# is gm dropping the firebird and camaro? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252 "2001-08-20T23:32:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kevin\_Partida](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Kevin\_Partida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevin_Partida)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/1 "2001-08-20T23:32:28Z")
I heard a few months back that GM is scrapping the F-body cars (firebird and camaro) because of low sales. I would like to find a final answer to this question since I have been wondering about it ever since I heard the rumor. I DID check several web sites but some say that GM is going to scrap the F-body cars and other web sites say that they aren’t. Any final word on this? Btw, I’m a ford fan 😉 ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/2 "2001-08-20T23:42:01Z")
I’d heard the same thing, but a quick check of the Chevy web site [http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/index.htm](http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/index.htm) says that the 2002 models are coming out on Aug 31, so at least it’ll be around for another year. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/3 "2001-08-21T00:04:12Z")
I heard the rumor about 1 1/12 years ago… apparently GM issued a statement at the time denying that they were going to dump the F-Bodies after the massive outcry that resulted. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/4 "2001-08-21T00:56:08Z")
The F-body is in extreme danger from the bean counters. Only loyal customer support has kept it around for the last five years or so. The problem is “platform engineering”. Only one other GM platform (built in the US, anyway) is rear-wheel-drive and that is the Corvette, which GM would probably continue to build unless it really lost a _lot_ of money. The Camaro/Firebird just doesn’t have the image the Corvette does. The efficiency experts have been able to drag the F-boy to the chopping block a couple of times over the years but so far it has managed to win a reprieve. Whether it’ll last past 2003 is anybody’s guess at this point. The best thing that could come from the demise of the F-body is the possibility of a low-cost version of the Corvette (read as about $30-35,000) to recapture some of the lost market. Not saying it’s gonna happen, but GM would need something to recapture sales lost to the Mustang, which will probably never disappear. ---
**Author:** ![MIKE\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MIKE\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MIKE_P)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/5 "2001-08-21T03:53:57Z")
In short,Yes. Why? Poor sales and strict new safety standards. The Mustang outsells the F-bodies 4 to 1. When? '03-'04 will be the last year. Ford has plans to continue the Mustang,with the '03 models already planned. ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/6 "2001-08-24T07:45:04Z")
According to [this](http://www.speedvision.com/pub/articles/automotive/01CNews/010331a.html), '02 is going to be the last model year. Eric ---
**Author:** ![psychogumby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@psychogumby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychogumby)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/7 "2001-08-24T08:09:58Z")
The rumour I have heard is that the next Camaro/Firebird may be made in Australia. Holden, GM’s Australian subsiduary, currently builds rear-drive cars with Chev badges for export to the Middle East, as well Holden-badged vehicles for the domestic (Australia/NZ) market. Holden are about to release a new 2-door based on this platform, and there is a strong rumour that this new two door (called the ‘Monaro’ in Australia) may be sold in some overseas markets under a Chev badge, possibly as a Camaro. An even more interesting rumour - how does a four-door Corvette sound? ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gm-dropping-the-firebird-and-camaro/77252/8 "2001-08-24T09:42:04Z")
\*\* from Automobile Magazine (Sept. 2001):\*\* > [@](#): > > …Final hourglass grains are dropping for both the **Camaro** and the **Prizm**. the Camaro send-off favor is a limited edition 35th Anniversary package… But don?t shed too many tears, because this nameplate is scheduled for a 2005 resurrection on what industry buzz calls this millenium?s ?69 Camaro. So I guessthe answer is yes… and no. I don’t think the firebird’s coming back, though.