RE: Soft-Top Camaros Spotted At Holden Plant

RE: Soft-Top Camaros Spotted At Holden Plant

Wednesday 26th August 2009

Soft-Top Camaros Spotted At Holden Plant

On-off-on-off-on convertible muscle car is go for 2010 (we hope)



The Chevrolet Camaro convertible project has been hovering perilously close to the executioner's axe for some time now, but these latest spy shots seem to be proof that the car really will become a production reality.

Latest bets are that the Camaro convertible will be ready for the 2011 model year (for that read the summer of 2010), rather than the MY 2012 that has also been mooted.

These soft-top Camaros have been spotted lined up at the Australian Fisherman's Bend Holden plant, which seems to support the idea that we will see production versions of the V6 and V8-powered muscle cars sooner rather than later.


As for right-hand-drive versions? It might be being built in Australia, but don't hold your breath...

 

Author
Discussion

boldek1

Original Poster:

45 posts

189 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
quotequote all
yup im gonna check those options on my order sheet, unflattering silver and mud coloured rag top biggrin

FlashBastd

291 posts

189 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
quotequote all
I am a bit confused (doesn't take much), but although I understand the Holden is GM's "centre of excellence" for RWD platform development, these cars are built in Canada, so I don't quite understand what role Holden would now be playing in the development of the convertible, especially as these vehicles appear almost production ready, suggesting the only refinements would be to trim, roof mechanism and damping, all of which would surely be undertaken in the US? Unless they are going to build the convertible in Aus on the Holden Commodore production line?

andy_b

727 posts

250 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
quotequote all
i believe pre-productions cars were engineered and developed by Holden (as well as GM in the US), as it shares the chassis, but production of the coupe (and thus the soft top?) is in Canada.

An American Revolution....partly designed and engineered in Australia, built in Canada LOL!

Seen quite a few Camaro's around here (BC) and I really like it.

Edited by andy_b on Wednesday 26th August 17:26

FestivAli

1,085 posts

237 months

Thursday 27th August 2009
quotequote all
This is nothing new. Around january I was driving through Doncaster East (Melbourne) and I saw one of the engineers driving a silver drop top camaro, top down. They weren't running camo on them. Had to say, whilst it's a big car (a lot of presence) it looked absolutely fantastic. Driver looked pretty happy either.

Ali.

(edited to add that unfortunately it was LHD)

Edited by FestivAli on Thursday 27th August 01:18

SkinnyBoy

4,635 posts

257 months

Thursday 27th August 2009
quotequote all
I worked at Holden earlier this year but got laid off in March. I got to drive these and one of the panel beaters Holden uses had 3 of them totally stripped down to bare frames so they can do the workshop manuals and subsequent engineering. All 3 went to the crusher!

Jader1973

3,945 posts

199 months

Thursday 27th August 2009
quotequote all
FlashBastd said:
I am a bit confused (doesn't take much), but although I understand the Holden is GM's "centre of excellence" for RWD platform development, these cars are built in Canada, so I don't quite understand what role Holden would now be playing in the development of the convertible, especially as these vehicles appear almost production ready, suggesting the only refinements would be to trim, roof mechanism and damping, all of which would surely be undertaken in the US? Unless they are going to build the convertible in Aus on the Holden Commodore production line?
It could be done in the US, but it isn't. Holden developed the hardtop, so they do the convertible too.

Most likely these are pre-production cars that were put together in Aus for development. Although I haven't seen these, so I'm wondering where they've hidden them (or not hidden them to judge by the pics).

SkinnyBoy

4,635 posts

257 months

Thursday 27th August 2009
quotequote all
Jader1973 said:
Although I haven't seen these, so I'm wondering where they've hidden them (or not hidden them to judge by the pics).
if you want to spy on whats new at Holden, just before Salmon Street and Fishermans Bend, in Plummer Street they have their CVO warehouse where I used to work. In the middle of the warehouse is a totally shrouded area with its own gate. Thats where the good stuff is hidden. They are usually delivered late at night and squirreled away into the Shroud to avoid prying eyes. I think back to all the scoops I could of sold to the Aussie car mags and kick myself.

gkronberg

44 posts

233 months

Friday 28th August 2009
quotequote all
Yeah ... 12 months ago I was at Lang Lang ( Holdens proving ground, just out side Melbourne)
They had convertables then in camo and non camo , also they had convertable wall bangers as well ( crash test cars) ... so the convertable has been in the pipeline for some time.

As the car was ( and still is ..) being developed here in OZ .... its not a shock to see pre production cars here as well. We see Camaro's on the road here in Melb all the time ( LHD) ... a yellow one has been getting around for awhile ...

BTW .... we saw RHD test mule cars at lang lang 12 months ago so they have made a RHD car .....

Just wish they would bring production here to OZ .... oh well ....(sit in the corner and cry)