2010 Chevrolet Camaro Preview:

September 26, 1966. Where were you on that historic day? Most of us reading this were either young children or not yet born. Yet it's probable that many of the boys had a toy replica of the legendary vehicle that GM unveiled that day: the all-new Camaro, a machine that defined the term "muscle car."

It was a sad day indeed in 2001 when GM announced that the beloved Camaro - then in its fourth incarnation - would be discontinued after 35 continuous years of production. However, like another GM favorite - the Buick Century - our Camaro refuses to die. Four years after shutting down production, GM approved production of the 5th generation 2010 Chevy Camaro, which is due in showrooms by the spring of 2009.

The initial offering of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro will be a hard-top, two door coupe; however, a convertible model is planned as well. In either case, fans of the new, improved 2010 Chevrolet Camaro will appreciate its sleek retro-design inside and out, which is at once contemporary and at home in the 21st century, yet pays homage to its earliest ancestors of four decades past.

There have been no reviews or road test reports on the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro as of this writing, but the specs released by GM indicate that it is certain to meet and even exceed performance enthusiasts' expectations. The top-of-the-line engine is a massive 6.2-liter pushrod V8 capable of putting out over 420 horses, with an expected acceleration rate of 0-60 in under 5 seconds. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro will provide nearly 410 lb-ft of torque (figures for the automatic trans are somewhat lower).

Of course, all this jet-like performance comes at a cost, which is something to think about these days. EPA estimates for the V-8 2010 Chevrolet Camaro are 17 in the city and 26 on the open road - not bad for an engine of that size and horsepower ten years ago, but definitely less-than-stellar in these days of $3.50 and $4.00 per gallon gasoline (keep in mind that the V-8 models require premium-grade). The higher figure could be worse if it weren't for GM's Active Fuel Management System, which shuts down half of the cylinders when the vehicle is at a comfortable cruising speed.

Stay tuned as more Camaro stuff surfaces--you can get a complete preview for now over at TheCarConnection.com's mothership page on the 2010 Chevy Camaro.