2010 Chevrolet Camaro: From Concept to Production

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If there's ever been a Camaro that says "bad ass" like the first Camaro did, this is it, hands down. The Chevrolet Camaro Concept looks like the car you drive if your name is "Butch" and you strike matches on your stubble. The styling elements recapture that crucial aspect of the original design philosophy; a rebellious one that fell through the cracks as the decades poured on after 1969.

The designer of the Camaro Concept Coupe and the Camaro Convertible Concept, Sangyup Lee, had no idea the Chevrolet Camaro was so iconic. "I was kind of glad I didn't know how strong of an icon the Camaro was when I was first working on the project," he admits. Working without pressure allowed him to come up with the vicious concept everyone's talking about. Gills in front of the rear wheel arches evoke the original car while radical angles are said to be inspired by planes like the YF-22 fighter jet.

We've driven the silver Camaro Concept, which debuted at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. It was built on a heavily modified Cadillac STS platform, and bits from many rear-wheel-drive General Motors vehicles were used to make the concept drivable. But the result was a taut and virtually rattle-free ride. We had expected the concept to be a veritable rattletrap, being hand-assembled and all. And we love being wrong about things like this.

Performing as it always has, the 400-horsepower LS-2 6.0-liter V8 provided far more power than we ventured to tap, fearing instant ejection from the GM proving grounds. Monster 14-inch front rotors easily burned off the modest speeds we achieved. The huge 21- and 22-inch Goodyears did their jobs without protest.

GM gave the Chevrolet Camaro Concept a green light for production in August 2006. According to GM Chairman Rick Wagoner, the 2010 Chevy Camaro will be "virtually identical" to Lee's concept. That's a good thing. The Ford Mustang concept in 2003 was a far cry from the car that came to showrooms in 2005. Hopefully the road-going Camaro will come with the bulging rear fenders and sinister chop-top roof that make the concept look so evil.

Despite still being two full years away, America has already been exposed to the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro in three forms; coupe, convertible and er...Transformer. Chevy's upcoming muscle car has a lead role as "Bumblebee" in this summer's blockbuster, The Transformers. And while driving the $2-million Camaro Convertible Concept was an experience, we had the opportunity to rip burnouts in the bright orange Bumblebee movie car while the Paramount guys weren't looking. And no, it doesn't actually turn into a giant robot.

By the time the Camaro makes showroom floors, it'll need to be ready for stoplight battles with the Dodge Challenger and the existing Ford Mustang, both of which will already be roaming the streets. Strapped with a familiar LS2 V8, impromptu drag races shouldn't pose a problem whether you're using the standard six-speed automatic transmission or rowing through the six-speed manual. And it might not even be so bad to commute with, either.

The production car will be built off a derivative of GM's new Zeta platform, developed by GM's Australian wing, Holden, and shared with that company's new Commodore. That means MacPherson struts up front and a fully independent rear suspension. If GM can stick to the game plan, the 2010 Chevy Camaro might be more than enough to fight off the Challenger, the Mustang and the evil forces of the Decepticons. So dust off your leather jacket and start growing that facial hair.

2010 CHEVROLET CAMARO