When Francisco “Cisco” Mercado saw a bright yellow Chevrolet Camaro playing one of the transforming robot superheroes in the 2009 film “Transformers,” he Know that you must have a version of reality.
“My wife was sitting next to me. I said, ‘We’re going to buy that car,'” he told CNBC. “She turned around and said, ‘Honey, I think you’re going to get that car.'” We did. “
Fans like Mercado have helped keep the Camaro alive since it launched in 1966 as a rival to the Ford Mustang.But their enthusiasm may not be enough – parent company General Motors have Says the car will disappear after the 2024 model yearand the automaker hasn’t revealed much about what’s next.
Tightening regulations, declining sales in the segment and growing favor for crossovers and sport-utility vehicles have all but doomed the car and threatened its rivals.rival dodge, owner star, indicating that its 4-door Charger and 2-door Challenger will be withdrawn after 2023. So far, the plan seems to be to produce an electric vehicle that closely resembles the current Dodge.
which makes ford The Mustang is the last vehicle in the segment in its current gas form. Even Ford seems to acknowledge that times are changing with a four-door electric crossover called the Mustang Mach-E.
The Camaro was discontinued in 2002.later as a 2006 concept car It entered production in 2009 for the 2010 model year. The appearance in the 2009 Transformers movie was a way to introduce the new car to the world beyond the hardcore fans.
61,000 units sold in 2009, the first year it was reintroduced. In 2014, sales remained in the range of 80,000 units, Outstanding Rival Mustang.
But by 2019, sales had dropped to about 48,265 unit from 86,297 five years ago.
By then it was well behind the competition: Ford Mustang sales 72,489 units 2019, and Challenger, 60,997. But drag is ubiquitous in muscle cars.
People don’t buy sports cars like they used to. According to S&P Global Mobility, the penetration of crossover utility vehicles was well underway by 2010 and the segment has dominated the market since then.
In 2010, sedans and small cars accounted for 43 percent of all vehicle sales. By 2022, this proportion will reach 19%. Sports cars, already a niche segment in 2010 with just over 5 percent of the market, will account for less than 2 percent of sales by 2022.
Combined, trucks, SUVs and crossovers now account for about three-quarters of the market.
Like other automakers, GM is facing increasingly stringent fuel economy regulations. new federal rules By 2026, automakers’ fleets will average 49 miles per gallon.That’s almost double the automaker’s average fuel economy Most Efficient Camaromore than twice that of GM 2021 fleet averagethe latest available data.
GM says it’s “The Camaro’s story isn’t over yet. “
“As we’ve done in the past, it’s a little bit intermittent,” said Harlan Charles, product manager for the Corvette and Camaro. “When we have the right technology, we will step up and bring it back.”
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