GM says 2010 Camaro orders are outrunning supply

[Rogue Leader]

June 25 (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Corp., rushing to emerge from bankruptcy as a profitable automaker, can’t keep up with demand for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro sports car.

GM has filled about half the 25,000 Camaro orders taken, said Terry Rhadigan, a GM spokesman. Dealers, staggered by GM’s 42 percent U.S. sales decline in the first five months of the year, report that the new vehicles sell within days. Analysts say they sell for about $500 more than sticker price on average.

“I won’t have a stocked Camaro for probably a year,” said James Schmid, general sales manager at Bartow Chevrolet in Bartow, Florida. His Chevy dealership sold both its showroom Camaros at list price within a day of arrival, he said. That’s in addition to 18 custom orders the dealer filled.

GM said it began producing the muscle cars in March, and it sold 5,463 in May, according to industry researcher Autodata Corp. of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. The Camaro competes with Ford Motor Co.’s Ford Mustang and Chrysler Group LLC’s Dodge Challenger.

The Camaro may benefit from its use as Bumblebee in the movie sequel “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” which opened in theaters yesterday.

GM describes the Camaro as having a “taut, athletic design” that builds off the 1960s version.

No Incentives

The Camaro starts with a sticker price of $23,040 for the LS model with a V-6 and GM isn’t offering incentives, Kelley Blue Book reports.

“It is actually commanding a premium right now, as it is selling slightly above MSRP,” said Joanna McNally, a Kelley Blue Book spokeswoman. “Camaros are currently selling for nearly $500 above MSRP.”

The sports car, made in Oshawa, Ontario, is available with a 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine or a 6.2-liter V-8. When powered by the V-6, the Camaro is rated at 29 miles per gallon on the highway and 18 mpg in the city with an automatic transmission.

“The moral of the story is: design still sells,” said Erich Merkle, an independent auto analyst. “The American automakers can make a comeback if they keep their eye on the ball and design vehicles people have to have.”

Scott Montgomery, general manager at Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac in Dearborn, Michigan, said the Camaro is a bright spot in a difficult time. Chevrolet sales in the U.S. fell 39 percent in the first five months of the year.

The dealership has sold 15 or 20 Camaros, and new arrivals will move in a matter of hours, not days, Montgomery said.

“If I could get 50 more, I’d be in heaven,” he said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aZCnXEtqqTcc

Sucks for those that didn't order ahead! (but then again a we've seen it sucks for pre-orders too!)

[Spaceballone]

yes i was one of the lucky ones...

ordered April 13th and received June 15th!

Dealer is still asking me if i want to sell it back lol....

[Baughman]

I'm just glad to hear they are selling so well. Great job GM.

[Iwantone2]

Good post

[PQ]

Damnit' I wanted to order another one.

[Hemlawk]

Originally Posted by Spaceballone

yes i was one of the lucky ones...

ordered April 13th and received June 15th!

Dealer is still asking me if i want to sell it back lol....

wow thats quick! Are there still folks who ordered in Oct that still havent gotten theirs?

[Brokinarrow]

Originally Posted by Hemlawk

wow thats quick! Are there still folks who ordered in Oct that still havent gotten theirs?

oo, i hope not! Will be interested to see if mine still gets here by early August or so....

[Inspector 17]

Originally Posted by Hemlawk

wow thats quick! Are there still folks who ordered in Oct that still havent gotten theirs?

Yes there are.

[PQ]

“If I could get 50 more, I’d be in heaven,” --- Scott Montgomery, general manager at Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac in Dearborn, Michigan


To those who laughed at me when I said a dealer would love to have a bunch on the lot. I believe I was 'smart alecly' told "Ya, because dealers just LOVE inventory".


And what's this all about?
“I won’t have a stocked Camaro for probably a year,” said James Schmid, general sales manager at Bartow Chevrolet in Bartow, Florida.

[PQ]

[QUOTE=2010 2-Tone;619709]

Originally Posted by irpq11

Damnit' I wanted to order another one.

Irpq,
You know she is NOT going to let go of that Lexus!!!!

Nope. Not even for a CTS. I tried to tell her about Number3s deal for us but she LOVES her car.

[THE EVIL TW1N]

... he said sports car..... lol

[Legend]

GM has filled about half the 25,000 orders taken for the Camaro, said Terry Rhadigan, a GM spokesman.

So if half has been filled of the 25K "ORDERS"...then where the hell are the other 12.5K cars that have been posted here as being produced?

Sounds like GM is producing lot cars ahead of ordered cars? No?

[Inspector 17]

Originally Posted by I am Legend

So if half has been filled of the 25K "ORDERS"...then where the hell are the other 12.5K cars that have been posted here as being produced?

Sounds like GM is producing lot cars ahead of ordered cars? No?

Don't forget about all the V6 dealer cars. Those weren't "orders" per se.

[Evotion]

Hmmm.... "produced half of the 25,000" -- I just got my second Vin #21865... wouldn't that be almost half of 50,000?

Edit: I apparently type too slow...