Similar subject different voice:
From Automotive News 14Jan08 p. 42

"General Motors design chief Ed Welburn has a message for folks fuming and fretting on the Internet that the 2009 Chevy Camaro will have a cheesy interior:

Chill out.

"It's a great interior. I'm not worried about it. The comments upset me because they are based on little information, no information or the wrong information,'' Welburn says.

After spy photos showing the unfinished interior of a Camaro test mule showed up on several Web sites, Camaro fans peppered the GM blog, fastlane.gmblogs.com, with complaints. They didn't like what they saw and fear GM's reborn pony car will have an inferior interior.

"If that's the interior, I want my deposit back,'' wrote one. "Just plain hideous,'' fumed another.

Don't sweat it, says Welburn.

Of the images circulating on the Internet, Welburn says: "They are development pieces. They don't have the right finishes, and some things are taped in place. It's an engineering vehicle.''

He says the new car will use the same basic interior style and design as the concept car, which got good reviews when it was introduced at the Detroit auto show in 2006. But he says the surfaces and precise placement of the controls have been refined.

>>>>

 

Kind of kills the talk that it's "only a group of 10" on this site that complained about the interior design, if Welburn feels he needs to address it.

Design. Design, design, design. Does no one get it? Ed, we ALL understand it isn't the finished product. It's the general DESIGN that is killing many of us.

 

I dont know what/see whats so bad about the "design" you have two main gauges tach and speed. there in pods with more digital information between them(im betting fuel, and temp etc). then you have the reduntant "cool" factor gauges on the center console. its all pretty slick.

what I dont get is if everyone hated the "design" why didnt any of this come up once we saw the concepts design? If we are talking stricly "design" then wheres the issues and why havent we already hashed the out like we did EVERY other aspect of the car? **** we even have threads on the damn gas cap placement! if this was really people bitching about the "design" then we seriously would have already had this conversation but its not, its people thinking they know what is going to look like and basing there judgement on an unfinished pricture.

 

It did. See Z284ever's comments about the group he went with to NAIAS 2006.

I won't go into all the things I dislike about what I see in the spy pictures, it's been done in other threads and I almost don't have the energy for it anymore.

 

I dont know man, all this bitching is annoying. I stood around both the hard top and the vert and never once heard anyone say they didnt like the interior. every comment I heard was people say WOW, or thats sweet, or I hope they make it like this!

I think this is a mute point because no matter how much the haters complain they arent going to change it..... and personally Im happy for that!

 

I made a big mistake at the unveiling. After all was said and done, the lead interior designer came to find me. With a big smile on his face he said, "So how'd you like the interior Charlie"? I didn't have the heart to tell him I hated it, I should have.

 

I could understand that being uncomfortable. Talk about a 'push poll'!

 

I agree the complaints were on the style not the fit and finish. And if Mr. Welburn is making a statement then this issue has certainly gone up the ranks.
I know when I first saw the concept car I swooned over the exterior styling and somehow just glanced at the interior and figured GM would change it. Looking back I don't know why I thought GM would keep the exterior and change the interior but thats what popped into my head first seeing the car. I just didn't think the interior matched the exterior style and maybe thought GM knew that.

I'll reserve final judgement for the production car. As if we get what was seen in the spy pics and the design that Mr. Wellburn stated then color and fit and finish can go a long way to make it look and feel better.

 

I felt exactly the same way. I never thought they'd actually keep that bizarro interior. I just never took it seriously.

 

I made the 'group of 10' statement. I wish you would not quote me out of context. That was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the vocal minority on this board, who have made a hobby of wringing their hands over the new Camaro's weight, interior, gas cap location, 'chunkyness' ( ), model naming (Z28 vs SS vs Z/28 etc) and so on ad nauseum. Whether it's ten, twenty, or a hundred - it's still obvious people are a little too free to criticize when they are tucked safely behind their keyboards.

Speak for yourself. I breathed a little sigh of relief, in reading that article. I for one am glad to hear the design has not been corrupted by production intent.

 

Your experience is likely the most common one for the vast majority of those seeing the car. I have been to the Detroit auto show (in 06 and in 07) twice now with a 06 Camaro concept present, and had the same experience both times.

 

I have another theory. Maybe part of you knows it is actually the best thing that could happen for the interior. It's true to the rest of the design, and fits in perfect harmony with it. Having seen all your feedback on this site lo these many years, I have trouble picturing you holding back an opinion

 

No, your theory is wrong.

As I said in another post, I just didn't take that interior seriously. I figured, why bum somebody out which I like, if it doesn't matter.

Afew weeks after the unveiling, I had a very long conversation with Gene Stefanyshyn, (VLE for Zeta/Camaro), regarding my input on what was then, a theoretical Camaro. I mentioned the thing with the interior, and he said "Charlie, this is your car, you'd better let everyone know what you think". In Chicago I did. I chatted with the two designers who did the bulk of the interior work. I can't remember their names off the top of my head, one's from Russia and the other from France. They seemed shocked to me.

Later that evening, a couple dozen or so of us, from the Illinois Camaro Club and Midwest F-body, had a GTG with Scott. I didn't hear one nice word about the dash, IP or shifter. Some liked the console gauges though, most didn't.

 

So two dozen people communicated they disliked it. In contrast, there's the word from FBF himself on here, that the vast majority seeing the car are very happy with it. Sorry... but I'll believe him overall. Especially when in my own gut, I see and enjoy the appeal of a unique interior that matches up well with the exterior styling of the car, and which invariably telegraphs the history of so many authentic, genuine Camaros which came before it.

I think everyone here gets it. You and your little posse don't like it. You're entitled to keep moaning about it from now til the end of time if you like. But if you do - you will see me countering you every step of the way

 

Did he say interior? Well, let's see the quote then. I'd say everyone from GM is on the defensive about it right now. Of course I can't wait to hear what sort half baked theory and psuedo-facts you'll pull out of ....umm....thin air, to counter that. Doesn't matter, because that's what the car is getting.

BTW, it wasn't my "little posse". I don't have a posse, nor pretend that I do. They were just regular guys, most I didn't even know, expressing an opinion. Too bad you weren't there, you could have told them all how stupid they're opinions were, because they don't agree with your own.