Now Testing Undisguised: Next Chevrolet Camaro

Fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro

by Sam Stockley
January 4, 2008 3:52 AM
Filed Under: American, Chevrolet, Spy Photos

Camaro Sheds Its Skin

Development on the new Chevrolet Camaro is stepping up a gear as General Motors' FastLane Blog reveals the first official photo of the new car undergoing testing, wearing little more than a white paintjob. Without the presence of pre-production camouflage and removed under the direction of GM boss Bob Lutz, further development on the Camaro's aerodynamics and cooling efficiency is to be conducted.

And with testing scheduled for both US and Australian roads, sightings are set to be high ahead of the car's public debut. The FastLane Blog is encouraging its readers to whip out their phones and send any photos and comments GM's way. But should you be lucky enough for a sneak peek, we're as eager as you for a forwarded photo or two.

Here's what you're looking out for: a car announced last year as the model based largely on that of the 2006 Camaro and 2007 Camaro Convertible concept cars. It will be the fifth-generation version of a model first built in 1967 to rival Ford's Mustang.

Available in V6 and V8 variants with a choice of hard-top coupe and soft-top convertible models, the new Camaro is a modern muscle car designed to stand as an icon 'symbolising America's spirit and its love for the automobile'. It will be built from late this year and go on sale from early 2009.

Source: GM FastLane Blog

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Comments

MB63.

January 4, 2008 3:59 AM

I think its a really nice looking car. The retro styling is well done, not banal like the mustang's. Its also more aesthetically pleasing than the camaro. Now wait for the American haters to bash this car into peices using flawed logic that makes no sense at all.

brocky

January 4, 2008 4:31 AM

i like it. I don't know how much more it would cost over the Mustang but it sure looks more expensive. Which is good.

smokeonit1

January 4, 2008 5:04 AM

they haven't done any nuerburgring testing, not a good sign... looks like the suspension is gonna be typical US rubberneck type of thing....

unknown

January 4, 2008 6:32 AM

so what's your logic? many aston martons and ferrari's are not tested at the ring also.

unknown

January 4, 2008 6:30 AM

wait until you see the interior...

foose1397

January 4, 2008 8:10 AM

MB63 u got one already...lol..there looks to be a fit and finish that the mustang doesn't necessarily have..however, i will hold all comments until i see the true truth, the interior

Joe_Limon

January 4, 2008 9:24 AM

I like it cause it looks fat. Lots of cars try to look slim but the design from this view makes it look bulky like a pickup truck. I think its due to how skinny those windows are vs the amount of white below it.

moyusuf

January 4, 2008 9:41 AM

That is one sexy car.

Marsman

January 4, 2008 2:13 PM

the back needs a spoiler or something

carcrazy1234

January 4, 2008 4:02 PM

no......

carcrazy1234

January 4, 2008 4:01 PM

off topic kinda... but id choose the challenger by dodge... it still keeps the general looks of the original challenger and i'm not even a huge muscle car kinda person lol new challenger over new camaro period.

wolff

January 4, 2008 4:10 PM

@unkown

wat ring are u talking about?? :O coz Ferrari n Aston Martin do wat no American car manufacturer does.. they test in The Ring.. Nordschliefe!! :O n yea.. we saw wat the so called supercar of America has as its suspension.. Leaf springs.. talk about technology from the Land of Technology!! :D

radmeister

January 8, 2008 10:02 AM

I thought ferrari tested exclusivelly on their own track at Maranello?

Djimnik

January 4, 2008 6:54 PM

From what I've read about the new camaro, it's supposed to have full independent suspension. Rear suspension lifted from a corvette.

SteveC

January 4, 2008 8:04 PM

What surprised me was the height of the greenhouse. It's the same as the Camaro concept - low and squat. I thought it would be too low to go into production, but I was wrong. The production car is almost identical to the concept. Great job, GM.

MiracleWhipp

January 4, 2008 10:16 PM

wolff...i'll the corvette engineers are smarter than you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvette_leaf_springs

are you really saying american car companies do not test at the 'ring'? oh really?

wolff

January 5, 2008 9:05 AM

not all mate.. there r some cars which r tested.. but please read what the unknown chap had written!! if he says Ferrari doesnt.. then who does he think test drives there? :O

n u must also remember, that sucha stiff suspension on that corvette is not very suitable on normal roads.. if u have silk smooth roads, then that car's really gonna be amazing.. but u dont have such roads everywhere!! :O n also, those engineers better be smarter than u or me!! :D

wolff

January 5, 2008 9:07 AM

n yeah.. one more thing.. almost all big European companies test their car in The Ring.. i'vent seen Ford do that with the Mustang.. the only car on The Ring i've seen is the Corvette!! :O even the Ford GT wasnt tested there!! :O

wolff

January 5, 2008 9:20 AM

n i also hope u read the last sentence of the disadvantages!! :D

"Perception. Like pushrod engines, the leaf spring has a stigma that overshadows its advantages."

lol.. n yea, it also uses a push rod engine! :D talk about great technology!! :D

gmfan09

January 5, 2008 9:30 AM

Wolff do you think that the reason so many more european car companies test there than American has to do with the fact that the track is in Germany? and GM has tested plenty of its cars there not just the Corvette. Just because ford doesn't don't just lump all American car companies together thats just doesn't make sense. Nuerburgring is great and all but you dont have to test there to engineer a world class handling car. Its just a race track not the god of sports car performance. Give me a break.

ck314

January 7, 2008 2:00 AM

Besides the Corvette, most recent Cadillac sedans have been fine tuned at the Ring.

wolff

January 7, 2008 9:29 AM

this is a genuine question.. do the American companies ever test their cars on track, coz of all that i've read, American cars have never ever been even close to being good handling cars!!! :O

yellow5

January 5, 2008 1:28 AM

GM oz knows how to tune a car for all conditions rough pock mark roads smooth freeways rough back roads DRIVE AN FE2 V SERIES COMODORE IN OZ SOMETIME AND YOU WILL KNOW HOW A CAR IS SUPOSED TO DRIVE

Blaconque

January 5, 2008 1:35 AM

its realy astonishing ... they made it to defeat the CHALLENGER!! but they can't

Joe_Limon

January 5, 2008 4:45 AM

blaconque, tell me again how the Challenger defeats the Camaro? There haven't been any head to head performance comparisons or any number of units sold to show the popularity.

upie

January 5, 2008 11:01 AM

what a junk

Blaconque

January 7, 2008 1:46 AM

joe look ... the challenger is 6.1 V8 litter engine 0-100 KM/H 4.6 seconds ... even if we ignored the performance ... the challenger is much pretier

BMWer

January 8, 2008 3:04 AM

When it comes down to it, all three American manufacturers SUCK...no balls to make something new, only pillage what was being made 30+ years ago. Challenger is a joke, it's uglier than the original, which was actually pretty good looking. They didn't even bother to make it contemporary...which is lame in design terms. The Mustang is the worst one, it's way uglier and does no justice to the original. It's bulkier, and stupider. No wonder the Euros and japs are still favored, they know how to make something new and original! They don't need to tap 35 year old ideas to put cars on the road...they certainly aren't out of new and good ideas like the big three...

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