Article: Why the New Camaro will Fail

[MBentz]

Originally posted by: MasterAndCommander
Why the New Camaro Will Fail
By Eric Peters
Published 6/20/2006 12:07:16 AM

But the revived GTO died quickly and quietly -- despite heroic horsepower numbers and better performance than any classic-era GTO ever delivered. Some of us saw it coming from the get-go.

Congratulations smart guy, you saw what GM told EVERYONE from the GET GO.

 

[LikeLinus]

I just never cared for the mid 90's Z28. I've driven quite a few and was never happy with the interior or ride quality. My wifes dad had a 96 Z28 for a toy and it sucked. My wife and I owned a 96 Mustang Boss and it was such a superior car in ever aspect. Admitted it had more HP than the Z, but the interior and ride were much better.

Camaros just always seemed very cheap to me since the 80's. Nothing impressive at all.

 

[Chadder007]

This quote makes him sound like an idiot though...
""But the thing that will drive a stake through the new Camaro's hood, deep into its small-block heart, is the polarizing, hyper-macho cod piece styling.""
People want something that looks mean and has a manly styling too it. That is why the GTO failed.

 

[secretanchitman]

its stupid. they killed off the camaro and now they are bringing it back? it kinda reminds me of IE6 and firefox. IE6 sat there for years while firefox and other browsers were taking over. msft decided not to wait any longer and now they have IE7 to compete with.

oh well. competition has to be there somewhere...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: Stumps
ummm this might be a silly question but as an aussie we don't get to many yank cars out our way.

Why did the Camaro and Firebird fail during the 90's? I always thought they were nice looking cars(especially the firebird) I must admit that while I'm a huge ford fan(Long live the mighty Falcon...may you continue to outsell the competition) I would have bought either of the GM cars.

Image.

I'd say most car buyers, when they make up the list of cars that they want to go look at and consider, thier list is with the image they want to convey. The Camaros and Firebirds whooped on the Mustangs on the '90s perfomance wise. But they had a boy racer image (that the WRX and EVO will have to contend with in about... five years).

Why buy an Escalade instead of a Tahoe? Image.
Why buy a Mercedes RL series instead of a Chrysler Pacifica? Image.
Why buy a $360,000 Lamborghini at all? Image.

Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura only exist at all because the image that Toyota, Honda, and Nissan had in the US wasn't luxury. So they created new nameplates that could convey that image without hucking thier money making economy images. I doubt BMW and MB would ever bring thier low end lines to the US just for the sole reason that it would impede on thier high end image.

A few cars that survive(d) on image alone:
Plymouth Prowler.
Ferrari's 308/348 line.
Mini Cooper
90% of the SUVs currently made (that includes you, Hummer H2 and H3!)

 

[KentState]

Originally posted by: LikeLinus
I just never cared for the mid 90's Z28. I've driven quite a few and was never happy with the interior or ride quality. My wifes dad had a 96 Z28 for a toy and it sucked. My wife and I owned a 96 Mustang Boss and it was such a superior car in ever aspect. Admitted it had more HP than the Z, but the interior and ride were much better.

Camaros just always seemed very cheap to me since the 80's. Nothing impressive at all.

The Camaros did feel cheap up until the end. I think people wanted more from them and eventually they weren't selling quick enough. On the otherhand, I test drove a Mach 1 a couple years ago and thought it also felt cheap to the point where I decided to not even buy one. I guess there is just something about the Mustang that made people want them.

 

[ElFenix]

ford's V8s also sound better than GM's V8s.


and of course women are buying mustang GTs... they're the only ones that can afford the insurance


and i think the new camaro concept is ugly.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: KentState

Originally posted by: LikeLinus
I just never cared for the mid 90's Z28. I've driven quite a few and was never happy with the interior or ride quality. My wifes dad had a 96 Z28 for a toy and it sucked. My wife and I owned a 96 Mustang Boss and it was such a superior car in ever aspect. Admitted it had more HP than the Z, but the interior and ride were much better.

Camaros just always seemed very cheap to me since the 80's. Nothing impressive at all.

The Camaros did feel cheap up until the end. I think people wanted more from them and eventually they weren't selling quick enough. On the otherhand, I test drove a Mach 1 a couple years ago and thought it also felt cheap to the point where I decided to not even buy one. I guess there is just something about the Mustang that made people want them.

My buddy had an 84 & 93 Camaro, and I test drove two early 2000 models of a Mustang GT & Camaro Z28. On the 2000 models, the quality seemed pretty similar, but the Camaro handled much better and had better power (both automatics unfortunately). The 84 & 93 Camaro had really bad interiors, but you get what you pay for with those. I really like the 90-92 Camaro body style personally, but if I ever bought one to fix up I would have a custom interior put in; but by that point I'd just get a different car

Anyway, Chevy does need to step up the interior quality a bit. GTO-level would be nice, that was decent for a GM and should be very competitive with the Mustang.

 

[Shame]

Originally posted by: AdamK47 3DS

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
meh, the camaro was always gay. trying too hard to be macho...just tacky and low class.

Mullet

Ahh, the Camaro mullet...

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: AdamK47 3DS

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
meh, the camaro was always gay. trying too hard to be macho...just tacky and low class.

Mullet

bingo, mullet+ wifebeater= camaro driver

so far the only retro car that just works is the mustang, its just good looking. yammering about the engine power is just pointless when the car evokes disgust in every other way u see..

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Chadder007
This quote makes him sound like an idiot though...
""But the thing that will drive a stake through the new Camaro's hood, deep into its small-block heart, is the polarizing, hyper-macho cod piece styling.""
People want something that looks mean and has a manly styling too it. That is why the GTO failed.

u mean..like the charger?

 

[SampSon]

The new Camaro will fail but GM will lose even more money to keep it in production.
Decent engine, absolutely HORRIBLE styling.

 

[Goosemaster]

interesting article

 

[bozack]

I gotta say I somewhat agree with the article, between gas prices and a style that doesn't appeal to everyone. Oh well looks good to me.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Well the gas mileage is one spot the article was off on. The old camaro did 19/28 with a 6 speed. I doubt the new one will do much worse and if they can include cylinder deactivation 30+mpg highway would be possible.

 

[spike spiegal]

ummm this might be a silly question but as an aussie we don't get to many yank cars out our way.

I though all you mates drove those MFP 'Interceptors' ala Mad Max?

 

[spike spiegal]

The current Mustang is not crude at all. A very refined very comfortaable very FAST low dollar sports car

BS. The Ford Mustang is like a Russian Mig 25 - stick any big powerplant in big lump of steel and it will go fast. I could take a new Muustang with my old man's new Accord if the road wasn't perfectly straight. The 'Stang drives like crap, it's FUGLY, has the road visibility of a Chinese tank, ziltch resale, poor reliability, and is another example of the American Auto industry with it's head in the sand.

Bring back a version of the 59' Corvette or something cool.

 

[spike spiegal]

Now every single Mustang even stock beat the stuffinfs out of all the GMs I've ever had

Question: when a 18yr old kid goes by your 3,000lb gas guzzling resale from hell piece of junk in his 600cc crotch rocket like you're standing still, do you still have the bigger Penis?

Straight line acceleration is for bowling balls dropped from airplanes, not cars. If I wanted all that torque, I'd make a light car and put a lot of batteries in it........

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: spike spiegal

The current Mustang is not crude at all. A very refined very comfortaable very FAST low dollar sports car

BS. The Ford Mustang is like a Russian Mig 25 - stick any big powerplant in big lump of steel and it will go fast. I could take a new Muustang with my old man's new Accord if the road wasn't perfectly straight. The 'Stang drives like crap, it's FUGLY, has the road visibility of a Chinese tank, ziltch resale, poor reliability, and is another example of the American Auto industry with it's head in the sand.

lol you're an idiot

 

[Stumps]

Originally posted by: spike spiegal

ummm this might be a silly question but as an aussie we don't get to many yank cars out our way.

I though all you mates drove those MFP 'Interceptors' ala Mad Max?

I wish

Those old Falcons/Fairmonts (XA-XB-XC) are becoming extremely rare...I just sold my 5.8Litre 1978 XC Falcon not that long ago, it was a beautiful car to drive...just a pity about the fuel bill

 

[d33pt]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: Pocatello

Originally posted by: Scouzer

Originally posted by: Stumps
ummm this might be a silly question but as an aussie we don't get to many yank cars out our way.

Why did the Camaro and Firebird fail during the 90's? I always thought they were nice looking cars(especially the firebird) I must admit that while I'm a huge ford fan(Long live the mighty Falcon...may you continue to outsell the competition) I would have bought either of the GM cars.

Too crude.

The current Mustang is crude too, hasn't it always been? But it's selling well. The GTO didn't sell well because it didn't have the look of a muscle car and it was too expensive. I do think that he has a point about the number of muscle car buyers are small. Muscle cars with big V-8 are for enthusiasts and GM should recognize that, just like convertibles like the Miata or the Solstice. The Camaro can be successful as long as GM can keep people interested, keep the price down, and don't overproduce, which leads to the perception that the car is no longer desirable and has to be sold with 0% interest or other gimmicks.

The current Mustang is not crude at all. A very refined very comfortaable very FAST low dollar sports car... that the aftermarket has already embraced yet again.. as well as Fords performance divsion as well...
300HP is just a base line number before all the CHEAP things that even girl mustang owners do to thier cars.. 500 streetable Horsepower for only another 3-5k (whipplecharger and exhaust) is nothing to balk at..
Chevy has NEVER gotten this right... The Camaro has never dominated the stangs.. the firebird came close with the WS6 but in the end it was too pricy and limited aftermarket for the beast that make it much less appealing than a stang..

GMs problem overall is they want to keep the high level performance in the Corvette..
they dont want to make a "pony" car that can embarrass thier showstopper for a fraction of the cost.

Ford on the other hand other than the Limited production Ford GT the mustang is thier showpony..and they treat it as such... high performance availible though them or thier aftermarket suppliers.. at a fraction of the cost of a GM/Dodge car in the same class.

Ford has stumbled a few times along the way with the mustang but right now they riding a home run...

hahahahahahah.

You need to reverse your statement. The F-Body has nearly ALWAYS dominated the Mustangs (in performance). The only case you could make for the Mustang is the late 80s/early 90s 5.0 Mustangs.

Supercharge a brand new 300hp Mustang and get 500hp? Big deal. You could do that with an F-Body since the late 90s.

GM's problem overall has NOTHING to do with performance. It has to do with marketing the cars to the crowd that buys the base model V6's - that's the bread and butter for car sales of ANY vehicle, and where GM crashed and burned.

Take off your fanboy blinders.

teh winnar

Ford sold the chicks on the V6.

and the rental companies. back when it was around, you never saw a rental convertible camaro v6, but there were plenty of stang v6's for rent. same as now..

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: spike spiegal

Now every single Mustang even stock beat the stuffinfs out of all the GMs I've ever had

Question: when a 18yr old kid goes by your 3,000lb gas guzzling resale from hell piece of junk in his 600cc crotch rocket like you're standing still, do you still have the bigger Penis?

Straight line acceleration is for bowling balls dropped from airplanes, not cars. If I wanted all that torque, I'd make a light car and put a lot of batteries in it........

actually my LX beat the stuffing outa most bikes.... most 1000+ CC bikes only run 10s and 9s my LX ran 9:40s all day long...

and would still carve corners with the Saleen suspension and control arms and Panhard rod underneith =)

My new project car is the 1995 GT Vert... it stock right now... but give me 1.5 years.. it will have a 347 and a Blower and get a Saleen make over =-)