CamaroZ282008

The 2010 Camaro SS and SS/RS has a decent interior design, but the materials are CHEAP. I never understood this and still do not understand it. WHY GM do you build a car that can perform better than even the more expensive competition, design a beautiful interior/ Exterior then produce the car with cavalier/base starter car materials for the interior?

Why does this kind cost cutting have to happen? To get it to the customer at the best value/price, for the V-6 model value/cost cutting on the interior materials in my opinion is ok. The SS model however should be alot nicer materials wise on the interior. When you hit $35k plus for a Camaro SS then walk down the street and sit in a 370 Z for the same price that has an interior that can compete with an Audi, this is a problem.

I sat in an Audi S4 and then went and checked out the Camaro last week in person. That Camaro was a V-6/RS. My point being is the V-6 can fly with this "cheap" interior material set up. The SS simply cannot and should not. Especially when GM is saying it's competitors are anything from the 370 Z to the Audi S5.
So enough of the neccessary complaining and on to a solution I threw together in about an hour on photoshop CS2.

This idea/suggestion like I stated before is only intended for the SS model Camaro.

The plastic/cloth trim that wraps around the dash onto the doors should be an Aluminum/vanier. Being brushed aluminum or polished. Though brushed would be better do to the less reflective quality. The colorful plastic on the RS is a nice touch, but CHEAP and the Cloth should not even be an option.

The main dash should be of a softer/satin material plastic. With either zero of those tiny textures or a simple smooth look like the Porsche Cayenne SUV uses.

The top of the dash should be Suede as in the example. Black satin/smooth main dash, brushed aluminum accent pieces and Gloss black plastics surrounding the HVAC/Radio buttons unit, 4 Guage pack and extending to each side of the center armrest.

The doors should use the same soft touch plastic as the main dash.

I also added a steering wheel top section thats perferated with a softer leather. With the silver pieces currently being replaced with Aluminum pieces.
Along with all Cool Blue guages eliminating the skittled array of colors on the Tach/Speedo and 4 pack along with the HVAC/Radio colors. This tying everything together.

Suede seat inserts would also add alot more class to the interior to what is of a stellar car in every other catagory.

Also I added some suttle chrome/aluminum accent rings around the two main controll ***** on the HVAC/Radio
along with a Gloss black shift **** piece

This is just an example/suggestion. Feel free to comment about anything you'd like.
I'll try to make a few other colored interiors like Gray and also Beige later




Heres the Porsche Cayenne dash for the smooth dash material reference

super83Z

Its not an Audi or a Porsche.

08DICTS

Hey, if they can sell a Ford Shelby GT500 for $46K (or more) with the same plastic dash as a GT Mustang, then they should be ok.

Plus, the GT itself sold by the boatloads with a hard plastic EVERYTHING inside and a solid rear axle.

I don't think GM has anything to worry about saleswise.

super83Z

The G35 has hard plastics in many areas as do many other cars. Where is the outcry to Infiniti?

CamaroZ282008

Neither is a 370 Z. It's a Camaro SS with the performance to match an Audi or Porsche with an interior made of materials comparable to a base chevrolet Aveo. Same story with the Corvette. GM has run with this idea of building a very competitive/fast car for a long time and always seems to drop the ball on interior quality.
The last Camaro made it far on this idea/motto....
Take a look at even a ZR-1 it's unacceptable.
Im not trying to tear the Camaro SS apart, but I'm not the only one who is saying this. Read a few of the recent magazine reviews/test drives/sit in one.
It's the idea that even if the car isn't an Audi or Porsche it's interior materials need to be atleast close/relative to it's competition quality wise.
This is something not only seen in the new Camaro/Corvette but alot of GM's car's/truck's and suv's and need's to change.

The new Malibu has a better quality interior then the previous generation, but in comparison to the Camry, Mazda 6 and Accord still falls fairly short.

I'am a Mustang Guy and interior quality with Ford certainly hasen't been a high mark. However things are changing rapidly and even the 2010 Mustang uses aluminum, softer dash plastics and better interior materials along with the rest of the new Ford line up.
The Ford GT has an interior worthy of a supercar the ZR-1 does not.
I like everything about the new Camaro SS even its interior design. But the interior Quality is unacceptable in a $31-40k plus sport's coupe.

Main point being is that not everyone is a GM/Chevy fan. GM knows this and is adjusting, slowly. If a new Mustang and new Camaro were in the same show room side by side with emblems covered. An average car buyer will first check out the exterior followed by the interior. The Mustang interior is better plain and simple. Design is subjective, the quality is not.The interior is where you will be 99% of the time and is the most important area for Quality besides the drivetrain/chassis.

super83Z

Your all over the place comparing $100K cars to $20K cars and everything in between. Like I pointed out the G35 has hard plastics and costs considerably more than the Camaro.

CamaroZ282008

Im not all over the place at all. I stated specifically the Camaro SS only need's better quality materials. Not the V-6.
I'm pointing to the fact that GM in general drops the ball on almost all of it's interior's quality wise using the Malibu/Corvette/ZR-1 as examples.

Let's compare a 2009 G37 coupe to 2010 Camaro SS
$33k vs $30k base to base and as you go further up into options pricing becomes alot closer

FiefSS

I really liked the materials in the Camaro after sitting in one and then sitting in a bunch of luxury cars at the Chicago auto show. The one main gripe I have had is that I can sit in my 1991 Ford Ranger and touch the dash pad. Its soft to this day... 18 years later.

I sit in 90% of new Cars the dash pad is not soft, neither are most of the surfaces. Thats my biggest gripe with alot of new cars and the Camaro dash feel into that category as well.

08DICTS

My Cadillac has all soft materials, but I guess that should be a given.

Anyhow, Chevy will sell every Camaro they have first year, so I don't think they have much to worry about.

Look at when the 05 Mustang GT debuted. Hard plastic everywhere, and they sold like hotcakes. They sold strong for 5 years with that crappy interior.

I would assume the Camaro will do the same.

Chevycobb

maybe you should compare a G37 coupe($36,000) to say...a 2LT($27,000). Both, at a glance, seem to be very close in performance IMO. Both seem to be well equipped, and possibly similarly equipped(the G37 does not offer bluetooth at that price though). So if you want to pay $9000 for silver trim pieces, go right ahead. Until then, you never know what/if the aftermarket may bring...for a lot less that $9000.

JasonD

EDIT: Chevycobb posted similarly while I was typing this, but...

First of all, I understand what you are saying but you can't fairly compare a Chevrolet to an Infiniti. Okay, fine...

Start with the price. According to the Infiniti web site, the G37 coupe starts at 35.9k, not 33k.
http://www.infinitiusa.com/g_coupe/index.html
That's $5,000 more than the Camaro. That much money can buy a hell of a lot more than nicer interior, and I am sure that it does.

But if you compare one thing, you need to compare the rest. Does the G37 have the same power? Nope, almost 100 less. As far as power, it compares closer to the Camaro LT but at a staggering cost of $13,000 more. Make it 10k to cover the split in the horsepower difference. Now you can say "for 10k you would think it would have more power" about the Infiniti

It all depends on what people want out of the car for the money, which is why some people prefer the Infinity over the Chevrolet. A larger scale example is exactly why people pay 5 times more than the cost of a new Corvette ZR1 for a car that doesn't not touch it in performance but has the best imported leather shift **** money can buy and one awesome refrigerated glove box.

My point is, if you are going to compare a Camaro to a luxury brand, you are not going to have things match up, including things like price and interior quality and performance because you can't easily have more than 2 at the same time. I don't disagree that the plastic could be better, but I know that the plastic is better than it was in previous years and for it to be better yet it would cost something somewhere down the line, in dollars or otherwise.

I am sure that the G37 is a great car but where it falls short, the Camaro shines...and vice versa.

John_H

Can't the interior be modded? I bet if I gave $5k to a good interior shop, the Camaro's interior would surpass most luxury cars. For $31k, you get a $426 hp motor, full independent suspension, an incredible chassis. To me, its an amazing bargain.

Now, if you told me the Pontiac G8 GT interior was far superior to the Camaro, then I would be upset with the materials in the Camaro.

RobDarden

It looks like the gaps (i.e. tolerances) are better on the Camaro than those foreign cars. Just from the pictures.

94Camaro_Z_28

I'd rather have performance than a dashboard I could comfortably sleep on. How often do you touch the dash?

JasonD

Well, yeah...but at the same time, if it was made of smashed Pepsi bottles, ice cube trays, and Tupperware...all Gorilla glued together...it would suck. A nice interior does add to the driving experience, no doubt about that. It is up to each person to determine what they are willing to sacrifice for it.