In the few years that I have been the Webmaster
and Editor of this site, I have been asked that question a lot. Everyone
from enthusiasts to aftermarket employees, to salespeople at car dealerships.
I hear it almost every time the subject comes up.
In fact, this question has been asked countless times in the past
few years, and I can remember the day I wondered myself. Buying
into the scary idea that I may not be able to get a next generation
Camaro and thinking that I could possibly do something about it, I
started the Save the F-Body!
page. That was over 2 years ago, and as effective as the
Save the F-Body! page is, the same question is still being asked in
one form or another in all variations of automobile news communications.
In their rush to answer this question and fill that void in every
true automobile enthusiast's heart, magazines and newspapers began
to speculate. Some said that production will definitely
stop, creating a panic in many circles of communication especially
online communities. Others offered their versions of an
incredible dream car that the next Camaro and Firebird might
be one day, which then manifested into rumors that the next Camaro
and Firebird will be that incredible dream car one day soon.
Some publications simply gave a "who knows what will happen?"
blurb and let you draw your own conclusions, which of course turned
into rumors which went around...again.
I can remember when one big rumor was going around stating that GM
will definitely cease production of the Camaro and Firebird line...in
1998. This caused a huge uproar, especially in the online
automobile communities. Some even cursed GM and said they
will never buy a GM product again. I am willing to bet
that a good majority of those very same people own 1999 and newer
GM products as I sit here and type this.
I personally have received dozens of e-mails from people who claim
to have "sources deep inside GM that shall remain nameless" and
they say that the Camaro will live, but the Firebird will not. Or
was it that the Camaro will get the ax, but the Firebird will become
the Pontiac version of the Corvette? Wait, I think I remember...the
Camaro and Firebird will both definitely die. I guess I
have to apologize here. I have heard so many different
stories about what will happen that I get a little confused, as all
of them supposedly came from that unnamed source, deep inside GM.
Regardless, every single e-mail like this was politely replied
to asking for proof to back up their claims.
To this day, I have not received one reply containing sufficient proof
to back up the claims, I am very sorry to say.
Recently, a few major automotive publications have published some
new and potentially more accurate news about what will (or more accurately
could) happen and all I can say is read carefully. Why?
One magazine says that a new generation of Camaro/Firebird will
come out in mid-2003, and another says that it will come out in 2005.
I am in no way saying that one or the other or both are inaccurate,
but it fortifies the fact that the question remains unanswered completely
and without doubt.
Sooner or later, some real authorized information will come down the
pipe and I hope to be one of the first stops it makes, and when it
does, you can bet that my information will be posted right here on
this web site and my information will have the name of the person
who told me, and not an "unnamed source".
I learned a long time ago to believe nothing of what you hear and
only half of what you see. This is especially good to remember
when it comes to the Internet and even more especially good to remember
in this situation. In all fairness, you can even apply
this to anything that I personally say about the situation, regardless
of what proof I do or do not have to back it up.
So, in light of that, what answer can you trust when you ask if there
will be a 5th generation Camaro or Firebird? If the magazines
or even myself can't post information that is positively confirming
or denying details on the next generation Camaro and Firebird, what
can you believe will happen and when?
Fear not, because I figured out the only true way to know exactly
what will happen...
When you stop seeing new Camaros and Firebirds on the showroom floors
for a couple of years and GM issues a public press release in one
form or another stating they will no longer be making the Camaro or
Firebird...ever again.
Then and only then will you truly know.
Or, you will know when you see a shiny new generation of Camaro or
Firebird on the showroom floor, ready for you to get in and hammer
the gas down and let the world around you turn into a blur of engine
roar and burnt rubber on an asphalt that will never feel the same
again.
Until either one of those two situations happen, it's really anyone's
guess. Let's continue hoping for the best.
Commentary by Jason Debler who is saving his money already, just in
case.
