2010 Camaro virtually unveiled

Chevrolet’s Camaro concept has been a regular sight at auto shows over the last three years, replete with GM's promise of a production vehicle as a 2010 model. The buzz among enthusiasts has been dulled a bit by the gas crisis and several other "muscle car" production launches such as the Dodge Challenger and Nissan GT-R, but still the big question remained: "How will the production car look?"

Well, in a  modest garage at the GM headquarters in Michigan earlier today, the production model of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro was unceremoniously unveiled in a Web broadcast for all to see.

Ed Peper, vice president of Chevrolet, said the V-6 version will get a combined estimated 26 miles per gallon and the V-8 version will get 23 mpg. The car comes off the assembly line in February 2009 and goes on sale directly thereafter.

After seeing it for yourself, you may have questions for the folks at Chevrolet. If so, you're in luck. The company will conduct three 30-minute web chats on their site Tuesday from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. EDT (6:30 to 8:00 a.m. PST) with Chevrolet design, engineering and marketing honchos fielding consumer inquiries and comments.

-- Colin Ryan

Comments

[Eazy]

Haha looks just like the Mustang! Why copycat a failing company?

[Allison]

A little too Cadillac-y to me - the hard edged front grill.

But with windows that look about 12 inches high? How can anyone see out of the windows?

I guess if you drive a Camaro you don't care about seeing others - you are more interested in others seeing you?

[Mike]

It would be great if it was a hard top convertible, but looks like GM will cheap out and only offer cloth. I think I'll get a Charger instead, better horsepower and similar looks.

[Ellen Hilburn]

I didn't even know Camaros still exhisted! I thought they'd gone the way of the TransAm, the Pacer, the Gremlin. This was opening to learn they have a future. I wonder how many of us will be driving cars in 2010. I am thinking maybe we should have bicycle and moped unveilings! That may be the future. Bicycles and mopeds and close in living verses gas guzzlers and sprawl.

[Whatever]

23MPG?

You people need to get over it.

Go Tesla.

[kid rockin n knockin]

what a whip bang go! that's what i always say.

zippado da day zippo wham! smokies gonna come lookin!

better get some supply of the suds before buyin one of these big babbies.

i'll be sucking down my big gulp o dew, mama can say baby burn some rub a dub dub for ya momma!

[JonSE]

Oh, yeah! This gas hog will save them. The ex-Big Three just never learn. The USA still will be in a recessionary mode as 2010 rolls in. What the hell are they thinking?

[James Harding]

Grotesque! It twas obviously designed by a committee staffed with GM relics who should have left the job to a design house. GM lost the plot, if they ever had it, years ago. This abomination will only speed them towards the inevitable bankruptcy.

[Susan]

I'm ready to buy (and have been since the initial Concept was unveiled)!

[Tyler]

I think it is a little silly criticizing GM for making a performance car with lower than average (though good for class) fuel economy. If you want high mileage, GM has plenty of offerings that meet or exceed their competition. No you wouldn't buy this car to commute from the IE to LA every day, but commuting from the IE to LA is stupid even if you do it in a Prius. On the other hand, this car is ideal for people like me. I put all of 30 miles a week on my car carpooling to the park and ride and doing errands. As such, fuel economy means almost nothing. I still spend less money than the guy driving his prius by himself all the way to work. As a bonus, I have a really really fun car for the weekend canyon carving or track days. The funny thing is, no one questions the 370Z, the GT-R, the IS-F, LS-A, NSX, or RX8. Why can Japanese companies make performance cars that get similar or worse mileage compared to the Camaro and not be criticized, but whenever a domestic manufacturer makes one people decry it as an abomination? You people have just been trained to not think and just knee-jerk react the way the media wants you to.

Allison, you're actually looking at the concept, which yes was implausibly short. The production model has a greenhouse comparable to other midsize coupes.

Mike, GM didn't go with a hardtop not to cut costs, but because hardtops are top heavy and take up a ton of room. In their judgement more people would rather have the additional performance and practicality offered by a soft top.

"Whatever", while the Tesla is a really cool car, it is also $100,000 while the Camaro is $20,000. Even if gas was $10 a gallon and electricity was free, you could drive the Camaro for years before the cost difference was made up.

Also Mike and Eazy, if you think the Camaro looks anything close to a Mustang or Charger, I would hope you get your eyes checked before getting behind the wheel of any car. Oh, and level for level, the Camaro is more powerful than the Mustang and Challenger/Charger.

[net_coma]

You whiners get a life and all drive one liter roller skates. As for me with all the gas you save I will be knocking the catylic converter off of my IROC and putting in a new cam and some Trick Flow heads but drat that means I will need a Holly Stealt Ram intake..don't forget to save that gas for me...ok?

[thevegasstyleguy]

Jeez, what a bunch of MUH-ROONS!

I can't believe the haters who have been waiting to jump all over the Camaro. I feel like buying ten of them just to cheese you jerks off.

I'm not even a big Camaro fan but you guys really bug me. All you can do is pine over some car like the GT-R while you sit in your moms garage playing Warcraft or whatever it is you and your virtual friends do. So glad to say I don't know what you and your Simfriends do. So glad.

The fact is thus, the Camaro, Mustang, Charger are exciting cars built for people who are proud to drive big, muscular American cars. They probably can afford the gas and have no patience for BIMMER driving wusses who won't live in Silverlake because it's too "shady" and only eat organic food on their way to their yoga classes after leaving their dork jobs at "Buena Vista not Disney".

[German_Nut]

From what i've seen, i think GM should do well with this. I'd buy it over the mustang if i was into a pony car...