There’s a clear future for the Chevrolet Camaro—many of us like to believe that. However, given GM’s silence on the matter, despite the current model approaching retirement like it was a drag strip finish line, all we have is a possible teaser from back in 2020 (more on this below) and wishful thinking, which has now materialized as an independent rendering portraying the potential seventh-generation—and this is where opinions will become split—as an electric sedan.
Introduced in 2014, the current, sixth-gen Camaro is getting a bit long in the tooth. Then again, the present sixth-gen Mustang is one year older and has been constantly beating the Chevy in the sales race. The Dodge Challenger? Unlike its competitors, it only comes in coupe form, was initially introduced in 2008 and its considerably heftier nature negatively impacts both handling and fuel efficiency. But it still managed to one-up both its Detroit rivals in last year’s sales race.
Sure, the 2021 financial numbers were impacted by the global health crisis and the chip shortage, but the situation still shows that, in the muscle car segment, design and attitude matter more than MPGs or lateral Gs.
Alas, GM seems to have all but abandoned the Camaro—for the past few model years, all the Chevy has received includes polarizing visual facelifts and… not much else.
As such, when rumors about the demise of the icon started showing up in the final part of the last decade and GM did nothing to quash them, the Camaro’s chances of survival started looking slimmer and slimmer.
The competition has already announced (some of) its plans
In fact, perhaps the only fact that continues to give enthusiasts hope comes from rival automaker Ford, which has not only confirmed the seventh-generation S650 Mustang is coming but has also let it slip this will continue to enjoy internal combustion in some form or another (expected for the 2023MY, this is now rumored to become a 2024 model).
Then again, in the interest of avoiding a dose of hopium, we’ll remind you that Chevy has passed on somewhat similar opportunities in the recent past. For one, instead of reviving the Blazer name for an off-roader as Ford did with Bronco (the segment is enjoying a resurgence), the company chose to bring it back as a Camaro-style crossover. And the fans’ criticism has been backed by fluctuating sales, but we digress.
Meanwhile, at Dodge, this year is set to bring us an electric muscle car concept that will materialize into a 2024MY production vehicle, while unofficial talks mention that the internal combustion models will live on for at least one more generation with the help of a rumored twin-turbo straight-six engine.
Traditionally, GM has steered clear of investing resources in testing the market. For starters, the original 1967 Camaro came thee years after the Mustang. Then, when Chevy retired the model after 2002, it kept this outside the game until 2009, despite the ‘Stang, which has never left the market, having brought back the retro styling in 2004.
Well, now that both Ford and Dodge have presented clear, if perhaps not complete, plans to keep the muscle car segment rolling, maybe GM is simply keeping things quiet until it gives us something on the Camaro matter rather than planning the extinction of the iconic nameplate.
A potential EV future for the Camaro?
Two years ago today when General Motors held its EV Day event introducing its battery-powered future, the company teased a variety of silhouettes sitting atop its electric platform holding Ultimum batteries in its floor. And one of these appeared to be a Camaro-resembling sporty sedan (the last image below).
For the record, GM intends to go fully electric by 2035 and carbon neutral by 2040. And, if we are to be optimistic, that would not only mean the Camaro can enjoy a battery-powered future, but also that there’s enough time for one more suck-squeeze-bang-blow iteration.
We’ll remind you that, back in 2018, GM had teased us with the eCopo Camaro, a prototype of an all-electric drag car.
And, as we wait for GM to reveal its intentions for the Camaro, the independent digital artist has whipped up an electric Camaro sedan.
The independent EV Camaro Sedan CGI
Presumably based on the said 2020 teaser, pixel master Kleber Silva (aka KDesign AG on Behance) has come up with the four-door creation currently resting on our screens.
The front end of the vehicle can instantly be recognized as a Chevy, taking a cue from the 2024 Equinox EV, whose first images and details were released back in January.
And while the rear fascia is also inspired by that of the said EV crossover, the fastback-style silhouette somehow reminds us of the Kia Optima and Hyundai Elantra.
In this era of electric startups, legacy automakers like Chevrolet normally leverage on the DNA of their nameplates. So, while we’re not sure what to expect as far as the internal combustion future of the Camaro is concerned—fingers crossed—not offering then name an electric future seems like a missed opportunity, to say the least.
