CLEAN

First of all, let me say that I don't condone the illegal possession or posting of GM property. But since it happened, here's why I don't think it's such a bad thing....

Think of the pix that were leaked as a trailer to a new movie that doesn't come out for a month. The trailer doesn't give away the movie, but it gives you enough to want to go see it. To ME, thats what this clay did. Sure it's not the final concept, but it probably gives us the jist of what to expect, while still leaving room to be floored by the actual finished concept. I mean after viewing these pix, can anyone, even now, know for SURE what the outside, and inside for that matter, is going to look like? I say no. To be honest, it was VERY close to some of the concepts that have been floating around here from freelancers. But the fact that it was a real GM car, now it seems that the buzz has jumped exponentially. I read that Scott said that they weren't intentionally leaked, and that they are very upset by it, but at the same time, it would have been a borderline brilliant move on their part. Since word of the concept was already out, it wasn't going to be a suprise to the press that it was there. So too, is it true that even though these pix got out, they are nothing more than a hint of what's to come next month, not the final product.

Now if pix of the FINISHED concept had been leaked, that indeed would have been devastating to the GM hype machine.

Chrome383Z

I agree. It's definitely got me more excited for January. LOL

CCoop8830

I think it will help them get more feedback on the car

Z284ever

I think it's going to end up being a plus for Chevy also.

The Challenger pics were on the verge of sucking all the oxygen out of the room.

Have you heard anyone talking about the Challenger in the past few day?

CLEAN

Honestly, it had the same effect on me. If they had been the final car, it would have been a bit of a letdown, but to me, this just confirms a DIRECTION that I hoped it was going. CANT WAIT for NAIAS!

CLEAN

Absolutely!! If nothing else, I think the folks at GM can have a little warmer Christmas knowing the response the CLAY got

Caps94ZODG

CLEAN I was going to post something like this..but you my friend have said everything better than I would have..

YES GM though a bad move by an individual this actually turned out to be in your favor..and this peek into what we saw is like a ..okay they are going in the right direction..I think its got alot more people wanting to see the final product now...
It was a WIN WIN situation GM Red and others..

Caps94ZODG

and a side not..I think I hear some DCX guys spraying and retooling one of the other concepts that was not going to be used now with a 'CUDA nose and tail..

turbo96z28

i totally agree with you Clean. while it is unfortunate that these pics were leaked, they have me more excited than i ever could have been to see the finished model. before these pics got out, everyone was kind of holding their breath about what GM was going to do for NAIAS, now we have a general idea and that has generated alot more interest from people wanting to see how far they took the concept after these pics were taken. and if what i read yesterday on C&G is correct, these pics are more than a year old. what has the Design Studio done since then? this has me on the edge of my seat!!!

R377

As has been noted before, it's not unusual for automakers to 'allow' spy shots to get out of early prototypes or camoed cars as a way of testing the water and generating publicity. That way they get a hit of publicity for the early leak, then and another wave of publicity when the real thing bows. I'm not saying GM did this this time, but the fact that it gets done shows that it's not the end of the world when it happens.

On a related topic, I found it amusing to read all the self-righteous posts on here about how this has done incalculable financial damage to GM and that it may affect the very possibility of the car seeing the light of day. Please. Spyshots have been getting out for decades; this is nothing new (only the way it got out is new). While I can understand GM wanting to be in full control of the timing of these things, to suggest GM is going to say "nah screw it, someone leaked the picture so we're not going to make the car anymore" is ludicrous. Some posters even said they wish the leak never happened, which about the biggest crock going. We've all spent the last five years waiting for this moment, and I don't think there's a person in here who wouldn't have given their first born to get an early peek at the next Camaro.

I've noticed that the events here last week almost exactly mirrored what happened when the ZO6 was leaked last year. Same posting of the photo, same mad rush to get it removed and prohibited, then people were afraid to even talk about it, then the same admonishments (often from people with no stake in it whatsoever) that it's going to cost GM untold millions of dollars and might hurt the car .... and in the end, it didn't matter.

The fact is, the car is going to be what it's going to be. By the time it goes on sale no one's going to remember this little incident and the car will either sell because it's good, or it won't sell because it missed the mark. Were sales of the ZO6 hurt because of the leak? It'd be pretty hard to put forth such an argument. And this little leak isn't going to hurt the Camaro either.

CLEAN

I guess we'll have to wait for "The BOOK" to get this question answered once and for all

NightWindDriftr

Very well said. I agree wholeheartedly. And like many others in this thread, I too think that the leak has not only unintentially provided us with a "sneak peak" of what to expect, but has given GM the opportunity to turn around and take a "sneak peak" at the enthusiast public's response. This is not unheard of, but the fact that the favor is reciprocated, IMO, justifies the leak in the first place.

guionM

Challenger?...... What's that?

skorpion317

i can understand GM's concern over the leak. However, it DEFINITELY drummed up interest in the car. People are flocking to voice their opinions, most of them favorable. I know that when the real car comes out, I'll be first in line to buy one. If anyone at GM is listening, I'll take a black, 6-spd, Z/28 (as long as it comes with an LS2, or whatever it's successor is at the time.).

Bearcat Steve

Damage to GM is impossible to guess at or estimate unless:

1) The CAW files suit against GM for lying to them,
2) The SEC wants to know why GM is divulging confidential product plans to the Internet without having board approval (in writing) and without making a general announcement to stockholders,
3) Suppliers see how committed GM is to the new Camaro BEFORE final contracts are negociated. The suppliers get the upper hand and we get a more expensive Camaro or one with less features.
4) etc., etc., etc.

I'm not sure what Scott thinks, but I think there are many naive people who have no idea of the legal and logistical problems that come about from these pictures.

Also, I do expect people at GM to get fired over this. It is my understanding that more than just one or two GM employees lost their jobs over the Z06 pictures.