I just figured there would be a lot more people who just wanted the V8 option but without any of the other stuff that goes into a 2SS plus the added cost.

 

If I had bought a Camaro the Bluetooth, USB port, and steering wheel radio controls would have bumped me to the 2SS, not the leather. Now I suppose you could add the heads-up display to that list. The first 3 can be had on a 1LT in the Convenience and Connectivity Package but not on the 1SS. I don't think that's an accident.

 

Why don't you think so?

I'm not saying I disagree, but I can't think of a good reason.

 

I'm on board for a 1SS Convertible. Why, I don't need any of those other options. Leather in a drop top. No thanks. Don't need anymore swasscrack. Only option I may get is an auto so the missus who is paying for it can drive it a few times during the summer.

 

It steers more people to the higher profit 2SS.

The Convenience and Connectivity Package was $465 for a manual trans 1LT car (now $760 since rear parking sensors are included) while you have to pay $3200 to get those features on the SS by bumping to 2SS.

From a marketing perspective it makes sense to steer more affluent buyers ($31k+ V8 car) to the 2SS for less expensive but very popular features like those mentioned. These buyers have already opted into the highest performing, worst fuel economy, higher insurance version of the car, because they want to and they can.

The 1LT is an under 25k car that caters to a more cost conscious buyer so you can't lock them into a large price bump in order to get inexpensive popular features like bluetooth.

That's what I see.

 

No one has concerns that the V-6 percentage isn't higher? I thought the V-6 models were the "bread-and-butter", that the "pedestrian, run-of-the-mill" models needed to sell well to justify the existence of the car. Assuming an eight-year pent up demand for the V8 version, does anyone think the numbers for the SS will drop for 2011, or stay similar because of the introduction of the convertible?

I'm not trying to be negative, I just noticed nobody had posed those questions yet...

 

Yup.

 

It was already widely known that V8 was outselling V6, so nobody is surprised. I'm actually pleased to see V6 doing as well as it is. I thought it was skewed further towards V8.

Anyway, the V8 cars are highly profitable, so I'm not particularly concerned re: "bread and butter." The V6 cars are important for CAFE, and I think that as pent-up demand dies off (which I assume will start soon), V6 will overtake V8 and everything will be fine.

 

Jake Robb is right. Once the performance niche is filled up V6's will take over ....and of course the future of gasoline prices never looks too rosy so V8 may become more of a luxury item. If I was commuting daily in car I would have stuck to a 6 cylinder 6 speed but my car as many V8s sits in the garage quite a bit.
I for one am still amazed at the V6 performance figures of both cars...Stang and Camaro....Most people dont need anymore but I wanted the V8....guess its the "feel"....