Hmm, very interesting. I'll have to keep an eye on this thread.

 

well,much has been said.My hats of to GuionM for his beautiful explanation of why the Camaro should be brought back.I almost wanted to cry. As for me I'm 19 goin on 20.Appartently as a very,very young child my dad was always goin through TAs. So I grew up with F-bods but didn't not this or appreciate them.However when I drove my first Camaro a 3rd gen I can't explain it.You could dub it as magic if you want but I fell in love with that car.And I regret every last bad thing I did to that car.But my experience with that car has lead me to become loyal to the Camaro...and GM I guess.So much to this point.before I knew of the 5th Gen concept my dad said when I graduated from junior college he would get me a new V8, be it a TA or Corvette.But when I heard about the 5th gen I said forget the other two I'll wait for my maro to come back.So why does the Camaro deserve to be resurrected, because it is THAT DAMN GOOD. It's history,the history it shares with the Mustang, the HP wars.I was jealous of all these old schoolers who got to live in those days.And now I get a chance to experience that same feeling they did. So why resurrect the Camaro,well as said because it's what you feel inside.But it's also a part of American history that deserves to be resurrected for guys my age in my generation can experience what our dads,our gran-dads experienced when they were our age.That's that.

 

Why doesn't the Camaro deserve to be resurrected? Well, for one thing, it's just a car. It's not to blame for it's past mistakes. We're looking to the future here, and what buyers and ourselves want.

Maybe the question here should be, do we deserve the Camaro to be resurrected? I think we do, as long we can afford it. Maybe you're asking wouldn't we all be better off if something was made for the younger crowd and not the older crowd. I kind of see what you mean; anyone over 40 may as well give up driving and get us a wheelchair, huh? Even if a lot of us do make enough money to afford this car while a lot of younger buyers are still getting into their own careers.

Yeah, I'm being sarcastic, and yeah, I know there's a lot of young buyers that make a hell of a lot more money than I do. But if you spend a little time checking this sight out, and read between the lines sometimes, you'll not only see but feel the history people here have had with their Camaros. We may never get those times back, but hopefully with the new Camaro, we can make some new memories, with the name of a car that has a lot of good history with it. And young buyers, if they're so inclined, can share in the heritage. Sorry, I know you may not have meant anything manevolent in your post, it just didn't sound the way I might have asked the same thing. I hope you got your question answered, probably already by someone brighter than me...

I like what the fella above just said, "it's what you feel inside". ditto

 

I have answered this question many times with out saying a word. Every time a Mustang, Neon, Toyota or any other rice burner thinks he has what it takes to run with the big (old ) boys. I give the view of my taillights pulling away. I LOVE MY CAMARO! I take better care of my car than I do my girl friend, COme to think of it, even better than I take care of myself. It is all about going fast, looking good doing it and loving what you are doing it in. I too would drive a Solstice....if I ever felt like I had to do it pink shirt and a double Vanilla mocha lotta in my hand and manicured nails with polish. Oh yea, If anyone ever sees me doing this, Shoot me! Drive one and you will never ask such a dumb as# question as this again.

 

 

Dont have time to read through all the responses and most likely someone else already mentioned what I'm about to but if not,

simple..

because its a poor mans Corvette

or

its a wanna be Corvette for the guy who has a family and needs the rear seats.

 

And (not picking on just you MHChilds, just addressing the ideal) this is exactly the type of attitude that killed the Camaro. Camaro got this image of being an irreposnsible, only attractive of tiresmoking, testosterone O.D.-ing, rambunctious men. It's all great press in locker room or bar room conversations. But in itself is a death sentence to a car.

Z28 & SS took over a lions share of Camaro's sales towards the end. But during those same final years, Camaro's total sales tanked badly... very VERY badly!


This is what I mean the generation gap between older and younger views of Camaro.

Three generations of Camaros appealed to a wide group of people. From pilots that live in Monroeville Pa and commute to Greater Pittsburgh International Airport (my uncle and his '68 Camaro 327 he bought new and drove for 10 years)... to a guy who used his car for business (my cousin who had a new '77 Camaro LT 305 V8 that he used on cases).... to a couple who used it as their only car (a neighbor who had an '84 Camaro Berlinetta because they liked the "modern" interior).... to a person who wants a sporty looking car (a young co worker who bought a new '91 Camaro RS because everyone had a Mustang.... including me). I'm not including a friends older brother who after graduating college picked up a new hot looking, '77 black/white 2 tone Camaro Rally Sport, the teacher at my elementary school who had a crowd of kids around her new orange '75 Camaro with the rally rings, white letter tires, and rear spoiler.


All of that seems forgotten today, when the only Camaro anyone under 25 is familiar with is the 4th gen Camaro that came in just 2 flavors: V6 or V8; base or Z28, or later, the 'looks-even-more-the-part-of-a-racer' Camaro SS.

I think it's hard for anyone today to see the Camaro as the car a Honda Accord buyer used to purchase as much as a Mitsubishi Eclipse buyer, let alone a Camaro SS buyer. And that's the strength of the previous 3 generations of Camaro.... it had broad appeal, and that's what gave it it's true heritage.

Anyone can make a fast car. People have been doing that in their backyards since cars were invented, so it's nothing more than a lame joke for a car company with teams of engineers to accomplish.

But it takes alot of effort to make a car that appeals to as wide an audience as the Camaro has in it's history.

If a big engine, reckless drivers, and being faster than other cars was all it took, not only Camaro & Firebird, but a long long list of cars would still be around today.

 

If that were true Drifting and drag racing would have killed the imports along time ago. Had the car had utility and backing it would have never died.

 

GuionM, I completely understand what you mean on the two different perceptions of the Camaro. Your post was excellent, it really showed me a side of the Camaro that I hadn't thought about before. I know that I am guilty of just seeing the Camaro as a pavement pounding pony killer. I'm 21, almost 22 and I fit right into the age group you divided out. I have also been guilty of looking at the past Camaros and one of my first thoughts (after saying what a beautiful car it was) was that it's not even as fast as the 4th gen Camaros even though it had a much larger engine, and in some cases, more horsepower.
I know there's nothing much I can do to change my perceptions on the car because I don't have the history with it as some of the older owners have with theirs. I do, however, love my two Camaros and nothing will EVER change that. These cars are much more than just simple transportation to me. I catch myself looking over at the reflection of my car as I pass in front of store fronts because nothing really strikes my fancy the way a Camaro does. There's just something about the Camaro that no other car can catch. I don't think there's ever going to be a car I love more than the Camaro. I know one day I'll have a new 5th gen in my driveway. It might now be as soon as I'd like it to be, but it will be there.

 

Ok here is something for you.

After Lutz was posed the question of why GM would chose to abandon the minivan market after Chrysler just showed their new offerings Lutz response was that "I'd rather put my money into these (EV)'s in what will sell than minivans."

So. Lets sit back and look at things.

I'll ask again, why should the Camaro be resurrected? My #1 reasoning is gas prices. By the time the Camaro comes out, we are very likely looking at $3.00 a gallon gas.

GM will be promoting (to high hell) a 300hp (at least) V8 engine, that they expect to sell in essence of 100k per year.

Plain and simply put, why give the tree huggers something new to bash GM about?

I sat two chairs away (literally) from the guy that made the "documentary" of the EV1's death. Once Bob said that the Volt would NEVER use gas if you drove under 40 miles a day, he stood up, clapped, and shouted.

My point is this. Looking forward, there is absolutely no reason why the Camaro need to be revived. Not in a world of rising gas prices. Sure, we're getting it easy now in the midwest due to warmer gas climates, BUT if this really is global warming like many think (which I say is BS) then what happens once the summer hits and the A/C goes on, and gas touches $4.00 a gallon...and that's just this year?

My point is. GM need not revisit its past on the Camaro. If you think it deserves a second chance because it was "done wrong" the first time around, then you do not have the best interest of GM around.

Ford may continue to build the Mustang from here on out. But let's face it. They are only selling the Mustang...and won't be around at #2 for long.

Just something to chew on.

Oh and, no, I wasn't drunk during this post either. Idiot.

 

Global warming, Gas prices and politics aside; you build cars people want to buy, if you want to be profitable, right?
More than a lot of people have shown a great interest in buying a new Camaro if offered.
By the Mustang sales yardstick, there's a strong Pony car market, and it rises and falls with the aging of society, up-turns and down-turns.
If all people bought cars as strickly "modes" of environmentally friendly, economical transportation, most car makers would'nt be where they are today.
Desire, and often forgotten factor, sells more product than common sense.
And the New Camaro seems to have found plenty of it once again!
Numbers don't cover the intangibles, and they are sometimes the most important factors in selling a product.
They need to strike while the iron is hot, adapt with the coming changes, maintain a fresh look, and it will continue to be very profitable.
Some things are timeless, and "Camaro" seems to be one of them.

As for the Global Warming Kyoto "World Tax" ruse, see below...solid scientific evidence shows we have no more effect on it as we do on how the Sun shines...

 

GM could come out with a 600hp sports coupe that got 100mpg and ran on peanut oil and the tree huggers would still find something to complain about.

Most fanatical environmentalists equate performance with pollution and harming the environment. Yet many of the grassroots/behind the scenes EV enthusiasts are just as into performance as we are. They just march to the beat of a different drummer.

By the time Camaro returns, there's a good chance E85 will be more readily available, Active Fuel Management will be standard on all models, and a 450hp V8 will get northward of 30 mpg.

Its obvious that you're dead set on stirring this up and playing devil's advocate. You're never going to get the majority of readers of this website to agree with you on this, so you may as well try a different subject.

 

I don't agree with the statement that the 4th gens suck. I read this thread and was shocked and a little disappointed and kindof saddened. I strolled out to the garage and looked at my Z and smiled. I got in.....sat there for a min or two listening to the radio. Started her up.......mmmm she sounds good. Decided to go for a drive. Now I'm in a great mood!! From the day I took her for a test drive (and almost gave the salesman a heart attack) to 12 years later and many other cars bought and sold during that time. There has been no other car that has felt this good and has been more fun to talk about....to drive....to be admired.... There is no doubt in my mind that this car is a pain to work on sometimes. I get mad when I have to roll the window up (slow). 1/4 tank of gas means go find a station and quick. But I have never been in any other car that is just so 'Me'. And there is more than just a car sitting in my garage. It is a lifestyle. Just look at this community of people that are drawn together to talk about their cars. They love these cars just as much as I do. I can just read post after post interesting stories of what people have done to their cars. What they plan on doing to make them more pleasurable to drive. Asking for advice.....giving advice. You just can't find that anywhere else. Sure there are enthusiasts for just about any type of car made but I have never seen a larger community of enthusiasts than for the Camaro. Rich in its glorious history and a long wonderful future. From My fathers Gen 1 and 2 to my Gens 3 and 4. I know my son will be driving a Gen 5. Ya....it will be made....and it should be made....and it deserves to continue on. Not just for Chevy. But for all the Camaro owners of the past, the present and for our kids to enjoy just as much as we did. Its our car brothers....it ours

 

Just to give an idea what Guion is talking about, here's an old Camaro Berlinetta advert where the target demographic is young professional women:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ATQeWMKGpO0

Question is, could they pull this off with the 5th Gen? I dunno ... there's so many vehicles on the market targeting women, and the Camaro seems like a complete guy's car.

 

Wow..... I didn't even know they had a digital dash. I thought the 1985 Cadillacs were the first with digital dash boards.