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Next Chevrolet Camaro to follow the ‘formula'... if it happens

Next Chevrolet Camaro to follow the ‘formula'... if it happens

The Advertiser22-07-2025
The Chevrolet Camarosports car, arch-rival to the Ford Mustang, could make a comeback if the 'formula' is right, says General Motors president Mark Reuss.
The sixth-generation Camaro – which currently races in Australia's Supercars racing category against the Mustang – went out of production in 2023.
At the time, GM – which owns Chevrolet – assured devastated enthusiasts and fans "this is not the final chapter for the nameplate".
Now, GM President Mark Reuss has said chances of a seventh-generation Camaro will depend on whether GM could deliver a car worthy of the name.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
"I think that formula of beauty, and a little bit of functionality and fun, all of that is important," the GM boss told The Detroit News.
"If we were getting back into Camaro, that piece of it is really important. I think that would be a great formula, and we have the ability to do that."
The formula would include the Camaro being "affordable and attainable" according to previous reports – with cheap muscle being key.
That also makes an electric successor to compete with the new-generation Dodge Charger – offered with both twin-turbo six-cylinder and EV powertrains in the US – even less likely for now, too.
Yet reports in early 2025 suggested GM management put paid to a successor, V8-powered or otherwise, as the business case didn't stack up.
Mr Reuss followed his comments by reiterating the sports car market in the US is shrinking – which makes a Camaro comeback less likely.
GM would have taken note of Mustang's 44,003 sales in the US in 2024, which were the worst in the nameplate's 60-year history – and saw it outsold by the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.
The Mustang lost its stranglehold as Australia's best-selling sports car in 2024, too, with supply issues seeing it demoted to third behind the BMW 2-Series and Subaru BRZ – although it has clawed its way back to the top in 2025.
The sixth-gen Camaro was sold as a rear-wheel drive coupe and convertible with a range of turbocharged four-cylinder and naturally aspirated V6 and V8 petrol engines, with a choice of automatic or manual transmissions.
In Australia and New Zealand, GMSV (General Motors Specialty Vehicles) imported a small number of V8 Camaros, but didn't benefit from a factory-backed right-hand drive production program like Mustang has.
This meant the Camaro was priced much higher than the Ford in Australia, which was a performance car bargain when it arrived in local showrooms in 2015 at $59,990 before on-road costs for a V8 manual coupe.
A six-speed manual V8 Camaro, converted to right-hand drive, was priced from $85,990 before on-road costs when it first arrived in Australia in 2018.
The Mustang's price has since shot up, with the current V8 manual coupe starting at $83,990 after range-wide $5000 price rises from July 1, 2025.
Ford Australia pointed to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) introduced here in 2025 as a factor in upping the Mustang's price.
MORE: A look back at the Chevrolet Camaro, the Ford Mustang's nemesis
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The Chevrolet Camarosports car, arch-rival to the Ford Mustang, could make a comeback if the 'formula' is right, says General Motors president Mark Reuss.
The sixth-generation Camaro – which currently races in Australia's Supercars racing category against the Mustang – went out of production in 2023.
At the time, GM – which owns Chevrolet – assured devastated enthusiasts and fans "this is not the final chapter for the nameplate".
Now, GM President Mark Reuss has said chances of a seventh-generation Camaro will depend on whether GM could deliver a car worthy of the name.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
"I think that formula of beauty, and a little bit of functionality and fun, all of that is important," the GM boss told The Detroit News.
"If we were getting back into Camaro, that piece of it is really important. I think that would be a great formula, and we have the ability to do that."
The formula would include the Camaro being "affordable and attainable" according to previous reports – with cheap muscle being key.
That also makes an electric successor to compete with the new-generation Dodge Charger – offered with both twin-turbo six-cylinder and EV powertrains in the US – even less likely for now, too.
Yet reports in early 2025 suggested GM management put paid to a successor, V8-powered or otherwise, as the business case didn't stack up.
Mr Reuss followed his comments by reiterating the sports car market in the US is shrinking – which makes a Camaro comeback less likely.
GM would have taken note of Mustang's 44,003 sales in the US in 2024, which were the worst in the nameplate's 60-year history – and saw it outsold by the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.
The Mustang lost its stranglehold as Australia's best-selling sports car in 2024, too, with supply issues seeing it demoted to third behind the BMW 2-Series and Subaru BRZ – although it has clawed its way back to the top in 2025.
The sixth-gen Camaro was sold as a rear-wheel drive coupe and convertible with a range of turbocharged four-cylinder and naturally aspirated V6 and V8 petrol engines, with a choice of automatic or manual transmissions.
In Australia and New Zealand, GMSV (General Motors Specialty Vehicles) imported a small number of V8 Camaros, but didn't benefit from a factory-backed right-hand drive production program like Mustang has.
This meant the Camaro was priced much higher than the Ford in Australia, which was a performance car bargain when it arrived in local showrooms in 2015 at $59,990 before on-road costs for a V8 manual coupe.
A six-speed manual V8 Camaro, converted to right-hand drive, was priced from $85,990 before on-road costs when it first arrived in Australia in 2018.
The Mustang's price has since shot up, with the current V8 manual coupe starting at $83,990 after range-wide $5000 price rises from July 1, 2025.
Ford Australia pointed to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) introduced here in 2025 as a factor in upping the Mustang's price.
MORE: A look back at the Chevrolet Camaro, the Ford Mustang's nemesis
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The Chevrolet Camarosports car, arch-rival to the Ford Mustang, could make a comeback if the 'formula' is right, says General Motors president Mark Reuss.
The sixth-generation Camaro – which currently races in Australia's Supercars racing category against the Mustang – went out of production in 2023.
At the time, GM – which owns Chevrolet – assured devastated enthusiasts and fans "this is not the final chapter for the nameplate".
Now, GM President Mark Reuss has said chances of a seventh-generation Camaro will depend on whether GM could deliver a car worthy of the name.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
"I think that formula of beauty, and a little bit of functionality and fun, all of that is important," the GM boss told The Detroit News.
"If we were getting back into Camaro, that piece of it is really important. I think that would be a great formula, and we have the ability to do that."
The formula would include the Camaro being "affordable and attainable" according to previous reports – with cheap muscle being key.
That also makes an electric successor to compete with the new-generation Dodge Charger – offered with both twin-turbo six-cylinder and EV powertrains in the US – even less likely for now, too.
Yet reports in early 2025 suggested GM management put paid to a successor, V8-powered or otherwise, as the business case didn't stack up.
Mr Reuss followed his comments by reiterating the sports car market in the US is shrinking – which makes a Camaro comeback less likely.
GM would have taken note of Mustang's 44,003 sales in the US in 2024, which were the worst in the nameplate's 60-year history – and saw it outsold by the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.
The Mustang lost its stranglehold as Australia's best-selling sports car in 2024, too, with supply issues seeing it demoted to third behind the BMW 2-Series and Subaru BRZ – although it has clawed its way back to the top in 2025.
The sixth-gen Camaro was sold as a rear-wheel drive coupe and convertible with a range of turbocharged four-cylinder and naturally aspirated V6 and V8 petrol engines, with a choice of automatic or manual transmissions.
In Australia and New Zealand, GMSV (General Motors Specialty Vehicles) imported a small number of V8 Camaros, but didn't benefit from a factory-backed right-hand drive production program like Mustang has.
This meant the Camaro was priced much higher than the Ford in Australia, which was a performance car bargain when it arrived in local showrooms in 2015 at $59,990 before on-road costs for a V8 manual coupe.
A six-speed manual V8 Camaro, converted to right-hand drive, was priced from $85,990 before on-road costs when it first arrived in Australia in 2018.
The Mustang's price has since shot up, with the current V8 manual coupe starting at $83,990 after range-wide $5000 price rises from July 1, 2025.
Ford Australia pointed to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) introduced here in 2025 as a factor in upping the Mustang's price.
MORE: A look back at the Chevrolet Camaro, the Ford Mustang's nemesis
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The Chevrolet Camarosports car, arch-rival to the Ford Mustang, could make a comeback if the 'formula' is right, says General Motors president Mark Reuss.
The sixth-generation Camaro – which currently races in Australia's Supercars racing category against the Mustang – went out of production in 2023.
At the time, GM – which owns Chevrolet – assured devastated enthusiasts and fans "this is not the final chapter for the nameplate".
Now, GM President Mark Reuss has said chances of a seventh-generation Camaro will depend on whether GM could deliver a car worthy of the name.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
"I think that formula of beauty, and a little bit of functionality and fun, all of that is important," the GM boss told The Detroit News.
"If we were getting back into Camaro, that piece of it is really important. I think that would be a great formula, and we have the ability to do that."
The formula would include the Camaro being "affordable and attainable" according to previous reports – with cheap muscle being key.
That also makes an electric successor to compete with the new-generation Dodge Charger – offered with both twin-turbo six-cylinder and EV powertrains in the US – even less likely for now, too.
Yet reports in early 2025 suggested GM management put paid to a successor, V8-powered or otherwise, as the business case didn't stack up.
Mr Reuss followed his comments by reiterating the sports car market in the US is shrinking – which makes a Camaro comeback less likely.
GM would have taken note of Mustang's 44,003 sales in the US in 2024, which were the worst in the nameplate's 60-year history – and saw it outsold by the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.
The Mustang lost its stranglehold as Australia's best-selling sports car in 2024, too, with supply issues seeing it demoted to third behind the BMW 2-Series and Subaru BRZ – although it has clawed its way back to the top in 2025.
The sixth-gen Camaro was sold as a rear-wheel drive coupe and convertible with a range of turbocharged four-cylinder and naturally aspirated V6 and V8 petrol engines, with a choice of automatic or manual transmissions.
In Australia and New Zealand, GMSV (General Motors Specialty Vehicles) imported a small number of V8 Camaros, but didn't benefit from a factory-backed right-hand drive production program like Mustang has.
This meant the Camaro was priced much higher than the Ford in Australia, which was a performance car bargain when it arrived in local showrooms in 2015 at $59,990 before on-road costs for a V8 manual coupe.
A six-speed manual V8 Camaro, converted to right-hand drive, was priced from $85,990 before on-road costs when it first arrived in Australia in 2018.
The Mustang's price has since shot up, with the current V8 manual coupe starting at $83,990 after range-wide $5000 price rises from July 1, 2025.
Ford Australia pointed to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) introduced here in 2025 as a factor in upping the Mustang's price.
MORE: A look back at the Chevrolet Camaro, the Ford Mustang's nemesis
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
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But GM had been more aggressive than many brands in phasing out combustion-powered vehicles in favour of EVs. ABOVE: American Cadillac XT5 and (new) Chinese XT5 For example, the Chevrolet Blazer and Cadillac XT4, XT5 and XT6 crossover SUVs were all being phased out in favour of electric replacements – the Blazer EV, Optiq, Lyriq and Vistiq, respectively. Likewise, the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans were expected to be replaced by one or two electric sedans, while the Chevrolet Malibu sedan has been axed outright. While none of these combustion-powered vehicles top the sales charts in their respective segments, many have been strong sellers at one point or another in their run. However, in June, GM announced it would add production of the combustion-powered Blazer to its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in 2027 – a somewhat odd move, given the now six-year-old vehicle was set to be phased out. 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ABOVE: Cadillac Lyriq With GM having reduced its global footprint through the sale of Opel/Vauxhall and a large-scale (if not complete) withdrawal from right-hand drive production that spelled the end of Holden, among other strategic moves, its home market has now become even more important. And despite EV sales continuing to grow in the US, the world's second-largest new-car market, there's still healthy demand for combustion-powered vehicles. GM has been pulling back somewhat from its previous bold EV goals. For example, it confirmed this year its Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan that was earmarked for EV production will now produce combustion-powered vehicles, while it will also introduce plug-in hybrids – technology it was previously planning to skip over. However, it's investing in new battery developments and plans to introduce a new, more affordable EV as a successor to its defunct Chevrolet Bolt, indicating it remains committed to EVs. It now offers multiple EVs across its Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands, with electric Buicks also offered in China. Content originally sourced from: General Motors was increasingly going down the path of having V8-powered full-size pickups and SUVs, but using electric power for almost everything else. Its Buick and Cadillac brands, for example, had goals of going electric-only by 2030, while myriad combustion-powered models were being phased out. However, GM Authority reports the American giant is now putting new combustion-powered vehicles into development. It's also reportedly evaluating new variants of existing combustion-powered vehicles – something that could see it introduce, for example, performance-focused pickups to take on Ford's Raptor models. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 It's unclear what new combustion-powered models GM may develop, though it currently doesn't have a unibody (car-based) ute to rival the Ford Maverick and no longer has a pony car to rival the Ford Mustang (following the axing of the Chevrolet Camaro). It also doesn't have a body-on-frame off-roader smaller than its Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon to take on the Toyota 4Runner and LandCruiser 250 Series (sold as the Prado here), apart from the ageing Chevrolet Trailblazer in Latin America. The change in strategy comes as fuel prices remain low in the US, while emissions regulations have been softened under the Trump administration. Of course, GM still has a bevy of electric vehicles (EVs) and is crowing about its Chevrolet brand being the second biggest seller of EVs in the US market. But GM had been more aggressive than many brands in phasing out combustion-powered vehicles in favour of EVs. ABOVE: American Cadillac XT5 and (new) Chinese XT5 For example, the Chevrolet Blazer and Cadillac XT4, XT5 and XT6 crossover SUVs were all being phased out in favour of electric replacements – the Blazer EV, Optiq, Lyriq and Vistiq, respectively. Likewise, the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans were expected to be replaced by one or two electric sedans, while the Chevrolet Malibu sedan has been axed outright. While none of these combustion-powered vehicles top the sales charts in their respective segments, many have been strong sellers at one point or another in their run. However, in June, GM announced it would add production of the combustion-powered Blazer to its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in 2027 – a somewhat odd move, given the now six-year-old vehicle was set to be phased out. ABOVE: Chevrolet Blazer and Blazer EV Now, GM Authority reports it'll be a next-generation Blazer being manufactured in Spring Hill. Whether this means the new second-generation XT5 sold in China – previously slated to be a Chinese-market exclusive vehicle – will be offered in the US remains to be seen. It's not just the new XT5 that's exclusive to China. GM has developed a handful of new-generation combustion-powered vehicles for China that it hasn't offered in its home market. That includes the Cadillac GT4 and second-generation CT6. However, GM has struggled in China of late as resurgent domestic brands offering increasingly sophisticated products have eaten away both at its market share and that of many other foreign brands. It's now losing money there, despite the Chinese market once being a cash cow. ABOVE: Cadillac Lyriq With GM having reduced its global footprint through the sale of Opel/Vauxhall and a large-scale (if not complete) withdrawal from right-hand drive production that spelled the end of Holden, among other strategic moves, its home market has now become even more important. And despite EV sales continuing to grow in the US, the world's second-largest new-car market, there's still healthy demand for combustion-powered vehicles. GM has been pulling back somewhat from its previous bold EV goals. For example, it confirmed this year its Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan that was earmarked for EV production will now produce combustion-powered vehicles, while it will also introduce plug-in hybrids – technology it was previously planning to skip over. However, it's investing in new battery developments and plans to introduce a new, more affordable EV as a successor to its defunct Chevrolet Bolt, indicating it remains committed to EVs. It now offers multiple EVs across its Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands, with electric Buicks also offered in China. Content originally sourced from:

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