Open Letter from Al Oppenhieser to the Camaro Nation and Ford.

[davidcroft]

Al, I appreciate the letter!
Now on to Ford bashing time. I am a previous Ford Fan boy from the days of no Camaro....02-07. I have (now shamefully) owned 6 rustangs. Ford is definitely not on par with quality and reliability, and does NOT get involved with the real customer base like Chevy! I have now been selling Chevy's for 5 years and there aren't any more free demos. I pay my hard earned $$ on Monthly payments on my Camaro and couldn't be happier.

The 5 point slow has serious tranny issues and the NHTSA is doing an investigation. Ford hasn't said a word. Personally I think the GT500 claims are ridiculous.....200 MPH? I mean they throw that sh#t out there and try and scurry a half ass product to the market.

You can tell Ford is grasping at anything to slow down Camaro sales. Mark my words, the GT500 will not out handle the Zl1, it won't out brake the ZL1. The PTM is frickin awesome, and I am still shocked at how inexpensive the ZL1 is!

All you haters saying look at what Ford is saying they are coming out with...ooohhh that really Burned GM.....Ford is SCRAMBLING BIG TIME! The DOHC motors suck too! (Ive owned a few)
-Croft

[davidcroft]

Oh ya, where are the Nurburgring numbers from Ford? We did the Camaro SS, Cobalt SS, all of our Corvettes, and now the ZL1!

Side note, my 2009 Cobalt SS was faster than my $40,000 07 Shelby GT.

[Pappa Joe]

Originally Posted by HEMI DAVE

Yeah......they really got out of the way with the 392........

It's laughable if you think Dodge is not gonna come back with something even faster......

Sweet car BTW,Was going to buy one until the ZL-1 came out! Rumour has it that Dodge will be bringing out a Supercharged or twin turbo version of Challenger...Sweet! Although I'm buying a ZL-1 I have always thought the Challenger is the best looking of the big three!

[Houston94vert]

Originally Posted by 2012ZL1

How exactly are they back to the drawing board? Ford can't seem to draw a decent front or back to their Mustang, so It can have 1000 hp and its still ugly.
I value appearance as much as performance, and for me the ZL1 absolutely kills the mustang on appearance.

The mustang is of no concern to me, and it still won't be able to keep up around the corners even with the 70 extra ponies

A lot of your post is opinion. Which is fine, but in a debate its always debatable.

The big picture is that the zl1 is now out gunned. Which is awesome for everyone. That means competition is great for the consumer as we get to see what's next and things will only get better from both brands.


Good example. Look at the performance figures of the mustang gt before and now after the camaro has returned. Gt500 hasn't had a direct competitor since it was made. Finally gm stepped up and now ford has responded. It's just simply time for gm to respond again. I'm sure we all can't wait.

[Pappa Joe]

Originally Posted by hv92

but uhhh..

the mustang will weigh less... have shitload more hp..?

Ya, but the Camaro can transform into a giant robot! So there!

[Pappa Joe]

Originally Posted by NicolasKL

Personally I'd prefer to have the option to not have the added weight and expense of things you don't need. If you're never going to twisty track your car you really have no need for a diff cooler. Most of these cars (both GT500 and ZL1) are never going to see VIR, they're going to be street cars and some with occasional trips to the drag strip. Saving 6 or so grand and not paying for stuff you don't really need or care about seems like a pretty good idea to me.

Well then ,you do have the option to buy an SS! Or get the LS....You dont have to get the ZL1 with all those extras amigo!

[2010 SS RS]

Nice letter from Al Oppenhiemer. And ever so true. 493 rwhp will be a fun factory delivered car. I would not buy a 1000 hp mustang if it were at the same price as the Zl1. Why? Because they can only get 400 hp to the ground and even that feels like a Country Fair thrill ride with bad bolts. Wake up and understand which brand has dominated at the tracks since the late 60's

[Shurenuff]

Originally Posted by RLHMARINES

Just as ford went back to the drawing board after the camaro came back out in 2009 and chevy has been winning the sales crown ever since. Ford up's the GT engine and horsepower, why? Camaro, thats why. Ford changes the base v6, why? Camaro, see how this is going. Ford updates the styling on the mustang, why you ask? Camaro, again can you see the trend. Now, the ZL1 is announced and the blue oval knows it must again try thwart the still in second place mustang from loosing more sales before the next gen cars appear in 2015 or so from both ford and chevy. All this is due to like Big Al stated in his open letter because the Camaro has proven to be a worthy opponent, otherwise the mustang would still be soldiering on with the same equipment from 2009 with only a new bullit edition every couple of years to keep the sheep interested in the same ole car. Competition is grand.

This deserves two

[Black5thgen]

Originally Posted by shockandawe

Divde the community? Everybody makes up their own minds and everybody expresses their own opinions. Just because I disagree with most on this site about the greatness of the ZL1 doesn't mean I should be silenced.
In my driveway sits a 01 Impala, 06 Corvette, 07 Silverado, and my 10 SS Camaro. My three kids all drive GM products. I've been driving GM products since I was 18. I have bought them when they were built like crap and I have had my share of good ones. When everybody was screaming, let GM go bankrupt I ordered my Camaro. I kept the faith, I preached to my kids, buy GM.
Now your asking me to lay out 55k of my hard earned money for a car that appears to be 2nd in it's class. For this amount of money I don't want 2nd, it's gotta be 1st. It's gotta be the baddest ass pony car out there. If you guys have to go back to the drawing board so be it. Like I said, I'll wait for the comparisons. I don't need anybody on this site telling me I don't intend to buy the ZL1, make it the "BEST" and I'll order one in a heartbeat. If not, I'll just buy another GM product.......... because GM is in my blood.
At least we can agree to disagree.

I agree 100%

[Shurenuff]

Originally Posted by tooslow

They've already said they would not:

After making the rumor mill buzz by taking over the 2013 GT500 to the ring for testing, if Ford really said that they will not release times, that's a big ole red flag to me.

What's the purpose of doing that unless they didn't beat the ZL1's time? It's clear that Ford enjoys upstaging and one upping GM, so what other logical reason would there be for Ford keeping their numbers to themselves?

[Pappa Joe]

[QUOTE=shockandawe;4032405]Divde the community? Everybody makes up their own minds and everybody expresses their own opinions. Just because I disagree with most on this site about the greatness of the ZL1 doesn't mean I should be silenced.


Correct me if im wrong Shockandawe.I might be reading you wrong but probably not. It appears to me You bleed GM blue. I see you as a loyal G.M guy that is a bit miffed at G.M. You feel in your heart that G.M has the tech and knowledge to have made the ZL1 a little bit better,but didn't! Thats what has you a little upset at them,so close yet so far! With Ford now comming out with the GT500 numbers ,it adds fuel to that fire!
I do not feel that you have anything against the ZL1.It just frustrates you that maybe you feel it could of been better. How did I do?

['StangBlaster5000]

Originally Posted by kannon

Hey I tried Googling it first...no hits. But I guess it's easier to post the most ******-out emoticon on this site instead of answering a simple question.

Don't get upset my friend, just get used to it....:(
Whenever I see a "" as a complete comment, I just think to myself, "well, I guess Bozo couldn't think of anything better to say" and shrug it off.

[toilets]

Id love to hear from one of the engineers in GM or Fbodfather from a marketing/business standpoint and get their reaction to this news... Either people are being quiet for a reason (Ie got caught with their pants down) or they really have nothing to worry about in regards to Fords response to the Zl1.

[BiggFoot]

Originally Posted by Z4me

This will be my very first camaro, when I first saw these 5th gen camaro's on the roads. I said damn what was car I just saw me past me? I said to myself that's the style I want in my next car. I guess alot of America
felt the same way as me! GM has it out of the park
with the 5th gen camaro, and the mustang could learn
a few lessons from it. HP is nice but it's just one piece
of the puzzle in making a complete full package of a car.

The ZL1 is the total package, and I'm going to enjoy it every day I'm on the drivers seat cruising down the highway. Thank you to everyone associated with the production of the ZL1 a reality for many of us to enjoy.
In closing long live the pony wars, because with out them there's no motivation for the car manufactures to push there game to the next level!

A great post! My first camaro as well. Here's to the guys-n-gals of GM that brought the ZL1 from dream to reality!!

BTW, yes I am getting one! Order # PZKK1V