Gen5 Timeline

[garagelogic]

Is it just me or does it seem like it has taken forever to bring the Gen 5 Camaro from concept to production? Here is the timeline I was able to piece together, someone let me know if I am incorrect.

December 2004-GM's Warren Advanced Design Studio begin tinkering with the Gen5 idea.

March 2005-WADS received the GM's blessing to create a Camaro concept.

April 2005-The proportions of the Camaro were fixed and a friendly design competition ensued.

July 2005-Internal competition on the Gen5 design was ended and a concept design was chosen.

August 2005-Work began on building the concept Camaro.

January 2006-Concept Camaro is revealed.

August 2006-Production of the fifth-generation Camaro was approved.

March 2009-Production of the Gen5 Camaro begins.

If my information is correct, that means it took GM 39 months from the reveal of the concept to producing a production vehicle. Ford revealed the concept S197 Mustang on it's new platform in January 2003 and production of the actual vehicle began in September 2004, only 21 months later.

The reasons for this long, drawn-out production have been stated many, many times on here, so there is no reason to rehash the "we wanted to make sure we built the absolute best Camaro ever" defenses. Personally, I think GM coming so late to the pony-car game is only going to hurt them in the long-term. In fact, you better get your Camaro now, because I have a feeling they won't be around more than a model-year or two.

[2010 SS]

Oooooh snap.

[jordan 572]

just make sure you buy a gt 500 like him

[mitchell87]

Originally Posted by garagelogic

The reasons for this long, drawn-out production have been stated many, many times on here, so there is no reason to rehash the "we wanted to make sure we built the absolute best Camaro ever" defenses.

Then why did you start this thread?

[Tantalizer43]

Yeah, this could get ugly...

I will refrain other than stating that the S197 concept was designed with intent to build. There was already much more development completed by the time the concept mustang was unveiled.

The Camaro Concept was produced with "concept intent" only. Thus when it was decided and announced it would see production, there was alot more work to do.

[Camaro Lives On]

I am going to hide in the bomb shelt (off topic: as of late, we need a bomb shelter smiley, btw ), someone call me and tell me when this is over. Just messin'

[a6pk2go]

I'm just happy it is right around the corner and it will look like my old "69's". That is what I'm happy about.

[garagelogic]

Oh, trust me, I'm happy about it, too. I'm ready to see, drive and own one of them as much as anyone else on this site. I'm just afraid the "new" has already worn off this car and the first production model is not even on the street yet.

In the end it doesn't matter to me, because I buy cars based on my own desires and not what someone else is going to think about my choice, but I would have prefered to have seen the Camaro available for sale a year ago versus what we are having to deal with today, economically/politically speaking. Thse two factors are going to do more to affect the sales of any performance car, not just the Camaro.

[Mr. Wyndham]

They were not 'late' in any sense of the word with this car given the hoops they had to jump through. As far as I can tell, the time line is correct...but do some research on the St. Therese assembly plant...and some production 'promises' that were made, and demanded to be kept in the early 2000s. It became very hard to build a Camaro after they were cancelled, let alone speak of one....

In any event, they started engineering the thing in August of 06. NO production engineering was done prior to this...NONE. The Concept car was even riding on a modified CTS chassis, and it couldn't go over 40mph...So it took all in all ~30 (2.5yrs) months to build a car out of nothing. It usually takes 3 to do that. And if you'll notice -- the car exceeds the competition in nearly every way imaginable, meaning everyone will have to catch up...It's not late to this game...it's starting the next one.

[mitchell87]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

It's not late to this game...it's starting the next one.

Nicely put

[garagelogic]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

And if you'll notice -- the car exceeds the competition in nearly every way imaginable, meaning everyone will have to catch up...It's not late to this game...it's starting the next one.

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. I can roll into a Superbowl party tomorrow sporting four kegs of beer, free wings for eveyone and a 150" plama TV, but if I get there at 10pm, what's the point?

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 seems a whole lot of time and money has been put into the car in that 2.5 years and the return-on-investment 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. I was not questioning the quality or performance of the car at all.

[Muscle Master]

Originally Posted by garagelogic

Is it just me or does it seem like it has taken forever to bring the Gen 5 Camaro from concept to production? Here is the timeline I was able to piece together, someone let me know if I am incorrect.

December 2004-GM's Warren Advanced Design Studio begin tinkering with the Gen5 idea.

March 2005-WADS received the GM's blessing to create a Camaro concept.

April 2005-The proportions of the Camaro were fixed and a friendly design competition ensued.

July 2005-Internal competition on the Gen5 design was ended and a concept design was chosen.

August 2005-Work began on building the concept Camaro.

January 2006-Concept Camaro is revealed.

August 2006-Production of the fifth-generation Camaro was approved.

March 2009-Production of the Gen5 Camaro begins.

If my information is correct, that means it took GM 39 months from the reveal of the concept to producing a production vehicle. Ford revealed the concept S197 Mustang on it's new platform in January 2003 and production of the actual vehicle began in September 2004, only 21 months later.

The reasons for this long, drawn-out production have been stated many, many times on here, so there is no reason to rehash the "we wanted to make sure we built the absolute best Camaro ever" defenses. Personally, I think GM coming so late to the pony-car game is only going to hurt them in the long-term. In fact, you better get your Camaro now, because I have a feeling they won't be around more than a model-year or two.

He has very valid point

[Number 3]

Well first you are making a giant leap in assuming that the Ford Mustang concept and the Camaro were somehow shown to the public at an auto show at EXACTLY the same time in their development cycles. The only comparison you can make is the timing from when the program was approved, not when you saw it at an auto show.

Second, 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.

You can not compare these two timelines. Apples and Oranges.

[FirstLSK]