I agree with Buds 396. I saw the red car yesterday at the LA Autoshow and it does have an attitude. It's much better in person than in the pics.
Just my rant for the day...
Two schools of thought going on here obviously...
First - we should just be grateful that GN has seen fit to grace us with a new model and dust off the camaro badge to name it...
Second - we think it looks like crap because it isn't a retro model that competes with the new Mustang and Challenger retro models...
I agree it may be nasty looking in person and perform great or better than any other manufacturer's models - but didn't the last gen of Camaros do a lot of that already? And what happened to it?
If GM wants to gain some temporary press this new camaro model will do that. As with the new Corvette -GM technology will WOW everyone and it will spank the others in performance and new design with it's 22" wheels etc. and all and the younger crowd would love to buy one - but find out they can't for the most part because the tag will be too high. Unlike the Corvette which is only intended to be a flagship and not make GM much if any $$'s, the Camaro name will end up tarnished and interest will fade because of lagging sales - sound all too familiar? Meanwhile the Mustang (and other models) will flourish and feed those who manufacture them a steady flow of cash to buoy them through the tough times - sound again all too familiar?...
GN doesn't see the forest for the trees and hasn't for years. If they produced a good retro model with decent mechanicals and price, they would certainly capture all of those who wish to in some small part to pay homage to the sixties when the muscle cars were king - except for those poor wayward souls who are so brand loyal that they would end up on the short stick again, just as their forefathers in the sixties and seventies did.
Instead GM will choose to put out a hot performing, over priced model that not many can afford to buy, with looks that further splits their market...
The only things that will be retro with this new camaro model will be:
it will come out well after the Mustang (and others) have - just like the sixties...
it will certainly outperform those other models - just like the sixties...
it will capture a following that are proud to own and drive one because of styling and performance features that appeal to them - unfortunately it will be a small following - unlike the sixties...
The difference between now and the sixties with this model will lie in the fact that (and a lot of this may again sound all too familiar) not many will be able to afford to buy one - not enough will be attracted to it's looks to want one - and sales will lag. Because of these issues the Camaro name will again be destined for obscurity within it's model / platform year.
With much of the same short sightedness that forced GM to abandon the last Camaro generation line, allowed them to walk away from the money making rear engine police / taxi cab market giving it exclusively to Ford, and now the design limitations that are threatening their truck lines - GM seems to be afraid to take a chance on even things that seem to be almost sure bets even in today's times. Maybe it's just a case of being overly egotistic and thinking they know better than the buying public what we really want!
They don't seem to be able to see it through the red haze produced by all that red ink...
Many in this CRG group have first gen Camaros because of GM brand loyalty and design heitage - GM seems to be the ones that have forgotten both in their foreign ties to other manufacturers producing many parts and current models that make their products look like eveyone else's without much of the price advantages and /or quality built in...
Case in Point...
There is a kid in my neighbourhood who just bought a new Mustang - slime green with black stripes, this summer. Sometimes when I see him coming down the street from a good distance,(poor eyesight, i grant you somewhat) I have to catch myself thinking it's another restored Mustang tooling around that I haven't seen before - then realize the styling of the '05 model differences and he and his new car. It's what a new retro Camaro should do for all of us GM folks - but won't obviously from these '09 camaro pictures!
That kid loves his new car to death - covers it up nightly - doesn't even drive it if it looks remotely like it could rain, and spends an unGodly amount of time tinkering and polishing the Hell out of it. He went way in the hole to get it NOT because he was a Ford fanatic, (he traded his lowered Mazda pimpmoblile in on it) but because it looks like all of those cars he has seen in magazines for years restored. It reminds me just how I felt about my new '68 when I was the same age.
I almost selfishly wish GM would do the same, just so I could see through my own eyes how I would have looked to someone my age now - 37 years ago! - Randy
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