A new Camaro will be reborn in 2007, but
getting there won't be easy.
On August 29, 2002, a bright red Chevrolet Camaro Z28 rolled down the
assembly line at General Motor's Ste. Therese plant outside Montreal,
Quebec, ending 35 years of automotive history. When this car rolled
off the assembly line, GM handed the pony car market over to its
archrival, the Ford Mustang. Since that time, not only has Ford had
the pony car market to itself, almost as if to spit on the grave of
GM's F-bodies, Ford displayed a concept version of the next new
Mustang a matter of months later.
From the time the Camaro and Firebird were introduced in September
1966, they developed a cult following. While GM's F-body had its ups
and downs, it became a mainstay at Chevrolet and Pontiac showrooms.
Over the years it was everything from a limited-production big-block
muscle car to an underpowered 4-cylinder economy car, much like the
vehicle GM's F-bodies were a response to, the Ford Mustang. With that
kind of history, it almost seems unthinkable GM would discontinue it,
yet they did.