GM announces the 2009 Camaro

[Keith Tedford]

GM Oshawa has a big, new paint shop and the union gave up major concessions this past spring. I'd be surprised if Oshawa doesn't get the car. Flex manufacturing is coming. Not many of us are entirely clear in what it entails, but it is bound to be GOOD for GM. They are already hiring contract production workers at $27 an hour and few benefits from what I understand. File one grievance and no renewal of the contract seems likely. Very convenient for the company and the union. Pay your dues and be very very quiet. There are a lot of other changes going on here as well such as outsourcing the 400 or so cleaner attendants and sweepers jobs.
I think that the ricer boys like retro as well as we do. Drive by them in a parking lot and watch the rubber necking. Our old car do attract the attention. The new Camaro, as announced last spring, misses the mark. Not enough retro and too limited a market. A Chevelle would have had more practical passemger seating space, for those who wanted practical. Found that out when I had my '68 Firebird. The Chevelle far outsold the Camaro in the old days, so there are a lot of people who might just buy one again for old times sake. All GM lines had an "A" body car so they could once again have a Buick GS, Pontiac GTO, and Chevelle SS. As it stands, Buick is left out in the cold. In the musclecar era, the "A" body cars changed every 2-3 years giving the retro people more of a variety to choose from. They would have '66-'67, '68-'69, and then '70-'72.The Camaro basically had the '67-'69 first generation and then the second generation to choose from, limiting the retro variety that GM will have to work with. Lastly, why would GM want to compete directly with Ford for the same market. A Chevelle would still be retro but appeal to a slightly different group with enough overlap that they wouldn't miss the mark even if the Chevelle didn't turn out the be as popular as a Camaro would have been. Then again I do have some Chevelle tendencies and am slightly biased.

[Jeff H]

It's coming out a little later than I thought it would. As for the looks of the car, I personally don't care that much for the retro thing, it gives you nowhere to go in the future. Will the new Mustang turn into the new Mustang II in 2-3 years. If so, that would be perfect for GM since nobody will want that Mustang and a new Camaro will be showing up. If you want a car that looks like something older, go buy the older car and put the modern stuff in it yourself. 75% of the new Mustangs on the road in my area are 6 cyl cars so there's nothing exciting about that. I'd take an LS2 or LS7 Camaro over a 6 cyl retro Mustang any day. The new Challenger will be stuck in the same place as the new Mustang, where do you go next with the design?

[CamarosRus]

I am thinking a small percenatge of "old school" Camaro enthusiasts (i.e. 1 & 2nd Gen anyway) will actually, go out and buy a new Camaro. Just because its new and has the CAMARO name, isnt enough for me to spend ?$?$?$.
I'm certain that the deep pocket crowd, will buy the LS2 or LS7 version IF and when that ever gets built, how many more years into the future. G.M. cant be expected to stay in business or profit on the "few" LS7 Camaros it might make.
It will probably take the younger crowd to go out and buy these new Camaros to turn any sales numbers.
I sure hope these design and marketing guru's have there act together........

[Late BrakeU2]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FIRST-08-...1QQcmdZViewItem

Be the envy of all the other kids your block,only 25k over and a short wait till the end of the decade! Hmmm..how many Challengers can they sell in two years

As Harry Caray used to state so eloquently when opposing teams hit em where they weren't-

"ball drops,run scores."

[70CitrusZ]

The retro thing is old news and I don't think it will fly for the Camaro.
If GM does their normal thing it will be too expensive, too heavy and too late.
The show car isn't crisp enough, its too blocky and the grille looks stupid in my opinion.
They need to make it light, fast, sharp and with enough owner choosable options to make each one unique.

[rubbinisracing]

Theres no future in building a car that a bunch of 40 year old white guys like. The mustang is due for restyling in 08 and is moving away from the retro look. my hope is that they get the average 16-25 old to buy one and keep the build quality and cool factor high so that they can keep customers for life and keep the lineage going. We need strong manufacturing companies in this country so the profits don't go overseas. Our muscle cars heritage will be gone otherwise.

Anyone on this board collecting Kaiser, Hupmobile or Hudson?

[Steve Shauger]

I really like the new Camaro. If you want great all around performance and new technology in a 69 camaro build a resto mod or pro-touring car, or have someone build it for you. The NEW camaro does have some historical roots but it's a new beginning and will sink or swim on it's own merit.

[king_midas]

This car reminds me of the phrase "you can't go home again." The problem really is that there are many sedans in the range that the Camaro needs to be priced at that will perform at 9/10 of it's capability RIGHT NOW. Seeing the numbers on the new 335i (twin turbo) BMW, the Camaro may even be outperformed, because by 2009, the other manufacturers will up the ante to try to catch it. Also, GM says it will be like the concept, but when has that ever happened? There's still time to completely ruin what's there by tacking on spoilers and doo-dads, and what's there isn't exactly the sweetest package I've ever seen anyway...

Look at the catastrophic failure that is/was the GTO. Even with a bona-fide world-beater that is equipped with a high-tech suspension and hot-rod heart, they can't give those things away (ok, that's an exaggeration, but...). I took my wife to look at the GTO in 2004, and she was about as interested in it as going to the dentist. What does that tell you? It tells me that buyers are more sophisticated than GM gives them credit for being-- That cars can no longer be one-dimensional, and that having 400 hp doesn't allow you to take a bunch of poorly-executed shortcuts.

Aaah, GM... Guess what-- It's no longer 1970. Maybe GM should change the corporate name to Rip Van Winkle?

[Canucklehead]

I wonder if the interest is in the car it self (if any other name would it still have this much attention), or is it that they're resurecting the "Camaro" name?. Personally i think it's the fact that the Camaro is coming back, i could do without the car, i think by the time it comes out the hype will be over and the car will be a disapointment.

[Donutblue]

Personally, I like the new Camaro however, It's my opinion that GM could have done more with it. IMO Keith is on target with plans for the Oshawa plant and hopefully GM will use this platform to bring back a retro Chevelle or other retro Chevy muscle. I believe that GM's "alway's late" problem stems from to many exec's and CEO's paying more attention to their paydays then they are to the competition. It's obvious GM does not particpate in corporate spying. Time to wake up with the sunrise GM, don't wait for the stars to come out.