The new generation of the Chevrolet Camaro has reportedly been delayed by about a year. Well-known in Australia as a Gen3 V8 Supercars racer, the Camaro could return to road-car production with four doors and a V8-powered performance variant.
The seventh-generation Camaro was previously expected to enter production in Michigan, US, in late 2027 as a 2028 model, but a new GM Authority report now points to a 2029 model-year debut, with the car reportedly set to be revealed in late 2028.
The new Camaro could bring back a muscle-car formula familiar to Australian buyers: a V8 engine, rear-wheel drive and potentially a manual transmission in a four-door body, but there is still no confirmation of its local arrival.
Australian release date of the new Camaro
GM (General Motors) has not confirmed the reported new Camaro for Australian showrooms, and it remains unclear whether it will receive factory-built right-hand drive, as with the sixth-generation Ford Mustang.
New Camaro could use GM’s Alpha 2 platform
The next Camaro is reportedly set to use an updated version of General Motors’ Alpha 2 rear-wheel-drive architecture, and GM also expects the platform to underpin future Cadillac and Buick sedans. This architecture supports longitudinally mounted engines and rear-wheel drive, making it suitable for a performance-focused four-door model.
Could GM’s new 6.7-litre V8 power the Camaro?
GM recently unveiled a new 6.7-litre naturally aspirated LS6 V8 for the 2027 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Grand Sport and Grand Sport X. The engine produces 399kW of power and 705Nm of torque, which makes it the most powerful base engine ever fitted to a production Corvette.
The LS6 is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission in the Corvette, while reports suggest the next Camaro could offer both automatic and manual transmissions.
The American carmaker has not confirmed the LS6 V8 engine for the upcoming Camaro.
A Camaro sedan would echo the Chevrolet SS
The proposed four-door Camaro would also bring back memories of the Chevrolet SS, which appeared on the Australian-built Holden VF Commodore, and which GM exported to the US between 2013 and 2017.
The reported Camaro sedan could arrive just as Ford considers turning the Mustang into a four-door sports car. Both models could revive the V8-powered sports sedan formula that Australian buyers once knew through the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.
Reports have also suggested Ford is considering a four-door petrol-powered Mustang, although the company has not publicly confirmed the model.
Ford could open orders for the proposed Mustang before the end of the decade, although the company has not publicly confirmed its Mustang sedan plans.
A brief history of the Camaro in Australia
The Chevrolet Camaro originally launched in the US for the 1967 model year, but the sixth-generation model was the first Camaro officially sold Down Under through a local right-hand-drive conversion program. It arrived in Australian showrooms in late 2018 through selected HSV dealerships.
Walkinshaw Automotive Group (WAG), which owns the former Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) business, converted the Camaro to right-hand drive, and it ended the conversion program in April 2020 after the program faced rising costs and a worsening Australian dollar-US dollar exchange rate.
The Camaro’s Australian sales program lasted only around 18 months between 2018 and 2020, with about 1,500 examples produced.
Walkinshaw no longer converts Camaros, but it continues to use its Clayton, Victoria facility to convert full-sized American vehicles, including the Chevrolet Silverado, to right-hand drive for Australia.
What the Australian Camaro offered
The previous Australian Camaro 2SS used a 6.2-litre naturally aspirated LT1 V8, giving 339kW and 617Nm of output, and buyers could choose between a 6-speed manual and a 10-speed automatic. The automatic 2SS started at $89,190 before on-road costs.
The flagship Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 arrived in mid-2019 with a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 producing 477kW and 881Nm of output, and it also offered a 6-speed manual, with Australian pricing starting at $159,990 before on-road costs. The ZL1 even beat the limited-run HSV GTSR W1 sedan due to a superior power-to-weight ratio.
If the reported four-door Camaro reaches production, it would mark a major departure from the model’s traditional two-door format while potentially giving Australian V8 enthusiasts a new American sports sedan to watch.
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