Camaro:
Forty Years
The
Official Anniversary Book
by
Darwin Holmstrom
Reviewed
by Chuck Arehart
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It's
odd that a book commemorating a car's 40-year
history comes out five years after its production
ended. One can conclude that Darwin Holstrom’s
chronicle of Camaro history serves as both a belated
celebration of an American muscle car and stokes
the fires of excitement for the Camaro's
return in 2010. Even into its final year of production
in 2002, the Camaro’s future was shaky and
undecided, and Chevrolet finally declared its
status as "on
hiatus."
In 2006, Chevy unveiled a Camaro concept
to measure public reaction. They could
have taken orders on the spot because
there was no doubt the futuristic-looking
pony car with strong design ties to its
origins would hit the streets. Holstrom’s
345 pages (and nearly as many photographs from
David Newhardt) begin with the concept of a small,
sporty car from General Motors, even before its
chief competitor Mustang had arrived. That concept
evolved into the Camaro to compete with Ford’s
Mustang, launching a new era in American performance
cars. Enthusiasts and car history buffs
will enjoy learning about the early SS
models and special editions such as the
Yenko Camaro that had 450 horsepower.
That history continues with the weaning
of horsepower in the 70s and early 80s,
and its resurrection from then on to
the 2002 25th anniversary model. This
retelling of Camaro history serves as
a great refresher course before the new
model arrives.  |
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