'09 Camaro Mule spotted in Tampa, FL

[Neil B]

My buddy came across this pre-production '09 Camaro over lunch today. Apparently, they brought the car to Florida for some testing in humid climates.

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/2045/picture011wii5.jpg

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/4406/picture014wqd5.jpg
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3308/picture013whz0.jpg
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/7391/picture012wpp8.jpg
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/2045/picture011wii5.jpg

[Neil B]

More...

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/4504/picture006wya9.jpg

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/759/picture007wga8.jpg

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/6185/picture008wxs1.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8636/picture009wih1.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5263/picture010wpa5.jpg

[buickfunnycar.com]

pretty boring if you ask me...surprised they stayed with the 20" wheels.

love the closeup of the orange peel,lol...

[HRBS]

Cool !
I like the trailer hitch... or is that where the "spy hunter oil slick" comes out of ?:lol:

[Hdesign]

I hope they're not sticking with that fisher price headlight set up. Maybe they have a Polycarbonate shield going over them...I hope. Taillight details and geometry don't look fantastic either. And DAAAAYYYYUMMM did those mirrors grow (as expected for DOT regs). They couldn't figure out a cleaner way to add reverse lights and make them integrated?

[chevyIIpost]

I'm disappointed! That thing is Fugly........... and I don't think it's got a chance of growing on me. What happened to the semi retro 60's look???? Fisher Price it right on target.

[Karps TA]

alot of the stuff on the car is preproduction and just put on to get the cars on the road. Apparently the lights on the cars are things just taken off the shelf just to put lights on it. So you can't really take much besides the overall shape and design.

[Bulldog68]

Sadly, I have to agree that I'm disappointed with the appearance of this one. Not only are the headlights lame, but the overall dimensions seem out of whack. The car looks bloated, not low and sleek like the original pictures. C'mon GM, get it together. :mad:

Edit: On second thought, what do I care? I've still got my '68 and this modern version will never beat the lines of the original. :D

[DOOM]

This car is a joke!!!!!!:mad: As soon as any of these big wigs at GM seen the Challenger they should of made them go back to the drawing board!! When are they going to get it????

[Blake Foster]

What were you expecting???
the front end is WAY toooo Thick
it all looks to thick

Im out

[DDY RCKT]

I, for one, love it.

[surreyboy]

well, i guess a car could be discontinued twice:(

[acadian]

work for gm, owns two, love the camaro, will never buy this generations if it stays that ugly for public consumption.

man this one is ugly...

nothing is right, not a single theme... every generations design cues is included.

sides bodyline from 67-68 or 1970-1981 era

dimple in quarter from 69 model

front end mixing 1969 and 1979 when looked from the side

1967 looking taillight just to name a few.

way too thick and dense in design, in fact it has the stance of a truck.

the challenger however is stick to one theme only and looks much much much better in my opinion even if i love gm.

this one is completely wrong ...sorry.

[ccracin]

What were you expecting???
the front end is WAY toooo Thick
it all looks to thick

Im out

You hit it on the head Blake. I have owned and driven every gen Camaro and if this is what it is going to look like, CRAP. The tradition will end. I was thinking the Subaru Outback version of a crappy caddy design. Anyway, I hope it gets refined.

[surreyboy]

i feel like going into the garage and hugging my iroc

[tellyv]

That car is ugly I seen it at sema in person and I think its way to futuristic looking they need to follow suite with the mustang and challengers modern but with a old school vibe. I'm really dissapointed that the only thing that gm can make cool is the vette.

[DDY RCKT]

I saw the production Challenger this past weekend, and it was a major letdown. It's ugly in production form.

[G-Body]

Im really dissapointed in this car! way to factory follow the guide line looks to it!
the styling of the camaro front end like i noticed the challenger has alot of the same short squared off looks to it but im really dissapointed in GM and im a chevy guy through and through.
You would have thought they would have learned there lesson with the big on power and short on styling lesson of the GTO.
was really looking forward to a home run on this ride, but like GM of late. rushing to play catch up and get it to production to catch up with the others. looks pretty sad to me :(

[Datsbad]

I'll take it.

A turbo and an extra 200hp or so it will looks just fine.
I plan to make a pure 1/4 mile drag racer out of mine when I get it.

[the camtender]

I sure hope it's fast because I can already hear the other guys saying how they can't wait to knock that shi$$ a$$ eating grin off the front of that silly looking car !!
(CAMARO??)

[bigworm]

i think that with some aftermarket parts it will look good. but i do agree the front end stands higher than i thought. they should make the body more porportionate to the top half... maybe they will make some of the design ques functional like the '69 gills could be brake ducts. some things like that could make it cool but chances are it will be heavy to be really considered for the track anyway.

[G-Body]

The first i heard when they were comming out with these they said the downside would be the weight something around 4,000 lbs i sure hope not that would be bad news bears for sure!
And sure any car will look good with a new set of rollers on it etc but. damn come on make the thing at least cool looking! not all these government guidelines crap like the bumper has to be so high etc in the cars and trucks
this kind of thinking has ruined the future of any " hot rod" appeal.

[will69camaro]

I actually like it. I'm really hoping they improve the interior from the other shots. I plan to buy one if the interior is fixed. I think with a small spoiler (like the concept) it will be good looking. I will hold final judgment until I see a production version in person.

As for weight I'd expect it to be 3700+lbs. The platform it's based on leads me to believe this anyway. Hope it has a lot of power to back up that hefty weight...

William

[Beegs]

Calm down........it's pre-production!

I am sure it's partly their intent to make it look "not right". I am sure by the time it hits the showroom it will look the part. BUT...as I have said before, I wish they had done more of a retro look. Specifically a carbon copy of a........... 69 !! :unibrow:

[DDY RCKT]

I'd hope they keep it closer to 3500 lbs. As long as it's not 4200 like the Charger/Challenger, we'll be good to go.

[Neil B]

Here's new shots of a white one in Tampa...

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3143

[surreyboy]

Calm down........it's pre-production!

I am sure it's partly their intent to make it look "not right". I am sure by the time it hits the showroom it will look the part. BUT...as I have said before, I wish they had done more of a retro look. Specifically a carbon copy of a........... 69 !! :unibrow:

lol usually its the pre production that looks nice when new cars come out, and then we are dissapointed.

[James OLC]

nothing is right, not a single theme... every generations design cues is included.

...

1967 looking taillight just to name a few.



What part of the tail lights look like a '67 besides the color of the lens?

[PonchoJohn]

I don't care for the 69 gills, or the front end in general (although I've seen some photo'd versions that look slick, so maybe I'll hold judgement), but I think the side shots look kinda nice.
The rear looks very Vette-esque to me. I think the taillights work for the rear...
I kinda like the tail treatment.

If you wanted a good looking styling job, Pontiac- not Holden- should have had a crack at it. Look at the 98-02 WS6 cars. 'nuff said.

[XcYZ]

I think it looks great. I like the fact that the 5th Gen has character, something the 4th Gens never had.

[byndbad914]

This car is a joke!!!!!!:mad: As soon as any of these big wigs at GM seen the Challenger they should of made them go back to the drawing board!! When are they going to get it????
I agree. I haven't liked the Camaro concept since day 1. You look at the new Mustang and you can "see" the retro styling. Same with the Challenger (I am no Mopar guy but I too like the Challenger of the 3). That Camaro... just fugly as someone else said. I can "sorta" see the ties back to the early cars, but the whole front end is foul. I don't like the rear either, just too Vette-ish v. 2nd gen Camaro as the dual "round" taillights imply.

[awr68]

Hate to say it...I truely do! But I don't think Ford has anything to worry about...they truely hit it out of the park with the late model Mustang! I find myself wanting one and I'm not a Ford guy!

[acadian]

What part of the tail lights look like a '67 besides the color of the lens?

sorry, made a mistake, i had the '68 version in mind with the vertical divider in the middle. kind of a long shot i know but each time i see the next gen's rear, i think of a futuristic '68, maybe it's just me...:_paranoid

[tellyv]

Bring back the T.A.!!!!!!!!

[BThibodeaux]

Overall, I am good with it. Agree that the prototype headlights, side mirrors, and rear tire width gave the car a much better look. Guys like us will ensure that these things are corrected either by not purchasing, or with our own hands, the latter being the most likely scenario.

I do totally agree with Scott in that the car does at least have character, unlike the 4th gen. Now don't be hatin' on me 4th gen owners. Just MHO. My brother owns one, and we have fun giving each other sh*t. I regularly get the "at least mine is on the road" jab.

To be honest, I was actually considering selling off my 69 project in process in favor of making room for a 5th gen. Now I am pretty sure I will not do this.

The positive of all of this is that is the new design pretty much insures the continued value and appreciation of the 1st gen.

[RussMS]

I think I prefer the Challenger concept to these pics. Hopefully the production model will bring back the better headlights. Dont care for the small ones.

my 2 cents anyway.

[byebye67]

didnt they learn anything from the whole SSR and GTO ventures? i guess they like losing money...

[will69camaro]

I am going to guess that this is going to do MUCH better than the GTO and SSR. I am pretty sure they have a hit on their hands with the new G8 that's starting to trickle into the hands of drivers stateside and this car appears to be designed for more than testosterone seeking young adults craving speed (4th gen).

Time will tell however.

William

[byebye67]

will, good points, but i feel like the mystique (if thats how its spelled) is gone, and to me, thats everything. i look at what nissan was able to create with their gtr and getting the car to look right is very important to me at this point in my car craziness.

[Smack_talker]

I think one word comes to mind when looking at this car....FUGLY. Where did they get the design for the back of the car? I cant see any "hertige" there. The Knight rider deal in the front needs to go also. I do like the side profile...that's about it. I think the Challenger looks on target and the Mustang sales speak for themself. Good Luck GM :faint: