The rumor mills are swirling surrounding the future for some of GM’s most beloved nameplates. There have already been murmurs that a Corvette SUV or Corvette sedan could be coming to add to the Vette’s growing lineup, which now includes the all-wheel-drive hybrid E-Ray and ridiculous, 1,000 horsepower Zora. And the Corvette isn’t alone. On the heels of GM announcing production is ceasing on the sixth-generation Camaro in 2024, there are plenty of rumors the Camaro is slated to get the SUV treatment.
GM hasn’t been forthcoming with news on a prospective Camaro SUV, so the rumor mill is, well, just that at this point. This may be welcome news to purists who would loathe a Camaro nameplate on anything other than a muscle car, but it wouldn’t be the first time GM has taken the name of a beloved model and applied it to something altogether different. Case in point, the Blazer and Trailblazer. While we await some official news from GM on a Camaro SUV, here’s the top things you should know about a "potential" Camaro crossover.
1 Chevrolet Still Hasn’t Confirmed A Camaro SUV
Before diving too deeply into things, it’s vital to note that neither Chevy — nor GM, for that matter — has not yet confirmed a Camaro SUV will hit the market. Car and Driver first reported the crossover was in the works last year. It was also rumored that the SUV would join a 2+2 Camaro-branded model, but GM has been mum on the potential.
The timing is still interesting — in March Chevy announced that sixth-gen Camaro production would cease in January 2024. Though Chevy effectively bid adieu to the current Camaro with the announcement, it didn’t share any plans for future models. That could legitimize the rumors there are major Camaro-related updates in the works, because this isn't the end of the Camaro story.
“While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story.” - Scott Bell, vice president, Global Chevrolet.
2 The Camaro SUV Could Lead A Camaro Sub-Brand
Also swirling is the rumor the Camaro SUV could be an entry into a new Camaro sub-brand. If true, we could possibly see a full range of models wearing the nameplate, perhaps a sedan, 2+2, or EV “muscle” car in addition to a potential SUV. If that proves true, the Camaro sub-brand could join the speculated Corvette brand. We reported last year that a four-door coupe and crossover could be in the works that bear the iconic Corvette badge.
Again, GM is no stranger to using classic nameplates, like the Blazer and Trailblazer, to help market birds of a different feather. And they aren’t alone. After all, one of the biggest thorns in the side of GM’s EV division is a Ford electric crossover that wears the name of perhaps the world’s most iconic muscle car, the Mustang.
3 The Camaro SUV Could Amp Up GM’s EV Push
Regarding EVs, there’s no guarantee Chevrolet wouldn’t stick an internal combustion engine into something branded “Camaro.” But considering the SUV wouldn’t likely hit the market until 2025 — at best — it’s safe to assume the model will be motivated, at least partially, by electric power. This could mean a hybrid powertrain, but it’s safe to assume any new model that GM debuts after 2025 will be all-electric.
In 2020, GM announced it would introduce 30 EVs by 2025, and the automaker looks on their way to achieving that goal. In 2024, the Equinox EV, Blazer EV, Sierra/Silverado EV, and Cadillac Celestiq will join the Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq and existing GM EVs. A Camaro SUV would, of course, add to that tally.
4 The Camaro SUV Will Likely Ride On The Ultium Platform
The success of GM’s electric future rides, quite literally, on its Ultium Platform. With one modular architecture, GM plans to use the platform for a full range of vehicles, from cars and crossover to trucks, and therefore it’s likely a Camaro SUV would be underpinned by this platform.
According to GM the platform can provide an electric range of up to 300 miles, a 0-60 time of three to 8.5 seconds, battery options from 50- to 200kWh, and can be made for either FWD, AWD, or performance AWD applications with power outputs ranging from 235 to 1,000 horsepower. With reconfigurability, we could likely expect a few different battery options and power figures from a Camaro SUV.
5 The Blazer EV And Equinox EV Could Serve As Benchmarks
Both the Chevy Blazer EV and Equinox EV will be available starting in the 2024 model year, and while we know some powertrain details, other specs, like their exact dimensions, have yet to be released. These final figures could decide where the Camaro SUV (again, if there is one), slots into Chevy’s EV crossover lineup for both size and power.
It is expected the electric Blazer and Equinox will have similar compact sizing, so GM will likely need to make the Camaro SUV notably larger or smaller to not have three models essentially competing for the same customer base. At least, that is, if they have learned anything from their run-up to the Great Recession.
6 The Camaro SUV Could Have Ludicrous Power
While many enthusiasts are likely to bemoan a crossover donning the Camaro nameplate, there is good reason to believe the potential SUV could be a stormer. After all, GM’s Ultium Platform can max out at up to 1,000 horsepower. And with the Blazer EV SS model delivering 557 horsepower with a GM-claimed 0-60 mph time of under four seconds, Chevy would please some if the Camaro SUV pushed out even more oomph.
Of course, we will have to wait to see how the Blazer EV SS puts its power down when the bends go, er, bendy, but a model that wears a Camaro nameplate and prioritizes straight-line speed over cornering is kind of fitting, isn’t it?
7 It Will Likely Start Above $50,000
Muscle cars like the Camaro are synonymous with delivering big power and thrills for not a lot of money, but it should be expected the basement of any Camaro-branded crossover won’t ring at under $50,000. The $40,000 to $60,000 mark is where many mainstream compact and midsized EV crossovers live, including the Blazer EV, Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Nissan Ariya, Subaru Solterra, Volkswagen ID.4, and others.
Given the Camaro SUV would (hopefully) prioritize power, we don’t expect it to be a more budget-friendly option like the Bolt EUV or Hyundai Kona EV. For reference, the Blazer EV will start “around” $47,595 with the top-spec SS commanding just under $66,000.
8 It Could Spark A New Mustang/Camaro Rivalry
With no news yet regarding a seventh-gen Camaro muscle car, a potential Camaro SUV could mark the next generation of the moniker’s rivalry with the Ford Mustang. Again, enthusiasts may loathe the idea of a Mustang and Camaro competing for more for range and charge times than outright hustle.
But we believe the Mach-E and possible Camaro electric crossover would only be improved by the two models, in any guise, continuing to compete. And Ford using the Mustang name on an EV certainly hasn’t harmed sales. The Mach-E was third by model sales among all EVs in 2022.
9 It Should Be Loaded With GM’s Latest Tech
We’re not expecting any potential Camaro SUV to sport the 38-inch, curved OLED display you can find in the 2023 Cadillac Escalade, but it’s easy to surmise GM will offer trim levels with plenty of its cutting-edge tech, or even make them standard to set a Camaro SUV apart. This could include Super Cruise, GM’s semi-autonomous driving system, or the 17.7-inch display, hands-free start system or Ultifi software platform available in the Blazer EV.
The features list may not be as vital to the traditional muscle car buyer — they care more about outright power and speediness, of course —but GM has been using its EVs to showcase its next-gen of tech and features, and we expect a potential Camaro SUV to do the same.
10 The Camaro SUV Could Fully Replace The Muscle Car
It is certainly within the realm of possibility the Camaro sub-brand or Camaro SUV could fully replace the muscle car as we know it. With GM yet to announce any plans for a seventh-gen Camaro, the crossover or sub-brand could serve as the bearers of the moniker, solely, for the future.
This doesn’t take into consideration that GM is simply amping up to introduce a seventh-gen model, or that it could debut the first-gen of a Camaro EV (one that isn’t a crossover). Perhaps a high-performance sedan maybe? But until GM decides to let us know more, there is the very real prospect the Camaro could only live on as a crossover.