GM Greenlights 2028 Chevy Camaro With Manual, But It May Have Four Doors

General Motors approved the 2028 Chevy Camaro for production in late 2027. A six-speed manual is expected. Four doors are rumored. Enthusiasts are already split on whether the badge should even apply.

The Camaro is coming back. After the sixth-generation model ended production following the 2024 model year, GM went quiet on the nameplate. Now sources familiar with the program tell GM Authority that The General has greenlit a successor, with production scheduled to begin in late 2027 at the Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan. The same facility built the outgoing Camaro and currently produces the Cadillac CT4 and CT5.

The announcement follows a teaser video GM showed at its 2026 Global Business Conference in Las Vegas, where attendees reportedly saw a loud, raucous car tied to Chevrolet's NASCAR program, according to GM Authority.

GM Greenlit The 2028 Camaro For Late 2027 Production

The new Camaro will ride on an updated version of the Alpha 2 architecture, known internally as Alpha 2-2. It will retain a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with internal combustion power. The same platform will also underpin the next-generation Cadillac CT5 and an upcoming Buick sedan, which GM Authority first reported last month.

The 2028 model year return means the Camaro's hiatus will last four years, far shorter than the eight-year gap between the fourth and fifth generations. GM is clearly not willing to let Ford and Dodge own the affordable performance segment uncontested.

A Six-Speed Manual Will Return Alongside An Automatic

Sources indicate the next-gen Camaro will offer both a six-speed manual gearbox and an automatic transmission. GM's own Corvette C8 has been automatic-only since its 2020 debut, and despite Tremec unveiling a manual transmission kit for the mid-engine Corvette at SEMA, GM has consistently said a stick-shift C8 is not happening.

The Camaro will not share that limitation. Reddit user PretendLength1710 summed up a common enthusiast sentiment bluntly: "manual or I'm not interested fr." User peaked-at-7 put it in context: "If GM revives the Camaro again and doesn't offer a manual, they're morons."

Four Doors Are Expected, But Not A Traditional Three-Box Sedan

Sources indicate the next-gen Camaro is expected to adopt a four-door configuration with midsize proportions, roughly in line with the Chevy Malibu and Chevy SS in terms of size. However, insiders suggest the design will avoid a conventional three-box sedan profile in favor of a fastback-style silhouette.

The move would make the Camaro a direct rival to the Dodge Charger sedan, which itself abandoned the two-door format. Ford has reportedly explored expanding the Mustang lineup as well. GM Authority notes that the Camaro replacement "might not be exactly what you would expect."

Fans Debate Whether A Four-Door Should Wear The Camaro Badge

The four-door rumor triggered immediate pushback in the r/cars discussion. User olov244 was direct: "I hope it's good, but it's not a Camaro to me, the fbody died in 02." User funked1 said, "Don't care about the manual. But 4 doors is a dealbreaker." User enfuego138 called it "a Chevy SS with a Camaro badge for marketing purposes" and predicted it would weigh 4,500 pounds.

Others pushed back on the weight estimate. User LongjumpingLock5875, who posted the original thread, noted that the CT5-V Blackwing weighs 4,100 pounds with luxury features and a supercharged V8, and a four-door Camaro would likely be closer to the CT4-V Blackwing's 3,800 to 3,900 pound range. User caterham09 added that the CT4-V Blackwing rides on the same platform with a 109-inch wheelbase and weighs 3,850 pounds with four doors and luxury content.

Some Want GM To Call It The Chevelle Instead

The naming debate is real. GM Authority reports that the final name is still under consideration, and sources say GM is hesitant to put the Camaro badge on a four-door. That hesitation leaves room for a proper two-door Camaro later. 

What This Means For The Mustang And Charger

If the four-door Camaro arrives with a manual V8 option, it would fill a hole in the market. As LongjumpingLock5875 pointed out, "the literal only option right now is the $100k starting CT5V Blackwing" for a V8 manual sedan. The Dodge Charger EV is automatic-only. The Ford Mustang remains a two-door coupe and convertible.

A four-door Camaro with a six-speed and a sub-$50,000 starting price would be the only American rear-wheel-drive V8 manual sedan outside the Cadillac showroom. Whether enthusiasts accept it as a true Camaro is a separate question. The badge, the doors, and the weight are all up for debate. The production line in Lansing is not.

About The Author

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia, covering sports cars, luxury vehicles, and performance culture. His reporting focuses on explaining the engineering, design philosophy, and real-world ownership experience behind modern vehicles.

Noah has been immersed in the automotive world since his early teens, attending industry events and following the enthusiast communities that shape how cars are built and driven today. His work blends industry insight with enthusiastic storytelling, helping readers understand not just what a car is, but why it matters.

Noah is also a member of the Southeast Automotive Media Association (SAMA), a professional organization for automotive journalists and industry media in the Southeast. 

His coverage regularly explores sports cars, luxury vehicles, and performance-driven segments of the automotive industry, including the evolving culture surrounding Formula Drift and enthusiast builds.

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