Next Generation Camaro Delayed, Not Cancelled

Yesterday, we brought you the news (click here if you missed it) that the seventh generation Chevrolet Camaro development program had been shelved and it appeared as though there would be no replacement for the sixth generation car when it reaches the end of its life in 2023. Needless to say, Camaro fans were deeply distraught by this information, but today, we have some better news for Chevy performance fans.

According to the crew at GM Authority, citing unnamed insiders familiar with the program, development of the seventh generation Camaro has been delayed until further notice, not cancelled altogether. With the end of this current generation expected to come in 2023, there is plenty of time for GM to pull the seventh generation Camaro program off of the shelf and get back to work, but right now, those resources are being allocated in other areas.

Camaro Taking a Break
While some people might insist that “delayed until further notice” and practically the same as discontinuing the program, that may not be the case here. It would be one thing to say goodbye to the Camaro if production of the current model was slated to end next year, but it isn’t slated to end for four more years.

Even if GM took a year off of the seventh generation Camaro development to watch buyer trends as well as the progress of the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger, the Chevrolet engineers can spend their time working on other projects while analysts re-examine the plans for the next Camaro. A great many things can happen in the auto industry in a year, yet alone four years, so this could be a smart move by GM, allocating development resources elsewhere while they keep an eye on market trends.

Most notably, the arrival of the new mid-engine Corvette could lead traditionalists to opt for the front-engine Camaro, especially if the new Vette is considerably more expensive than the current model. Of course, a jump in Camaro sales could push GM to pull the seventh gen program off of the shelf.

Better for Current Models
One area where the team members developing the seventh generation Camaro could focus their attention is the sixth generation car. Rather than working on the next muscle car, the team can focus on making changes to the current car to help spur sales now, which could lead to an increase in sales and with that comes a greater possibility of renewed seventh generation development.

In any case, with four more years of the sixth generation Camaro planned for production, Chevy fans should depart from the brand just yet.

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Patrick Rall @TheAutoBeard is the Managing Editor of Torque News. Please follow us on Twitter at @TorqueNewsAuto, Facebook and send us tips. You can also Follow Patrick on Youtube.