Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums - Camaro5.com - View Single Post - Do you want a ZL1 automatic transmission option?

thePill · 02-24-2011, 04:45 PM

If production of the ZL1 are limited then an automatic wouldn't be logically marketable and serious profit wouldn't be returned. If NO automatic is offered, I would still bet that every ZL1 will sell. If the 6L90 is an option, the sales would more likely be split 60/40 but it would increase initial production cost. The first year a new model is offered is the most critical and will determines the success of the ZL1. If 7000 ZL1's move out the door within months after release then it indicates that there is possibly a demand for more units and possibly an automatic. In my opinion, GM could sell ZL1's until 2015 with no automatic available and noboby, especially not the buyers would care. Automatics are great for drag racing but unless they are paddle shifted, they are useless for road racing. Adding an auto w/ paddle shift adds additional cost, not to just the consumer but initial production cost as well.

I know having an option to upgrade is good, mainly for those buyers that absolutely need an automatic, but the market they contend in does not require one. GM will aim to outproduce the GT500 maybe as much as 2:1, because the first year demand may see the ZL1 sell close to 10,000. If GM does put in the extra money to offer the 6L90, even outselling the GT500 unit per unit will not give them a profit margin victory. It is a huge marketing risk to play all your cards in the first hand and this being the first year of production, the margin of error is zero. If GM does stay on par with the GT500 in production then it is definitely a poor decision to add additional hardware to the catalog. Having the 6L90 and the 6060 MG9 would double the cost and risk involved throughout developement and during production. GM knows better than anybody that over-production results in a smaller profit because they seen it first hand in 2010, so 10k ZL1's might be risky. They are also aware that offering all they have now leaves little or no room for exciting new releases, as they have used the convertible/ZL1 to do, so offering the 6L90 might be a bad idea.

If you are not concerned about cost to the consumer, you can always purchase the Hydramatic 6L90 from GM Performance Parts and have it installed.

02-24-2011, 04:45 PM	#228
thePill Account Suspended Drives: '11 Mustang GT Premium Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kaiserslauthern, Germany Posts: 1,268	If production of the ZL1 are limited then an automatic wouldn't be logically marketable and serious profit wouldn't be returned. If NO automatic is offered, I would still bet that every ZL1 will sell. If the 6L90 is an option, the sales would more likely be split 60/40 but it would increase initial production cost. The first year a new model is offered is the most critical and will determines the success of the ZL1. If 7000 ZL1's move out the door within months after release then it indicates that there is possibly a demand for more units and possibly an automatic. In my opinion, GM could sell ZL1's until 2015 with no automatic available and noboby, especially not the buyers would care. Automatics are great for drag racing but unless they are paddle shifted, they are useless for road racing. Adding an auto w/ paddle shift adds additional cost, not to just the consumer but initial production cost as well. I know having an option to upgrade is good, mainly for those buyers that absolutely need an automatic, but the market they contend in does not require one. GM will aim to outproduce the GT500 maybe as much as 2:1, because the first year demand may see the ZL1 sell close to 10,000. If GM does put in the extra money to offer the 6L90, even outselling the GT500 unit per unit will not give them a profit margin victory. It is a huge marketing risk to play all your cards in the first hand and this being the first year of production, the margin of error is zero. If GM does stay on par with the GT500 in production then it is definitely a poor decision to add additional hardware to the catalog. Having the 6L90 and the 6060 MG9 would double the cost and risk involved throughout developement and during production. GM knows better than anybody that over-production results in a smaller profit because they seen it first hand in 2010, so 10k ZL1's might be risky. They are also aware that offering all they have now leaves little or no room for exciting new releases, as they have used the convertible/ZL1 to do, so offering the 6L90 might be a bad idea. If you are not concerned about cost to the consumer, you can always purchase the Hydramatic 6L90 from GM Performance Parts and have it installed.