No sense in complaining about the "B" pillar.....it is a done deal.

Lutz Offers Details on the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Date posted: 09-28-2007

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — GM product guru Bob Lutz has confirmed that unlike the Camaro concept car and the 1969 Camaro it emulates, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro will not be a true hardtop when it reaches production.

Despite the fact that GM Chairman Rick Wagoner originally said the 2010 Camaro would be "virtually identical" to designer Sangyup Lee's concept that debuted at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show, Lutz confirmed that the production Camaro will in fact have a B-pillar, making it a standard coupe instead of a traditional hardtop coupe.

Lutz said the standard coupe structure is necessary to keep production costs down and ensure the Camaro's frame is as light and tight and possible.

The same fate is true for the Dodge Challenger. The Challenger concept was also presented as a hardtop coupe in 2006, but the 2008 production version will be a standard coupe when it goes on sale next spring.

What this means to you: Cost-cutting has killed the hardtop coupe for the everyman, with the last holdouts belonging to Bentley and Mercedes.