I'll be seeing it in Atlanta but from some of the higher quality digital closeups of the car, you can really see the creases in the body and it doesnt look retro in the least. It has a little 1st gen flair to it but the design reminds me more of the Art and Science look than the retro look. I can easily see why those who have seen it in person have come back saying its not retro.

Now the Challenger......thats retro......yet it doesnt have much history to draw off of so its forgiven in my book.

 

Not Retro.

I think the basic overall shape of the car has many people assuming that it is retro. It is too easy to criticize a vehicle from basic overall shape and from what little details a photo will show. The Concept has many sharp lines that I have never seen on a Camaro before, and yet still screams Camaro.

GM got this one right.

 

I understand that you don't know mre so you have no reason to "beleive" what I tell you. However, some on this board do know me and I think they will attest that who I do or do not work for does not influence me with it comes to the Firebird/Camaro.

I am very much "talking through my heart" when it comes to these cars (although that doesn't mean I turn off my brain!).

 

When I look at this pic, the new Camaro does NOT look retro. It looks like a fresh design with a futuristic look, with a couple of small cues that pay tribute to the Camaros of the past that make it LOOK LIKE A FRICKIN CAMARO. Remember - this new concept is a Camaro. It's supposed to look like a Camaro. I swear it's like some of you wanted GM to make the Camaro look like a futuristic Ferrari instead of making it look like what it supposed to be.

I remember when people complained that the 98-02 Camaro wasn't aggressive enough and didn't look mean enough. Then when the 03 Cobra came out, the 03 Cobra looked MUCH meaner and more aggressive than the Camaro. Put a pic of the Camaro and the Cobra next to each other, and the Camaro looked almost wimpy. Now look at this new concept and put a pic of it next to an 03 Cobra or even the new Shelby GT500 - the Camaro looks like it would rape either one.

 

Paul Eisenstein from TCC interviewed me at the unveiling. One of the questions he asked me, (knowing I was one of the 250 Camaro enthusiasts and the newsworthy implications if I appeared cold on the styling direction) was, if I thought the Camaro was too retro. I chose my words carefully.....although I may nit pick when I'm here on this board, my intent at the unveiling was to put a positive spin on everyfreakinthing I told a reporter.

My response went something like this:

What is retro and what is modern? A modern car is defined by it's proportions, it's wheels pushed to the corners, it's short overhangs. Something the Camaro concept DEFINITELY has. Adding heritage cues to a modern proportioned car, gives you a modern car with a link to it's heritage.

 

I dont think you have enough information to state that ALMOST EVERYONE..

I for one wont ever like the "retro" look.. In person or otherwise.. To me, cars look best when they look futureistic.. I prefer the enclosed headlights. I do not like nor do I want headlights that pop up or headlights that are single units.. I want the whole light cluster enclosed like it is on my Z and how it is on the new Vette.. I never liked the older vettes because of that..

The pics are enough for me to know that I would not like the car at all.. If I am looking for a new car in the sub $40K range in a year or three, as it stands, it will be a GTO.

I was hoping that the new camaro would be a GTO knock off.. Like the Fbod twins.. That would of been great.. except for the IRS..

I will also add that larger wheels dont make a better car.. thats one trend that HAS to stop..

 

Quoted For Truth.



And thanks for posting that head to head pic. It is clearly NOT a copy of the '69, though obviously it has some '69 cues - which makes sense, since the '69 Camaros are a huge part of the current classic care craze. I also see 2nd and 3rd gen cues/shape to the concept.

Robert_Nashville, you (and others) have said something about wishing it had taken cues but looked fresh and new. To me, that is EXACTLY what has been done.



As for comparisons with the C6, to me, the Corvette has always seemed sort of evolutionary. That is, you can always jump back a generation and see how they got to the next one, which is a great thing.

The 3rd and 4th gen Camaros were quite a bit different than the 1st and 2nd gens, plus there has been a 3-4 year gap with no car at all, so I guess it makes sense to me to bring back some of the stronger heritage of the car (the years when it sold the best).

I have loved the 4th gen since they came out. I have said it before, and will say it again, that the 4th gen Camaro (particularly '93-'97) is IMO one of the sharpest looking cars of our generation, at any price. Yes, it doesn't have the greatest interior, and yes, it could have used a longer wheelbase. But just in terms of the overall style of the body, I think it is extremely good looking (not to mention aggressive). It was also one of the best bang for the buck formulas EVER concocted in the history of the industry.

But it was not as successful for the company as the 1st and 2nd gens, and is not currently held in high favor with collectors like the 1st/2nd gens, so it makes sense to me for the concept to pull some of its obvious cues from those eras.

 

So, you were hoping for a GTO, with a gold bowtie on the grill and a live rear axle?

 

no gold anything.. ugh.. hate that color.. but the camaro insignia.. sure... solid rear axle is good for those who want to go straight and my current rear holds up fine at the AutoX so I cant really complain. .sure the IRS is a better handling option but like most stock IRS options, under enough power, it will fail and I dont like to think that stock its going to fail just because I got some traction while dropping from 4500rpm at the track..

I am at 70K on my completely stock car. No errors or anything on the motor. Everything is smooth and fine. I am very please seeing as how many of the people I know with Fbods would of already of replaced their clutch, plugs, wires, lid, exhaust and whatnot.. and they still arent running my times.. (13.1@108) Sure there are plenty that run faster.. but my point being that I am completely stock and dont plan on modding..

I want the new car to be a simple replacement for this one.. I want to be able to trade this car in and just get something newer but similar. Definately faster.. and its got to be able to take the abuse of the real world. I want it to see the strip on one day and that next weekend be pushing the turns at the autoX then take me to work across town the whole next week. .while I drive the **** out of it.. I drive hard and enjoy my car and I want the next one to be able to do just that.. and as I said.. the GTO is in line to be next..but I will worry about that rear end..

 

I like the 5th gen concept. I would have PREFERRED a clean-sheet approach, but the concept looks great nonetheless. It *IS* retro. "Retro" doesn't equate with "bad" to me, but I do NOT like the new Mustang, and the Challenger concept is a bit bland, sort've a CAD-sterilized '70.

It's abundantly obvious that the 5th gen concept looks squarely at the 1st gen for styling inspiration. I'm sorta baffled as to how or why anyone would deny that. That's not to say it isn't a modern design, though. Call it "neuvo-retro".

 

Although, I like the GTO, I wouldn't want the new Camaro to be anything like it AT ALL.

When I drive a GTO, I feel like I'm driving a big sedan...without the utility of a sedan's back half. I don't want that feeling in a Camaro.

 

How can anyone suggest its a retro knock-off of the 69 Camaro after seeing them side-by-side?

 

Everyone is different in what they like and thats for sure and I sure am different being as there is very few new cars out there I would be caught dead in to own one. Those that like them fine its not my money but God help GM if they ever built a Camaro that looked like a GTO or most of what is out there now. To show how different people can be there is nothing I saw about a GTO I liked but the motor

 

Actually wasn't the GTO a rebadged Holden Monaro which is/was also sold in the middle east as the Chevy Lumina? (You don't have to answer that Charlie, I know you know the answer. )

 

Hehe.. well with AWD and a price that is going to be twice that of the top Camaro it better have some nuts and be able to run.

As the saying goes "Bring it!" .