September 26, 1966

Should GM have officially announce the 5th Generation 2009 Camaro just a couple of weeks earlier?

Forty years ago, on September 26, 1966, the first 1967 Chevrolet Camaro rolled off the assembly line at GMs Norwood, Ohio assembly plant.

According to internet reports, the 1967 Camaro coupe was named just weeks before production; General Manager Elliot Estes, when publicly announcing the name, quipped, "I went into a closet, shut the door and came out with the name." Camaro is actually French for "comrade, pal, or chum." The Camaro was a hit with the public, sporting a base price of only $2,466 for a six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission.

Something tells me $2,466 won't buy much of a 2009 Camaro, but I as well as many others are anxiously awaiting the return to showrooms and racetracks across the country.