So i found out why Gm doesnt offer ABM anymore

[Jason@JacFab]

Really is a shame... ABM was my favorite color too...

[ShnOmac]

Originally Posted by driyac

Actually they are right.....

[joeybsyc]

Thy quit making ABM because they didn't want to overload the world with awesome.

[el ess A]

Originally Posted by driyac

Sorry Stig but I don't believe this.

Then you would believe wrongly.

ABM was discontinued from the Camaro offerings as a color because of lack of sales >3%. You don't have to take my word for it. Take it from someone who actually knows...the Fbodfather himself:

We DO watch color penetration very closely - and when a color falls below 3% application rate, we receive a warning from the assembly plant -- and we must get that up or the color will be in danger of being dropped. (Doug mentioned Sport Gold and Hugger Orange as examples on the 4th gen)

never sold well and eventually dropped below 3 percent. One color had to come out of the pallette in order to bring Synergy Green into the pallette. The lowest volume color was the one we would drop - and ABM was the lowest -

Before you send the black suburbans after me - I want you to know that I loved ABM - and most bright blues...........BUT - while the public at large may love them, they see it as a color they'd love to have their Neighbor/friend/coworker buy..........

http://www.moderncamaro.com/forum/362140-post2.html

[SleepWarz]

That happened because of GM, not due to the populace. ABM was unavailable on SS's early production orders for no good reason. ABM also had poor representation in adverts, and then they go and say 'low sales' which is absolute bullshit, the sales are low BECAUSE GM MADE THEM LOW on purpose with their failures. To cut a colour and blame sales when its the companies fault is bs.

Its like they put them all under the counter and was like 'Well nobody is buying the stuff they cant see so we may as well discontinue it'

[joeybsyc]

Originally Posted by SleepWarz

That happened because of GM, not due to the populace. ABM was unavailable on SS's early production orders for no good reason. ABM also had poor representation in adverts, and then they go and say 'low sales' which is absolute bullshit, the sales are low BECAUSE GM MADE THEM LOW on purpose with their failures. To cut a colour and blame sales when its the companies fault is bs.

Its like they put them all under the counter and was like 'Well nobody is buying the stuff they cant see so we may as well discontinue it'

Great post, and agreed 100%... well said.

[el ess A]

Actually, that was rather poorly said. Sounded more like a rant than any sourced information. But that's just my opinion.

It was GM's call to discontinue the color. So what? Get over it. Read the fine print in nearly all the GM literature. Says something to the effect of GM reserving the right to discontinue or add options, colors, models, etc., at any time without notice. Which means any reason they choose and whenever they choose. Regardless of the reason behind the reason (which you don't know for sure, you're simply speculating), lack of sales ultimately killed ABM according to Scott. The rendering did suck and likely figured into the why, I can certainly grant you that. White was unavailable at first, too. So figure out what you're talking about first, THEN tell Fbodfather he's full of it.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by driyac

Sorry Stig but I don't believe this. The paint comes from PPG and since it is water based the Metalliac Flake is standardized. Thus meaning anything with flake in it is the same.

I hear what you're saying - but it's true. There was some particular ingredient in those colors that came exclusively from the plant that was destroyed in Japan. Since many vehicle across the company's portfolio were effected, not just Camaro - they opted to kill the colors and replace them ASAP.

Originally Posted by SleepWarz

That happened because of GM, not due to the populace. ABM was unavailable on SS's early production orders for no good reason. ABM also had poor representation in adverts, and then they go and say 'low sales' which is absolute bullshit, the sales are low BECAUSE GM MADE THEM LOW on purpose with their failures. To cut a colour and blame sales when its the companies fault is bs.

Its like they put them all under the counter and was like 'Well nobody is buying the stuff they cant see so we may as well discontinue it'

? Uh, do you really believe that?
Here's the cliff notes of what happened:

- GM offered Aqua Blue Metallic.

- People did not buy ABM in sufficient numbers. I think the percentage was 3.5, or something like that.

- GM faced losing $$ because the aged, unused paint in the factory needed to be thrown away since it wasn't being applied to cars at the necessary rate.

- Sales of the color didn't increase as they kept track of the situation...

- GM pulled the plug on ABM, because in Oshawa...paint hoppers are a limited resource.

It's nobody's "fault". I challenge anybody to really *blame* anyone. For example? It is a customer's FAULT that they liked another color better than ABM? No...Is it GM's FAULT that they didn't want to lose money on a color that isn't selling? I certainly don't think so...

The reason it disappeared is a reality of the marketplace, and GM adapted to what was going on. Plain and simple: Nobody is at "fault", and there's no BS.

[PYROLYSIS]

Haven't taken the time to find the thread but the ingredient used in the plant that was destroyed in IBM and other colors was called Xrillic.

[PYROLYSIS]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wyndham

I hear what you're saying - but it's true. There was some particular ingredient in those colors that came exclusively from the plant that was destroyed in Japan. Since many vehicle across the company's portfolio were effected, not just Camaro - they opted to kill the colors and replace them ASAP.



? Uh, do you really believe that?
Here's the cliff notes of what happened:

- GM offered Aqua Blue Metallic. At first they offered it on V-6 only and graciously offered it on V-8 as well at the request of this site.

- People did not buy ABM in sufficient numbers. I think the percentage was 3.5, or something like that. Yep

- GM faced losing $$ because the aged, unused paint in the factory needed to be thrown away since it wasn't being applied to cars at the necessary rate. Yep.

- Sales of the color didn't increase as they kept track of the situation... Yep.

- GM pulled the plug on ABM, because in Oshawa...paint hoppers are a limited resource. Yep. Hope that situation improves in Lansing.

It's nobody's "fault". I challenge anybody to really *blame* anyone. For example? It is a customer's FAULT that they liked another color better than ABM? No...Is it GM's FAULT that they didn't want to lose money on a color that isn't selling? I certainly don't think so...

The reason it disappeared is a reality of the marketplace, and GM adapted to what was going on. Plain and simple: Nobody is at "fault", and there's no BS.

I love ABM and would pick it over any color right now that's available.(minus Kinetic Blue if it was available across the lineup.) I do feel like it was represented poorly, but truth be told we will never know for sure how successful it would have been if it was marketed better. This happened what, over 3 years ago? Let's focus on the battle at hand. Getting Kinetic Blue or something similar to replace BRM.

[joeybsyc]

In 2009 when orders started being taken, people were just ordering cars based on color chips and a few photos. No one really knew what any of the colors were going to look like (except no-brainer colors like black and red and silver) on the car until they started hitting showrooms. ABM looked like smurf blue on the color chips and renderings and was absolutely nothing like the actual color. People were gun shy to order it, not certain how it would really look. When folks started seeing ABM in person and more orders for the color were being placed it was already too far behind in sales to catch up, and ultimately canned because they needed to add Synergy Green. It always WAS a fairly rare color to see on a dealer lot.

The fact that it was also initially only offered as a 6 cylinder color hurt it too, and while its true people who had ordered cars had the option to "change" the color they already chose to ABM, it defintely hurt the pre-order sales of it as well. I believe it was actually made available on SS as a direct result of a petition formed right here on camaro5.com.

It really doesn't bother me, as I love the color, as do most people who see it. It's pretty cool to own the rarest color 5th gen. I just believe it would have sold much better if more people could have seen the cars in person before they discontinued it. No other color has a greater following among owners AND non-owners of it. Heck, some people are buying a 7000.00 Hot Wheels option package just to get a color that's similar.

[Tysen]

Originally Posted by joeybsyc

In 2009 when orders started being taken, people were just ordering cars based on color chips and a few photos. No one really knew what any of the colors were going to look like (except no-brainer colors like black and red and silver) on the car until they started hitting showrooms. ABM looked like smurf blue on the color chips and renderings and was absolutely nothing like the actual color. People were gun shy to order it, not certain how it would really look. When folks started seeing ABM in person and more orders for the color were being placed it was already too far behind in sales to catch up, and ultimately canned because they needed to add Synergy Green. It always WAS a fairly rare color to see on a dealer lot.

The fact that it was also initially only offered as a 6 cylinder color hurt it too, and while its true people who had ordered cars had the option to "change" the color they already chose to ABM, it defintely hurt the pre-order sales of it as well. I believe it was actually made available on SS as a direct result of a petition formed right here on camaro5.com.

It really doesn't bother me, as I love the color, as do most people who see it. It's pretty cool to own the rarest color 5th gen. I just believe it would have sold much better if more people could have seen the cars in person before they discontinued it. No other color has a greater following among owners AND non-owners of it. Heck, some people are buying a 7000.00 Hot Wheels option package just to get a color that's similar.

+1. I ordered one back in 2009 on a leap of faith, and was glad I did. Unfortunately, due to some family issues, I had to sell it in 2010. Someone in my club bought it, so I get to see it at every meet, but I really regret selling that car.

If the rumored LS7 Camaro comes out with a similar blue, it will be extremely difficult to resist the urge to trade up.

[nester7929]

At least you can get a nice blue when the Hot Wheels edition comes out. I'd take off the badges though, a bit kiddy for my tastes.

[joeybsyc]

I'm very anxious to see Kinetic Blue in person for the first time.