TraceZ

Trends come and go, and right now "Macho" is very out of style with the younger population. The kids these days are going for cute over macho. Imports are less threatening looking and cuter than muscle cars. Kids like high tech, cute, non threatening tuner cars.

Dodge has been somewhat successful bringing back macho, but are the kids buying into it? The Camaro has always been a car aimed at a younger generation. Will the young generation embrace the macho new Camaro?

Can macho be cool again? Will it work for GM?

Casull

I don't know if I completely agree with this. I think there are probably a lot more variables that come into play here. I will agree that the "younger" generation can be seen driving around in more of these "cute" cars rather than muscle cars, but I think that has a lot to do with a couple of things.

First, the price. You can pick up a brand new Civic for the same price as a used LT1/LS1 Camaro. Younger generations are not going to be able to afford cars at higher price points.

Second, and releated to price, is that younger people are a lot more vulnerable to price of ownership. The two most significant factors I can think of here are fuel costs and insurance premiums. You will likely pay a much higher insurance rate for a muscle car than you would an import. Likewise when you can buy an import, throw a couple thousand at it to get it into the same ETA on a 1/4 mile track but spend half as much in gas over the course of a year, that is goign to look pretty appealing to younger people.

I just think that there is a lot more going on than a simple change in tastes. You also have to consider that the only "muscle car" available over the past 5 ears that is even remotely affordable to younger people is the mustang... not a lot of options.

TraceZ

Good points, casull. I also think that there is another factor in play here.... What are kids parents handing down to them to drive? Highs school kids often get hand-me-down cars from mom and dad. They make due with what they are given.

Back in the 70's and 80's there were lots of bigger mucular cars being handed down. Cars from the 60's and 70's. Kids made these bogger rear wheel drive cars cool. Then, smaller more fuel efficient front wheel drive cars got way more popular including imports. As time progressed the hand-me-down cars became front wheel drive smaller cars. So, kids began to make these cars cool and you have the current tuner trend.

Using hindsight as an indicator of things to come, we can see new cars are getting bigger and more muscular again. Dodge leads this charge stuffing their Hemi in just about anything they can and making it an icon. When these new Hemi cars get a few years age on them, they will become the hand-me-down cars for the new generation. GM is beginning to get in this new trend of bigger more muscular cars as well. Soon, Pontiac will be all rear wheel drive. The Camaro will be out, etc.

I believe Macho will become main stream cool again in the next 5 years. Hopefully that will mean a generation of kids aspiring to buy a new Camaro after they graduate.

frey51

Yeah, but keep in mind most of the people dropping thousands of dollars into an import are most likely buying body kits, springs, paint, intake and exhaust. Then they think they are racing Vin Diesel from every stop light.

It all seems to be a status think with most of them. 'ooooo my car has a better body kit, or my car sounds like an army of weed whackers on the prowl.'

Personally what most people do to imports is disgusting and in poor taste. It is a waste of money trying to make them fast. Excluding supras and rx7s though, those are excellent imports imo.

As for the camaro bringing back macho. I think that it will not bring back the feelings of the past because every italian douche, or mexican ***** with a $100 and mullet wont be able to buy an IROC. It is an intimidating car, but most of the import kids will stay on the import side of the fence.. Kinda like the way most carb guys don't like efi. Plus I really hope the mullet referance dies with this generation... dammit I am redneck (who is mulletless thank you) that drives a camaro get over it.

Fry

km9v

If we beat the crap out of the younger generation then they will want a more macho Camaro instead of a civic.

Bert02SS

I agree with the above posters who in essence said it boils down to WHO can afford WHAT. The new Camaro ain't gonna be cheap in its muscular form. Neither will the Challenger nor fast Mustangs. The younger set buys what it can afford, then throws more money at it. Problem is, in the end, after all is said and done, it's still rice.

Casull

Why waste your time posting something like this? If you are not interested in the topic then ignore it and stop reading, don't be a douche.

CAMAROJOE

Replace the word macho with "Thug" than some will jump on board.

Casull

That is actually kind of funny......

Throw the new Camaro into a Jay-Z video and they will sell like hotcakes....

TraceZ

"Let em catch ya ridin dirty - Camaro"

Z/28lover

Because i was interested, and seriously, who cares.

I mean honestly, i drive my car because i love it. Everything about it. I dont care what kind of image it portrays, and i dont judge others on what they drive.

So i say again, im sorry, but i dont care.

So why dont you take your own advice and dont be a douche...or go douche the sand out of your vagina, Mr. whiney pants.

Z28Marcus

I'm with you. Though I think the orignal post is fair. But for me, who gives a **** what someone else thinks. Though if another car guy (or girl) thinks my car is cool and gives me the thumbs up then so much the better. People who buy a vehicle to look macho tend to be compensating for deficiencies elsewhere .

TraceZ

The intention of the post is to discuss how the car will sell for GM, not whether or not you care what others think of you as the owner. If the car does not find a market, it will not survive. That is the reason the Camaro was killed in the first place, the market it was aimed at was no longer buying it because it no longer fit current popularity trends. So the question stands, will macho sell? After the hype of the reintroduction has past, will the volume of sales be sufficient to support the product? What age demographic will GM get its profit from? How will they market it to that age group? What will they do to make it trendy and popular? Will current trends economically support the release of a car like Camaro?

Good Ph.D

Yeah you didn't ask all of those questions in the original post...

Casull

I hate that old worn out line.... it is such



Also, Z/28lover, you need to get a grip dude and read the posts a little more carefully so that when you post responses they are at least relevant. I don't think the thread was started to gauge whether or not you think people will perceive you as cool if you buy the car. It was started to spur discussion as to the overall success of the car.

I go back to my original statement - if you don't care, then don't read the thread and don't post... I am not whining, I just get tired of people like you ragging on about other's threads simply becasue they don't catch your interest.