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Development Of Next Generation Chevy Camaro Shaping To Be A Challenge

The Chevrolet Camaro accounted for 42 percent of the rear-drive performance coupe market in 2011. Needless to say, the Chevy pony car has been winning like Charlie Sheen (are people still saying that?). But the Camaro as we know it today will have to be replaced in the coming years. However, the challenge for its development team is to improve it, without ruining the successful formula.

Luckily for the Camaros developers, the fifth-generation isn’t perfect and there’s room for improvement. Constant complaints about bland interior, visibility, and weight have been the three biggest drawbacks of the vehicle. But adding to the to-do list is finding a solution to that whole CAFE emissions thing, which poses a major challenge to engineers, while the affection for the current generation’s sheetmetal has made things puzzling for designers.

“Do you make it look like a second-gen? Or do you make it look like the first gen?” Camaro Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser pondered aloud to Automotive News. It will be a huge challenge to top the styling of the fifth-gen. But your input in the comments below can help shape the future of the next generation Camaro’s shape.

With the information we have at hand, we know that the sixth-generation Camaro will indeed be smaller and much lighter than today’s big-bodied boulevard beast by utilizing the all-new Alpha platform and all that implies. Yes, this is the very same platform that GM plans on using for several Cadillac models, including the ATS and new CTS. The result of which will put the Camaro closer to the size of the original model, while making it more proportionate to its competitors such as the Ford Mustang, Nissan 370Z, and Hyundai Genesis Coupe. What’s more, forced induction is a huge possibility here, as we could very well see turbocharged four cylinder (gasp!) and six cylinder engines, though we don’t believe the Camaro team is going to forsake the V8 advocates, either.

Former staff.

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Comments

  1. Needs to be lighter, smaller but not too small, and better visibility. I think next gen. Camaro shouldn’t be as retro and instead be as modern as possible (GT-R kind). Although GT-R isn’t in the same league, there is no reason why Camaro shouldn’t have a great style, top performance, and latest technology.

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  2. Hopefully they could get 3400lbs for a V-6 or I-4, and 3600lbs for a V-8. I would like to see styling similar to the way Dodge designed the Challenger. A more retro look, but much smaller and with modern aerodynamic twists.

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  3. Retro is ok, with a modern flow and some European hints ( I can only imagine how people are going to respond, “European hints”) mixed in with Americana beauty… This car should kill the pony car label and cater to all customers, I shouldn’t feel like I have to put on my Mullet wig to relate to my fellow camaro drivers.

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  4. Challenging?

    Platform- Easy alpha patform has already been built, just need to adapt it,

    Interior- Easy just warp a highly acclaimed GM car interior and make it camaroesque

    Engine: Easy moified version of ATS turbo 4, and other existing engines

    Exterior: DIFFICULT, have to redesign one of the best designs ever made by GM

    I mean the only hard part is the exterior, to keep the retro, go modern, a mix of both. They also have to factor in what ford is doing, because they dont want to be upstaged by Fords radical and aggresive design team.

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  5. In other words someone driving say a BMW 3 or 5 series could say Oh I like this for a second or third vehicle, while someone still driving their beat up 4th gen would be cool as well stepping up to this. Ha, anyway…

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  6. I just say more features. Do something to compete with the mustangs awesome LED tail lamps. Use some LED accented lighting in the front fog lights too. Obvious one – Chevrolet my link.

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  7. Retro is the problem, where do you do from there? Maybe one more crack at it with the 70.5, then move modern on the next gen.

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  8. I think the current design is too boxy and sharp-edged. I’d like to see more organic curves and wider front and rear fender flares. That would make it look more sexy and muscular.

    To widen the Camaro’s appeal, it should offer AWD, which has been increasingly offered by many other brands, namely the BMW 3-series coupe, MB C-350 coupe. Audi A5 coupe, etc. Hyundai plans to offer AWD on the redesigned Genesis coupe as will Infiniti with its G37 coupe. Cadillac will also offer AWD on its ATS sedan probably the ATS coupe as well, both of which will share the Alpha platform with the new Camaro.

    AWD would give the Camaro a trump card over the Mustang.

    Reply
    1. camaro already has a trump card the magna-ride suspension

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  9. Let’s hope the downsizing of the Camaro doesn’t result in GM not building the 130R.

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  10. I like the current body-style and am glad to see the designers acknowledge the issues it has. Smaller wouldn’t be bad and there was a 4-cylinder in some of the third-gens, just have that for the LS-models or LTZ while give the LT’s a V6, and keep the V8’s in the SS and ZL1 models. It’ll give it more variety and appeal to a lot more people. I’m excited to see the next-gen models and wouldn’t mind if it looked like the 2nd-gen, but I would also like to see alot more newer ideas instead of an all out retro design. To me if I want the old styling thats what the older models are for, stick to the key things that make it successful and continue to improve on it. A Z28 model would be a nice addition as long as it didn’t flood the market. Just a little input on my thoughts on that.

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  11. I love the new camaro..i have a fourth Gen that’s a great car beside the weight. I believe a four cylinder in a Camaro is a joke its a muscle car not a Honda keep the 8 and keep it rear wheel drive.

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    1. Why do you care about the number of cylinders?

      I care about power and weight.

      The 4 turbo does that for me.

      Of course its always going to be rear wheel drive, the fwd equivalent of the camaro is the hypothetical malibu coupe.

      Reply
      1. I don’t care about it ? I have a 6 now and cause when you think muscle car what do you think a 6 cylinder naw I think 8.but with the way gas prices are and the economy a 6 is more reasonable

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        1. Yeah I always think of a v8 first. But the LFX has the power of what a small block use to have. And the LS3 replaces the big block.

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  12. How about a high compression v6 if you have 11.5 to 1 with 87 octane how high can you go 91 octane?

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  13. They Need to Start Working with Lighter Car Resembling a 2G Camaro, Smaller Engines maybe a V6 T/T and a LS5

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  14. personally i love the current camaro and i think if they do go retro it should look like a 80s z28 those were beautiful cars but id love to see a modern approach too gm shoud get their best designers to make two different concepts then ”leak” them on the internet

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  15. maybe change the front light more future ….and the interieur..

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  16. I say the 6G should have styling cues of the 2G. I’ve always fancied the 2G as the best looking of the Camaros. In particular the ’71-’73 models with the vertical grille and the split bumpers. Gorgeous cars.

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  17. Richard, have to agree… 2nd gen rules…

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  18. I dunno, this is going to be one of the hardest redesigns GM has ever done. the market for this car is fickle and extremely hard judging, from the enthusiast to the casual buyer. There is just no way to predict or bet on which way is the right way to go.

    That said, GM bottled lightning with the current car. 42% of the RWD coupe market?!? REALLY!? Think about that…out of all the supposedly more popular BMW 3 series coupes, M3 coupes, BMW 1 M coupes, G37 coupes, 370z coupes, Hyundia Gensis coupes, and finally the Mustang and Challenger, the Camaro TRUMPS ALL OF THEM IN SALES.

    That’s pretty impressive folks! And it also makes GMs job that much harder! When u have THE best selling RWD coupe in a recession no less, that’s saying alot. (82,000+ in 2011 alone)

    If I must add my 2 cents, I’d say; GM do not go with the second gen as a styling template. Stick with the overall proportions and aura of the 1st gen. It was easily the most popular and still is the most loved (my preference for the 70-73 Camaros be damned). They make brand new bodies for those cars! The 67-69 has the essence of Camaro down pat! While redoing the current, never stray too far from that template.

    That said, NO MORE RETRO. It’ll be 2015 when this car hits the streets. It’s time for a Camaro that’s 100% of the future. A Camaro that is 100% 21 century! I personally don’t consider the current Camaros retro. They are more of a heritage nod to the 1st gens. So take the 6th gen and step it up even more. Let there be cues for the enthusiast to knowingly smile about, but overall make the car instantly recognizable as a Camaro, yet completely original and new as well.

    A good example of this is the 350-370z. It’s unmistakably a Z car, yet at the same time unapologetically modern and new. All of the good “nostalgic” feelings it inspires have more to do with size, proportions and feel behind the wheel than any actual resemblance to the original 240Z.

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  19. Lighter, slightly smaller, and the option of AWD would certainly widen its appeal.

    I would like to see more development on the 6’s. Fuel economy was mentioned and I’m sure GM could shift loads more. The 8’s can stay.

    But for the body, it’s needs to move onward with somethng new and 21st century. Retro may have sold the Camaro as a nod to the past, but it can’t build the car’s image by continually nodding to the past, so none of this “look like a split-bumper second gen” nonsense.

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  20. I’m in on the 2nd gen retro,701/2 bumperettes,fine finned grill.A Z28 model would be nice with a Muncie Boulder Crusher M26 6 speed manual. Tri-turbo V-6,two exhaust driven,one electric,TI-CVT four valve heads.Even a four valve Supercharged V8,hint,GT500 killer.Something that would smoke Nurbergring in under 7 minutes.Winning,hell yeah

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    1. all of that sounds prohibitively expensive, besides, GM is more than capable of getting under a 7min Nurburgring time now with the current Camaro. but the Camaro is not and was not intended to be a freaking track car.

      i love ring lap times as much as the next go fast guy, but i have to agree with the common sentiment that chasing the top lap times at the Ring RUINS otherwise really good everyday cars.

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  21. 42% of sales????? can anyone say bumblebee

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  22. Jzellis, great point in your first post, I have to agree completely… Playing off the cues of the 6th gen but creating a modern vehicle. I like the point about a nod toward the heritage verses retro. And the 370Z styling. Excellent points, I agree about 6th gen being a modern interp.

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  23. I would keep it based off of the first Gen.. Camaro, The second Generation camaro was not that popular as the first and does not look as good. I would just make the current car just smaller in size and a little lighter.. in turn will make for better fuel econemy and more efficent.

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  24. i personally would try to make a new style one that doesnt stray too far from the original (cough fourth gen cough) but is definately its own thing. the current gen has done what it was meant to do (beat the mustang, become relevent again) but its time for camaro to come into the 21st century and get its head out of the past styling wise. as for awd hell no, front mounted engine rwd manual all have to be essential but better balance and less weight smaller size all good ideas but not to small

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  25. GM is on the right track if they make it MUCH SMALLER and LIGHTER ! GM, please go back to your pony car roots with the next-gen. The retro/yet modern design has worked well for current version – why not replicate the ’68 body style with a little modernization? Right size, light weight, killer looks. Mustang is going “futuristic” for 2014, so having all the great GM electronics & interior upgrades with a ’68-esque body would be a HIT !

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  26. I think the Camaro should continue on it’s current path, in terms of styling. Make it similar to current model, but not like a refresh/evolution. Also make it look a little more swoopy and kind of techno, the next Mustang will reportedly look like the EVOS concept. Don’t put a four cylinder in it. Leave that for the Code 130R (which you have to make by the way). Maybe make two V6 options. And of course the V8. The new ATS is about 3400 lbs. If the next Camaro could be any where near that, it would be awesome. That’s probably the biggest thing, besides terrible visibility, the Camaro needs. With much less weight and maybe the rumored TT V6, MPG should not be a problem. Especially since the current one gets about 30 already.

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  27. I think they should look back to the past and point out the important factors how Camaro made it to the limelight. I own a 3rd gen Camaro and fortunately the internet has vast info and how to modify it like this one: http://www.camarotech.com/engine.html , enabling me to make the most of my classic car.

    The flexibility of Camaro is one factor, and from this they would be able to shape new models that have the features of their ancestors and also has the touch of modern technology.

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  28. Well, there is just so much wrong here.

    The next generation Camaro is just like this years election – the difference between the downfall of America and the next steps into communism, or get America back on track toward the glory of Capitalism. If Obama gets back in, Chevy will have no choice but to put in the turbo 4cyl. engine in as an option, along with the standard 6cyl., or 8cyl. engines. Gas will be too expensive, the only reason gas prices fell was because Obama is begging to everybody’s feet for more votes, so he lowered his $0.49 tax on a gallon of gas, momentarily.

    Now, the next generation Camaro needs to be, but not look like, the 2002 Camaro. Back in it’s day, the Camaro beat the Mustang in literally every possible way – comfort, options, 0-60 times, 1/4 mile times, fun to drive, looks, performance, everything. It doesn’t need to LOOK like those cars, (however they do look very nice) but it needs to be the same situation. In 2002, Chevy’s mistake and slow sales was not because it was a bad car- it was because the vehicle was aimed towards the younger groups. Which is why I own a 96 Z28. The young groups do not have any money, the parents didn’t want them to give them the keys to the death machine of at LEAST 310 Rear Wheel Horsepower, which is why company’s don’t do that anymore. The Mustang was aimed toward the middle aged group, the group with the most money, and the chance of being in a mid-life crisis they bought them, outselling the Camaro and Trans am combined.

    So, now that we know what we need to aim for, what’s wrong about this generation? My parents own a 2010 Camaro 2LT, bumblebee. We got the very first yellow Camaro that we saw. We were the only Camaro for a long time. What’s so wrong with it? Nothing much, actually. Seats are supportive, and comfy. The sound system is just amazing. The features are awesome. So, what is really so wrong? Well, the blind spots are awful, it’s heavy, VERY heavy, performance, to be honest, doesn’t actually matter, but other cars have it and the Camaro doesn’t. My Camaro outperforms it. My Camaro isn’t as COOL as it. but it handles better. The interior in the Camaro is good, quality is just not there. It’s fast, we have beaten modified 09 Mustang GT’s from a dig with it. It’s just a V6, too.

    So, now we know the good and bad on it. What can be improved? Let’s start with the interior. To be honest, it needs to be based off of the current Buick Regal and Verano. Nice sport seats, maybe get in like what the Mustang has, Recaro sport seats for the ones that will be racing, but as an option and with similar seats as the Regal. The middle console needs to be just like the Regal. Navigation is a must, and it should be placed in just like the Regal. use as much luxury leather as possible, and fit it nicely, we like stable cars, not loose. It needs the shape of like the Verano’s leather steering wheel. Leather wrap the entire dash, door panels, and console. you should get the idea.

    The exterior, in my opinion (if you want to go retro) needs to be like the 1971 Camaro. Split bumper and the four headlight thing going on, but make it lighter, and of course edit it as you go for performance. However, we don’t want it to be so performance-focused that it gets awful gas MPG’s like the ZL1. We just want to beat the Mustang, again like in 2002, the Camaro needs to beat the Mustang in every aspect, but aim the car to the middle aged men, like the 1971 Camaro was.

    But really, it needs to be it’s own new style. Stop going retro. The new 2013 Mustang is cool and all, but Ford has been abusing the 60’s retro look for eight years now. And this 2013 Mustang look probably wont end until 2015, doing it in for ten years. Even Ford fans aren’t happy about that. Chevy is the world leader and now makes most of the money in the auto industry, they can afford a group of designers that can make this car scream “Camaro,” but have it aimed towards the younger and middle aged men, all at the same time. There is plenty of paper and clay.

    So, in short, we needs luxury Buick style interior, soft to the touch things, responsive technology and easy to use systems, but bad ass exterior that’s aimed to everybody. No more retro. Maybe even think about putting in an AWD option, so that it can handle better without too much of a gas MPG execution, like the ZL1 did.

    Just my thought and opinions on things.

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  29. Firstly, I been told that Chevy’s 4 cylinders (like in the Cruze) are mechanically unsound! Therefore, I would never buy a 4 cylinder Chevy. Maintain the v6 at no extra cost, since it’s reliable. Next, visibility MUST be increased dramatically, w/o compromising stealthy lines! This can be done by making the rear pillars black-tinted plexy-glass (like on the Mini-cooper) yet transparent from the car’s interior! Next, add a standard blind spot detection and back-up warning system! Also, heated mirrors must be standard, so you can use them. Lastly, why not offer a spectrum of interior colors in the base model? Looking forward to the re-design, soon!

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  30. You know what should be changed on the camaro…? NOTHING

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  31. I test drove the V6 Camaro at a GM “event,” around the cones. I found the car to be surprisingly underpowered. I been driving a 2005 Altima 3.5 V6, which feels much quicker, off-the-line. So, I would strongly prefer the V8, but don’t know if I could afford one. The easiest way to make a car quicker, is to shed some weight. If I was designing the new Camaro, I would basically keep it looking the same, but make it lighter, smaller, and with a standard blind spot detection system. As to visibility, something must be done. At a stop light, I read that you can’t see the light! There must be a way to keep it sporty, and also enhance visibility. Also, use better quality plastics (or better yet, metal) on the standard interior.

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  32. this is a challenge indeed cause this last camaro was one word SEXY! needs to be lighter,and have BIG power that will shut the mustang down once and for all!
    and you dont wanna ruin it changing it into a crap car take your time and GASP us once again! im kind of nervous now that you guys might mess it up but i have confidence!

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  33. I believe several changes will make the new camaro great 1) reduce the weight 2), make the bottom of the window openings (green house) even with the beltline of the car following the same iconic contours (we’ve done this in photo shop and it looks sweet ) make the sideview mirrors foldable and tucked closer to side.3) Re design the lower sill so that it is lower and is viewdstill as one single horizontal plane like the mustangs and challenger (body and areo kits magnify this issue on the current body) get the team that designed the cobolt SS interior to work on this with the pseudo raccaro seats and multi-color interior treatments 5) forgo all the side, belt, and whatever air bags we don’t need them they add weight and more imprortantly weight. I want a camero just not a $42,000 one. – Dave in upstate Western NY

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  34. i think yall should look to the 3rd gen camaros a lil more then the 2nd gen. 3rd has always had a more muscle performance car look. but in my full opinion i think yall should have scrapped the camaro and kept the trans am. which is since the later 2nd gen cars have always looked better then the camaro.

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  35. I dont care too much but for the love of god dont put in a crappy movie. Seriously the fifth gen looks awesome but those movies actuallly made me dislike it. I know thats petty but image means alot. Id love to see some styling from the third gens in the new one.

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  36. I think if they took some design cues from the 2nd gen and made them more modern it would be awesome. I love the 2nd gen, and if you think about it, the 2nd gen was a little smaller than the 1st. GM needs to do SOMETHING. The Mustang design team makes significant changes to the car almost every damn year and it’s lookin pretty great. Whatever GM does, just get rid of the base model’s horrific ugly black wheels.

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  37. We want to toss the car around, and not feel like we’re carrying 5 tons of weight. It’s far too heavy and bulky. Toss it!!! That’s the key ingredient.

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  38. There are only 2 options as I see the market for camaros right now… either extremely old school perhaps gen 2… or totally futuristic… but anything that is “normal” will be a financial disaster to chevy.

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  39. I think you guys should keep the styling based off of 1G as that seems to be the most popular and desired camaro. Make sure the new one stars in another transformers movie as that was a huge marketing success for it. Needs to be on the lighter alpha. Styling will be a tough one, just be sure to incorporate cool led lights and features we are seeing on the competitors. Better visibility would be nice along with aux gauges that are higher and can be easily read while driving. As far as the engines a turbo 4 would be cool but don’t forget the pony car formula if v8 rwd. Plus I’m looking to buy a camaro between the next 2 to 3 years and I would like to have the newer lighter alpha camaro but make sure you still offer a v8 otherwise I won’t (and I’m sure a lot of other die hard fans) won’t buy.

    Reply

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