There seems to be a whole lot of denial going on here about whether or not the Camaro's design is retro. Whenever someone mentions in a thread that the new Camaro is retro, lots of people spring up to insist otherwise, saying that it's a thoroughly modern (and possibly even futuristic!) design. So I thought I'd thought I'd present my reasons for calling it retro

When defending the 'modern' argument, some have said to look at the old and new side by side and you'll see they don't look very much alike. In another thread 95 Z/28 LT1 posted this pic:



Well of course they don't look exactly alike; you could hardly expect a car made in 2008 to be a panel-by-panel copy of a 40 year old car. But to use the fact that the concept actually looks different than a 69 when compared side by side does not prove it's modern. So let's ponder this: is the VW New Beetle a retro design? Sure it is (or if you say it isn't, what the heck would you consider retro?). Here's a picture of the original and the new side by side.



Hmm ... looks like the same story all over again. In both cases the new car is sleeker, less upgright, with a bigger greenhouse. In both cases the new car's execution reflects the 21st century, with modern proportions, aerodynamics, wheels & tires, flush bumpers, etc. However that doesn't mean their overall theme is not retro. The New Beetle is clearly retro, and likewise so is the Camaro concept.

What makes the Camaro retro then? There are some design cues that are definitely from the 1960s, not the 2000s.
- long hood, short deck
- almost downward-sloping side windows
- blunt front end and flat, horizontal hood
- full width recessed grille
- headlights are recessed and not integrated into the body
- dog-leg C-pillar
- wasp-waist middle section
- haunches over the rear wheels
- small individual taillights placed well inboard of the edges

A modern car design just doesn't have these elements, or at least not more than one or two. Then there's the blatantly retro interior, but since that's likely to change in production we'll ignore it for now.

This led me to wonder why people are denying its retro-ness. I think that over time, as people become accustomed to something, they tend to normalize it and the impact of its more prominent elements become dulled. I think if everyone was honest with themselves they would agree that their very first thought upon seeing the leaked pictures last year was "retro". But then after you became used to the pictures your mind would start to make its own interpretations and filter the raw information differently. In a way you start to see what you want to see.

And finally for some objectivity, note that pretty much every publication that reported on the concept last January called it "retro". Even 8 months later articles about the Camaro are still calling it retro (e.g. here, here, here, and here). For the record, I cannot recall one instance where the word "futuristic" was ever used, then or now. When the majority of people (outside of a handful of die hard enthusiasts) think it's retro, you might want to give that some credence.

 

I would say that this list of items are the things that define that car as a Camaro..... Espescially the long hood short deck, and the hips or haunches.

I still have to disagree, the Camaro is a modern muscle car. Your list of items does not make it retro, it only reaffirms that the car is what a Camaro should be.

 

consider this... the 4th gen clearly had alot of the same traits that 3rd gens had... so was the 4th gen retro?

The new Corvette used cues from past generations... is it Retro?

 

No because the 4th gen was an evolution of the 3rd gen. Hell it was basically a streamlined 3rd gen.

The 5th gen is retro because it jumps back 3 generations (37 years) for the bulk of its design cues.

Evolution:
1. Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations.
2. A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form.

 

[QUOTE=danno02SS]No because the 4th gen was an evolution of the 3rd gen. Hell it was basically a streamlined 3rd gen.[QUOTE]


That's funny because the 3rd gen had a lower drag co-effecient than the 4th gen.

 

Bingo

 

I feel the car is definetly retro to a degree, although I like how GM uses a lot of Vette cues in the car, as well as a few borrowed design themes from the F/A-22 Raptor.

 

ok i usually dont post much i just lurk but i got a question.... and want to be proved wrong.... but not just told i am wrong... someone..... anyone.....please show me design cues of the concept camaro that are from other generations of the camaro.... and when i mean prove please compair them side by side in pictures.. whatever it takes to prove your point....

it is not that i do not like the concept. to tell you the truth i love the car. i have already talked to my local dealer..... i am first in line to order my camaro when they become available (and i didnt have to put down any money sales manager is a very close friend of the family for 25 years or more ) but i will say that i completely agree with R377 flame me if you will but the Concept camaro is just as retro as the Beetle is , or the 2001 Thunderbird was, or the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser is now ... it directly pulled 90 percent or more of the styling cues from the 67-69 camaro

no it is not an exact copy.. (we leave that to the people at dodge) but you can tell where it came from... but like i said if you think i am wrong dont tell me please act as if i have a learning disablity and show me why i am wrong

 

How many more post are gona come up with people saying "Its RETRO!@!@!@!"


Its not, GM said its not, Jay Leno said its not...98% of the forum says its not. What else do people need?

 

Wow, if Jay Leno says it is not retro, then it must not be retro.
I didn't realize 98% of this forum took that stance. Where have I been?

 

exept the fact that 20 years out 35 it didn't have those traits.

 

 

yes we have confirmed that Jay Leno is the god of cars...

R377 i hope you dont mind if i jack you thread a little and try and get some answers...

lets all not use the word retro anymore that causes to may conflicts around here (kinda like using the word bomb near or within 30 miles of an airport you say that word and the $hit will hit the fan) so retro is out of the question.

but R377 did show a direct compairsion between 2 sets of cars the camaros in question and the Beetle as an example.. Can anyone else show a side by side with the Concept Camaro in one picture and a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th gen Camaro in another and show how they are the same? or how the previous generations influenced the the Concept

 

Dude(s),
it's retro.

Just about every line on the car is *inspired* by the '69. That's not to say the form was copied verbatim (like Dodge and Ford *tried* to do but only managed to make sterilized versions of their old warhorses). Does it look modern? Sure. Does it look great? I think so. But it's abundantly obvious EXACTLY what car was the inspiration, down to the year.

If you like it fine and if you don't like it fine, but why live in denial?

Funny thing is that with the 350Z, lotsa people WANTED more retro, and the 350Z defenders would try to argue that it was in some ways.

 

just seems to me like it a lesser degree of retro which GM calls Heratiage. Same with the Vette. There was a car that was more true to the 69 which got axed last minute because somewhere along the line Retro became a dirty word to GM. Noone is arguing that its not 69 inspired and Im glad it is. But its not the pure retro the Mustang, Challenger or the Camaro that got axed last minute in favor of the final concept was. The car has inspiration from Caddies today. Call it what you will.

Oh btw, if you think a 69's or the 5th gen's front is flat you really havent looked at them...