You may have heard the news that – apparently – GM is going to bring back the Camaro, maybe for 2027. The question is, what kind of Camaro will it be? Since it appears the new Camaro will share a platform with a pending new Buick sedan, some worry it might be just that, sans the Buick part.
A sedan, that is.
But would that be so bad?
It would certainly be the first time GM put out a four-door Camaro. The Camaro has been offered with a soft top and T-Tops at various times, but never with more than two doors. But there’s a first time for everything and this might be the right time to offer a four-door Camaro, especially if a two-door (coupe) is also available. Why not? Dodge is doing it with the Charger, which – when it first came out back in 1966 as a fastback coupe – was resurrected in 2006 as a sedan. It sold really well, too – until parent company Stellantis decided to turn it into an EeeeeeVeeee in 2024, in order to not have to pay Elon Musk’s Tesla grift for “carbon credits” to “offset” the “carbon footprint” made by the big V8s that came in Chargers until the end of the 2023 model run. When that proved to be an even worse mistake than the Edsel – which actually sold extremely well, relative to the almost-no-sales of the EV Charger – Dodge hurriedly revamped the Charger and not just under the hood.
The 2024 EV Charger had returned to the two-door-only form of the original (classic-era Charger of the ’60s and early ’70s). It looked great but the problem was what wasn’t under the hood. People who buy Chargers want engines – not batteries. Well, Dodge fixed that – you can now get a Charger with the twin-turbo Hurricane six and it’s very possible the V8 will be returned to the lineup now that the regulatory compliance pressure has been eased (one good thing that Trump has done).
Dodge also fixed something else.
The Charger is now available – again – as a sedan. This arguably doubles the potential buyer pool. It certainly recovers the buyer pool Dodge (Stellantis muckety-mucks, who made the decision for Dodge) gave away when it turned the Charger back into a coupe-only (and never mind the EeeeeeeVeeee part). Dodge used to sell fleets of Charger sedans to federal, state and local law enforcement. Cop car Chargers are still a common sight, even though Dodge hasn’t had new ones on offer since the end of 2023. Cops love the Charger (not the EeeeeeVeeee coupe) because it is hulky, powerful and quick – and doesn’t have to be plugged in. Also, because it has that second set of doors. And seats – for the cuffed and stuffed. Cops sometimes use coupes – including Camaros – for pursuit work. But they are just not practical for day-to-day police work. When Dodge stopped selling Charger sedans, most cops in need of a vehicle bought Explorers from Ford.
Now they can buy Chargers, again.
This is good because the volume – the increase in sales – will make it more likely that the Charger coupe sticks around. Each complements the other and neither causes harm to the other in that if you do not want a four-door Charger, you can buy a two-door Charger (and vice versa). The same dual-appeal benefit would help Camaro do better than it did last time, when it was (as in the past) offered as a two-door only.
In the past, the Camaro did well as just a coupe because it was the past. Coupes – as a class – sold very well back in the ’60s and through the ’70s and even into the ’80s. In fact, some of the Camaro’s best years, sales-wise, were during the mid-late 1970s and into the early-mid-1980s. But it is no longer the past and probably the great majority of people who like coupes can no longer afford to buy them plus the sedan (or a crossover) they need for the family. Back in the past, coupes were a lot less expensive than they are today, in part because the government (and what is styled “inflation”) has made just about everything more expensive today. It isn’t just the nominal increase in the dollars needed to buy things; it is the decrease in dollars many people earn today vs. back then – plus the actual increase in the cost of just about everything except cheap Chinese-made electronics. Every single wide has a 50-inch flatscreen today.
But no Camaros parked outside (though sometimes you’ll see some older examples up on blocks).
So, a four-door Camaro would not be bad and could be very good. Provided it isn’t just a four-door Camaro. And – more so – that it isn’t an EeeeeeVeeee or a near-EV (i.e., a hybrid of some kind) because that would be a “Camaro” like that Mach e device Ford sells isn’t a Mustang.
. . .
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Nothing wrong with a sedan. I drive a Dodge Charger. PLENTY wrong with GM however. You couldn’t GIVE me one of their cars or trucks.
V8 manual rwd Camaro sedan? Sign me up
If they built the 4 door camaro with “suicide doors” , it would be a feasible styling and performance comprise.
Offering it with optional AWD, and 4, 6, or 8 cylinders, and turbo or supercharging, and Government Morons might have a grand slam home run on their hands….
So that’s how you know that it’ll never happen….LOL.
“Only old people and cab companies drive four door cars”
– Sparkey’s Dad, circa 1968
I drove them in my 30’s to appear older for a sales job.
We don’t need any more 4 door grandpa cars. However, A 4WD Camaro might be a good move.
Hi Zeek,
4WD? Like an SUV? I assume you meant AWD – which many performance cars have. I’m not a fan of AWD myself, because I like to slip and slide. But I get what you mean, if that’s what you meant!
I could be wrong … but that is what I understood Zeek to be calling for:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1m-sYLvNBk/
The thing is, AWD is awesome for racing and fun driving… in dirt or loose gravel. Until they were ruled out I built a manual trans Subaru Legacy for my son to run in Baja races, and it absolutely dominated. In the process of setting it up, I did lots of 4 wheel drifts on dirt and gravel back roads which would have been completely uncontrollable at lower speeds in a RWD car. On pavement, I’ll take the RWD.
When I worked on the brakes on the daughters 94 Camaro (still rear drive only) they had either taken front suspension off a front driver, planned on the Camaro to have front or AWD. The setup was sealed wheel bearings and room thru the suspension for a CV joint.
The 90’s era Crown Vics had the same setup, I’m guessing because it was cheaper to manufacture and maintenance was not needed or at least till it failed and then you replaced it.
It’s a big mistake! Every other 4-door car is styled the same way, they call it “coupe” style (trunk or hatchbacks) even though they’re sedans too.
Instead, Chevy should build an affordable 2-door “shooting brake” style wagon, which even Ferrari makes. The blunt rear ends allow more storage and legroom for rear passengers.
2013 G37x sedan low miles. $15k. Deep parts pool with millions of Altima sold. Ezpz.
Murca aint so cool anymore anyway.
Ughhh Cmon gm (lower case on purpose) is currently operated by fanatical ESG globalists who could care less about the “old” style customer base. It’s mainly about super high end consumer products and defense contracts. You think they’ll be offering some relatively affordable pony car? I’ve not heard of any Camaro ICE project but if they are going to offer that they’ll not have a base car available with the HiPo powertrain. Take that to the bank as the Rothschilds would say….
For what a new one will cost just buy a old one that’s cool not gay and call it good with 30k extra still in ur pocket
Wish I coulda bought the coworkers 67 convertible. All original, white with the nose wrap stripe in orange. What a nice car.
Problem with 2 door vehicles is that B pillar is just too useful for SAAAAAAAAAAAFETY!
I remember when they bodged in three point seatbelts. Miles of webbing from the roof to the belt latch so that you could still fold up the seat to get in the back without clothes-lining yourself. The B pillar makes that go away. Not to mention it’s a whole lot less engineering to make your side impact standards with a vertical body section. And why not toss in an extra airbag too?
In every modern vehicle my shoulder is up against the B pillar. There’s no moving/shifting to the left at all. I guess this is safer in a T-bone accident. But since most lights have added delay times when all traffic is stopped between transitions, how often do T-bone accidents happen anymore? Seems like that was a problem in the 1990s, when left turn lanes became more prevalent and short cycling meant frustration in having to wait through two lights instead of just making the left turn signal long enough for actual traffic.
The trend these days is to get rid of traffic lights altogether and chew up real estate with roundabouts. 30 years from now will we still have giant B pillars even though there are few standard intersections?
I’ve seen all the new roundabouts in the PNW too, yet in the NE, they are getting rid of them…… WTF.
Will wait and see if GM F’s it up
OK, how about RX-8 suicide doors for the rear? That and make the rear seats reasonably usable instead of being cramped for a large cat.
Here’s a crazy idea; why not call it an Impala? Most Impalas were sedans not coupes. If it sells well you could call the base model a Bel Air, mid range an Impala and the top model a Caprice Classic? Calling this concept car a Camaro is just using a name that people recognize but it won’t be a Camaro.
As for the Charger, I think they should have called it Polara instead. Instead they slap names from cars that were never sedans originally in the hope that they can sell a couple more than otherwise.
I predict that when the Miata is discontinued that Mazda won’t name a future SUV a Miata.
As an Impala or Caprice might give it credibility with a cop over 40 who may remember them from rookie patrol days. You know, like, the ones who are making the fleet decisions these days.
Not sure the name matters at all.
Government Motors imported Holden Commodores in 2013, badge engineered them as Chevrolet SS, and made them available with manual transmissions.
Automotive press and enthusiasts rejoiced!
And then what happened?
Nobody showed up to buy them, and it became a footnote in history.
I love the idea of a sedan (assuming it comes with ICE power ONLY), but whether you call it Camaro, Chevelle, or something else, nobody will buy them.
If the SS couldn’t sell in 2017, a functional replacement won’t sell in 2027.
Sadly Flip I suspect you’re correct. In the past single family cars were large sedans and later when more money became available a smaller car for the wife or commuting. Modern sedans are too small for a family if you consider sports or long distance travel. A station wagon might cover the space needs but as people are convinced they need AWD or 4WD they’ll just continue buying CUVs.
2006 GTO. . .
The economy has nearly finished it’s slide into socialism but it still boils down to what people buy they get more of, what they don’t buy they get less of.
Reading the comments here it’s obvious even mildly interested gen-x are only going to blow out the dust of their wallets if it’s an exact reissue of the 1974 Camaro and it’ll have to be priced at the 1974 level.
The good old world (that is from your perspective) isn’t coming back. If you decide to leave the market no company is going to offer you anything.
I hope Mitsubishi brings back the EVO personally and they keep hinting that they might. People under 40 are engaged and active lots of places. Mitsubishi hears it. It sounds like it might be a hybrid turd and if that is true then it probably won’t sell. Thing is, I can guarantee attacking Mitsubishi for trying to navigate the real world isn’t going to help bring it back.
I hear you EVOman –
And I agree, to the extent that I understand an AWD performance car is probably more appealing to the under-40 crowd. The thing is, though, AWD adds complexity and cost. One of the great virtues of the old school Camaro concept was that it was relatively cheap because it was relatively simple. Front engine, rear drive. Why not make the base Camaro that? I see no reason why it could not be done. No need for a high performance base drivetrain, either. I think a 200 hp four with a six speed and rear drive would get a lot of attention from people who just want a sporty car that looks good and is fun to drive. 400 hp is not needed for that. Get it done for around $28k – doable, even with air bags and all that – and the car would sell, I bet.
“Get it done for around $28k – doable, even with air bags and all that – and the car would sell, I bet.”
I’m genuinely curious how it is that a libertarian doesn’t understand inflation.
You’re never getting performance car like a Camaro for $28k.
Either you don’t understand inflation or you don’t understand the costs of the auto industry. Either way it’s baffling how you just pull random numbers out of thin air and declare that it’s possible.
Here’s a thought. If Ferrari would build a car for $30k it would sell. That’s not going to happen either.
Inflator, I would like to hear your numbers as you sound like an insider car guy. So what do you tink it would cost and why?
Hi inflation,
Ok, then how do you account for the Miata? Base price just over $30k. It’s a simple little sports car. Camaro is – could be – similar. Cheaper – as a hardtop.
What is inherently expensive about a basic, two-door coupe with a non-turbo inline four paired with a six speed manual and rear-drive? Base trim with just manual AC and the minimum “safety” add-ons required by the regs. Maybe be inventive and make certain things modular, such as a port/plug-in for an owner-installed stereo (e.g., pre-wired but sans the head unit and speakers) and just a basic instrument cluster with the necessary gauges.
Nothing extra.
GM couldn’t put that together? Or is it a case of doesn’t want to put it together?
Honda can sell a base trim Civic sedan for about $25k.
Well?
That was a very good car, but again, gm packaged it wrong for me. I wanted the longer wheelbase version the cops got, not a race car. Was waiting for it to be a buick park ave but it never happened.
Even drove it but it rode like a race car.
‘Provided it isn’t just a four-door Camaro.’ — eric
Aye, there’s the rub: everything we’re seeing to date, including the Buick sedan platform, suggests that’s exactly what EeeVee Mary has in mind.
Eric doesn’t say where the lede photo came from. Yeah, the pictured sedan looks mean and tough, with its brawny, deeply sculpted side panels, and the now-clichéd huge wheels wearing 2-inch sidewall ‘tires’ like woolly socks.
But is it really any different than other luxury performance sedans on the market now? The last thing GM wants is to base its appeal simply on a competitive price. The legendary Camaro nameplate ought to command a premium.
But one thing’s for sure — it’s no pony car.
My blue pony’s gonna take me for a ride
Down to where we used to go
And I’ll see your style and touch your V8
And my heart will overflow
— Julie Miller, My Blue Pony (1997)
Yeah I’ve never been a fan of the chariot wheels. The resulting shorty sidewall tires either.
“Nice wheels, too bad your wife raked them on the curb trying to parallel park!”