General Motors Corp. said Friday it plans to offer a new Chevrolet Camaro convertible in 2009 and will display a concept version of the car at a gala event surrounding the North American International Auto Show.
GM said last summer it would make the new Camaro at its plant in Oshawa, Ontario, outside of Toronto. The new Camaros are expected to land in dealer showrooms by 2009.
The convertible concept, which will be unveiled Saturday at a media event, is based on the original Camaro concept that received rave reviews at last year’s auto show in Detroit.
GM stopped making an earlier version of the Camaro in 2002 but decided to bring back the iconic muscle car to appeal to enthusiasts and younger buyers. The new version will offer better fuel efficiency and more sophistication than the 1969 version on which it’s loosely based.
“The Camaro convertible concept instantly evokes an emotional response — it’s a vehicle that you want to make room for in your garage,” said Ed Welburn, GM’s vice president for global design.
The rear-wheel-drive convertible concept features a V8 engine and manual transmission. It also has a four-wheel independent suspension system and four-wheel disc brakes, the automaker said.