GM discontinued the sixth-generation Chevy Camaro following the conclusion of the 2024 model year, much to the dismay of fans. Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time the Camaro nameplate has been killed off, with GM previously giving it the axe in 2002 before the launch of the fifth-gen in 2009 for the 2010 model year. Indeed, we wouldn’t be surprised to see GM launch an all-new, seventh-generation Chevy Camaro sometime in the next several years. However, the question is this – what form should it take?
Chevy Camaro LT1
It should go without saying that the most popular option is likely to be to maintain Chevy’s long-standing rivalry with Ford and the Ford Mustang, a tradition dating back to the Camaro’s launch in 1966 for the 1967 model year. At present, the Mustang is the last nameplate standing in its segment, with recent updates like the Dark Horse trim pushing the ICE-based performance boundaries even further. For many enthusiasts, the answer is obvious – V8 engine up front, power in the rear.
Subaru BRZ
That said, developing an all-new, V8-powered sports car would be hugely expensive and likely untenable in the face of broader industry trends. As such, the Camaro could pivot to a sport compact model aimed at competitors like the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, and Mazda MX-5. This would likely keep the Camaro relatively affordable, with powertrain offerings like the turbocharged 2.5L I4 LK0 gasoline engine under the hood. For the sake of comparison, the Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ twins feature a naturally aspirated 2.4L flat-four engine producing 228 horsepower, while the MX-5 is equipped with a 2.0L I4 producing 181 horsepower. All three models favor low weight and driver-friendly handling over straight-line performance, and enjoy a good deal of success among enthusiasts.
Dodge Charger Daytona
The most likely direction, however, is an electrified Camaro, as hinted by GM President Mark Reuss. Indeed, the EV muscle car landscape is growing, with this Stellantis’ debut of the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona boasting 670 horsepower and a 0-to-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds. A next-gen Camaro EV could directly compete in this space, showcasing GM’s Ultium battery technology and advanced powertrains.
There are other developments to consider here, as well. Toyota, for example, is eyeing a revival of the Celica, while Honda has teased a new Prelude, the latter of which will likely cradle a hybrid powertrain. Mazda may even get in on the action with a new EREV (extended-range electric vehicle) juiced by a two-rotor electric generator.
That said, we still want to know – what direction would you prefer to see for the next-gen Chevy Camaro? Vote in the poll below to let us know!
Comments
Make it a Charger-size vehicle. It will appeal to a broader array of customers including older ones that found the last Camaro too small.
i agree but call it a chevelle, then make a smaller,lighter camaro
Next Generation Camaro should definitely be Mustang or Charger sized. Bring back Pontiac and revive the GTO, Firebird, Trans Am, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Bonneville and Fiero. Get rid of GMC and Hummer.
Mustang size, make it a bit longer with a usable trunk and a “lift gate” rear end so it’s actually a good daily commute vehicle as well as sports car. Then offer the 5.3 as a base V8 to keep the price down allowing more people to buy it. Use either the 2.5/2.7 turbo as the entry engine and have entry price be identical to a Camry, and then advertise it to Camry/accord buyers and point out they can be boring, or for the same price, fun!
GM: Go ahead with your plans to make a Gen 7 Camaro 2.5/2.7 turbo, Hybrid or even EV. It’ll make my raucous 2024 Camaro 2SS convertible 6 spd manual, 6.2 V8 equipped muscle/sport car even more valuable.
Is it a muscle car or sports car? Which is it because you called it two different class of vehicles when spouting off the all the stats and trim level. You left out the 0-60 and mpg btw…
The stats you say that I “spouted off ” actually sit in my garage. What’s more , GM engineers gave the Gen 6 Camaro super handling AND muscle car performance. Starting with the first reviews back in 2016 and ending with the last in 2024, automotive writers described both characteristics.
A gen 7 Camaro could be done easily. Put it on Alpha 2 which is already in production for CT4 and 5. Base 4cyl, SS with LT1 or 2, ZL1 with LT4 and add a Z/28 with LT7 flat plane crank engine. My 1LE is getting old and my only replacement is a Mustang, ugh!
Just make sure it doesn’t have a chop top roof look design.
We do not want the Camaro to be a GT car again. Gm need to make a honest to goodness lightweight up to date lower cost pony car with 2.7L turbo 4 as base engine and at least three V8 engine choices.
No V8 sound?!! Then it is not real and has no soul.
I’m fine with the 2.7 as a base engine, or really any sucky base engine to keep volume sales up and the car viable and affordable. I’m sure there will.be a 6.2 in the SS and a ZL1 with a monster 700+HP engine for an obscene amount of money.
Likely Chevy has already made up their mind on the Camaro, are in design phase, and are looking at production schedules for a factory in 2027/8 to make it. Unfortunately, these things take time. Likely the plan will be to use one of the EV plants if EV sales dwindle down any more.
Copy the Charger. ICE and EV. Replace the dark cave-like interior.
With emission standards getting heavily relaxed they need to have an ICE option. I’m okay with an EV/ hybrid option as long as they continue the ICE LT, SS and ZL1 options. When people here the name Camaro they think of sleek sporty and muscle looking Camaro.
I think Chevrolet should drop the Camaro entirely and make the next gen platform a little larger
and call it Chevelle, with SS and Pontiac GTO variants.
The Camaro should have never been discontinued. I don’t understand why GM would let Ford and Dodge have all the glory. Obviously the Camaro was very popular and people were just looking for a few tweaks here and there. While the other guys were adding 800+hp GM decided to leave it at around 650. At least equal the hp because you know that men especially are all about torque and hp. Sometimes common sense is the best way.
How is this even up for debate? The Camaro was created to do battle with the Mustang. Even with going on hiatus on a couple occasions, the nameplate will forever be linked with and be a rival against the Mustang. Attempting to challenge any other nameplate as it’s primary rival will not only tarnish it’s heritage, but also likely be an epic fail in that category, while also allowing the Mustang to continue to run away with sales in its category
Ford is continuously being hinted about creating an ICE-powered sedan mustang variant. And contrary to popular belief, it will likely be a sales success. Look how well the last gen Charger sold, right up until it was killed off. A 4dr version of the existing Mustang (not the bloated Mach E bs) will be a huge success. And GM should be actively pursuing a 4dr Camaro as well. Or maybe they will follow their current pattern and allow another car brand to do it first, have SEVERAL run-away sales years before GM even gets an offering to compete against it.
GM used to be an industry leader and automotive innovator. But now they just seem to be one that plays follow the leader.
* Make it a real sports car that is actually light and a real drivers car not 3700 to 4000 lbs hogs like the current Corvette, Mustang, Dodges. Unfortunately high HP sells car and no one is interested in power to weight, great feel and response, handling and lower cost breaks and tires.
* Build a sub 3000 lb curb weight car with a manual trans option, hydraulic steering, the base corvette engine and the Z06 flat pane crank engine as an option. Make a car that’s fun to drive.
* If it must be the typical heavy pony car in order to sell enough for it to exist then of course make it a Mustang rival because it’s entire history has been just that. Which means another heavy pig with lots of HP for the horse power wars. If it’s going to be a Camaro pony car don’t pick a different rival.
0 0 i Rate This Comment
Electric cars especially Tesla have no personality. They are boring to look at.
I owned three Camaros and two Corvettes in the 70′ s ad 80’s. After that the styling was blah! The last generation Camaro was a great car that was uncomfortable and lacked visibility from the cockpit. I started to buy Mustangs in the early 2000’s since the Camaro didn’t fit my needs. Chevy/GM didn’t do a thing to upgrade the last Camaro’s deficiencies. I love the BOWTIE, but management is wrapped up in an EV. I guess I will continue to drive my throaty V-8 in my GT Mustang. It’s truck month at Chevy, that’s all I here from the BOWTIE people.
Only compete against the Ford Mustang. The Asian cars are very cheaply made copies. And don’t last long.
The next Camaro needs to be a light weight, reasonably powered Muscle Car. Cut out all the bells and whistles. Keep the absolutely necessary safety related gizmos like ABS.
3000lb, ALL aluminum, 450HP, with either Auto and Stick. Look at the DEMAND for stripped down “Vintage” factory made Muscle/Race cars. Less is best. WAY too many sensors and gizmos on new vehicles. Look at GMs recent recall history. The folks who would buy this car are not looking for a daily driver. They want a cool, fun weekend warrior.
The next Camaro should include a convertible.
I agree 100%….a must do, it’s part of the DNA.
Make it competitive for NASCAR, stylish for those looking for more than a boring SUV and reflective of GM’s past performance history.
Just random thoughts from someone that has owned A LOT of pony cars and has 3 in the driveway currently:
– I think current regs pretty much rule out anything that could have been considered “lightweight”
– Camaro needs to remain a 2 door with a back seat (even if it’s small)
– It MUST HAVE an option for a V8
– If your going to make it an EV, don’t use the Camaro nameplate
-As much as I would love to see something with styling cues from the 3rd gen IROC’s with a updated V8 options, I’ll be realistic below…
– Given the current market and situation, I guess a way to make it work would be something along the lines of the new Charger. And with that, I mean that it could on a platform that has a 2 door option and a 4 door option (just call them different models like 2 door = Camaro and 4 door = Malibu or SS or whatever). Also, make the platform accept ICE (maybe 4 cylinder and V8) and also hybrid options similar to the Corvette E-Ray. If Mary HAS to have her EVs, make that optional, too, if possible, I guess.
– I just can’t see today’s gm making this car and as time goes on, they move further and further away from anything I would ever drive for free, let alone pay for.
Lots of good ideas here, and the overwhelming message to GM/Chevrolet is, “Bring back REAL CARS!” There’s no need for 4 or more versions of the boring, lumbering, ugly SUVs that all manufacturers have flooded the market with these days. I’ve been saying for a while that GM made a huge error in killing Olds & Pontiac. They should have killed Buick and GMC. Buick hasn’t offered anything worth buying since the ’87 GNX, and GMC trucks are just gaudy versions of Chevrolet trucks. Olds & Pontiac were the most innovative of the GM brands, and developed many of the features of the other brands, along with the higher performance that we all enjoyed. New Mustang competitor should be slightly smaller, than 2024 Camaro, under 3500 lbs, with ONLY 2 doors and fewer extraneous gismos, but all the safety, performance, and heavy duty options of a true sporty muscle car. Bring back the options list without so many “packages” that force buyers to pay for options they don’t want in order to get those the do want. GM sales would increase dramatically with better choices for equipment and color combinations.
Whatever it ends up being, do not, DO NOT, make a 4cyl CUV “Camaro”.
Mary I know it’s hard, but leave this one to its roots.
Big c.i. small block V8 & V6, RX-8 sized would handle backroads great, manual & mild hybrid auto, as cheap as possible. Needs change to not-Cadillac 4-door platform mates – that get the awd’s & a supercharger trim sedan. Open market room by moving base Vettes up to E-ray drivetrains.
For god’s sake, fire people pushing the turbo small engines to American enthusiasts. If that or EV happens, it’ll be d.o.a. Don’t treat base engine buyers as throwaways.
If they don’t want to revive the Camaro, then use a 2+2 with the names of Chevelle, which would be between a muscle car combined with a Grand Tourer, or Monte Carlo, which would fit very well. It doesn’t matter if it’s an ICE or hybrid, but if they focus on electrics, it’s a sure failure; also, why do they believe that Dodge brought forward the production of the Charger ICE instead of the electric version?
Next camaro, whatever they call it, could be a bit smaller than the just discontinued model, back to early 70s size. Small v8, and a six speed manual. A stripper model with fewer features, to lighten it would be nice, void of power seats, windows, heated seats, etc. A true sports car would be nice.
BMW M3 competitor. Improve handling, speed etc. No need to compete with inferior autos.
The 2.7 is a CGI block, built to handle boost, has dual port injection to combat the issues with GDI engines and has a proven track record of reliability,
The 4 banger is squeezing everything it can to get numbers out to be competitive on paper but in terms of longevity it is plagued with typical GDI problems and is cheaply built. There’s really no comparison here, you can add boost to any small 4 banger and watch it fall apart in 60k. A story as old as time.
*(first line) 2.7 EcoBoost, typo and the phone decided to send the message anyways.
The problem with the camaro.. was GM stopped building the ones we wanted to buy. Last time I saw a for sale new 2SS here in Texas was before the latest alpha model.