When General Motors' financial situation turned from serious to bankruptcy-bound, two of the first models to get pushed back or canceled were the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible and the ultra-performance Z28 variant. But now talk of the Z28's revival is bubbling out of GM.

Over the weekend a group of GM officials held a question and answer session at the Carlisle Nationals event in Pennsylvania, and the enthusiasts over at Camaro5 got new confirmation that the Camaro Z28 is in fact still on the table.

It had been pushed back until after the early 2011 debut of the Camaro Convertible, and feared to be all but canceled, but now the Z28 is back on for a spring 2011 debut shortly after the Convertible. So far the known facts parallel the previous details: more powerful than the SS, a special hood and grille treatment, Z28 badges and/or graphics and a possibly a redesigned rear clip.

Reports from earlier this year said the design of the Camaro Z28 was complete, but that the project wouldn't be going forward due to a low expected sales rate and high per-unit costs. Those earlier plans had a version of the LSA V8 found in the new Cadillac CTS-V, rated at 556hp (414kW) and good for a 0-60mph time likely under 4 seconds with a shot at a high-11-second quarter mile time.

Those would be fantastic numbers for a Camaro, and would certainly be enough to put the Camaro fimly in the lead for this round of the muscle car wars.

Unfortunately, despite the thinly veiled hints from GM personnel at events like the Carlisle Nationals, there's still no official announcement of the Z28, and so the car is still only speculative at this point.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro Transformers Special Edition: Revealed
07/22/2009, 1:39 PM
By Drew Johnson

Confirming earlier rumors, Chevrolet has officially announced the 2010 Camaro Transformers Special Edition. The $995 Transformers Special Edition option first appears on Chevrolet’s Web site earlier today, followed by an official press release from the automaker.

Available on Rally Yellow LT and SS models, the Transformers package is intended to emulate the Bumblebee character from the Transformer movies. “When the first Transformers movie was setting box office records, we had countless customers asking to purchase the ‘Bumblebee’ Camaro,” said Karen Rafferty, product marketing director, Chevrolet. “Now, they can buy one with the new Camaro Transformers Special Edition. Streets all over North America will be buzzing in no time.”

The Transformers package includes Autobot badging on the car’s driver and passenger side panels, each of the four wheel’s center caps and on the interior center console. The Transformers logo will be used on the Camaro’s door sills and embedded into the package’s standard high-gloss black hood rally stripes.

No performance improvements will be included in the Transformers package, but it can be had in tandem with the Camaro’s RS package. The Transformers Special Package is available now at Chevrolet dealers nationwide.

Performance models were the first to face the chopping block when General Motors’ finances hit the skids, but at least one performance variant could be rising from the dead. GM’s once lame duck Chevrolet Camaro Z28 is said to be production bound, with the high-performance model in the final stages of development.

According to Edmunds, Ed Welburn – GM’s design chief – has confirmed that the long-rumored Chevrolet Camaro Z28 model is heading to production. Welburn says the body work for the Z28 is complete – including a revised hood to conceal the taller supercharged engine – with final work on the car’s drivetrain being completed now.

Welburn failed to give any specific details, but the Z28 model will be powered by the same supercharged 6.2L V8 found in the Cadillac CTS-V. In Cadillac-guise that engine produces 556 horsepower, and we’d expect to see at least that level of performance from the Z28.

The Z28 package will also include the aforementioned unique body work, as well as Z28-specific wheels. Six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes are expected to be offered. However, the Z28 model isn’t expected to surface until at least late 2010.

The Camaro Synergy concept previews a new Synergy Green production exterior color that will be offered on a special-edition Camaro in the first half of 2010. It also features a host of the latest Camaro accessories offered through Chevy dealers. They dramatically enhance the performance appearance of the car, demonstrating the personalization possibilities open to Camaro owners. Designers took liberties with the accessories, creating a totally unique package. Details include:

* 21-inch wheels, with a black center finish and polished rim
* Ground effects kit
* Cyber Grey Rally hood stripes
* High wing rear spoiler (future accessory)
* Performance air intake

The ground effects include pronounced rocker moldings, a rear diffuser-type styling piece and a front spoiler. They, along with the rear wing spoiler and rally stripes, are finished in the production Cyber Grey color, although the ground effects and spoiler can be painted to match the exterior of the car. The Rally stripes are adhesive-backed and are offered in grey, black or white. They’re part of a broader range of heritage-inspired graphics that also include “hockey stick” stripes for the front fenders.

Chevy designers further enhanced the concept with a Pedders coil-over lowering kit and a set of large, Brembo brakes, as well as color-coordinating the Jet Black interior with Synergy Green accent stitching, piping and other accents. The lowering kit, brakes and interior accents are not among the accessories offered for the Camaro, but represent common and popular aftermarket upgrades. Chevrolet will gauge public interest in the features for possible inclusion in future accessory offerings.

It looks like the custom creation of a tuner shop, but the Camaro Chroma simply demonstrates how carefully selected accessories available through Chevy dealers can create a look like nothing else. The Camaro Chroma is based on an SS/RS model in Summit White and uses a combination of current and not-yet-released components, including:

* A new silver stripe package
* 21-inch wheels (future product, with silver-painted spoke centers and a Victory Red stripe)
* “Blade” rear spoiler (future product)
* Summit White ground effects package
* Rear fender vent graphics
* Accessory front grille with body-color outer frame (future accessory)

“With its silver graphics on the Summit White paint, this car has a tailored, tone-on-tone appearance that is simultaneously racy and subdued,” said Todd Parker, design manager, GM Accessory Studio. “It is a sophisticated-looking car that is easily duplicated by any customer, because all of the parts are available to build it.”

From a performance standpoint, the Camaro Chroma’s standard LS3 V-8 engine is equipped with current accessories, including a performance intake, shorty headers and performance exhaust system. There’s also a Victory Red engine cover and a Hurst short-throw shifter for the six-speed manual transmission, as well as red-painted Brembo brake calipers.

Inside, the black-and-grey leather seats feature red accent stitching, as do the shifter boot, floor mats and door trim. Accessory inserts for the dashboard and door panels (in silver) are also included as available accessories.

“What’s great about the Camaro Chroma is it speaks to the almost unlimited possibilities that the accessories offer,” said Parker. “You can build your Camaro mild or wild, but build it your way.”

Inspired by the style of young, urban professionals, the Camaro Dusk concept rolls with a contemporary tuner aesthetic. It is understatedly aggressive looking, with a lowered ride height, new 21-inch wheels, the rear spoiler from an SS model and a custom ground effects package.

“This is a car with an international flair, bringing the Camaro to a place it hasn’t traditionally been,” said Parker. “It is a very tailored look that is stylish and sophisticated, but with a distinct American accent.”

The ground effects package includes a racing-inspired front splitter, rocker extensions and a rear diffuser. They are prototype parts that may enter production as dealer-available accessories at a later date; the same goes for the 21-inch wheels from BBS. Many of the details, such as the taillamp and fog lamp bezels, match the finish of the wheels, lending a more premium look to the car.

The Camaro Dusk’s body is painted Berlin Blue, while the ground effects are painted a contrasting color. Additional performance items include the exhaust system and Brembo brakes from a Camaro SS (with painted calipers). The interior is trimmed in stylish Jet Black and Sedona, with complementing features including footwell lighting, premium door sill plates and other details.

Today’s young professionals expect advanced technology and premium audio options and this concept delivers with a crisp, well-tuned Boston Acoustics sound system, WiFi connectivity and a convenient cradle for an iPhone.