What Was The Mission Of Chevy When They Built The Camaro?

[Renegade]

Chick magnet? Speed demon? or affordable car for the average american who can't afford a porsche or bmw? Fill me in..

[ShowSStopper]

I think they would tell you they meant to make an affordable car for the average American. I think the truth is they wanted to capitalize on a nameplate that still had a large following despite the hiatus the Camaro went through.

But I will say it is a looker. I really like the design. It's the primary reason I bought the car.

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by ShowSStopper

I think they would tell you they meant to make an affordable car for the average American. I think the truth is they wanted to capitalize on a nameplate that still had a large following despite the hiatus the Camaro went through.

But I will say it is a looker. I really like the design. It's the primary reason I bought the car.

It's alot different better handling and appeal then back then that's for sure. So are you a satisfied Camaro owner?

[camarozzzz]

I think their goal was to avoid another bail out

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by camarozzzz

I think their goal was to avoid another bail out

got to love obama care.

[LimaCharlie]

Camaro was introduced in 1967 to compete with the Mustang. The Camaro also attracted people who wanted a high performance car but couldn't necessarily afford a Corvette. I guess you can say the same thing today too.

[MikeSVX]

To make money. Isn't that the purpose of all corporations?

[fielderLS3]

Originally Posted by Renegade

Chick magnet? Speed demon? or affordable car for the average american who can't afford a porsche or bmw? Fill me in..

The above are reasons for buying cars, not building them.

For GM, the mission was to turn a healthy profit by re-entering and grabbing a share of a segment that didn't have a lot of competition (compared to other segments of the business) that rival car companies were having success in.

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by MikeSVX

To make money. Isn't that the purpose of all corporations?

Originally Posted by fielderLS3

The above are reasons for buying cars, not building them.

For GM, the mission was to turn a healthy profit by re-entering and grabbing a share of a segment that didn't have a lot of competition (compared to other segments of the business) that rival car companies were having success in.

[boltmark]

Simple, bring back something they never should have gotten rid of.

[Scalded Dog]

It fills a need. The three American cars that have applied for the position are Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro. The position required good performance, and the ability to haul four people around. Looks were in the job description, too, and, each of the three applicants are retro designs.

Mustang didn't get the job in my garage, well, in part due to looks. Its "retro" look is so old now that they could do a retro look on THAT retro look. The Challenger was a close contender, but just not quite right. The Camaro, in addition to being a Camaro, is sexy, fast, and American (I know, I know... the whole Canada thing... it's still an American car).

GM knew that I was not the only person in the country, or the on the planet, who would be willing to walk into a dealership with a wheelbarrow full of cash and trade it for one of their Camaros. Especially after they saw people get all twitterpated over the look of it in some movie a few years back: GM knew they'd have a home run if they started cranking those things out.

They did, and the wheelbarrowsful of money started being relinquished at a furious pace.

And THAT is what it's all about.

[dshep214]

Try to come back from the bailout. Shouldn't have ever quit making sports cars that's where the money is. If they only sold sports cars and trucks they would prolly be doing even better lol

[suplex]

The story I heard was that one of the "Higher-Ups" in the Chevrolet company owned an actual 1969 Camaro and went to the design team and said: "Build me a new one of these". Two different teams tackled the idea and they went with a blend of both ideas.

[tonyko1]

GM was and is always looking at marketing cars within the industry. Back in 1960, Chevy on its own sold more cars than all of Ford Motor Co.

Now there is a re-sizing of the industry, while more cars are being sold worldwide, the growth of new car companies is slowing. And we all know GM's shedding of Pontiac, Olds, and Saturn. (And Saturn was specifically targeted for those who chose a Japanese car over a GM vehicle, by none other than Roger Smith).

Anyways, GM has always had hit and misses, the behemoth they were and still are to some extent makes it happen. Luckily for all of us, the Camaro is a hit, downright homerun in looks and performance.

However, how many of you remember the Buick Reatta, Cadillac Allante, Saturn Sky, Pontiac Soltice, heck, the Corvair................here is some fun reading for those like me which even then, (in the case of the Buick Reatta) said, "Gosh GM, but if only you would have done this instead of this"...... in my example, making the Reatta FWD, could you imagine the Camaro FWD, ugh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Reatta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Allant%C3%A9

[ShowSStopper]

Originally Posted by Renegade

It's alot different better handling and appeal then back then that's for sure. So are you a satisfied Camaro owner?

My V6 didn't deliver for me. But my SS? Yes. I'm a satisfied customer.

[Grey Ghost]

I think they did it to help bring sales back to GM. It's a fantastic looking car, it gets great gas mileage for a muscle car in V6 or V8. It's priced to compete with every sporty looking car out there. It attracts older and younger buyers.

Have any of you driven a Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, or any of the small cars that are selling for the below 30k lately?? You feel the road in these cars. I don't know about the rest of the world but when I am driving my car I don't want to feel the road as I drive.

What I am saying for less money than most the small cars being sold at the other companies you can buy a Camaro and get a better ride. And for those who want the power they can get an SS, ZL1, or soon 1LE.

Sure you can feel the bumps, what I am talking about is the slight vibration of the road you feel on your feet and body as you drive some of the smaller cars.

Sure GM has some paint quality issues and some minor issues to iron out, all car companies have this. I do feel that they have improved the quality of their cars and I feel they are pushing to make it better.

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by boltmark

Simple, bring back something they never should have gotten rid of.

Alot people still upset about the Pontiac thing..

[Raptor3141]

Originally Posted by Renegade

Alot people still upset about the Pontiac thing..

Amen!! I miss my '77 Bandit Edition Trans Am. I was really hoping they would bring the TA back some day but ....

[ECCamaro]

Originally Posted by Scalded Dog

It fills a need. The three American cars that have applied for the position are Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro. The position required good performance, and the ability to haul four people around. Looks were in the job description, too, and, each of the three applicants are retro designs.

Mustang didn't get the job in my garage, well, in part due to looks. Its "retro" look is so old now that they could do a retro look on THAT retro look. The Challenger was a close contender, but just not quite right. The Camaro, in addition to being a Camaro, is sexy, fast, and American (I know, I know... the whole Canada thing... it's still an American car).

GM knew that I was not the only person in the country, or the on the planet, who would be willing to walk into a dealership with a wheelbarrow full of cash and trade it for one of their Camaros. Especially after they saw people get all twitterpated over the look of it in some movie a few years back: GM knew they'd have a home run if they started cranking those things out.

They did, and the wheelbarrowsful of money started being relinquished at a furious pace.

And THAT is what it's all about.

What he said!

[ECCamaro]

Originally Posted by tonyko1

However, how many of you remember the Buick Reatta, Cadillac Allante, Saturn Sky, Pontiac Soltice, heck, the Corvair................here is some fun reading for those like me which even then, (in the case of the Buick Reatta) said, "Gosh GM, but if only you would have done this instead of this"...... in my example, making the Reatta FWD, could you imagine the Camaro FWD, ugh.

I agree about the Allante but the Sky and the Solstice were hot vehicles!

[ChrisBlair]

Originally Posted by Renegade

Chick magnet? Speed demon? or affordable car for the average american who can't afford a porsche or bmw? Fill me in..

To make an automobile that could be shown to prompt a sizable enough section of the targeted market to purchase the vehicle, so that the business model would be approved by corporate despite the risk thus allowing the car to come to market.

Same as any other car they make.

[ChrisBlair]

Originally Posted by boltmark

Simple, bring back something they never should have gotten rid of.

The Buick 455 Stage 2?

[AntiPriuSS]

They where thinking:

"Hey that retro Mustang is making a metric **** ton of money lets bring back the Camaro and make metric **** tons of money too!"

[snaphappy]

The late 90's we're about excess. 9-11 put a big dent in America's enthusiasm and by 2008 I think the excess of the 90's was completely dead.

I say this because several auto manufactures had excessively awesome designs that included retro elements starting in the 90's and ending around 2008.

These include Prowler, PT Cruiser, Viper, Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro, among others.

This is my opinion, but I think the Camaro is the epitome of retro turn-of-the-century design. I think it will be haled as a classic 50 years from now. Finally, I think historians will talk about this last generation of muscle cars as the culmination of excessive American engineering. I think the car of the future will be bland and underpowered. I think the days of the retro styled 420HP monster are numbered.

Today the trend is restraint. We're about 20 years away from the next era of ostentatious design.

[gotroost]

I'm just happy that I could buy something that outperforms something that I had 30+ years ago. Nice to give the greenies a big FU! Enjoy it while you can! I'm so impressed that they can still build something that totally out performs the muscle cars from the 70s. Thumbs up GM!