From LS1.com - Lutz says no new Camaro

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Z28x said:
So then what will they be calling the 2+2 RWD V8 Chevy coupe coming out in late 2006? :D The story I heard is that the Camaro can't be built for 4 years out side of the St. T quebec plant (or at least a car named Camaro).

Zeta is the RWD platform that the 2007 GTO will be on. That platform is modular, so it can be lengthened and shortened, I'd expect the Camaro to be a little smaller and lighter than the next GTO. Think of the GTO as a more grown up, luxury Camaro (with a real usable back seat for adults)


:rlaugh: i kida like it..its a sleeper..with great tq
 
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z28 - according to the article in ls1.com, the plant can't produce new camaros for a minimum of ten years (it says specifically no new cars for a decade).

I expect the new RWD car might actually be entirely new, which won't be a bad thing persay. I doubt they will use "Chevelle" as the nameplate, since, despite it being a famous name as far as muscle cars go, it isn't as well recognized as the mustang, gto, camaro or many others. I think the name will be new, and because of this, it may be able to accomodate new technologies that would not have worked with a Camaro...

Could go either V6 TT or V8 (to follow trends, if GM sees that imports are still huge in a few years, V6 TT might be the way to go)
Could change the body dramatically, 2 or 4 seater, could be more of a roadster
AWD?

By not using the moniker Chevelle, GM would leave themselves open to many more possibilites, though it is far more likely it will be a V8 rwd car that will serve as GTO-lite, whether its called the Chevelle or not.

If you read the words of all those chevy fans that are pledging to buy mustangs if GM doesn't come through though... I think this mustang may have the best years of any mustang, ever...
 
SadbutTrue said:
If you read the words of all those chevy fans that are pledging to buy mustangs if GM doesn't come through though... I think this mustang may have the best years of any mustang, ever...

Even if a new Camaro is 100% guaranteed to come out before 2007 with the Camaro name and Camaro formula GM is hurting its self real bad and pissing off a lot of Camaro fans that are willing to wait until 2006-07 for a new Camaro by saying it is not coming back. People on the inside say it will be platform mates with the next GTO but unless you follow on the web real closely you don't know that and your going to be pissed at Chevy and buy a Mustang or Import.
 
I highly doubt we'll see a 2006 camaro. In production terms, 2006 is next year, not the year after. If they were producing a model like that next year, wouldn't it make sense to show it, or a concept, at this years Detroit or L.A. auto show? Wouldn't we be seeing some "gm mystery car" spy photo's by now? When did '05 mustang spy photo's start circulating the net?

I don't see it happening before 2008 model year, if it happens at all.
 
Z28x said:
Even if a new Camaro is 100% guaranteed to come out before 2007 with the Camaro name and Camaro formula GM is hurting its self real bad and pissing off a lot of Camaro fans that are willing to wait until 2006-07 for a new Camaro by saying it is not coming back. People on the inside say it will be platform mates with the next GTO but unless you follow on the web real closely you don't know that and your going to be pissed at Chevy and buy a Mustang or Import.
Well on the upside it does allow them to view the marketplace and definately find out if there is space still for them. I'm just kind of concerned about price tag and where a new Camaro or whatever would come in.
I mean would they keep it up market like the GTO and potentially price themselves out of the market. Or will they price it in 25k-28k price range but not be able to present a good overall car.
A question though will that Zeta platform allow them to offset some of the costs and allow them to forgo the V6 version all together and let another car on the same platform take up some of the slack? So many variables to consider.
 
oogtdude said:
do you rat on your fellow classmates too?
I only tattle on people that are too dense to take a not too subtle hint of if you leave me alone I leave you alone. I like posting here you should too. So again...mind your business and keep your comments to yourself unless you have something to add to the conversation instead of acting like an e-thug and trying to bait somebody into a flame war. I'm not gonna fall for it and I don't think the mods will smile too kindly on it.
 
Omegalock said:
Well on the upside it does allow them to view the marketplace and definately find out if there is space still for them.
You think they actually consider such things? The GTO is proof otherwise -- GM honestly believes they're going to sell 18,000 a year. Ummmm.... maybe after they start in with $10k discounts...
 
HairyCanary said:
You think they actually consider such things? The GTO is proof otherwise -- GM honestly believes they're going to sell 18,000 a year. Ummmm.... maybe after they start in with $10k discounts...
I do. At some point they will have to step back and reasses what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong in regards to their cars. They can't afford to just run willynilly into the market with something that doesn't fit the segment or the people they are trying to sell to. If the GTO flops or just BARELY eeks out postive numbers they would be absolutely myopic not to take a good hard look at what works and what does not in regards to the market segment they would have been out of for what...5-6 years by the time a GM pony was ready.
 
HairyCanary said:
You think they actually consider such things? The GTO is proof otherwise -- GM honestly believes they're going to sell 18,000 a year. Ummmm.... maybe after they start in with $10k discounts...

I'll be all over one of those if they sell for $23K :D I won't be suprised if they sell all 18,000 GTOs for MSRP.

One of the problems with the last Camaro is that it didn't share a platform with any other car, By sharing platforms they can build models at a lower production # and still make a nice profit.

Just look at the Solstice, they are building 20,000-30,000 cars a year for under $20K and still making a profit, they should easily be able to build a Camaro at any volume at a reasonable price a still have it be profitable.
 
Z28x said:
I'll be all over one of those if they sell for $23K :D I won't be suprised if they sell all 18,000 GTOs for MSRP.

One of the problems with the last Camaro is that it didn't share a platform with any other car, By sharing platforms they can build models at a lower production # and still make a nice profit.

Just look at the Solstice, they are building 20,000-30,000 cars a year for under $20K and still making a profit, they should easily be able to build a Camaro at any volume at a reasonable price a still have it be profitable.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Pontiac hasn't actually built a Solstice just yet. They could just as easily come in at over $20k when it's all said and done and they've got some stiff competition in the toyota spyder and Mazda Miata.

I'm sure they thought Aztec's were going to sell like hotcakes too (just kidding).
 
Omegalock said:
I do. At some point they will have to step back and reasses what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong in regards to their cars. They can't afford to just run willynilly into the market with something that doesn't fit the segment or the people they are trying to sell to. If the GTO flops or just BARELY eeks out postive numbers they would be absolutely myopic not to take a good hard look at what works and what does not in regards to the market segment they would have been out of for what...5-6 years by the time a GM pony was ready.

The problem is Chevy takes too long to assess anything. They finally decided to compete with the lightning. Of course kind day late and dollar short (considering the SS's hp numbers). They are just starting to get back into rwd. Which means they have catchup to do on that front as well. Now if the contract with the union is correct. And they can't build any camaro for at least 10 years. That would make the camaro a 2013 model. By that time we should be in the next incarnation of mustang.
 
Z28x said:
I'll be all over one of those if they sell for $23K :D I won't be suprised if they sell all 18,000 GTOs for MSRP.
Anything is possible :shrug:. Ford didn't come anywhere near 18,000 Cobras in 2003, and the last half of the production run sold for $5k+ under MSRP. Maybe the GTO is just such a kick-ass car, many times better than the Cobra (I'm biased, so you can assume my opinion on this matter) ... but I just don't see 18,000 a year at MSRP. I think GM has grossly overestimated the viability of this market -- to sell 18,000, the GTO would have to be truly kick-ass and very unique. But it's not either one.

Dave
 
SadbutTrue said:
Could go either V6 TT or V8 (to follow trends, if GM sees that imports are still huge in a few years, V6 TT might be the way to go)/QUOTE]

What makes you think that? Why would GM opt for what would most likely be a more expensive setup using a twin turbo V6 verse using a a N/A V8 setup, and wouldnt a TTV6 of say 3.5-4.0 liters use about the same amount of gas because of the extra fuel needed as a 6.0-5.7L V8 which already get pretty good mileage for being such large displacement V8's? :shrug: What import besides the Audi's TT even has a Twin Turbo setup, except for the now extinct 300zx and Supra which neither will be comming back. Well I know toyota for sure wont be bringing any Supra in the near future and I haven't heard that the new Z will be recieving a TT addition. Why would you exclude a V8 from any new Camaro/Chevelle, dont see much point in bringing any car using either of those names back without a V8 option. I highly doubt a better profit, sales, or marketing case could be made in favor of a TT V6 verse a V8 setup! I understand that imports are popular but I would expect a TT setup on somethin like Chevy's new derivative of the Kappa as a top very low volume niche model, but I doubt we will even see that, maybe a positive displacement supercharger or single Turbo I4 is more likely if any. I would bet that anything carrying the Camaro or Chevelle nameplate in the future would definatly have a V8 at least as an option. I could see AWD as a possible option but I'm sure with the new Zeta platform RWD would be the standard.
 
SVTdriver said:
The problem is Chevy takes too long to assess anything. They finally decided to compete with the lightning. Of course kind day late and dollar short (considering the SS's hp numbers). They are just starting to get back into rwd. Which means they have catchup to do on that front as well. Now if the contract with the union is correct. And they can't build any camaro for at least 10 years. That would make the camaro a 2013 model. By that time we should be in the next incarnation of mustang.
True...but they may be coming around. For example they are building the SS Cobalt to compete with the SRT-4 and they are shifting a lot of applications over to RWD(Impala and Monte Carlo suppossed to go RWD IIRC). And there's nothing that says the new RWD ride HAS to be named Camaro. I can't believe I'm defending GM but there is a possibility that they could turn things around and make good on a Mustang fighter maybe ever so slight....but the possibility is there.
 
shatner saves said:
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Pontiac hasn't actually built a Solstice just yet. They could just as easily come in at over $20k when it's all said and done and they've got some stiff competition in the toyota spyder and Mazda Miata.

Lutz said the car wouldn't be built if it didn't start at under $20K, at the Detroit auto show they were saying it would start at the $18K+ range, my money is on $19,995

SVTdriver said:
The problem is Chevy takes too long to assess anything. They finally decided to compete with the lightning. Of course kind day late and dollar short (considering the SS's hp numbers).

THe Silverado SS concept (short cab RWD) put out 395HP, but they decided to build the ext cab AWD 345HP on instead. THe current Ext. cab Silverado SS isn't the Lightning competator.
 
i saw a concept of the chevelle in some mag, it is awful. gm is really screwing the pooch right now. they dont seem to have any direction. the gto will be getting redesigned within two years and will be built here. my pproblem was if they were going to redesign in the first place because they new the initial look wouldnt fly, why release it under the gto name? they should have made it the next grand prix or something. but not a gto. its an ok car, but overpriced. they have the interior right and drivetrain. but the styling is too bland. and there is nothing on the horizon for rwd performance besides a rwd V8 for 07'. no offense to gm but i will take an 05 mustang now. me andn a buddy are in the process of creating the next chevelle actually. and some other things ( hoping to land a job with one of the big three ) after graduation. but gm sucks so bad i dont htink i want to work for them. they shoot down good ideas and come out with crap. ford owns the market right now. and chrysler may get into it if they come out with a charger/challenger with the hemi. i would be all over one of those. all i know is i am looking forward to the 05' stang. i think it will be my graduation present to myself. long live ford. :flag:
 
Ok gentlemen, let's think here. If the Camaro/Firebird won't be built, what other car could GM produce that would be in line with the Mustang. I say since Chevy is HUGE in NASCAR, throw the 5.7L in the Monte Carlo. The Style is there, it doesn't look like a family car, and GM can put it back to RWD. You can have the V6 model to rival the base Mustang, and have the 5.7L to rival the GT/Mach 1. If you want to rice it out....throw the 'ole SS on the front grille for more hp!! :D
 
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