Photo: wb.artist20 / Instagram
As would be expected, being the only one in production and without an axe hanging over its head or a guillotine already primed, the rear-wheel-drive coupe segment was largely dominated by the seventh-generation Mustang during the first half of 2024. According to the second-largest U.S. automaker, the pony car sold 27,444 units during the first two quarters of the year, up 7.7% from the same period in 2023.
It is not surprising that it dominates: the Audi R8 is much more expensive and also finished, the 2 Series Coupe and Gran Coupe are too strange, and the 4 Series and 8 Series are more or much more expensive. At the same time, the MX-5 Miata RF, Nissan Z or GT-R, as well as the Toyota GR Supra, are niche products. Even the inexpensive Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 did not sell well.
Interestingly, though, the biggest threat has come from the defunct Dodge Challenger, which has been out of production since December 2023, while the C8 Chevy Corvette has traded popularity with the retired Chevy Camaro, which has sold just over 5k units. Speaking of the Camaro, though, you can still find stock on sale and use the purchase as a personal build project.
However, as cool as it may look, we definitely don't recommend this Bumblebee Camaro Transformer: it may look incredibly refreshing in the parallel universes of vehicular CGI, but it won't be possible in your garage or at an aftermarket outlet. Instead, it's just a vision from the imaginary realm of digital car content creators, more specifically, Oscar Vargas, the virtual artist better known as wb.artista20 on social media, who continues to dream of things for the car that can be made by aftermarket shops.
Not long ago, he envisioned a virtual 2026 Chevrolet Camaro SS that looked like the sixth-generation had a baby with the Chevrolet Corvette C8, and the fairy godmother then decided to give it a V8 heart with a ZZ632 crate engine. It seemed bizarre, but having the Chevy Performance big-block V8 with over 1,000 horsepower would certainly make up for any potential styling inconsistencies.
Now, however, the artist has taken the unofficial and hypothetical design concept to the next level, giving him all the abilities of a Transformers-style Bumblebee. It's just wishful thinking, really, but while we imagine him in a Michael Bay episode, let's remember that there's a new feature film coming soon: Transformers One hits theaters in September, and it will serve as an animated prequel set on Cybertron but tied into the larger live-action universe.