Chevy Camaro Reportedly Returning on CT5 Platform alongside new Buick sedan

[rmc523]

Next-Gen Chevy Camaro Set to Return on Cadillac CT5 Platform - Autoblog

The Camaro Is Coming Back As A Four-Door, And It’s Sharing A Platform With A New Buick | Carscoops

 

A report from GM Authority states that General Motors has approved a replacement for the Chevrolet Camaro. Few details have been disclosed, but the next-generation model is reportedly expected to ride on the Alpha platform, which also underpins the Cadillac CT5 and other rear-drive sedans.

Given relatively weak demand for sedans in the U.S. – enough to push brands like Ford to largely exit the segment – the annual production of the Buick sedan could reportedly be capped at between 10,000 and 20,000 units, according to Automotive News.

 

As for the Camaro, production is expected to begin at the Lansing plant in fall 2027 alongside the next-generation CT5. GM will reportedly build between 60,000 and 70,000 units of the CT5 and Camaro annually. 

 

So far, so familiar. But here’s where things get a little different. GM Authority claims that the Camaro replacement “might not be exactly what you would expect,” which opens the door for, well, the first production four-door Camaro.

That might be a disappointment for coupe fans, but could be great news for buyers who’ve previously discounted the Camaro for practical reasons. And a four-door Camaro doesn’t sound as wild as it once did, especially with rivals already exploring similar territory. Dodge has the sedan base covered with the Charger, and Ford has reportedly been toying with the idea of expanding the Mustang lineup.

[Taurus SHO]

I'm all for sedans coming back, especially RWD ones.  The Buick sedan could be pretty intriguing.  

[DeluxeStang]

22 minutes ago, Taurus SHO said:

I'm all for sedans coming back, especially RWD ones.  The Buick sedan could be pretty intriguing.  

Sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks are starting to seem like they're making a comeback. You're seeing more and more buyers demanding their return, and brands that used to try and push them into an SUV or truck conceding and saying "Ok we'll bring cars back" including Ford. 

 

Heck, Ford sales took a dump last quarter, yet mustang sales rose 50%. Incentives played a role. But I've said before that millennials and Gen z don't want trucks and crossovers, a significant portion of them are sticking with cars even as their have more disposable income, because they just prefer cars, the way they look, drive, their fuel economy and easiness to park and drive. 

 

Plus no-one needs a 7 seater expedition in a world where people have like 2 kids if they're having kids at all anymore. I predict as more millennials and Gen z enter the new car market, we're gonna see coupe, sedan, and hatchback sales start to tick up, and the sale of massive suvs and trucks to start coming down. I know most people on this site disagree with me, but look at all these changes in product plans, brands across the board saying they'll bring back car form factors. Keep in mind these companies employ talented people who predict where they think demand is gonna be in the future as buyer preferences shift. 

[morgan20]

15 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

Sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks are starting to seem like they're making a comeback. 

 

Nah, sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks (or wagons) aren't making a comeback any more than minivans are.

 

[Sherminator98]

5 minutes ago, morgan20 said:

 

Nah, sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks (or wagons) aren't making a comeback any more than minivans are.

 

 

That chart is confusing-why do they break out Car SUV/Truck SUV like that? If anything (in my mind at least) the vast majority of "SUV" sales are actually car based/unibody platform vehicles vs BOF SUVs. 

[rmc523]

5 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

That chart is confusing-why do they break out Car SUV/Truck SUV like that? If anything (in my mind at least) the vast majority of "SUV" sales are actually car based/unibody platform vehicles vs BOF SUVs. 

 

Yeah, I thought that was confusing too.

[DeluxeStang]

53 minutes ago, morgan20 said:

 

Nah, sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks (or wagons) aren't making a comeback any more than minivans are.

 

The issue with this is you guys are looking at current trends, whereas I'm looking at where the industry is going, because it's very important to do so with the industry. 

 

Farley and other leaders have said the sales volume of sedans and hatchbacks played no role in them being discontinued, that in fact, they were extremely popular. The issue was they weren't profitable. They died for a variety of reasons, including unreasonable CAFE standards. But the market conditions that led to the termination of sedans were external, unnatural factors, not a massive drop off in demand for sedans by itself. 

 

With CAFE standards relaxed, and CE1 coming, I see no reason why Ford wouldn't be able to find a way to turn a profit on future affordable sedans and hatchbacks. If Ford can find a way to turn a profit, and as they've stated, there's a lot of natural demand, bringing back sedans and other car forms would make a lot of sense. 

[morgan20]

1 hour ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

That chart is confusing-why do they break out Car SUV/Truck SUV like that? If anything (in my mind at least) the vast majority of "SUV" sales are actually car based/unibody platform vehicles vs BOF SUVs. 

 

1 hour ago, rmc523 said:

 

Yeah, I thought that was confusing too.

 

It's the EPA doin' their thing confusing everybody. In another thread I posted this flowchart the big shot bureaucrats there use to distinguish Car SUV from Truck SUV:

 

 

Edited April 8 by morgan20

[morgan20]

27 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

CE1 coming, I see no reason why Ford wouldn't be able to find a way to turn a profit on future affordable sedans and hatchbacks. 

 

CE1 is the only hope Ford has to turn a profit on future affordable sedans and hatchbacks. Even then, CE1 based trucks and SUV would take priority over CE1 based sedans and hatchbacks as Ford has a much better brand reputation with the former.

 

So I respectfully disagree that bringing back sedans and other car forms would make a lot of sense for Ford. That ship has sailed and ain't comin' back to port.

[DeluxeStang]

1 minute ago, morgan20 said:

 

CE1 is the only hope Ford has to turn a profit on future affordable sedans and hatchbacks. Even then, CE1 based trucks and SUV would take priority over CE1 based sedans and hatchbacks as Ford has a much better brand reputation with the former.

 

So I respectfully disagree that bringing back sedans and other car forms would make a lot of sense for Ford. That ship has sailed and ain't comin' back to port.

I also respectfully disagree with your positions, but I see where you're coming from. The way I see it, is that unlike the mach-e or lightning platform, CE1 is designed to be used for a wide array of vehicles, they want to make a lot of different product using this platform. 

 

But large vehicles are out, trucks used for heavy towing are out, boxy off-road vehicles with massive tires are probably out. Basically it's a platform for smaller, lower, aero efficient vehicles, and that sounds perfectly set up for hatchbacks and sedans. 

[Sherminator98]

1 hour ago, DeluxeStang said:

The issue with this is you guys are looking at current trends, whereas I'm looking at where the industry is going, because it's very important to do so with the industry. 

 

Farley and other leaders have said the sales volume of sedans and hatchbacks played no role in them being discontinued, that in fact, they were extremely popular. The issue was they weren't profitable. They died for a variety of reasons, including unreasonable CAFE standards. But the market conditions that led to the termination of sedans were external, unnatural factors, not a massive drop off in demand for sedans by itself. 

 

With CAFE standards relaxed, and CE1 coming, I see no reason why Ford wouldn't be able to find a way to turn a profit on future affordable sedans and hatchbacks. If Ford can find a way to turn a profit, and as they've stated, there's a lot of natural demand, bringing back sedans and other car forms would make a lot of sense. 

 

I'll disagree on this-every manufacture has seen sedan sales shrink over the past 20 years, even ones that where profitable (i.e. Accord/Camry) or even luxury sedans for example. 

 

But it is also a chicken and egg issue-if there was more sedans, would they sell more of them? That remains to be seen.

 

But its been pointed out for the past 30 years or so, customers will overbuy in a vehicle. Even going back to the 1990s when the Explorer was becoming very popular, Ford was still selling the Taurus wagon, which was roughly the same size and offered about the same interior space, but was far more refined, but sales shrunk as time went on. 

 

if people actually bought what they needed, they would most likely buy smaller cars, but that hasn't been the case for a very long time. 

Edited April 8 by Sherminator98

[DeluxeStang]

17 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

I'll disagree on this-every manufacture has seen sedan sales shrink over the past 20 years, even ones that where profitable (i.e. Accord/Camry) or even luxury sedans for example. 

 

But it is also a chicken and egg issue-if there was more sedans, would they sell more of them? That remains to be seen.

 

But its been pointed out for the past 30 years or so, customers will overbuy in a vehicle. Even going back to the 1990s when the Explorer was becoming very popular, Ford was still selling the Taurus wagon, which was roughly the same size and offered about the same interior space, but was far more refined, but sales shrunk as time went on. 

 

if people actually bought what they needed, they would most likely buy smaller cars, but that hasn't been the case for a very long time. 

Valid points, but there's an argument to be made that what gave rise to the suv and trucks was the ever increasing need to carry more people and things. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, it was pretty common to see people who had like 4 kids and had a lot of stuff to haul around. They needed large, spacious vehicles. Materialism was also kinda at its peak, it was all about having a lot of stuff. 

 

Whereas look at young buyers now. A lot of young people aren't having kids at all, and if they do, it's like 1 or 2 kids. There's also an emphasis on having less clutter and stuff with a lot of young people. So I'd argue that there really isn't a need for crossovers and trucks, particularly large ones, in the age of 1 or 2 kid families. I feel like a hatchback can meet most of their needs pretty well, and it does it while being more affordable, lower cost of ownership, better looking, and easier to live with. 

 

Then there's the whole perception thing. Cars aren't just what people need, but what they want. It's often a case of what someone's needs are, and what types of vehicles they like. In the late 90s and early 2000s, crossovers were this new, hot, exciting thing. Having lifestyle SUVs and trucks was all the rage, and things like station wagons were seen as boring cars old people drove. 

 

Now that's how a lot of young people see SUVs and trucks. Those are the types of vehicles they see as boring and undesirable. Whereas car form factors are cool and trendy again with them. So you pair where their needs are with how they perceive various vehicle types, and that's why I believe those types of silhouettes are gonna see a resurgence. 

[DeluxeStang]

25 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

I'll disagree on this-every manufacture has seen sedan sales shrink over the past 20 years, even ones that where profitable (i.e. Accord/Camry) or even luxury sedans for example. 

 

But it is also a chicken and egg issue-if there was more sedans, would they sell more of them? That remains to be seen.

 

But its been pointed out for the past 30 years or so, customers will overbuy in a vehicle. Even going back to the 1990s when the Explorer was becoming very popular, Ford was still selling the Taurus wagon, which was roughly the same size and offered about the same interior space, but was far more refined, but sales shrunk as time went on. 

 

if people actually bought what they needed, they would most likely buy smaller cars, but that hasn't been the case for a very long time. 

I also know we're had the discussion of how SUVs and trucks are like swiss army knives, and how they appeal to consumers because they're better at adapting to a wide array of changing demands and use cases. On this, we strongly agree. 

 

That being said, as the average age for new car buyers continues to increase, I feel like this is less of a factor. If you're 20 buying a new car, you really don't know what your life, and the needs of it are gonna look like. Whereas when you're 30, 35, 40, that outlook becomes more clear. You have a better idea of what your needs are, they tend to be more consistent and defined, and you know if a vehicle will be a good match for them. 

 

A 20 year old doesn't know if they're gonna have one kid, seven, or none. But a 35 year old understands that a lot better. 

[Sherminator98]

5 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

Valid points, but there's an argument to be made that what gave rise to the suv and trucks was the ever increasing need to carry more people and things. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, it was pretty common to see people who had like 4 kids and had a lot of stuff to haul around. They needed large, spacious vehicles. Materialism was also kinda at its peak, it was all about having a lot of stuff. 

 

Whereas look at young buyers now. A lot of young people aren't having kids at all, and if they do, it's like 1 or 2 kids. There's also an emphasis on having less clutter and stuff with a lot of young people. So I'd argue that there really isn't a need for crossovers and trucks, particularly large ones, in the age of 1 or 2 kid families. I feel like a hatchback can meet most of their needs pretty well, and it does it while being more affordable, lower cost of ownership, better looking, and easier to live with. 

 

Then there's the whole perception thing. Cars aren't just what people need, but what they want. It's often a case of what someone's needs are, and what types of vehicles they like. In the late 90s and early 2000s, crossovers were this new, hot, exciting thing. Having lifestyle SUVs and trucks was all the rage, and things like station wagons were seen as boring cars old people drove. 

 

Now that's how a lot of young people see SUVs and trucks. Those are the types of vehicles they see as boring and undesirable. Whereas car form factors are cool and trendy again with them. So you pair where their needs are with how they perceive various vehicle types, and that's why I believe those types of silhouettes are gonna see a resurgence. 

 

 

Smaller families have been a thing for the past 20 years or so, since Gen X (which I'm part of) has been in our child bearing years-my sister drove her kids around in an Escape till she got a 2020 Explorer (which is overkill now since both kids drive now)

Another factor is marketing-I still think that auto manufactures are still going to focus on more profitable vehicles instead of selling sedans, which don't have that CUV tax of $2500 bucks. 

4 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

That being said, as the average age for new car buyers continues to increase, I feel like this is less of a factor. If you're 20 buying a new car, you really don't know what your life, and the needs of it are gonna look like. Whereas when you're 30, 35, 40, that outlook becomes more clear. You have a better idea of what your needs are, they tend to be more consistent and defined, and you know if a vehicle will be a good match for them. 

 

A 20 year old doesn't know if they're gonna have one kid, seven, or none. But a 35 year old understands that a lot better. 

Young people will buy what they can afford (or what is bought for them), not what they want, unless they are willing to give up things in exchange to get it.

 

I bought a 1998 Mustang GT in cash because I was saving half my money I was making in the Army plus a deployment. I went into the National Guard because I was working part time to afford the insurance on it because I went to school full time and lived at home for a while because of that. 

 

I nearly screwed myself when I bought my 2006 Mustang GT-I happened to get lucky and got an new job before I got it because at my old salary my car note was a bit higher then I expected and I had some other unexpected costs come up (property taxes I think) that I didn't plan for. It all worked out in the end though. 

 

I also didn't need to be practical either, because I had a truck I could borrow (my parents lived 20 minutes away) and if it snowed bad enough, work was closed anyways. 

 

I guess it boils down to mindset-I see how my niece and nephew are (who are both under 21) and where I work we have younger adults (25 or younger) working here-I know one guy who has bought a new Corvette, but still has an accord they drive to work. I also see someone where I work at with an Aston Martin (which I'm not sure how they do that-I work for the government, its not like we are making an excessive amount of money like you could do on the civilian side) and someone else has a Mustang Dark Horse. A manager I work with has a Rivian RT1, yet again a pretty expensive vehicle (depending on your view) but apparently they can afford it. 

[akirby]

2 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

I also respectfully disagree with your positions, but I see where you're coming from. The way I see it, is that unlike the mach-e or lightning platform, CE1 is designed to be used for a wide array of vehicles, they want to make a lot of different product using this platform. 

 

But large vehicles are out, trucks used for heavy towing are out, boxy off-road vehicles with massive tires are probably out. Basically it's a platform for smaller, lower, aero efficient vehicles, and that sounds perfectly set up for hatchbacks and sedans. 

That's wishful thinking along with some confirmation bias.  Sedans never went away but they certainly aren't making a comeback from a market perspective.  But there will be pockets of low volume sedans and coupes.

[morgan20]

3 hours ago, akirby said:

But there will be pockets of low volume sedans and coupes.

 

The two sedans in GM's current U.S. product lineup are low volume for sure. Their combined sales were lower than Corvette in 1st quarter '26.

 

The Buick and Camaro four door sedans mentioned in this thread are speculative at this point. Do the big shots at GM have a half decent business case for them?

Edited April 8 by morgan20

[Sherminator98]

4 hours ago, morgan20 said:

The two sedans in GM's current U.S. product lineup are low volume for sure. Their combined sales were lower than Corvette in 1st quarter '26.

 

The Buick and Camaro four door sedans mentioned in this thread are speculative at this point. Do the big shots at GM have a half decent business case for them?

 

That is the billion dollar question-

 

Unless they plan on making a profit on a product that has 2 different variants that only sells a grand total of 150k units a year. 

[morgan20]

16 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

Unless they plan on making a profit on a product that has 2 different variants that only sells a grand total of 150k units a year. 

 

GM's entire U.S. sedan lineup had a sales total of 32,203 in 2025 (they had three sedan models available that year). 150k units a year is wishful thinkin' to the extreme.

[Sherminator98]

9 hours ago, morgan20 said:

 

GM's entire U.S. sedan lineup had a sales total of 32,203 in 2025 (they had three sedan models available that year). 150k units a year is wishful thinkin' to the extreme.

 

The Malibu died last year and the other two models (caddys) have a starting price of 50k plus. 

 

GM considers the Celestiq a sedan, but that barely moves the needle in sales anyways. 

[GearheadGrrrl]

But there's a wave of us sedan and hatch buyers returning to the market and were driving 5-10 year old cars that aren't available anymore. GM's poor sedan/hatch sales were also shrunk by their limited offerings- Just a 3 cylinder Malibu for the rental car companies and $50K and up Caddies. Add some well equipped versions in the $30-50K range and GM will sell enough to keep a plant busy.

[Sherminator98]

1 hour ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

But there's a wave of us sedan and hatch buyers returning to the market and were driving 5-10 year old cars that aren't available anymore.

 

Confirmation bias

 

 

[akirby]

2 hours ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

But there's a wave of us sedan and hatch buyers returning to the market and were driving 5-10 year old cars that aren't available anymore. GM's poor sedan/hatch sales were also shrunk by their limited offerings- Just a 3 cylinder Malibu for the rental car companies and $50K and up Caddies. Add some well equipped versions in the $30-50K range and GM will sell enough to keep a plant busy.

Bullshit. There are plenty of sedans and hatches available from other mfrs for serious buyers.

[GearheadGrrrl]

Agreed- Toyota, Honda, Hyundai/Kia and others have been selling 6 figure volumes of sedans and hatches while GM poorly served this market sector and Ford ignored it.

[morgan20]

10 minutes ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

Agreed- Toyota, Honda, Hyundai/Kia and others have been selling 6 figure volumes of sedans and hatches while GM poorly served this market sector and Ford ignored it.

 

Yea, that's ample reason for serious customers within that market sector to stick with Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai/Kia. Anyone interested in sedans and/or hatches will find something from at least one of those companies that will meet their needs.  

Edited Thursday at 06:55 PM by morgan20

[Sherminator98]

6 minutes ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

Agreed- Toyota, Honda, Hyundai/Kia and others have been selling 6 figure volumes of sedans and hatches while GM poorly served this market sector and Ford ignored it.

 

Toyota Camry    317,185    309,875    2.36
Toyota Corolla    248,088    232,908    6.52
Honda Civic       238,661    242,005    -1.38
Tesla Model 3     172,800    142,100    21.60
Nissan Sentra     152,579    152,752    -0.11
Honda Accord     150,196    162,723    -7.70
Hyundai Elantra   137,811    136,698    0.81

 

7 Nameplates sell more then six figures.