Secret Chevrolet Camaro ute concept revealed – almost a decade after it was sketched

US auto giant General Motors toyed with the idea of a pick-up version of the iconic Chevrolet Camaro muscle car during its early development phase – a sketch unearthed from the company's archives has revealed.

The design department of General Motors today shared on Instagram an early sketch from almost a decade ago – in 2015 – which is when the automaker would have been putting the finishing touches on the latest-generation Chevrolet Camaro which went on sale in 2016.

It is not unusual for car companies and design departments to experiment with different ideas – and it remains unclear how serious General Motors considered the Camaro ute concept – but the sketch does provide an insight into how far the auto industry tries to stretch the boundaries behind closed doors.

The latest-generation Camaro – which went into production in 2016 and is due to bow out in 2024 and not be immediately replaced – is not the same platform as the previous model, which shared its core structure with the Australian-built Holden Commodore (VE and VF).

However, the proportions of the old "Zeta"-platform Camaro and the current "Alpha"-platform Camaro – and the basic rear-drive layout – are similar.

So a pick-up version of the latest Camaro is believed to have been a technical possibility – but it never got the green light because of the limited sales potential.

The sleek-looking ute was the work of lead exterior designer at General Motors, Brian Malczewski, who wrote on his Instagram page:

"Dang went back into the archives for this one. Looks like some kind of Chevy muscle truck sketch from 2015. Thanks again @generalmotorsdesign."

In the same way the global buyer shift towards SUVs has slowly killed-off sedans over the past decade or so, sales of muscle cars such as the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger are also in serious decline.

Ford has just released a new Mustang in the US – and is due in Australia early next year – while Chevrolet has confirmed there will not be an immediate replacement for the current Camaro when it reaches the end of the line in 2024. The next Dodge Challenger, meanwhile, is poised to go electric.

Do you think the option of a ute could have saved the Chevrolet Camaro – or at the very least given it a stay of execution? Let us know in the comments below.