Don't Expect to See the Next Gen Camaro in Detroit

Earlier this year, it was widely rumored that the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro would introduce the next generation of America’s bestselling muscle car at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. There had been no official word from General Motors supported these rumors, but the growing occurrence of spy shots and the continued reports of “insider information” suggesting that we would see the 6th gen Camaro in Detroit kept the dream alive. However, as we are about a month out from the start of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show with no mention from GM of the Camaro debut, I do not expect to see the 2016 Camaro next month.

No Word from GM
The 2015 North American International Auto Show is going to be a great event, with a long list of debuts set to draw big crowds. General Motors has teased the next generation Chevrolet Volt that will debut in Detroit along with confirming that the next generation Cadillac CTS-V super sedan will debut in the Motor City as well. However, with less than a month remaining before the doors open at Cobo Hall, there has not been a single word about the debut of the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro.

The 2016 Camaro isn’t just a new model year – it is the first of a new generation and I find it completely impossible to believe that GM would have a vehicle debut this important coming up without any fanfare. With the debut of the C7 Chevrolet Corvette, GM planned a special event ahead of the auto show while also talking up the arrival of a new generation Corvette. A vehicle as crucial to the automaker as the Camaro will almost certainly come with some special attention to build anticipation ahead of the formal debut and with the total lack of attention paid to the Camaro of late by GM – I don’t expect to see a new Camaro in Detroit.

Camaro Galleries:
The new 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
A first look at the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The 2012 COPO Camaro Convertible

Industry Experts and Insiders Agree
Ahead of writing this piece, I spoke with an industry insider who told me that there was “no chance” of seeing a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro in Detroit. This person (who asked to remain unnamed) could not offer any information as to when the 6th gen Camaro would arrive, but she insisted that it would not be next month in Detroit.

After getting that bit of information from the industry insider, I sought the insight of someone who follows the model as closely as anyone – Camaro guru Chris Frezza of CamaroZ28.com. I reached out to him with the hopes that he would have some good news, but he was only able to further confirm what I had heard elsewhere. Frezza didn’t have any official information to confirm that there would not be a 2016 Camaro in Detroit, but everything that he has heard indicates that the 6th generation Bowtie-clad muscle car will not debut at the 2015 NAIAS.

Other Possible Debut Locations
If there next generation Chevrolet Camaro doesn’t make its grand debut in Detroit, there are a few other likely possibilities as to where we might meet the 2016 Camaro. After Detroit, the next major auto show is Chicago in mid-February followed by the New York show in April. Other than those two shows, it is hard to imagine where GM might introduce the 6th gen Camaro if they do plan to introduce it for the 2016 model year.