I just got back from the show tonight. Even though I knew before hand that the camaro was not going to be there, I'm still a little dissapointed in GM. Here they are, going through the toughest times they have ever experienced, and the choose not to show what could be a lifesaver to the company in the nations capital. I saw all kinds of cool cars there, a shelby gt 500 mustang, got to sit in the Z06, saw the SRT-8 cherokee (fast as ....), the new charger, Carrera GT, blah, blah, blah, but all I really wanted was to see the camaro. Instead I had to look at a malibu MAXX SS. What a joke, and a waste of what was once a proud badge. Besides my whining about not seeing the only GM car I would consider buying at this point, (corvette not withstanding, too much) not showing the camaro eveywhere and everywhere makes me wonder about GMs dedication to the project. Maybe Im just being too worried, but if GM really, really wanted to pump up excitement for its production, wouldnt they have built one more, or made sure that they showed one at every major auto show in the country. I just hope GM isnt dangling a carrot in front of us, getting us back on the GM bandwagon, only to scrap the project at the last second. I just would have felt a lot better about the project if it was there in person, or at the very least, some posters, pics, or any info at all on it. your thoughts are welcome.

 

When you are hand-fashioning a concept, it is hard to build enough of them to put one at every auto show on the circuit. If they built 3, then the guys at another show going on at the same time in say, Saskatoon Canada would be complaining that there should be a 4th copy...and so on. I'm sure they'd love to present one everywhere, but that means more materials and more man-hours used on what is, right now, a concept. I could be wrong but the original Mustang concept that previewed the 2005 model was only at a select few shows as well, so it isn't unusual.

 

Good point, and I considered that. But I at least would have liked a poster, or a TV that could have showed the clips from the Detroit show. There was just no mention of it at all, whatsoever. Ive just become very cautious of GM and Im just thinking the worst.

 

Don't feel bad i am going to the St. Louis Autoshow tomorrow and it's not supposed to be there either. I have no idea how I am suuposed to see it in person to appreciate all the details the pictures don't show, but whatever.
I'm the customer, if I don't get interested and buy GM's cars whats the worse that could happen, bankruptcy

 

This is prime autoshow season, and GM is gonna put the production car, and the fiberglass one where they will have the most impact. California, and Texas were the two largest F-body markets in the country over the course of production...so they will get priority. Also, Washington, by and large, was never an F-body town, or even a domestic town. Washington has had a rep as an import town for a while...and with all the shows...I think GM is gonna put their hot cars where they make the most impact.

I have heard they are making a 3rd fiberglass car though...that should help some.

 

I wouldn't be too hard on GM for this; no matter what model or manufacturer you are talking about, no one takse a particular concept car to every or even most shows.

After all, that's part of what makes the Detroit, NY and Tokoyo shows "special"!

 

I don't think DC is really that bad of an import place. Go out to West Northern Virginia and you see what the richer people are driving, a whole lot of American SUVs.

This is a government city. You'd have a hard time finding a good job w/o some kind of clearence. A lot of very patriotic baby boomer Americans want a mid-life car. A lot of them around here can afford the vettes, but I'm sure there is plenty of a market for Camaro. Hell F-body hideout is run out of Maryland/Northern Virginia. And the Eastern F-body Association is based here as well.

I'm not taking offence to your "DC is for imports" comment, but just throwing out a couple ideas why I think DC would have been a great place for it.

Where are they this week anyway?

 

St. Louis is in the midwest and probably has one of the highest per-capa f-body owners.
F-bodies have been a missouri thing since day one, when we got more yenko's then the rest of you :P
KC and STL come up often in a lot of those 'most sold' or 'rarest sold' in the f-body categories.
But I guess take it to California, the state that you most often have to make a special version for just to sell a car there

 

I don't think just because it is D.C. means that it deserves to have the car there. If they are going to do better in other cities, they should definitely be elsewhere/ready for elsewhere.

 

Say what you want...but the Washington Auto show has never been big...and never gotten the new "just introduced" concept cars out of Detroit in the same year. You may just be noticing now because the Camaro is such a hot ticket. Also...why would rich SUV buyers be interested in a Camaro? Two different types of buyer in my opinion. There is a book called "Car" about the development of the catfish Taurus. In there, the author actually goes into detail about the DC market as a bit of a case study...and talks about it being an import market.

With LA and Detriot just wrapping up....you can not expect the cars in every town...it is that simple. GM is gonna put them where they have the most impact. Scott has said many times in the past....a vast majority of Camaro's were sold in Texas and California. St. Louis is not a large market at all, and Washington is not anymore a Camaro town than those that it is being shown at. I am sure GM would love to have the car at every show...but it is not logistically possible

 

Just got back from the Washington Auto Show. I sat in the Z06 and that thing is SWEET! As far as it not getting the cars just out of Detroit well. Buick Enclave, Dodge Challenger, and a cool little Volvo that I didnt get the name were there. The Enclave spokes man was on break so I never got to hear about it. They said the cars were in LA and Chicago which is why they couldnt make it but they should have had Camaro literature. You could tell they were tired of requests for it. Hopefully it will be in Baltimore in a couple weeks.

 

well...........there's a couple of issues here.

First.....there are only two Camaro concepts......the Silver one that runs.....and a 'fiberglass' red one. There are NINE shows going on right now.

Where would you put 'em? Knowing that Houston is the second largest Fcar market in the country (second only to Dallas)..........you tell me.

We did take the Hybrid displays to Washington....'cause that's one of the 'hotbeds' of the Hybrid market.

I DO wish we had a whole fleet of Camaros.......that isn't the case....and the costs just to build one are huge. (I don't know about you, but I'd rather see us spending the money to build the Camaro quickly rather than build a bunch of concepts........)

You're in Washington......hop aboard AmTrack and come to the NY show.....It'll be there.

 

Nice, if only it were that easy. I'll just wave the old magic wand, make $200 appear for train tickets, pack up a days worth of stuff for the kids, travel all day...or, I could spend$20 on a tank of gas and drive 45 minutes to the city....Sure...just jump on the train...Hope Houston and Dallas dig the car...

 

Can't please everyone I guess...

 

Chevy reps there weren't quite on the ball. Ford people would talk up their products like crazy. The only thing we heard from a Chevy rep was "Are you guys going to sit in ALL the cars?!" Buick rep was good. Talked up the Lacrosse and I was impressed. One Ford rep commented "F-150, best truck in the universe!" Chevy folks were about as exciting as a wet rag.

I did like the Malibu Maxx SS though. Very nice! My brother, who just graduated college last year was also impressed. He can't quite afford the price tag, but agreed it was a great price for what you got. Interior, one of the best from GM, styling was great IMO...which surprised me because I thought I'd go for an Impala over that.