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The makers of Grand Theft Auto have mastered the art of generic-looking cars. While they sometimes cross the line into recognizability, the cars of GTA usually look just enough like real-world cars to give you an idea of what they’re supposed to be, without triggering any lawsuits. And sometimes life imitates art when somebody takes the trouble to bend sheet metal or mold fiberglass, only to have the end product look like it rolled straight out of the game.
This 1989 Chevrolet Camaro is one such example. Currently for sale on Craigslist, it’s a custom-bodied Carralo that was one of only two made for that model year, according to the listing. A further 90 were made as 1990 models, so maybe things were just getting ramped up for 1989. I’ve never seen one of these before, but thanks to the GTA-like design, I kind of feel like I have.
Credit: Craigslist
The front and rear ends are a weird mix of stock Camaro and bits from other cars. The third-gen Camaro’s rectangular headlights are combined with a pointed nose that looks more like what you’d find on a contemporary Pontiac Firebird. The taillights and rear fascia look like they came off a Plymouth Duster. All the styling changes appear to be below the beltline, so the Carralo retains the stock Camaro’s boxy rear roof pillar and window, as well as its T-tops.
Other parts of the design don’t directly copy other cars, but still play off common styling themes. The wide-body treatment is executed in a predictable way, although the way the front fenders blend into the front fascia to emphasize its nosecone-like look is definitely interesting. There are fake vents with strakes as well, recapitulating a common 1980s styling trope. The interior appears to be mostly stock—even preserving the Camaro badge on the steering wheel—and it’s unclear if any mechanical changes were made. The listing mentions a 5.7-liter engine, so this car has the L98 V8 that was the most powerful option for the 1989 Camaro.
Credit: Craigslist
For what it’s worth, this isn’t stereotypical Craigslist fare. Aside from some cracked leather upholstery, the car looks pretty clean and well-maintained. The car-show information boards are a good indication that someone valued this oddity and took good care of it. And the listing claims it has just 55,000 miles. Located in Henrietta, Texas, its asking price is $18,500 if you’re interested.
It would definitely be fun to take this thing to a car show and have people try to guess what it is. If you told them it was an obscure GTA car, they’d probably believe you.
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Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he’s not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.
