New Camaro

[spartan0199]

By JOE GUY COLLIER

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER




General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner stands with the award-winning Camaro concept car while announcing that GM will build an all-new production version of the Chevrolet Camaro in Traverse City on Thursday. (JOHN MARTI/AFP photo/Ho/GM)
General Motors Corp. officially announced Thursday morning at its tech center in Warren that it will be bringing the Chevrolet Camaro to market in early 2009.

The Camaro revives a two-door muscle car born in 1966 and canceled in 2002. The new Camaro will offer both a V6 and V8 engine.

The direct competitor will be the Ford Mustang. The Chrysler Group also is reviving its own muscle car, the Dodge Challenger, for 2008.

GM officials would not provide pricing information, but the Camaro will carry the Chevy philosophy of being the best value in its segment, said Chevy general manager Ed Peper.

The new Camaro should hit what GM sees is a growing segment for affordable sports cars, Peper said. He expects the Camaro to appeal to both baby-boomers who remembered the original Camaro and young buyers who weren’t around for the muscle-car era of the 1960s and 70s.

“This is one of our proudest days in Chevrolet and GM’s history,” Peper told a crowd of GM employees and Camaro enthusiasts gathered for Thursday’s event in Warren. “We’re once again going to build the muscle car that dominated the streets of America and the hearts of faithful enthusiasts everywhere.”

[lvemy3100]

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=35491

[gaowners32]

That mailbu ss doesnt look bad either

[caraudiodave]

malibu ss is old news. its just a G6 GTP with a malibu body.

i might get on the waiting list for the new camaro. thats about when ill be in the market for a sports car.

[MSJHWT]

I can't wait....this car will be mine!

[Mike Jung]

Camaro to roar back on scene in 2009
GM to bring back legendary coupe

Oshawa in running to build new model
Aug. 11, 2006. 01:00 AM
TONY VAN ALPHEN
BUSINESS REPORTER


The buzz has turned into a roar for the legendary Chevrolet Camaro but some analysts are already wondering whether the growling will wind down to a whimper when the legendary muscle sports car finally arrives in showrooms.

Rick Wagoner, chief executive for General Motors Corp., announced yesterday the struggling auto maker will start selling the Camaro coupe again in early 2009 after a seven-year absence.

The move follows big buzz at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January for the Camaro concept.

However, analysts said, among other things, the model could be coming to the muscle car party too late to make any lasting noise in a shifting marketplace.

"There is some serious downside," said auto watcher Dennis DesRosiers.

Wagoner didn't disclose where GM will build the Camaro but its pending flexible manufacturing complex in Oshawa and a sports car plant in Wilmington, Del., are the leading candidates.

Analysts argue it will be difficult for GM because rivals already have a good head start in the small muscle car segment; low and high-end roadsters are cutting into the niche; expensive insurance dampens interest and fuel prices show no sign of easing for the traditional gas guzzlers.


The success of the Ford Mustang in recent years renewed interest by rivals but, DesRosiers said, the number of models will make it tougher to make money.

Mustang sales in Canada and the U.S. topped 170,000 last year. Seeing the potential, DaimlerChrysler reincarnated the Dodge Charger and is bringing back the Challenger in 2008.

Meanwhile, numerous companies from DaimlerChrysler to BMW have introduced roadsters to their lineups in recent years. Those vehicles cater to the particular needs and desires of consumers who might have also considered a muscle car in the past, according to analysts.

In GM's case, the company can't keep up with demand for the Pontiac Solstice sports car. It also produces the popular Saturn Sky. Auto watchers say the Camaro's return will result in some "cannibalization" within the GM lineup of sports cars.

Consumers have also shifted to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles because of record gasoline prices in the U.S. and Canada. That continues to reduce the potential for muscle cars, according to analysts.

"Oil prices will likely stay in the $65 (U.S.) a barrel range for the next year or so," said Carlos Gomes, senior economist and auto industry specialist at Scotiabank. "I think it will be somewhat of a head wind for the muscle car segment."

But those factors are not deterring GM. It says the 2009 Camaro version will not only appeal to fans from a generation ago but women and younger drivers.

The car features V-6 or V-8 front engines with up to 400 horsepower, independent rear suspension, manual or automatic transmission and some of the same distinct Camaro styling cues from a generation ago including long hood, short deck and wide stance.

Wagoner said the Camaro, which went out of production in 2002 after a 35-year run, generated an overwhelming positive response with the showing in Detroit and reminded him of the "iconic place our products can have in customers' hearts."

"Camaro is much more than a car," he said. "It symbolizes America's spirit and its love affair with the automobile."

Insiders say the Camaro could be a "halo car" that would help attract customers to other GM models and boost overall sales.

"In that way, it could be very significant for GM," said DesRosiers.

He said sales of the Camaro should easily surpass 100,000 annually in the first two years but the model needs to maintain that level in subsequent years to justify the investment.

DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, said critics question whether it would have made more business sense for GM to invest in big volume models than a niche product like the Camaro, regardless of its halo potential.

GM has not announced the names of the models for the manufacturing complex in Oshawa later this decade.

Insiders say the complex will likely build two or three high volume rear-wheel drive, mid-size models and possibly the Camaro.

GM built the aging Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird sports car at its Ste. Thérèse, Que. assembly plant, but closed the operation in August 2002 because of declining sales.

I wonder ?

If they will do a Pontiac Firebird & Trans AM version.

A Pontiac "Firehawk " by SLP sounds nice

[nascarnate326]

Originally Posted by Mike Jung

I wonder ?

If they will do a Pontiac Firebird & Trans AM version.

A Pontiac "Firehawk " by SLP sounds nice

Lord I hope not. Thats all pontaic needs, yet another rebadged car. Now if they bring it back based off of a Holden car, that mite be ok.

Make the cars different

[Mike Jung]

Originally Posted by nascarnate326

Lord I hope not. Thats all pontaic needs, yet another rebadged car. Now if they bring it back based off of a Holden car, that mite be ok.

Make the cars different

You didn't think the Pontiac Firehawk was different enough from a Camaro SS by SLP ?

& it (the Firehawk) had more HP

[nascarnate326]

Ive never been a firebird fan. never been a pontiac fan besides the GTO *new and old*

Seems like a failing brand to me. Though the GA was fun.

[MSJHWT]

You can not tell me that the past gen Camaro looked better than the past gen Firebird, or that the firebird was a "rebadged" Camaro. Granted it was all body-molding/cladding that differentiated the two cars, I'll pick a last gen Firebird every day of the week over a last gen Camaro.

[GregFarz78]

This new body style looks really good I only hope 2 things are true about this car

1. the ss version can be priced under 35k
2. they worked out all the awful body creaks and build quality issues of the previous models

It should sell well if they dont price themsevles out of the competition

[MSJHWT]

I'd personally like to see the top of the line model no more than 30k, you start getting 35k+....might as well look to the vette...can be had at 48k.

[caraudiodave]

Originally Posted by MSJHWT

I'd personally like to see the top of the line model no more than 30k, you start getting 35k+....might as well look to the vette...can be had at 48k.

35K and 48K are entirely different markets still. i could see an SS camaro go for nearly 40k...only if the new 'maro stirs enough interest. these days chevy couldnt sell anything for over 35k (except the vette).

[Pipelayaz]

I thought the new Camaro and GTO will both be based off of the Zeta platform together?

As for them making a new Firebird hey I support them 100%. As long as they wait for the success of the Camaro to take hold. But I seriously doubt they ever will. And if they do and make another Firehawk. Hire someone else other than SLP.

[BigTaters]

Originally Posted by MSJHWT

I'd personally like to see the top of the line model no more than 30k, you start getting 35k+....might as well look to the vette...can be had at 48k.

the thing is though back in around 2002 ish right before they killed off the camaro and ta i cant remember what division it was said(and proved it by road tests) that the camaro/trans am would actually out perform the vette back then if it had the corvette engine/tranny etc.. They never put the big engine in the priduction F bodies for that exact reason because GM would never want anything to rival their beloved vette but this company that ran the tests did and couldnt believe the results.. they actually had a top 20 performance comparison on tv and said the transam was dollar for dollar the best sports car you could buy and the vette was 2nd or 3rd i think..

now though the new vette is awesome but the talks of an SS camaro with 450-500 hp is just plain scary as well.. might be some competition for the vetter afterall who kbows

[Metallman56]

so who is going to be the first to admit they were wrong?

Camaro?

[Ajaxus]

ahahaha, metallman ftw

[coupe]

Originally Posted by Metallman56

so who is going to be the first to admit they were wrong?

Camaro?

metallman56, you have earned the all mighty *I TOLD YOU SO YOU F-ING A-HOLES!!!!*.

[Metallman56]

thank you Coupe. when i read the news this morning, i couldnt wait to find that thread. but i'm serious, who is going to be the first to admit it? atleast then i might still have some respect for who ever does.

[MSJHWT]

Well, they were right about it not coming out in 2006, which was your question haha