Chevy has begun 2022 Camaro production but it seems like a chaotic process at best. Many options are either in limited supply or won’t be available for months, if ever. And the Camaros it is building aren’t even complete. What the heck is going on with Camaro production?

Production for Camaros has been off and on

The production for 2021 models was stopped numerous times at its Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan. This was to give better-selling models access to its microchip supplies. And there were questions as to whether the muscle car would even stay in production at all. But the production of 2022 models has now begun, and it is already crazier than in 2021.

For starters, Chevy has applied its “build shy” approach to building Camaros. That means they’re incomplete cars, which are then stored to await getting their chips. Once they are united with their chips they’re whisked off to dealerships. It is one of a number of approaches to the global chip crisis.

Some 2022 Camaro options won’t be available for months

But according to GM Authority, some of those complete 2022 models won’t have nearly the options their 2021 counterparts had. Some engine options won’t be available for a couple of months, and some not at all. The supply of naturally aspirated 3.6-liter LGX V6 won’t see its numbers ramp up until after November. 

And some trims and models will have only limited availability if they’re available at all. This includes the regular ZL1 and the ZL1 with the 1LE Extreme Track Performance Package. Also, the Redline Edition and the Rapid Blue paint will see very limited production. 

For the time being, the Shock & Steele Edition and LT1 engine hooked to the six-speed manual transmission without the dual model exhaust is off the table. They may resurface later in the year, or maybe never. Information is a bit scarce right now.

Does Chevy really care about its muscle car?

Since the global chip shortage production seems like it is an afterthought. It looks like it is there to supplement chip supplies for GM’s trucks and SUVs. It appears to see a continuation of this function for the 2022 models. A lot of this has to do with demand, which has dropped radically over the last couple of years. 

Last quarter Camaro production again lagged way behind its Mustang and Challenger counterparts. Production numbers have been in a general decline for years. Third-quarter production for 2021 was down almost 40-percent from 2020. The year-to-year numbers are down one-third. And 2020 wasn’t a great year due to the pandemic. 

Future plans call for a “high-performance electric four-door sedan” to replace the Camaro at some point. But will it really still be a Camaro?