Chevrolet races to meet demand for 2010 Camaro

— -- General Motors says it's struggling to meet demand for its new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, with some buyers paying $500 to $2,500 more than the sticker price.

The Camaro is creating enough buzz to play a key role in GM's turnaround. It is drawing showroom traffic — every dealer got at least one initially to build interest — while GM is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Such a hot model is rare in today's global auto sales slump, and GM thinks Camaro may catch Ford's Mustang in monthly sales when it has enough available. GM sold 5,463 Camaros in May, the first month of the sporty car's revival, compared with the 8,812 Mustangs sold by Ford. Chrysler sold 2,695 of the rival Dodge Challenger it brought a year ago.

GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan says Camaro will be "right with Mustang on sales" by the end of June.

A concept version of the car reappears as Bumblebee in the film sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, out last week. The films have boosted the Chevrolet and Camaro brands, Rhadigan says. Better still, with this sequel, folks who see it on film won't have to hear their dream car is years from production.

"I just saw the 2010 Camaro when I saw the Transformers movie and it is a hot car," says Mariscia Thompson of Newberry, S.C. She says it would be a "must have" if she were car shopping. "I love the aggressive color and lines."

Dealer Mike Martin of Dudley Martin Chevrolet in Manassas, Va., says the Camaro has "hit the sweet spot." The 14 people on his waiting list up to 10 months ago have their cars and he has another seven ordered for new customers. He expects to get them within three months.

"Our current production schedule can't meet the demand (but) that supply-demand tension is good," says Rhadigan. "We don't want to over-produce, nor do we want people waiting an unreasonable amount of time."

Laurie Davis of Rochester, N.Y., thinks the Camaro's effect on GM will be limited because it's "more of a 'fun' car, and people don't have the luxury of fun items right now."