Bad News For the Next Chevrolet Camaro?

We know have more rumors about the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro. And the news are not all good. At least to the hard core Camaro fans who are not ready to accept any changes to the legendary Chevrolet.

It now seems like the next Camaro will indeed be a 4 door model. With no 2 door or convertible available. Which could be a huge pill to swallow for many. I guess GM figures the super Camaro fans aren’t the ones buying cars anymore and why not adopt a more popular body style. Which is what Ford did with the Mustang Mach-e and it did work. Since it regularly beats the “regular” Mustang in sales. Although we could argue Ford didn’t come up with anything fantastic when redesigning the classic Mustang a couple of years ago…

And that’s not all. the new Camaro will also be quite late and will finally show up as a 2029 model. Not a 2028 model as previous rumors were mentioning…

Production of GM’s other new RWD models is still expected to begin late next year, for the 2028 model year. A new Cadillac CT5 and a brand new Buick sedan.  It now appears that a high-performance version will be offered in the Chevrolet Camaro as well. Probably powered by GM’s new 5.7-liter V8. A manual transmission is also on the table, even though very few buyers are likely to choose it.

A new Camaro sedan would give Chevrolet a chance to position the Camaro as a direct rival to cars like the Dodge Charger, while offering far more practicality than a traditional coupe. It could even attract buyers who have never considered a Camaro before but still want a sporty rear-wheel-drive car. That would greatly expand the model’s appeal without abandoning its performance heritage.

Without a sedan, the next Camaro risks repeating the mistakes of the previous generation. The sixth-generation model was ultimately discontinued because of poor sales. Chevrolet sold around 31,000 Camaros in 2023, and sales reportedly fell to fewer than 6,000 during its final production year. They had already dipped below 22,000 units in 2021. The market for a two-door muscle car with a big V8 and a manual transmission simply isn’t what it used to be. Repeating that formula without broadening the car’s appeal would be a mistake, no matter how much enthusiasts might welcome it.

A roomier, four-door Camaro could attract a much wider audience while still delivering the performance and rear-wheel-drive character buyers expect from the name. Chevrolet can pull it off if it really wants to. However, it really needs something g that looks great. Something more original than the illustrations above, which are just too close to the previous generation.