The Much Anticipated 2009 Chevy Camaro

[JLaudioF150]

Is it just me, or is this thing freakin' awesome. I love the current Mustang too and I can't wait to see the special editions in the next few years.

 

I read somewhere (I need to find the link) that GM plans to keep the design, dimensions, almost exactly like the concept's. If this is true, my money will go to GM in 2009.

 

http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/

[xr7g428]

Pretty good for a cartoon.

[KinneticBrian]

LOVE IT!! Now if they'd just build the Trans-Am Concept I saw floating around...

[MGallun]

meh, its ok.. prefer the stang.

[Watchdevil]

Is it just me, or is this thing freakin' awesome. I love the current Mustang too and I can't wait to see the special editions in the next few years.

 

I read somewhere (I need to find the link) that GM plans to keep the design, dimensions, almost exactly like the concept's. If this is true, my money will go to GM in 2009.

 

http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/

 

It is true.. and the V6 coupe is going to start at $21,000. That should squelch the cynics on here stupid enough to believe that Chevy would bring it out only as a $50,000 limited production specialty coupe.

 

The Camaro is a great looking car. It means as much to the GM folks as the Mustang does to the Ford fanatics.

 

"All is fair in love and war and Ford vs Chevy..."

Edited January 20, 2007 by Watchdevil

[bec5150]

Personaly, I think the 1970-1982 Camaro is the BOMB and the one that should have been the inspiration, but the 67-69 was sweet as well.

 

Interesting idea touched on in this thread...will Pontiac get the Firebird??

[sranger]

The front end is still ugly. Reminds me of the old "smiling" Neon ads, just without it saying "Hi!".

 

 

Don't worry, most people will only be seeing the tail end anyway...

 

 

Sorry, could not resist...

[Watchdevil]

Personaly, I think the 1970-1982 Camaro is the BOMB and the one that should have been the inspiration, but the 67-69 was sweet as well.

 

Interesting idea touched on in this thread...will Pontiac get the Firebird??

 

That would be 1970-81.... And if they used that generation as inspiration it would end up looking like it did when it went out of production a few years ago because the last model evolved from that 1970's look.

[igor]

IMO the design will be TIRED by the time it finally comes out ..

 

 

think about it this way..

the yreleased the concept in January 2006 and the production will start in January 2009 ....

 

if Ford moved with the same speed (or lack of thereof) on the mustang , the Production Mustang would have been released NOW .. TODAY .. THIS MONTH ... can you imagine being still excited about the Mustang design NOW ... not 2 years ago when it actually debuted?

 

Igor

[igor]

Personaly, I think the 1970-1982 Camaro is the BOMB and the one that should have been the inspiration, but the 67-69 was sweet as well.

 

Interesting idea touched on in this thread...will Pontiac get the Firebird??

no noe Firebird ..GTO and G8 Pontiacs, Chevy Impala, and a Buick will be built on the Platform, but there will be No Firebird, or any other coupe that looks related to the Camaro.

 

 

Oh and there will be 2 V6 engines and a V8 offered.

 

Igor

[jlsaylor]

This is just more of the concept, which really doesn't tell us much about what will happen to the outside, or more telling, the inside. Don't get me wrong as the concept is great, but this is nothing we haven't seena million times before at this point. And rumours have been floating that GM was having a difficult time getting the V6 Camaro to market for anything like V-6 Mustang money, so the promise of a 21k V6 might need to be seen to be believed.

 

Also, Ford has some advantages to play as well. If I recall Ford said that the new Mustang cost them less to produce than the old one did at introduction. While some might chalk this up to hype, there really isn't enough benefit to this statement to make it likely that they would simply invent such a thing. If this is the case then Ford is making money hand over fist on the pony, which would seem to be the case, and leads to the possiblity that Ford could employ the option of dropping the price of entry for the Mustang, still making a hefty profit, and giving GM a bit of a last minute surprise.

[JLaudioF150]

I wonder if history will repeat itself by having the V6 Camaro almost rivaling the GT. I'm willing to bet a 3.5L with 280hp will be offered, a 400hp 6.0L for the SC 4.6L, and a top-of-the-line 7.0L for the SC 5.4L. All while getting 24-27 mpg too...

 

Bring 'em on...

[Max]

History is already repeating itself. Without the success of the '05 Mustang would GM or Chrysler really be all that hard pressed to bring back the Camaro and Challenger...no.

 

The Mustang, as it always has been, is a car for everyone who shows interest in it.

 

Judging by the Challenger concept and suspected price points...it will be overdone and overpriced. Not exactly a car for everyone. Just like the SRT-Ram was compared to the Lightning. Those intereseted will be loyalists, enthusiasts, and collectors who have the time, money, and space to garage the car or store it. Not a daily driver like the Mustang. Of course if Chrysler actually learned from history...then they certainly wouldn't be in the financial predicament they are in today...again.

 

Judging by the Camaro concept, it's the same old routine at GM. Will the Camaro be successful...probably. Will one Camaro be able to outperform most Mustangs...probably. Will it be for everyone...no. Camaros seem to be excessively had by gearheads, loyalists, and the Joe Dirts of the world. (No offense to the Joe Dirts) Not exactly the biggest group of car buyers there are.

 

The Mustang, the regular ol' GT, has always had class. Making the car savory to anyone interested in that style of car. My only beef with the current Mustang, is that it's too nostalgic...kind of like something a stamp collector would buy, but thankfully it's been more successful than that.

[JLaudioF150]

If history were to repeat itself, will Chevy give up after a few years and discontinue it?

 

Good point.

[marc-o]

IMO the design will be TIRED by the time it finally comes out ..

think about it this way..

the yreleased the concept in January 2006 and the production will start in January 2009 ....

 

if Ford moved with the same speed (or lack of thereof) on the mustang , the Production Mustang would have been released NOW .. TODAY .. THIS MONTH ... can you imagine being still excited about the Mustang design NOW ... not 2 years ago when it actually debuted?

 

Igor

 

Exactly!!!

 

It's a typical GM mistake they've made time and time again. No doubt the car will be a hit when it comes out, but a lot of people aren't going to be waiting 3 yrs for the thing - keeping hype going for that long is tough for everyone but the most diehard fans. Sure the car is generally well-perceived but that won't guarantee sales when the car is old news by the time it comes out (not to mention the fact this gives plenty of time for any possible competition to upstage GM).

[DCK]

Oh yes the Camaro will be so played out by the time the vehicle hits the show rooms but the Fairline will be such a hit when it hits showrooms 4 years after the concept .................................................I guess no-one sees the biased double standards.

 

 

Ford is the worst with taking forever to release a product after debuting a concept....................well of course Ford always dulls down the design to be a boring failure in the market place so is that considered to be different?

 

 

Look at the MKS also, when is that coming out? Are you going to argue it is different because they are going to change the design unlike the camaro's? That would be totally ignoring the fact that the Camaro design was a hit and the MKS concept design was a dud.

 

 

Listen, I agree that the hype will die down with the Camaro, but I also been lashing Ford about the same reason and people here saying how "wrong" I was, but then with the camaro here, the double standard rule seems to apply to everyone.

[BlackHorse]

I'm glad that DCK brought up the double standard issue so that everyone will yell at him instead of me. Just remember while you're yelling that he's right. So clean your claws upon him if you must, I'm sure he expects it. But when you get done buy him a beer for interjecting a little reality back into this one.

 

With respect to the Camaro it seems to me there's a number of issues that should be addressed. First of all with respect to the style. Taste is subjective, some people will like it, others won't, such is the nature of human beings. Some people like the new Mustang, others think it's ugly. Such is life. Personally I think both look good from the exterior.

 

How will the interior be; that's a question I would have. From the photos I've seen it's pretty minimalistic. But then so is the Mustang by and large. That alone would preclude me from spending the big dollars on a car like this. I'm sure everyone will throw all kinds of insults at me about that. Everything from "These cars aren't supposed to have lavish interiors you big dummy!!" to "Go buy a luxury sedan you candy ass!!!" . Heard it all before guys so don't worry about it. For my money, if I'm going to spend this kind of money on a car, I expect some respectable refinement in the interior. From what I see, neither the Mustang nor the upcoming Camaro offer that. I couldn't care less that your Mustang GT or Z28 can get to 60 mph 1 second quicker than my well appointed sedan. I don't like driving like a jerk anyway so I'm not hammering the gas pedal out of every light. But that's me. I understand that some guys out there will be absolutely happy to pay 30 plus thousand for acres of bare plastic interior and big motor that goes vroom! vroom! because he thinks all the other guys in traffic are looking at him and thinking "Now that guy is cool." and all the girls are thinking "I wish I could ride with that big stud." I promise you most of the men out there are thinking "What a dick." and most of the women are thinking "What a little dick." lol

 

In these cars, the V6 offering is the only one that's even remotely worth the money. I could see a V6 Mustang for 20 to 22 K because you go in understanding that it's going to have a cheap interior. The V6 is still a delivers pretty decent performance and the rugged good looks of the exterior. Now the fake hood scoops on the new 2007 Mustang are just cheesy in my opinion. Anyway, if GM can deliver a V6 Camaro that is price competitive with the Mustang, that will make it a reasonable purchase, but they have to keep it in the 19 to 22K price range.

 

In my estimation, price is what is killing these cars already. The original idea of both the Mustang and the Camaro was to bring an affordable sports car to the masses. Those original cars were V8 powered, although I know many were inline 6 cars. At any rate, the Mustang now averages about 30 thousand dollars. This is not an affordable sports car, this is an expensive car and given it's lack luster interior, I just couldn't justify to myself buying one. In the V6 package I can see it. If I was going to buy a Mustang it would be a V6. But to most people that's not what these cars were originally all about. They were about the V8's and now you have to spend 30 grand for your V8 Mustang. I suspect the Camaro will easily be that expensive, possibly more. I don't think people are going to come up with that much money for a car with a lack luster interior just so they can say they have a Z28.

 

I stopped by my Ford dealer the other night after work to see if they had any of the new Edge in yet. Lots of Mustangs just sitting on the lot guys. Lots of them.

[JLaudioF150]

History is already repeating itself. Without the success of the '05 Mustang would GM or Chrysler really be all that hard pressed to bring back the Camaro and Challenger...no.

 

The Mustang, as it always has been, is a car for everyone who shows interest in it.

 

Judging by the Challenger concept and suspected price points...it will be overdone and overpriced. Not exactly a car for everyone. Just like the SRT-Ram was compared to the Lightning. Those intereseted will be loyalists, enthusiasts, and collectors who have the time, money, and space to garage the car or store it. Not a daily driver like the Mustang. Of course if Chrysler actually learned from history...then they certainly wouldn't be in the financial predicament they are in today...again.

 

Judging by the Camaro concept, it's the same old routine at GM. Will the Camaro be successful...probably. Will one Camaro be able to outperform most Mustangs...probably. Will it be for everyone...no. Camaros seem to be excessively had by gearheads, loyalists, and the Joe Dirts of the world. (No offense to the Joe Dirts) Not exactly the biggest group of car buyers there are.

 

The Mustang, the regular ol' GT, has always had class. Making the car savory to anyone interested in that style of car. My only beef with the current Mustang, is that it's too nostalgic...kind of like something a stamp collector would buy, but thankfully it's been more successful than that.

 

It amazes me that many of you ass-u-me that the Challenger and Camaro will be overpriced and not be worth it. If DCX and GM can make 400+ hp Challengers and GTOs for low-to-mid $30K, why would it be impossible to bring out $25-32K pony cars?

 

On the issue of interior quality, I wasn't alive in the 60s, or 70s, but I'm pretty sure that the interiors were 'half-assed' compared to other cars in the lineup. That is what these cars offer - gobs of power in a 'cheap' package. Is $30K really THAT MUCH? A new Ranger can cost almost as much. Plus, you can always find a used pony car for a bargain. I'm glad to see Chevy and Dodge bringing back these pony cars - they do, and will, create a lot of buzz for the domestic auto industry.

[BORG]

I'm sure the Camaro will spank the Mustang in every which direction except in sales. Nobody can beat Ford's commitment to providing bang for the buck. And of course, a Mustang has much better brand equity than the Camaro.

 

The GM muscle cars have always been the most technologically sophisticated and powerful, but the Mustang has always been the best mix of practicality, style, and affordability.

 

And no, I don't like the way the Camaro CONCEPT looks at all. Keep in mind, you are worshiping a concept! Remember how disappointed we all were when the Mustang-actual was revealed! Of course, we all got over it and chances are that GM will make less design compromises (they really are the most competent concept translators in Detroit).

[atomcat68]

I'm sure the Camaro will spank the Mustang in every which direction except in sales. Nobody can beat Ford's commitment to providing bang for the buck. And of course, a Mustang has much better brand equity than the Camaro.

 

The GM muscle cars have always been the most technologically sophisticated and powerful, but the Mustang has always been the best mix of practicality, style, and affordability.

 

And no, I don't like the way the Camaro CONCEPT looks at all. Keep in mind, you are worshiping a concept! Remember how disappointed we all were when the Mustang-actual was revealed! Of course, we all got over it and chances are that GM will make less design compromises (they really are the most competent concept translators in Detroit).

I liked the production Mustang better than the concept.

[MGallun]

I liked the production Mustang better than the concept.

 

 

lets not forget, by time the new dodge and new chevy get around to sales.. the mustang is proably going to have its 400hp engine too...

[ANTAUS]

Technically sophisticated isn't something that GM is synonymous with, considering their obsession with OHV engines. Considering the last comparo's between the Mustang/Camaro, the rags usually pointed out that GM made old-technology tick...and Mustangs usually won considering their were the "secreteriats" car and was more advanced and comfortable overall.

[96 Pony]

Getting back to the question about the Firebird - there won't be one because that would cut into Solstice's sales and Pontiac has too big a hit on their hands with that to risk a Firebird.

 

Styling is subjective and I am not wild about the Camaro concept. However, it will sell if GM doesn't make the mistake they did with the '74 to the end of production Camaro models

 

Camaro went from pony car to a poor man's Corvette and along with that eventually came the white trash stigma. Mustang stuck to it's original formula and the result is, 43 years of continued production with no breaks and fairly consistant sales numbers.

 

If GM has learned from their mistakes in the past then I think the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger (assuming they price in the pony car range) can exist for a long time to come. Which to me is a good thing. Competition results in better products on everyone's parts.

Edited January 23, 2007 by 96 Pony

[NickF1011]

Getting back to the question about the Firebird - there won't be one because that would cut into Solstice's sales and Pontiac has too big a hit on their hands with that to risk a Firebird.

 

Actually, it's more likely to do with the fact that it's all but certain at this point that the GTO will return instead to take its place.

[96 Pony]

Actually, it's more likely to do with the fact that it's all but certain at this point that the GTO will return instead to take its place.

 

That may be true as well. I was thinking more in terms of a similarly priced Firebird convertible. Cutting into Mustang sales was one reason Ford went the way they did with the '02-'05 Thunderbird.