SPY SHOTS! 2009 Chevrolet Camaro

[Flybrian]

SPY SHOTS! 2009 Chevrolet Camaro

Link to Original Article and Spy Shots @ Autoblog

Though it's been spotted bombing the boulevards of Australia, the Chevy Camaro mule seen in these pictures has not been caught testing in the U.S. until now. Insiders have confirmed this Middle Eastern-market Chevy Lumina SS mule with severely truncated rear doors is indeed a mule for the production Chevy Camaro that will hopefully go on sale as a 2009 model.

Chris Doane shooting for Brenda Priddy snapped the pics and tells us that in addition to the shortened rear doors, the wheelbase is obviously shorter compared to a normal VE sedan from Holden and the roofline is also lower to the ground. Priddy adds that while we don't know what engine is in the mule, expect the production car to have your choice of GM's 3.6L direct-inject V6, a "regular" V8 and top-shelf motor based on the LS8 engine putting out close to 500 HP.

A convertible should follow a year after the coupe arrives, just like the Camaro Convertible Concept showed up 365 days after the coupe concept.

[Houze968]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks like it's the same thing as the Pontiac G8.

How sure are we that this is the Camaro and not possibly the Impala redo?

[gm4life]

The body is on it just to fool you and so it can get tested without getting mobbed by people photographing the new Camaro.

[FAPTurbo]

OMGWTF WHY CAN'T GEE EMM MAKE A CAR LOOK LIKE TEH C0NCEPT BOB LUTZ I DESLIKE U MAKE CONCEPT CAR THAT END LOOKS LIKE NOT CONCEPT GM IS THE FAIL NOOBS BECUZ THEY MAKE GOOD CAR THAT DUN LOOK LIKE IT AT THE END LIKE AT BEGINNING CAMARO IS NOT FOUR DOOR LUMINA DOES NOT SOUND LIKE CAMARO ROFLMAOZEDONG!!!!!

Once again, the comments in Autoblog show us that some people can't friggin' read...

[Sixty8panther]

It better not be a coupe... make it a two door hardtop or NOTHING!

[prototype66]

ISN'T A COUPE A 2 DOOR HARD TOP ANYWAY?

COBALT COUPE IS A 2 DOOR HARD TOP.

[toesuf94]

somebody needs to tell me what purpose this thing could possibly serve...durability testing of the wheels maybe? The intakes are smaller than the Camaro's would be, so it cannot be for intake or cooling tests. Suspension testing? Drivetrain? Most of the parts are off the shelf anywho...so what is the purpose of this car other than making front page new on the forums and making Chris and Brenda money - which is a good thing...but still!

[Intrepidation]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks like it's the same thing as the Pontiac G8.

How sure are we that this is the Camaro and not possibly the Impala redo?

The Camaro is the only Zeta that will be on a shortened wheelbase...and not only do the pictures obviously show the shortened wheelbase, but it says so right in the article.

[caddycruiser]

somebody needs to tell me what purpose this thing could possibly serve...durability testing of the wheels maybe? The intakes are smaller than the Camaro's would be, so it cannot be for intake or cooling tests. Suspension testing? Drivetrain? Most of the parts are off the shelf anywho...so what is the purpose of this car other than making front page new on the forums and making Chris and Brenda money - which is a good thing...but still!

Good point. It's likely drivetrain and suspension, which is usually the case when the body is different, but the "guts" are there.

That said, given the expected intro time, at this point they should be very close to regular bodied (i.e. production) Camaros driving around in various states of assembly, and covered in vinyl and tape, for later real world testing of EVERYTHING. Unless, they just aren't that far yet...but which would also make one wonder.

[Robert Hall]

ISN'T A COUPE A 2 DOOR HARD TOP ANYWAY?

COBALT COUPE IS A 2 DOOR HARD TOP.

Nope..a hardtop doesn't have a fixed b-pillar.

[Sixty8panther]

ISN'T A COUPE A 2 DOOR HARD TOP ANYWAY?

COBALT COUPE IS A 2 DOOR HARD TOP.

Huh?

See how there are no B-pillars? Frameless glass & a rear-side windows that roll all the way down.

The Cobalt has Frames around the doors, a glued in side-rear window and a THICK b-pillar.

[silverss/sc]

somebody needs to tell me what purpose this thing could possibly serve...durability testing of the wheels maybe? The intakes are smaller than the Camaro's would be, so it cannot be for intake or cooling tests. Suspension testing? Drivetrain? Most of the parts are off the shelf anywho...so what is the purpose of this car other than making front page new on the forums and making Chris and Brenda money - which is a good thing...but still!

Early testing of the shortened wheelbase chassis and the specific parts that pertain to it . This is most likely a suspension/chassis mule . As far as powertrain is concerned , this would enable them also to run Camaro power levels thru the chassis as well .

Anyone remember the 4th gen Camaro body grafted to the C5 corvette chassis that was used to the test the C5 under the radar ?

[bauer100]

i thought the camaro mule had extended track width, this doesnt look like other camaro mules ive seen.

[NOS2006]

They threw on bowties! I love it! hahaha

[SuperSport623]

why wouldnt they? its a chevy badged car

[dro411]

new Camaro my ass! this car was already spotted like 2 months ago. It has the Lumina badge on it. New Camaro?!?.....nope sorry folks, ain't that lucky yet to see one. I don't think that this topic should've even been posted...just a waste of time.

[hyperv6]

Huh?

See how there are no B-pillars? Frameless glass & a rear-side windows that roll all the way down.

The Cobalt has Frames around the doors, a glued in side-rear window and a THICK b-pillar.

Hardtops have ne post but coupes according to Mercedes now can have 4 doors?

I suspect this car is doing chassie and suspension work. I already know they have had drive train mules on the road here in other GM production vehicles for a while now.

Don't get to excited on the looks of this car in photo's as the C5 did not look like much under the Camaro body they did most of the platfom development.

There is a very good chance we may not see many Camaro's covered on the roads before delivery. The first good shot of the C6 was on a hauler filming an comercial in San Fran.

If we see anything it will be because GM wants us to or a guy at the airport shipping company takes one for a spin and takes pictures with his camera phone.

[Houze968]

The Camaro is the only Zeta that will be on a shortened wheelbase...and not only do the pictures obviously show the shortened wheelbase, but it says so right in the article.

Ah, sorry about that...I'm at work and only looked at the pictures really fast.

I'm also glad to see we have literate readers on this site, Jesus Christ that lazy-ass tech/geek/net-lingo is annoying.

[caddycruiser]

new Camaro my ass! this car was already spotted like 2 months ago. It has the Lumina badge on it. New Camaro?!?.....nope sorry folks, ain't that lucky yet to see one. I don't think that this topic should've even been posted...just a waste of time.

You can't be that dumb, seriously? As has been said by most of us who aren't idiots, they almost ALWAYS use a body from another vehicle (especially if it already shares the same platform) to test out the running gear and such of the new ride in question, just without anyone seeing that new car completely.

That's what the guts are underneath this car...they just don't want the Camaro body--yes, just like the concept--seen yet, in camo or otherwise. This is common practice across the industry, in varying degrees. This might not be a news story, as they likely have been testing this and other mules for some time now, but that's exactly what it is.

Edited September 20, 2007 by caddycruiser

[Intrepidation]

Ah, sorry about that...I'm at work and only looked at the pictures really fast.

I'm also glad to see we have literate readers on this site, Jesus Christ that lazy-ass tech/geek/net-lingo is annoying.

You mean leet (1337)? It's not lazy...it actually takes more work to type it...but it's fun all the same. Trust me, you'll see 1337 every now and then, but all of us have the ability to type properly too

[Intrepidation]

new Camaro my ass! this car was already spotted like 2 months ago. It has the Lumina badge on it. New Camaro?!?.....nope sorry folks, ain't that lucky yet to see one. I don't think that this topic should've even been posted...just a waste of time.

Do you ever...you know...read the article or read what other posters who actually pay attention say?

That's what the guts are underneath this car...they just don't want the Camaro body--yes, just like the concept--seen yet, in camo or otherwise. This is common practice across the industry, in varying degrees. This might not be a news story, as they likely have been testing this and other mules for some time now, but that's exactly what it is.

[PrimeGTP]

Wow. I expected much better reading comprehension here than on Left Lane News, but even here people can't read the f***in article.

[Cadillacfan]

new Camaro my ass! this car was already spotted like 2 months ago. It has the Lumina badge on it. New Camaro?!?.....nope sorry folks, ain't that lucky yet to see one. I don't think that this topic should've even been posted...just a waste of time.

Um.. it's a mule, dude. Read the first post again.

You don't think the topic should've been posted, eh? That's a lot coming from a person who has only posted three times on this website. Haven't you considered that other people want to see stuff like this? Probably not. You'll learn in time though.

[Z-06]

I think by the end of this year (probably before the NAIS to create some buzz) shall we see the camo prototypes.

I wished Chevy had a small wheel based RWD sedan as can be seen on the mule with a LS3 and a 6-speed manual.

That would pound some ass.

[G. David Felt]

For those that said this could not be a camero mule as the exhuast was too small.

This very well could be one as already posted, a Chassis and Suspension mule plus V6 Drive Train Mule. That exhuast would be just right for the DI V6 engine. That would give GM a competitive equal to the MuttTang. :AH-HA_wink:

[cletus8269]

ooh very sneaky sneaky... had i seen this on the street parked i would have thought rice gone wrong... im sure at the turn of the key there would have been the inclination of something afoot

[dro411]

You can't be that dumb, seriously? As has been said by most of us who aren't idiots, they almost ALWAYS use a body from another vehicle (especially if it already shares the same platform) to test out the running gear and such of the new ride in question, just without anyone seeing that new car completely.

That's what the guts are underneath this car...they just don't want the Camaro body--yes, just like the concept--seen yet, in camo or otherwise. This is common practice across the industry, in varying degrees. This might not be a news story, as they likely have been testing this and other mules for some time now, but that's exactly what it is.

Yeah I kinda realized what I posted after I read it, but whatever. None the less, this topic should've NEVER been started...cause really, who gives a $h! about Camaro "spy shots" if you can't even see anything that shows what the car's gonna look like. Ooo Ooo you can see a tiny bit of undercarriage, big whooptie $h!. I mean...I'm sure every body that has read the topic was like "HELL YES!" and then just walked away with major dissapointment from it.

[Intrepidation]

Yeah I kinda realized what I posted after I read it, but whatever. None the less, this topic should've NEVER been started...cause really, who gives a $h! about Camaro "spy shots" if you can't even see anything that shows what the car's gonna look like. Ooo Ooo you can see a tiny bit of undercarriage, big whooptie $h!. I mean...I'm sure every body that has read the topic was like "HELL YES!" and then just walked away with major dissapointment from it.

Ignorance must truely be bliss. If "no one gives a $h!" then why do you suppose there are already 2 pages on this thread?

Edited September 25, 2007 by Dodgefan

[EMan]

Ignorance must truely be bliss. If "no one gives a $h!" then why do you suppose there are already 2 pages on this thread?

Well half of it has been about bashing the poor guy. :AH-HA_wink:

[G. David Felt]

All is Good in the World of GM and Camero. Drive train, Suspension and chassis info even on a mule is as important as the final look. While I suspect it will still be hard for my 6'6" 280lb size to get into a camero, I will still love to see it back on the lots and roads as I am so tired of the MuttTang driving every where and no GM pony car to beat that glue horse back to the factory.

GO GM!!!

[Chris_Doane]

Yeah I kinda realized what I posted after I read it, but whatever. None the less, this topic should've NEVER been started...cause really, who gives a $h! about Camaro "spy shots" if you can't even see anything that shows what the car's gonna look like. Ooo Ooo you can see a tiny bit of undercarriage, big whooptie $h!. I mean...I'm sure every body that has read the topic was like "HELL YES!" and then just walked away with major dissapointment from it.

Or next time you could actually read. Then you wouldn't have to do this embarrassing backpedal to try and save face.

[AAS]

All is Good in the World of GM and Camero. Drive train, Suspension and chassis info even on a mule is as important as the final look. While I suspect it will still be hard for my 6'6" 280lb size to get into a camero, I will still love to see it back on the lots and roads as I am so tired of the MuttTang driving every where and no GM pony car to beat that glue horse back to the factory.

GO GM!!!

It's Camaro!

[K.C.]

Just saw some more pics of this mule on autoblog. The two doors with the Chevy logo made me think CHEVELLE.

[hyperv6]

For those that said this could not be a camero mule as the exhuast was too small.

This very well could be one as already posted, a Chassis and Suspension mule plus V6 Drive Train Mule. That exhuast would be just right for the DI V6 engine. That would give GM a competitive equal to the MuttTang. :AH-HA_wink:

If I were looking for a V6 Mule I would be looking for a CTS first gens and from what I heard they are not pretty. The V8 may be under the same bodies?

THe V6 DI would not be Comprtitive with with he Mustang...The DI V6 would be dominate.