“Anything look different about this shot?” asks the General Motors page on Facebook. It took only a microsecond to recognize this was the first more-or-less official pic of the much-delayed 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible.
Though company officials say there may be a few tweaks to come, this shot and the one after the jump are solid indicators of what the production pony car cabriolet will look like. Perhaps the most notable change is the relatively conventional Camaro headlight design, rather than the edgy look of the original convertible concept. The car now has dual exhaust tips, as well, just like Mustang’s ragtop.
The decision to release these shots may have been driven by mounting speculation that the project was once again delayed. Such concerns were circulating after the noted absence of the production Camaro convertible at the Detroit Auto Show, this past January, where it had been expected to make its formal debut.
Originally, the Camaro Convertible was supposed to make it into showrooms this year, but as TheDetroitBureau.com first reported, a year ago, the project ran into a variety of delays. There was the GM bankruptcy, of course, but the primary problem was the bankruptcy of the German company originally chosen to supply the open-air top.
With a new supplier on tap, the 2012 Camaro Convertible now appears to be scheduled for a February 2011 launch, which would mean the first few lucky buyers could take delivery in time for the spring weather.
We’re still waiting to hear, however, whether Chevy will reveal the production version at the Los Angeles Auto Show, late this year, or wait until next January, in Detroit.