Gen5 Timeline

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by garagelogic

True, but it could very well be a one or two year wonder just as easily. You would have to agree that market conditions in 2009 are not ideal for rolling out a high performance, niche vehicle. That's what I mean by coming late to the party.

Absolutely not. By the same token, why not cancel the challenger? It just came out too, and it fails at everything but visual appeal, right?

The Camaro is on a shared platform (albeit modified slightly) spreading costs, and making it easier to turn a profit. On the flip side, you don't cancel a car two years into it's life. The GTO was unique in that it was a "free" car for GM-NA. It makes absolutely no business sense whatsoever.

The Camaro IS, by far and without question, the most anticipated car in the past decade, maybe longer. You don't think it's going to pull people into dealerships? Please...It won't 'save' them, but this car is more valuable to GM than mere sales. They're not going to cancel it anytime soon. Unfortunately, the Corvette is too expensive and inpractical to most people; appealing to a very finite audience...the Camaro the opposite, and will serve Chevrolet's new attention-grabbing Halo car.

Originally Posted by garagelogic

Also, you can spare me the histronics, because I am very aware of all the issues that led to the f-bodies demise and all that went on after the decision to cease Camaro/Firebird production in the early 2000's.

It was certainly worth mentioning seeing as how you didn't, because that played a huge role in why the car was not here sooner....

Originally Posted by garagelogic

It seems a whole lot of time and money has been put into the car in that 2.5 years and the return-on-investement is going to be very, very poor, if there is any ROI at all, if the car is only viable for a couple of years.

Sure, it makes us musclecar enthusiasts, and the Camaro fanatics happy, but has it been a good business decision for GM? That was the real question behind the concept to production question I initially raised.

Where are you getting this from? You, (nor I) were on the Camaro team when these details were discussed...There's no basis, fact, or even rumor that could lead you to state such things, begging the question: what's the purpose in even bringing this up?...I smell an ulterior motive at work, frankly....

Originally Posted by Muscle Master

He has very valid point

No...no he doesn't.

[b4z]

Typical idea to production is 4 years.

Using the OP's timeline it is 5 years or a little less.

EDIT: Actually 12/04 to 3/09 is 4yrs. 4 mos.

So the Camaro has taken a year longer and 3 years and 2 months of that has been totally transparent if you start at NAIAS in January 2006.



Unfair to use the Mustang as it was an existing car that was overdue, and I mean loooong overdue for not just another refresh but a complete new design.

So when we saw the concept Mustang they had probably already designed the exterior of the production car and just modified it to look like a concept for the Autoshow. The reason for the Mustang concept at the Autoshow was too build interest in a "NEW" Mustang, much in the same way GM built interest in a new Camaro.

Lastly, the 5th gen Camaro is just a better car than the Mustang. It's going to be a little more expensive but every area from structure to handling the Camaro is a better car.

Ford will probably still sell more Mustangs solely because they are at a more accessible price point, doesn't make it a better car or make the Camaro a failure. The Mustang is just cheaper to produce and buy.

[b4z]

Market conditions weren't great for the '82 Camaro and Firebird either when they were rolled out. We were in a significant recession.
But those cars sold faster than they could be made and had markups and long waiting lines.

[stovt001]

There's another angle to the time gap between concept reveal and production - perhaps they put the concept out sooner than they would otherwise like. Dodge revealed the Challenger concept at the same time, and it would come to market sooner since it was little more than a coupe body on a Charger. If GM delayed revealing the concept until later, they would have been very late to the initial game. Their hand may have been forced early.

[paulv7260]

Originally Posted by FirstLSK

Gotta love it!

[Nexus6]

i think people are failing to realize that there are two different types of "concept" cars.some are already engineered with intent to be production cars.Some are just concept to see how the market would react to such a vehicle,and if the demand is great ,at that point,they can decide to put plans into engineering it.The Camaro was the latter.It was purely to see how people would react to it,there was no intent to build one.The response was so great that at that point people internally starting using that demand to lobby the GM brass to start engineering it.

[Muscle Master]

when I said he had a point, I meant that a three muscle cars are in jeopardy because the gov. wants to go green.... believe I want all three to be around for the next decade....shit maybe 15 but I don't see that happening

[garagelogic]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Absolutely not. By the same token, why not cancel the challenger? It just came out too, and it fails at everything but visual appeal, right?

No, I think if you ask any of the people who have actually purchased one versus those who simply throw our "numbers" the buyers are quite happy with their car. And they have been available since last year.

The Camaro IS, by far and without question, the most anticipated GM car in the past decade, maybe longer. You don't think it's going to pull people into dealerships? Please...It won't 'save' them, but this car is more valuable to GM than mere sales.

Fixed that for you.

They're not going to cancel it anytime soon. Unfortunately, the Corvette is too expensive and inpractical to most people; appealing to a very finite audience...the Camaro the opposite, and will serve Chevrolet's new attention-grabbing Halo car.

Time will tell.

what's the purpose in even bringing this up?...I smell an ulterior motive at work, frankly....

Really, and what might that be?

No...no he doesn't.

Sorry, you don't get to answer for everyone on this board.

Originally Posted by Number 3

...the Camaro is a new architecture. There was no coupe before it to base it on. The Mustang is basically the same underbody, powertrain and suspension it has been for some time. Much easier to do and much faster to do.

The DEW/S197 was a whole new architechture for the Mustang, as well. Do some research before you spout off.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by garagelogic

I'm just afraid the "new" has already worn off this car and the first production model is not even on the street yet.

This comment may (and I do mean may) be true for some enthusiasts but for everyone else it's not true. Don't forget that the majority of the people who will buy this car, don't even know it's coming right now. When they see it for the first time will be on the lot or in a commercial.
"The new waering off before it hit's the street" fo ra few enthusiasts will have NO bearing on how well this car sells.

Sounds like someone is really getting impatient. Calm down, we understand, we are all on pins and needles.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by garagelogic

Really, and what might that be?

There are a select few members around here that for the past month or so have posted nothing but reasons why the Camaro will fail, have trouble, or otherwise NOT be what we're expecting. I don't have a volatile temper, thankfully...but this follows that trend, and I'm getting exceedingly sick of it.


And I wasn't answering for anybody, btw. It's called a rebuttal. You don't have a good point. That's as plain as the fingers I'm typing with.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

There are a select few members around here that for the past month or so have posted nothing but reasons why the Camaro will fail, have trouble, or otherwise NOT be what we're expecting. I don't have a volatile temper, thankfully...but this follows that trend, and I'm getting exceedingly sick of it.


And I wasn't answering for anybody. You don't have a good point. That's as plain as the fingers I'm typing with.

This is nothing but impatience as Feb 16th (black Monday lol) rolls around. Probably will get worse for a month or two.

[kylepo]

mustangs better camaros better mustang was to market quicker camaro was quicker dont you people ever get sick of these threads.

[KILLER74Z28]

Originally Posted by garagelogic

The DEW/S197 was a whole new architechture for the Mustang, as well. Do some research before you spout off.

Not true; DEW/S197 shared its platform with the Lincoln LS and Thunderbird.

If you want to be a “Negative Nancy” I suggest you go elsewhere.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by KILLER74Z28

Not true; DEW/S197 shared its platform with the Lincoln LS and Thunderbird.

If you want to be a “Negative Nancy” I suggest you go elsewhere.

This is my understanding too.