Photo: jlord8 / Instagram
The rear-wheel drive coupe sector was dominated in America by the seventh-generation Ford Mustang S650 with more than 27,000 units, up 7.7% from the first two quarters of 2023. Meanwhile, another discontinued rival, the Dodge Challenger, trailed at a distance with just over 21,000 examples. In contrast, the BMW 4 Series rocked nearly 20,000 and the C8 Chevy Corvette had its best H1 sales in a long time (since 2015) with nearly 18,000 vehicles.
The Chevy Camaro hasn't been very successful. In fact, with only 5,306 deliveries, it was not only miles behind the Mustang S650 and even the discontinued Challenger, but was also beaten by the Toyota GR86, for example, which sold 7,467 units. Therefore, it's no surprise that General Motors decided to focus all its attention on the mid-engine C8, which sells much better and is more profitable than the 'Maro, thanks to its higher sales prices.
No one knows the fate of the nameplate, which was not eliminated but remained dormant in GM's resource library: rumors and reports of a new iteration with Off-road and sedan body styles plus Electric vehicle powertrains haven’t materialized yet. Alas, that doesn’t mean everyone is happy to see it go. For example, the parallel universe of vehicular CGI is counting on the imaginative realm of automotive digital content creators to think of workarounds that would have allowed GM to continue with the iconic Camaro.
More precisely, Jim, a virtual artist known as jlord8 on social media, loves to mess around with all things CGI from the automotive world; now, he’s dreaming up a retro Camaro that would appeal to both old and new fans of the legendary nameplate. The virtual artist’s design project isn’t even based on the now-defunct sixth-generation Camaro, but rather the fifth iteration to make it even more retro-awesome.
In addition, the CGI expert added a 1968 RS/SS grille to the Chevy Camaro Z28. Oddly enough, the front fascia with hidden (LED) headlights works wonders on the contemporary Camaro, especially when the black grille is paired with some matching details: on the hood, around the aero kit, and on the large aftermarket Y-spoke alloy wheels. So, what do you think of its retro look?
Could General Motors have better ensured the survival of the big Camaro if it had started treating the fifth generation with design cues from the model history? Or was the nameplate doomed from the moment the sixth generation arrived because of its eccentric frontal styling?