2010 Camaro fans, you have been incredibly patient and understanding. GM made a big boo-boo in launching the 2010 Camaro as a coupe-only, putting the convertible version off until the 2012 model year. Your patience is going to be rewarded though, as it is almost time for GM to deliver the goods. As we get closer to the official unveiling, we are getting ever more details on the Camaro convertible.

Today GM released an official image of the 2012 Camaro convertible, as well as a starting price. Opting for a drop-top Camaro will set you back $30,000, including an $850 destination fee.

That is quite the price premium for a droptop option, as the $30,000 starting point is for the V6 model. Whether or not that requires an upgrade from the LS to the LT model, we don’t know, but under the hood it is the same 312 horsepower V6 engine. The starting price for the 2011 Camaro is $22,680, so adding the convertible option costs almost $7,000. That ain’t cheap, but it is worth it for many who have been holding out.

It also means that, should you choose a completely-optioned out 2SS Camaro, the price will be well over $50,000. It is also priced almost $3,000 more than its closest rival, the 2011 Mustang V6 convertible (which has a base MSRP of $27,145). We were hoping for something a bit more price competitive, but if GM piles on the features, it could well be worth the extra money…especially since a V6 Mustang convertible premium (which includes Sync, leather seats, and plenty of other options) starts at $30,845.

Still, GM knows it has a captive audience, and plenty of Camaro fans are waiting for the day to place their order for the 2012 Camaro convertible. Soon my friends, soon.

Official Release

DETROIT – The 21st century rebirth of the Chevrolet Camaro opens a new chapter when the 2011 Camaro Convertible premieres at the Los Angeles International Auto Show on Nov. 17.

The Camaro Convertible will arrive in Chevrolet showrooms in February 2011. Starting price will be $30,000, including $850 destination. (Full details will be released later this year.)

“The Convertible will make the all-new Camaro, already a smash-hit, even more desirable to a greater range of drivers,” says Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing.

The Convertible model will be available in the same basic model offering as the Camaro Coupe. The standard model will have a 312-hp Direct Injection V6 engine featuring 29 miles per gallon on the highway. The SS model will feature the 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 426 hp. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard, with an optional six-speed automatic.

Camaro is America’s most popular sports car, seizing leadership in U.S. sales with the coupe model that launched in spring of 2009 as a 2010 model. The right to purchase one of the first Convertibles was recently sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction for $205,000, with all proceeds donated to charity.