Camaro vs Mustang Brand

[Fenderaddict2]

Last year I was lucky enough to spend some time with the team behind the Mustang nameplate. I asked about some of the things the did with the current car and more curiously why they hadn't done others. The said that there job was a balancing act, honoring a legacy name plate while moving it forward. The Mustang demographic cuts across a wide demographic of sex, age , race and income. The one thing they all share is a fierce loyalty to the car. And this loyalty to the brand whether a current owner or not. This was evident when the Probe almost became the Mustang as the outcry far exceeded ownership numbers. So to its base it is a stylish mode of personal transportation easily personalized. To others it is a high performance coupe. The brand essence they said they needed to keep regardless of trim level was a wild a rough edge, suiting the name. The owner tames the car and makes it their own.

Makes me wonder if ZL1 isn't the perfect Camaro as I've heard the name referred to as friend, comrade. It seems that the ZL1 with its fancy suspension is just that, a friend adaptable to every owner and venue. Seems bang on to me.

But for those in the know, what is the official positioning of the Camaro brand? As an ad guy, and auto enthusiat this stuff interests me.

[880]

Never understood brand loyalty...but I bet the manufacturers love it.

[scrming]

Originally Posted by 880

Never understood brand loyalty...but I bet the manufacturers love it.

Agreed... cringe when I hear guys say they will only drive Brand X.. regardless.. But while I'm not brand loyal, there are some brands that I would never buy...

[jrc1122]

I've owned
1 Mercury
2 Chevys
3 Hyundais
3 Pontiacs
1 Toyota
3 Nissans
1 Hummer
4 Fords

I don't buy a brand just because of a name tag, but I do have certain name brands that I trust more than others, and like more than others. Over the past few years I have been thoroughly impressed with Ford Vehicles. We are currently an All Ford family right now.

2012 Ford Mustang GT
2010 Ford Flex Limited.

My next car could be a non-Ford I don't really know. I'll cross that bridge when we get there I suppose.

[Fenderaddict2]

I couldn't care less about blind brand loyalty, a brand will only get my loyalty is the consistently deliver on an inherent brand promise. I worry that thanks to the ZL1, that Ford may abandon the wild pony approach of the Mustang, in which case I may find myself drifting back to BMW. I wonder though, what exactly does the Camaro brand stand for. As a Ford fan I could be typically snide and say it stands for watching what Mustang does, then offering more for less, or it's simply for those who want a Mustang but would never buy a Ford, but based on loyalty shown here it stands for more... I just honestly don't know what it is though.

As for me, I've owned:
Mercury
Ford
Cadillac
Mazda
Chevy
Pontiac
BMW
Toyota
Honda
Nissan
and I'm sure one or two others I've forgotten. In any case of those, Mazda and BMW clearly deliver a consistent brand position regardless of the car you select. Stupidly, NA manufacturers, when they tried to copy the success of the BMW brand tried for family grills and the like. That has absolutely NOTHINg to do with what BMW as a brand delivers and just shows how clueless the Big THree are with regard to their product, and Customers. Luckily that have the Corvette, Mustang and Viper that have clearly defined brand values even if that is more happy accident than intention.

[Rangore]

I can't say I'm brand loyal. Between Mustang and Camaro I'm very Camaro loyal. I can respect the Mustang and I'm glad all of these cars exist and are different. My draw to the Camaro comes from buying my first car...a 1993 Camaro Z-28. Since then I've been a Camaro guy. Funny thing is...for a short time in my 20's I sold Ford's... I was pretty good at it too.

I've owned:
Chevy
Nissan
Toyota
Oldsmobile
Mitsubishi

[USARCPT]

Not brand loyal at all...I buy what I like (or what the family likes).

Had a Thunderbird, a Grand Am, an Eclipse, and a Camaro. Definitely having a hard time finding a recurring theme in that mix.

As long as people are jazzing the US economy right on along with purchases and such, then I'm pleased.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Fenderaddict2

Makes me wonder if ZL1 isn't the perfect Camaro as I've heard the name referred to as friend, comrade. It seems that the ZL1 with its fancy suspension is just that, a friend adaptable to every owner and venue.

The ZL1 is arguably the best all-around Camaro ever produced. Some might say the suspension tuning is still just a bit too conservative, but I guess you can nitpick most any car that's this close to being mass-market affordable. Compared model for model against the Mustang, I'm thinking the Camaro image is intended to be just a little higher on the technology and refinement scales. I think that's been the case to a greater or lesser extent ever since the late 1960's.


About 'brand loyalty' . . .

As far as I'm concerned, 'brand loyalty' hasn't driven my automotive purchases (which have been Ford, Chevy, Nissan, Mazda, Nissan again, Ford (Mustang), and finally Subaru). If anything, I'll call it 'me-loyalty', where the short list of possibilities has to satisfy certain performance targets, mechanical composition, and be something I can have confidence that I'll actively want to be driving six or more years out. Been right so far.

After that comes the other requirements, which have varied over the years as we, our children, and now their children have aged. Yeah, that probably puts me near the beginning of yet another forum birthday list (65 is fast approaching). But I mention it because my observation has been that it was my father's generation that was more into brand loyalty. My Dad bought nothing but Chrysler products (mainly Dodges) until his final car purchase (Nissan), my uncle was the GM/Chevy guy, a couple of friends' folks nearly always had Fords, etc.

About that 'mechanical composition' item and "me-loyalty"? . . . let's just say that cars not available with a manual transmission still don't make the cut either for myself or my wife. This has resulted in some purchases that might not have been expected if seen through the eyes of most others.


Norm

[101fng]

for me, it's not really brand loyalty that drives me to purchase a certain car. now, i do have 4 fords currently (in the process of selling a focus), but if i had $16k right now, there's a 06 goat down the street with my name on it. i think it's the mystique and history of a certain "pleasure" model that drives me to purchase it (well, that and horsepowerzzz+raunchy idle). that's what led me to the mustang, and that's what's drawing me to the goat. i only own 4 fords because of my familiarity with their engines and drivelines. if something goes wrong with my wife's focus, i know how to begin diagnosing and i know what to fix once it's diagnosed (no "found on road dead" jokes please, the only car that's left me stranded thus far is my 87 LX due to a shit battery). anyway, ya, i may be "brand loyal" to mustangs in that i'll always love them, but that doesn't mean i can't love another pony/muscle car. i'd give my left nut for an impulse blue metallic gto... but i won't trade my GT in on one. hell, i damn near bought a G8 GT instead of my GT, but i wouldn't change a thing (autos ftl).

[08-G35s/6MT]

I've owned 3 Jeep Cherokee XJ's, 1 mazda, and this is my first Infiniti.

[DanSS24]

I have a V8 RWD loyalty first, then brand loyalty. When Chevy failed to make a RWD V8 sedan that I can use for patrol use, I ended up buying a Charger R/T. I used a 1998 Camaro SS before, but since Camaro's return in 2010, my department did not approve them. I want a Camaro for patrol work so bad. It was hard to chase speeders and criminals with my stock R/T until I upgraded the suspension and motor.

[Agent orange]

Right now i think im a brand loyal. Cause for some reason GM is getting better on their design and quality. I have chevy and caddy right now.

[Chrisco22]

personally, had a chevy before this purchase. and i dont know about brand loyalty. My best friend , actually him AND my roommate have mustangs. the 4.6 v8 is nice (05 gt manual). we swap cars every now and then. its a fun ride, he has it cammed and slammed. fun ride. He, as well as my other friend who bought a brand new 08 v6 coupe have the same repeated interior problems. Radio buttons chipping off, interior just falling apart. Looks much older than it is. That was a huge turn off to the car. I really like the camaro. its seomthing that takes some getting used to to drive due to the size of it, but the stability at higher speeds i feel is superior to the mustang.

[vroomapunk]

Im not brand loyal really, ive owned

3 Camaros.

When I was 17, the 4th gen camaro (IMO) was cheap, really good looking, easy to mod, and there were a lot of used ones around. So I bought two 4th gens.

When I went to look for a new car as a 23 year old, again, the ONLY 2 cars that could fit what I wanted was the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger. I dont like the mustang looks, the challenger was too big (feel and looks wise), and the Camaro looked the best to me.

Obviously the stang and camaro perform great, so looks was the deciding factor. Thats just me.

As long as Chevy makes the only car that fits me on the road, Ill be buying it. And actually, the only car I could drive, after I get a little older, have more money, dont need a backseat, will be a Vette. Only because its the only car that fits me.

All other 2 seater cars are too tiny, too slow, dont look good, or are too expensive.