaBate 5:25PM (1/09/2006)
AWESOME! I have a 2005 vette & will kick it to the curb for this camaro! I LOVE IT!
Reply
Joel H. 5:42PM (1/09/2006)
"The powertrain combo is perfect, no need for V6 option."
no need except they can price it lower... like someone else said (and I believe but don't know for sure) HALF of mustangs sell with a 6cylinder and it's probably due to it being about 5K cheaper.
Reply
Ted Schafer 5:42PM (1/09/2006)
Love it!
A little late to the party, but great work GM!
Reply
Adam 5:50PM (1/09/2006)
GO GM man, hopefully this will bring them out of the gutter, cause I love American, but they don't seem to be doing so hot. I kinda miss the 80's-02 body style, but hey, Ill take the Camaro back any day. And is Pontiac gonna put out a matching Trans-Am too?
Reply
Alonzo 5:58PM (1/09/2006)
As a guy who's only considered imports for as long as he's been driving, I've got to say that this is a sweet car. This is the first car from GM (aside from the Solstice) that I would consider buying. And therefore it's exactly the kind of car GM should be releasing -- with it's external looks completely intact.
What really impresses me about it is that they didn't take the easy route with this one (for once). They could have easily designed this car with tracing paper like Ford and Dodge did, and if they had they would have had a car that just would have appealed to the Camaro fanatics and left everyone else looking elsewhere. But with this design they've not only brought the muscle car into the future, they may have just come up with the design direction for the entire Chevy lineup itself.
I just hope that they keep the bar up with the final version, something GM is not known to do. But if it is well balanced, has a good quality interior, gets a fully independent suspension, and doesn't raid too much of the GM parts bin, then they may have a car that can move them away from the bankruptcy court.
Reply