Good pics and I liked those SL's from the 80's and 90's. While I wouldn't want plastic corner windows on the 5th Gen's rear I think MB did it for style and visibility. So if it's important to MB and their much smaller demographic for the SL then why not GM for the Camaro.
Besides the SL is a 2 seater and the Camaro a 4 seater. So a smaller car and shorter top. Maybe not quite apples to oranges but tangerines for certain.

 

I'm really at a loss to see how my example proves any point! I was merely stating some facts.

Regardless of my opinion on this issue... There is no way that a manufacturer would do a four seater without quarter windows! I can see the car mags ripping that car a new one for the terrible rear visibility and back seat passengers with no window! -(not that a quarter window provides a big view anyhow) By the way, has that ever been done? I can't think of any.

 

Ever seen a third or fourth gen F-body? No quarter windows and no, looking behind you out the rear window doesn't count.

 

Magazine and newspaper "experts" have demolished more than one convertible in the past by reviews over visibility issues due to the blind spots created by the fabric of the convertible top. I'm sure this is a major concern of any manufacturer.....much more so than worrying about whether they have to pay the price for a small rear window to go up or down to avoid this problem. The public will not buy a car that gets a poor review due to something as serious as having the rear view of the driver blocked by poor design that could have been avoided. The Mitsubichi (spelling?) was well known for this problem and never did get corrected. It was the main reason why my wife bought a Sebring convertible instead.

Lets hope GM does not make the same mistake.....

 

I've seen renderings. Has anyone heard if they will offer hideaway lights? What I've seen looks great! I have a '68 RS and would wait for this option.

 

not sure what renderings youve seen. There was the red one, and the silver one Kris did here both with hideaway headlights. RS appearance package is possible though I really dont think hideaway headlights will be an option. Welcome to the board!

 

I think it's been pointed out before that hideaway headlights are illegal....don't know if that's per state or national (not like that would matter).

 

 

And yet the 4th gen vert was touted by magazine \"experts" as one of the best executed convertibles ever. What brought in the glowing reviews?
1) power top (compared the to corvettes manual only at the time)
2) glass rear window (compared to Porsche, Miata, Viper, etc... plastic windows that fog up and deteriorate with age)
3) 2 windows. Yes, it was mentioned time and again that having 2 windows made the car look like it was designed from the start to be a convertible. What I brought up here as criticisms of the mustang vert were touted many years ago in FAVOR of the 4th gen.

The final issus is this... to go to 2 windows you'd probably need either longer doors or to bring the rear of the top forward like the 4th gen did. Perserving the camaro hatch-back's lines in the convertible would have had the same problems you see here... how to fill that gap between the rear of the window and the rear of the top.

The 4th gen's top was very well and they wern't worried about changing the roof line from the hatchback. I just hate to see GM throw out a design that works well and got GREAT reviews.

 

Wow... I guess my Firebird actually IS and ill eagle.


Last time I checked the only thing illegal about headlights are their color (can't be red or blue) and if you have a cover (like tint covers that reduce the light output, or a truck bumper guard that puts bars accross the headlight which can reduce its output). Nothing about hiding the lights when not in use.

 

This isn't a 4th gen Camaro and that design wouldn't fit the look and style of the new Camaro.

GM didn't just throw the design of the top out the window, they threw the whole damn car out the window because it was tired, dated and had served its purpose long past its original intent (9 model years).

 

I'd like to belive the boys and girls at GM are smart enough to learn from past projects.

 

One more thing to add to the wish list:

A glass rear window that can be raised and lowered independant of the soft top. BMW uses this on it's 6-series so the window can double as a transparent wind screen. I thought it was another BWM gimmick really (talk about increasing weight and costs), but I saw one at the beach yesterday... very neat and well executed.

Obviously this is a few demographics above a camaro, but maybe in a caddy.

BTW, anyone know if those new lights will be "adaptive" like BMW and Porsche use (the Hella units that turn left/right and up/down with the steering wheel and car motion?)

 

I think he is right. The difference if I am not mistaken is that there is nothing "covering" them up leaving the lights in a fixed position.

Then again...does any car have pop-up headlights any more?

 

Wow, that's hot! I think my new Camaro will be just like this with some red stripes!