Camaro cancelled for RHD markets?
February 16, 2009 by George Skentzos
While the web is rife with speculation suggesting the Camaro would debut at the Melbourne motor show with a Holden badge, a new report has surfaced all but quashing any prospect of a right-hand drive model.
British motoring magazine Autocar reported that GM has abandoned plans to produce a right-hand drive model at full production capacity, instead planning to import just 100 examples into the UK.
This limited-production run will apparently allow GM to avoid meeting type-approval regulations in the UK by keeping numbers below the requirements threshold.
All Camaros destined for the UK will feature the LS3 V8-engine aimed at enthusiasts and collectors, with no plans to introduce the entry-level V6 model.
The report indicates this move would be profitable for the UK market thanks to a much higher price tag and exclusivity compared to US-bound models.
While this does not completely eliminate any chance for an Australian-delivered Camaro, these trends do suggest that if it were to arrive down under it would do so in low-volume with a much higher price tag.
Regardless, there has never been any official acknowledgement of any plans to introduce the Camaro into Australia despite having been developed at Holden’s Fishermans Bend facility on the Zeta platform which it shares with the VE Commodore.
Certainly all will be revealed at this year’s Melbourne International Motor Show, stay with CarAdvice for full coverage in the coming weeks.
Print it: 
Any idea how much these might retail for in the UK as compared to the US?
Wow it really isn’t GM’s time is it. It finally gets a decent sedan to sell (G8) but the Aus dollar was so high it strained margins and combined with poor marketing (and many other factors admittedly) continues to sit in dealerships. Then it makes a coupe it plans to sell here (that was designed here for god sakes!) and the Aus dollar is back to 65c!
Unfortunate, considering the Monaro is no longer on sale therefore no risk of cannibalising sales, no direct competitor from Ford or anywhere for that matter, under 80k (just off the top of my head… I’m thinking Audi A/S5, Benz CLK, e92 BMW).
Dam, this car had potential. Who says there are no victims in this economic meltdown… :’(
Howie-VL, Autocar quoted £35k for the Camaro in the UK which is roughly US$50,000 while the Camaro SS will retail for just US$30,995 in the States.
Devil666, too right.
According to a source who has supposedly seen an internal Holden memo, the Camaro V6 will retail for AUD$60k and the SS at AUD$80k if it is sold here… allegedly.
If they sell the Camaro here, won’t it cut into the Commodore sales?
Who needs it anyway? Just another try-hard Mustang. Mustang kills it for street cred and everything else……..have you seen the new ’stang? MMMM MMMMM
Come to think of it, in reality the FPV FG F6 kills everything ! Including the Wank427.
Building this thing in RHD would never have produced a payback, even without the Global recession.
And it will be interesting to see how long the LHD version lasts – it’s not the 1960s any more.
Afeter the longest, most drawn out reveal/launch in history, I’m officially sick of this car despite it looking hot. Kind of deflating, isn’t it? I guess it serves GM right in some kind of perverse way.
GN
I never thought it was meant to appear with a holden badge.
I thought that if it came here that it would wear the chevy badge
Brilliant News-Thank God or the economic climate that we dont ‘ave to put up with another “the Sun wont rise in east” if there is No more Chevy’s, Pontiac[with is a Chevy anyway] inefficent push/rod O.H.V engines from the 1950’s
“Limited Slip” exactly spot-on !!
Would have been nice for it to come here though Andrew no matter what badge !
Yeah???
I dunno…….
we are already spoilt for choice here and that massive array of choice is part of the reason why the industry is now facing bad times.
Thankfully its been culled before it even landed, otherwise it would have sucked dollars down the drain when it eventually had to be removed from our shores after a short stay.
Where’s the love? Mean looking V8 rwd coupe muscle car… do you hate cars? It’s a shame we won’t get it.
Philthy,
I think it looks great……actually fantastic….
But one must look at the bigger picture when it comes to preservation of the industry.
if it landed yesterday and had to get cut tommorrow (which it would have) im sure there wont be many dealers happy with their losses.
just look at what axeing the TRD brand cost dealers…
and they were on sale during the boom time
£35K over here sounds about right, die hards generally do not have a problem with driving a LHD car. Won’t sell too well though but with only 100 coming in then it don’t matter.
Kinda like it preferring the Dodge thingy though
GOOD GOD, a IMPORT thats not REBADGED a HOLDEN GODDAMN thats just not normal………….OR IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Ah damn, I liked this car. I drooled on it when I watched Transformers movie…