[fbodfather]

....sorry but we're putting the final touches on NAIAS so I was not able to get on the site for the past couple of days -- but I started to read thru the IDL thread -- and DEAR GOD there is WAY too much mis-information out there.



Thoughts:

1. The one month delay is to bring you the BEST POSSIBLE Camaro ever....Let me assure you that the 'easy' thing to do would be to build the car -- get your money -- and then have you bring the cars back for 'little dissatisfiers' -- which, in reality would be upsetting to most people that they had to take a new car back for service -- .......and we are NOT willing to do that. The Camaro team feels that we need to sweat every detail on this car so that you will be completely satisfied at delivery - but MORE importantly -- you'll still have that grin on your face years after delivery.

BELIEVE ME - no one wants to 'delay' a start-up -- but we are doing this in YOUR interest as well as ours. (.....we could use the money right now....but it isn't worth it to ignore little nuances that need to be addressed.......)

2. We are NOT focusing only on V6s. We understand -- and frankly, are blessed -- that we have so many Camaro enthusiasts that have turned this car into a lifestyle -- (and some might say: addiction!)

Now for a personal comment: whomever feels we don't care about enthusiasts is living in a vacuum.
I could list for hours the things we have done to involve our valued enthusiasts in everything about this car........from electing "the 12 disciples of which there are 15" to sharing information about this car LONNGGGGGGGGGG before we -- or any other manufacturer -- has done ....EVER........

I have personally put in thousands of hours of my own time to keep the community together -- and to try and keep the faith within the community. I don't expect anyone to thank me -- or to 'cowtow' to me -- I chose to do it because, like you, I LOVE THE CAMARO -- and it was -- and is -- the right thing to do.......but when I hear someone say "GM doesn't care about us" I get a *bit upset*......

We ARE going to provide each dealer with a new Camaro -- for many reasons: We want people to come in and sit in the car -- to drive the car -- to fall in love with the car -- and to order the car of their dreams -- and we're doing it with the V6 car because we KNOW that a large percentage of our enthusiasts want a V8 engine -- so rather than build a 'stock' V8 -- we'll build V6s for stock -- and build V8s to get you your 'sold' order as soon as we can.

I know for a fact that many dealers have asked us to build them a 'stock' car so that they can have a "Camaro Celebration" with their local Camaro clubs. And -- it's no surprise that most of these cars will be Silver -- because, you see -- the Silver Concept blew people away --even people who would never normally consider a Camaro as their 'car of choice' -- and the production car is a dead ringer to the concept --......

.....oh - by the way -- CAFE will play a role in future years of the Camaro -- but right now, we're safe.......

We are not **completely stupid** -- we KNOW how badly you want your new Camaros -- and it's our intent to do whatever we can to get them to you ASAP -- BUT - we won't ship cars until we're confident that we've taken care of any outstanding issue.

Now -- I must warn you -- John, Cheryl and I are going to be tied up with NAIAS for the next several days -- so we won't be able to come onto this site at will and answer your questions - and if the thread goes to a couple of hundred posts -- I won't be able to read 'em all.......

What I would simply ask you to do is know that:

>We are BLESSED to have you as a Camaro Enthusiast
>We want your new Camaro to be the best car you've ever owned..
>We only wish we could see the grins on your collective faces the first time you get behind the wheel -- turn the key -- and drive at a *lively pace* out of the dealership.
>We are working long into the night to address any issues that we feel need to be addressed before shipping new Camaros to you.
>We want to sell as many Camaros as possible -- because that allows us to work on a 6th gen........but to do that, we also know that the car has to appeal to more than just enthusiasts -- and that's where the V6 comes into play.......


Thanks for your continued patience -- I think you'll find the wait was more than worthwhile..........