[5thGenIndy500]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Well -- I'm sorry that you feel the Camaro is a disappointment (maybe I'm not quite understanding everything you're saying.....)

Originally Posted by fbodfather

We could have 'rushed' the car -- but that wouldn't be the right thing to do. Yes -- you saw the Camaro in Transformers....let me assure you that the whole idea of putting the Camaro in Transformers was hotly debated.

On one side - there's your argument: Show the car longgggg before it will hit the streets.

The other side was to say "No thanks -- use a Mustang or a BMW or a VW".......

Can you imagine? I'm glad we put the Camaro in the movie (as, I think, most enthusiasts agree) and I will also venture to say that it's one of the reasons the Camaro has been so successful. (every child sees a Camaro and sees "Bumblebee!"...)

fbodfather,

First, please understand that I do NOT feel that the new Camaro is a disappointment. To the contrary I feel it is the best built car in its category in the world and if taking time to get it right was what it took, then touché. My point is that during this process and the bankruptcy us Camaro enthusiast felt disappointment with all that was happing in the “F” and “C” world throughout the wait. Darn it was a long and hard time having to take smack from those “F” and “C” owners till the Camaro came out. This was the reason for the disappointment.

Oh God yes I agree that a Camaro in Transformers was the best, no, the only choice! But taking smack from those other guys while waiting was really hard and you must admit there were many professionals in the automotive industry that felt disappointment that the Camaro was not out sooner.

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Yes - Chrysler beat us to the punch - but when you look at the differences between a Challenger and Charger versus a Camaro and the Holden Zeta - you'll see that we essentially have a new car in the Camaro - everything from the cowl forward had to be clean-sheet......plus a whole lot of other stuff..........

I agree completely, again please do not misunderstand my comments. I know the Camaro is a completely new and much better car then the “F” or “C” models. But, I have to be honest standing by watching these models come out was extremely disappointing. The proof is in the fact that I waited for and purchased a Camaro and not an “F” or “C” model. On top of that I give the general credit for having the insight to use the current chassis, the “F” models solid rear axle will never make it a competitor to the Camaro and according to them it would cost an additional 4 to 6 thousand dollars a car to copy the Camaro. So dollar for dollar the Camaro is a much better buy too, dare I say steal…now don’t get any ideas about increasing prices….lol

Originally Posted by fbodfather

-- keep in mind that we were still trying to support 8 Divisions back in 2006- whereas Chrysler had three. I'll put the current GM Portfolio up against Chrysler's current portfolio -- and I think you'll agree that we invested a LOT of money in the past 4-5 years -and that's why our products are winning in the marketplace......(count the number of new cars and trucks that Chrysler has introduced since January 9, 2006 and today - versus GM............see what I mean? And lest we forget: The Mustang is Ford's Corvette. The Challenger is Chrysler's Corvette. (for now) I will be more than happy to take them to Spring Mountain with their best - and introduce them to something called a Z06 - or a ZR1..........(and we ain't done yet!)

Your points are right on and again I am not disappointed in the products just the timing which as you have so eloquently pointed out was just the way it turned out to be. We are all just very glad that the general is back!

Originally Posted by fbodfather

I have yet to see a Challenger convertible - so I have to assume that the Challenger owners are 'disappointed' as well. Yes, Mustang has a convertible....

Yep most likely those one or two buyers are still disappointed and maybe the “C” is not too worried about them. But the tens of thousands of future Camaro convertible owners are no longer disappointed…

Originally Posted by fbodfather

I beg you to go drive a Mustang Convertible and then a Camaro convertible - there is simply no comparison.......(ask any of the Camaro Disciples that have driven both...or read the road tests from auto journalists)

I will get my chance; the Camaro convertible is the next ride in my garage.

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Plumb crazy is an 'interesting' color - and I'm anxious to see how many of them get built and sold.........I'll bet you dinner that the numbers will be very low.......and while this is very subjective, the only ones I've seen are in shows or on dealers' lots.......I have yet to see one being driven..........

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Houndstooth? Very retro - and available thru SLP.

Color and interior, while important to a few of us, is not a deal breaker for the majority of current or future Camaro owners. And speaking as a GM stock owner I would rather have sales.. As a Camaro enthusiast though, I am still disappointed that the retro Hugger Orange has not yet made it into the cards.

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Will we tell you everything that's planned? Absolutely not - simply because, as you point out - this is a very competitive business.....and we are not going to show our cards before we need to.

Here is my point about communication. When I first learned of the new Camaro I knew from the start that I wanted to experience the 5th generation of the car I grew up with as a teenager; a Hugger Orange, Z28 Camaro Convertible… So when the 5th Gen Camaro was released to my disappointment neither the convertible nor the Z28 was available. So I waited patiently and faithfully, subscribing to all of the auto blogs and forums, visiting all of the dealers, attending all of the auto shows where I would ask any GM rep I could find to ask; when is the convertible due out? When is the Z28 coming out? And all throughout this time the answers I received and read about were all over the place. One day GM is doing a Camaro convertible, one day they are not. One day GM is doing a Z28, one day they aren’t. It really began looking like neither was going to happen, so in April 2010 I went and purchased the closest thing to it, a 2010 Inferno Orange coupe just to get a Camaro, because it was killing to see them on the street and me and my faith sitting by waiting for a model that GM themselves could not, or would not confirm they were even building. So now less than 12 months later there is finally a convertible and next year maybe, with even more faith, there will be a Z28 but who knows and it’s too late for me because I now own an Inferno Orange coupe. So now that the convertible is out, GM has once again placed me in the “what if” game. Should I buy a convertible now or watch as everyone around me drives one while me and my faith wait for a Z28 that might never come to be. All this would be no problem if I could just afford to buy and sell a Camaro each time I get closer to that original dream of a 5th Gen Hugger Orange Camaro Convertible…

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Please pay attention to the sites on Wednesday from Chicago. I don't think you'd be 'disappointed'......

Originally Posted by fbodfather

I think Challenger and Mustang owners may be disappointed - esp. because the Camaro is outselling them - and January once again showed that there is a preference for Camaro.


Now - I don't mean to belittle your points or to take them lightly. To do that implies that we are invincible - and we are not.

And I in no way meant to imply that the new GM was anything but an outstanding, innovative and caring company. I met most of the Camaro team at Carlisle last year and I can tell you that they are the most dedicated team I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I was really impressed that most brought their families with them and the amount of time they took out of their lives to meet and greet the Camaro owners.

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Rest assured that the last thing we want to do is to disappoint our customers - that said:

Originally Posted by fbodfather

We would much rather 'disappoint' you by taking longer to bring you the best products - rather than 'disappoint' you by producing and delivering an inferior product.

Lastly- as Number 3 points out - we also had to deal with Bankruptcy.......


I will say this for the 20 millionth time:

Have Faith.

I don't believe I've steered the Camaro Enthusiast community wrong yet - and I don't intend to..........

Let's chat Thursday!

Joe