What if there were two different Camaro interiors?

[JakeRobb]

In another thread, I saw this question:

Originally Posted by notgetleft

What i don't get is, WHY go with a retro interior that is so polarizing in a car that HAS to be a homerun?

Which got me thinking. Even though we know the interior spy shots we've seen can't possibly be what we'll see when the car reaches production, it's still obvious that GM is pursuing the retro interior design to some extent. The console-mounted gauges are there, as are the weird rectangular speedo and tach gauge housings.

But then I thought about the GMT900 trucks. There are two very different interiors available in those trucks. One very modern, and one more traditional for a full-size truck.

Who's to say that GM isn't pursuing a similar approach with Camaro? Maybe the plan is to allow buyers to choose between a concept-style retro interior and a more modern design like the ones that so many others have mentioned (G8, Malibu, CTS).

I think that would definitely help the Camaro be the home run that it needs to be. Some people love the retro interior and think a modern interior would ruin the car's overall style statement, while at the same time others feel that a retro interior is unacceptable.

[Steve83ta]

Originally Posted by JakeRobb

Which got me thinking. Even though we know the interior spy shots we've seen can't possibly be what we'll see when the car reaches production, it's still obvious that GM is pursuing the retro interior design to some extent. The console-mounted gauges are there, as are the weird rectangular speedo and tach gauge housings.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I was looking at the high res. pics on Autoblog.com earlier and I swear I'm seeing a second fuel gauge. At least that's what it looks like to me. Take a look at the pic that was taken from the passenger seat vantage point. Now look at the tach. There is what looks like to be a second gauge there. Now why do you need two fuel gauges???

[90 Z28SS]

In a high volume/high profit margin truck I can see the flexiblity to please all with a nice interior and then a traditional truck interior . In a car thats lucky its here at all , thats just not gonna happen .

The prototype probably does have an extra fuel guage . The 4 on the console I doubt even function .

[JakeRobb]

Originally Posted by 90 Z28SS

In a car thats lucky it's here at all, that's just not gonna happen.

Everything I've seen points to the Zeta platform (including Camaro) being intended to be a pretty high-volume seller. They're already going to have the line set up to accept multiple different cars with multiple different interiors, so I see no reason to rule this out for logistics reasons.

[BigDarknFast]

I can relate how some might want a wide interior choice in the new Camaro. Sort of like how you could get a Berlinetta interior in the 1980's. But those days are long gone. It likely costs a lot more than it used to, to do such a thing in a modern car. This is one reason why power windows have become so much more common in cars. Its cheaper to equip every variant with them, then to design, test, and complicate builds with two sets of door panels, wire harnesses, controls, etc.

I want my new Camaro to be affordable. That's always been, and will no doubt continue to be, part of Camaro DNA. I'm sorry to say it - but I don't want to have to also 'help pay for' or 'subsidize' another variant of interior with my purchase. I like the heritage interior of the concept; and I hope the production car is similar but I will wait and see before making a lot of judgements and scenario-rustling.

[Big Als Z]

I just had a similar idea...

this is from the Fbodyfather thread

Lets just say, hypotheticly GM got bad press over the interior. I would assume that there are or were at least 2 or 3 other designs in the running. How much longer would it take for GM to reverse gear, get one of the other designs ready for production, send it out to suppliers, and get it mocked up and ready?

[JakeRobb]

Originally Posted by BigDarknFast

I want my new Camaro to be affordable. That's always been, and will no doubt continue to be, part of Camaro DNA. I'm sorry to say it - but I don't want to have to also 'help pay for' or 'subsidize' another variant of interior with my purchase.

The thing you're missing is that Camaro will no longer be by itself on a unique platform (no, I didn't forget about Firebird... but the interior was the same ). The Zeta platform is going to underpin at least three cars, and I'm thinking GM will expand it to include a couple more.

Those other cars will help subsidize Camaro -- not the other way around.

[jg95z28]

Production would be too expensive. Other than leather or cloth seats, I don't see many drastic differences other than an "LT" or "SS" might have more chrome.

[Big Als Z]

I can see possibly different types of seats. A RWD Chevy sedan could get a heavy sport seat and be shared with the Camaro.
Camaro should have more then just one style seat, unless that seat is very supportive where all it would take would maybe be some additonal padding for a top shelf Camaro. I would think it would be cheaper to have 1 really good seat then making 2 seats.
Or that if there were 2 seats, that 1 would come from another car on the line, while the Camaro designed seat was set up for everything above sport.

[JakeRobb]

Originally Posted by jg95z28

Production would be too expensive.

Do you (and others who have made similar claims) have some sort of basis for this? Remember that Zeta is going to be a high-volume platform with lots of flexibility. Why wouldn't it be able to support two different Camaro interiors?

[Silverado C-10]

The camaro was ALREADY SUPPOSED to be sharing a platform with several other GM cars, which apparently, are now more than likely dead in the water? So now, there's an even smaller business case for the camaro and HOPEFULLY GM will still be able to keep it priced close to a mustang even without the other US variants to share costs with. *IF* all the G8 variants do come (el camino? and wagon) I still can't see all three pontiacs accounting for much more than 200-250K in sales, and I feel even that is optimistic. The impala is likely dead? Maybe a caddy? But again, probably not a car that will sell more than 100K/year. I REALLY think to keep costs down the Impala NEEDED to be part of zeta. There's your high volume car....

The GMT900's can afford 2 different interiors. The profit margin on a truck is very high (I've read it's 6-8K) and the profit margin on GM (and other) cars is fairly small (just 1-3K in some cases.) The GMT-900's also share a platform that sells WELL over a million vehicles per year and at the high profit margin whereas the camaro (once the dust settles the first year) will probably settle in around 75-100K/year (hopefully more, but with more and more sporty coupes coming to market, who knows.)

I guess my point is, I don't see a second interior as an option.

[90 Z28SS]

Originally Posted by JakeRobb

Do you (and others who have made similar claims) have some sort of basis for this? Remember that Zeta is going to be a high-volume platform with lots of flexibility. Why wouldn't it be able to support two different Camaro interiors?

Interiors are a VERY costly part of the car design . you start mixing up different configurations which require specific wiring and trim ect ect ect , and the cost EXPLODES . That is why today , most options are bundled together and their arent any where near the individual option or color selection there used to be . Even over the last few years with alot OEM's , ALOT of tan or red interiors are simply just accented with red or tan seats and other various removeable panels like knee bolsters and door panel inserts ...so the main parts of the interior like the carpet , plastic and dash can remain ebony , graphite or black ....Much cheaper way to offer color options as opposed to have 3 or 4 different colors of the entire interior .

Even at 100K a year , the profit margin will not be there on a car like there is in a truck .

[Z28Wilson]

Originally Posted by JakeRobb

Remember that Zeta is going to be a high-volume platform with lots of flexibility. Why wouldn't it be able to support two different Camaro interiors?

The Chevy Zeta sedan is dead right now according to public releases. So much for a lot of North American volume. Camaro is a specialized Zeta of sorts. Even at 100,000/year, there just isn't enough there to justify spending on 2 radically different interiors for Camaro.

What's done is done. Let's just hope for the best.

[JakeRobb]

Originally Posted by Z28Wilson

Let's just hope for the best.

That's what I'm doing.

[Fenster]

The volume of the vehicle cannot justify the added complexity and added complexity costs of such an interior. With one interior the development costs are spread across every vehicle as it the piece costs. Adding another interior would double those costs and be almost a 4x increase in costs that would be passed on to the customer. Instead of cutting one sum into half, you are doubling the costs, and are not able to spread it against as many vehicles.