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'Transformers' designer buzzes into dealership

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By KEITH MORELLI

kmorelli@tampatrib.com

Published: July 1, 2009

BRANDON - Kids with an affinity for cars that turn into massive robots and older adults with memories of the ultimate muscle car, the Camaro, were on hand to meet the designer who came up with Bumblebee.

Humberto Ortiz, the lead designer of the Chevrolet Camaro named Bumblebee in the hit movie "Transformers," was in town June 23, hyping the sequel and bragging about what a cool car the Camaro is.

"It's a new Camaro with the soul of the old Camaro," he told an enthusiastic crowd of about 100 at Ferman Chevrolet, 9751 Adamo Drive. Many were there to see the new Camaro, said to be among the cars that General Motors hopes will bring it back from bankruptcy. Others were trying to win tickets to a private viewing of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."

The Bumblebee Camaro played a starring role in the first "Transformers" and also appears in the sequel, according to the movie's Web site, www .transformersmovie.com.

Ortiz, the head of creative design for Chevrolet, told the crowd he has always loved cars and especially sketching designs of cars. He drew, autographed and handed out sketches.

Tampa resident Bill Nelson, 58, said he plans to buy a Camaro next year. "I'll wait a year so they can work out all the bugs and kinks," he said. He drove a 1997 Camaro in his younger days and is hoping to get a V-8 with six speeds to recapture some of that magic.

"I came here to look at the car," he said, although he admitted he saw the first Transformers movie and even has a Bumblebee poster hanging in his home. "Camaros are beautiful cars and I'm sold on them."

Free Transformer comic books also were given away. Later, Ortiz went to Brandon's AMC Regency 20 theater where a couple of new Camaros were waiting to show off and, for some, to test drive.

Ferman was the only dealership in Florida to host a visit by Ortiz and one of only two in Chevy's nine-state Southeast Region.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760.

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