The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro lineup may include a convertible model. The 2007 Camaro Convertible Concept is shown here. See pictures of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro.

Consumer Guide's Impressions of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro

It's been a long time coming, but Chevrolet's reborn ponycar coupe debuted as a 2010 model. Convertibles were set to quickly follow, but the latest word is they won't hit the market until the first quarter of 2011. Plus buzz was starting to build for an ultra-performance Z28 version, but the late word is it has been canceled. It would have been a great nostalgia trip, but $4 gas and financial problems at General Motors likely conspired against it.

What We Know About the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro

Best-laid plans often run into trouble, as Robert Burns implied. Take the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Falling home values, tight credit, new inflation worries, and record gas prices were not on anyone's radar nearly three years ago, when General Motors hinted at the return of its sporty rear-wheel-drive Ford Mustang-fighter. Now that perfect economic storm is still evolving and battering new-vehicle sales, yet GM couldn't afford to stop the car at this late stage. That's why the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro remained on track to a early-2009 debut.

• See All New Sporty/Performance Vehicles
• Reviews on All New Chevrolet Vehicles
• Prices and Reviews on All Chevrolet Camaros

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro arrived in three coupe models patterned on the big-buzz 2006 Detroit Auto Show concept. Convertible versions (previewed by a 2007 Detroit concept) were to be added during the 2010 model run, but now they'll appear in early 2011. A new high-performance Z28 edition was forecast for model-year 2011, but it reportedly has been shelved. Chevrolet thus renews the "ponycar" battle it last waged with Ford in 2002. It also takes on a reincarnated Dodge Challenger that bowed back in 2008 in hot SRT8 guise and added lower-cost mainstream V6 and V8 models for 2009.

• Consumer Guide New Car Reviews and Prices: Road test results, photos, specifications, and prices for hundreds of new cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs from the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide.
• Chevrolet: Read Consumer Guide's full reports, including ratings, prices, specifications, and fuel economy.
• Sporty/Performance Cars: The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will compete in the sporty/performance car class. Here's Consumer Guide's roundup of all the sporty/performance cars on sale today.
• 2009 Consumer Guide Best Buy and Recommended Award Winners: Check out which cars won our Best Buy and Recommended awards for 2009.
• Future Cars: Step into the automotive showroom of tomorrow with reviews, analysis, pictures, prices, and preliminary specifications on scores of vehicles that will be appearing next year and beyond.