305fan

We all know the Camaro in current F4 guise was getting kinda old- 9 model years and GM didn't bother to be working on a replacement but I'm a little lost as to the #1 reason why?


I've heard something about not meeting 2003 crashing testing standards...is that the number 1 reason why?

Z28Wilson

I don't know if there really is a clear cut #1 reason. To me, the 2 biggest reasons are that GM wanted to close the St. Therese plant, and the old regime didn't see a need for a 5th Gen F-body and therefore had no replacement ready. So in retrospect, the situation for those $#%^#@'s was perfect, kill the car and the plant you don't like in one big swoop.

------------------
Mark

94 Z28, Red, A4, 3:23
Lone Mods--LPE CAI, !Lapeer Dragway.

Best time: 14.658 @ 95.1
with SES light on and Driver off! (First and only time at track)

The F-body will NEVER die.

THE Z-MAN

Yes the 'greenhouse' windshield design was a major factor. But in my eyes and a lot of other people's eyes GM refused to promote and advertise the F-body. Ford has spent decades promoting their mustang while GM thought the popularity wave the F-body enjoyed in the '70's decade would never end, so they stopped advertising. How embarrasing. Ironicly today is the last day for the production for the Camaro, 'Firebird too i assume'. Ford and mustang people all over the world are laughing their asses off right now. GM is going to loose 10's of thousands of loyal customers now. I feel so betrayed. Damn you GM.

2000 Ram Air Trans/Am
92 Firebird
79 Z/28

RIP 1967-2002

------------------
THE Z-MAN

WERM

No, most of them are not happy about it either.

------------------
If it breaks, it wasn't high performance enough.

2001 Mustang Bullitt GT
2000 Jetta M5

johnsocal

Im sure the new 2003 crash test standards would have required more investment into the f-body and GM decided it just wasnt worth it. Just like in 1998 when new emission standards forced GM to install LS1s in fbodies.

Who knows there might be new emission and crash standards around 2008 and GM might wait to then to bring out a new Camaro that will meet those new standards and by then the sigma platform should be cheap enough to build an affordable RWD V8 Camaro again.

[This message has been edited by johnsocal (edited August 30, 2002).]

99SilverSS

While its not the #1 reason why the line has been dropped it certanly is a top reason why its not being produced in 2003.

guionM

The F-Body windshield rumour is a smokescreen. Park your Camaro next to any Dodge Intrepid or Sebring and you'll see the same rake angle.

We all went through the future safety standards issue before, and no one found anything (myself included).

Camaro has a 5 star crash rating, meaning it far exceededs current standards (and likely meets future standards as well). Earlier this year, someone posted a story about some idiot racing in a Camaro during the day & wiping out and hitting a truck at over 130 mph and one or both inside the car lived (never heard a followup).

Never hear anything like that about Mustangs.

Darth Xed

I agree..

I beleive there would have been some sort of investment for passive side head protection or something of that sort, but nothing that could not have been done... if they wanted to invest in it that is.

poSSum

I agree with this answer.

It's been rumored that they could have continued to build the convertibles, and looked at getting the T-top cars exempted under the convertible classification but did not succeed.

bond2

I have many of my own opinions on why the f-body died. But bottom line has to be lack of advertising or awareness of the cars. I have had so many people tell me how amazing my car is and its like 6 years old. "Wow that is the coolest car I have ever seen!!" Too bad all these people had no idea these cars ever existed. Secondly, the mustang survives thanks to its V6 version, and advertising. People know they can get them cheap and that they are not overly powerful, yet they still are "Cool" b/c they have a sports car. So many people have no clue the firebirds and Camaro's could be had pretty cheap with a nice V6, and they look so much better than the Mustangs. Another thing is.....alot of people are afraid to drive my car b/c it is so powerful, if only they knew about the V6 versions. When GM did advertise they only did it with the WS6 Trans Am, showing its HP and how damn powerful they are. I loved the ads, but that kinda scares alot of people away from the car. All of us enthusiasts already knew the potency of the LT1 and LS1, so they should have focused the ads more on the entire lineup of the F-Body cars especially the price and styling of the V6 version. When have any of you ever seen a pontiac commercial where they showed the Firebird?? Very few I am sure. Pontiac always had incentive ads to get more buyers for the grand am and grand prix, but never for the firebirds. The 4th Gens were great cars, they just needed better word of mouth and advertising!! Come 10 years from now when all of us Gen "X" ers start making some real money, where not gonna want to drive a FWD V6 car, so I think GM will get back into the sports car scene again before 2010. Only time will tell.

------------------
-Jeff
'96 Black WS6 TA
99% stock, Accel ign wires, K&N & BMR Strut Bar
http://homepage.mac.com/bond2

WS6 Ram Air Background Pics

GN1270

before this year i never saw a mustang commercial either. How many Camaro commercials you seen in the last 20 years, and the ones you saw, how often did you see them. How well did those 98 TA commercials help??

It wasn't advertising, it is the daily driver unfriendliness of the car. It takes my dad 10 minutes to get out of the car.

------------------
87 Grand National, 9 sec street car

2002 NBM WS.6 A4

MissedShift

Thats because they dont go that fast, remember?

The T/A commercials that got made in '98 are still played on local broadcast TV around here, (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) by the local Poncho dealers. And I mean PLAYED. My girlfriend's little bro says he sees them at least twice a day.

I have NEVER seen a Camaro commercial, ad, or magazine ad. EVER.



------------------
1994 Z/28 14.06@100 - Totalled, 8-25-02.

guionM

It's not that the V6 isn't too powerful (they are only 10 horses short of the 93 GT's 5.0 V8), but like the large aftermarket of the 5.0 (basically a 5.0 minus 2 cylinders) V6's can ce customizied a myrad of ways:

http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/hcar/v6page.htm (also check out the liknks at the bottom).

Maybe this isn't the case elsewhere, but out here, young GUYS buy V6 stangs to save on insurence, then hop them up to be as fast or faster than GT's. Those with questionable tastes tend to "rice" them out.

Z284ever

I too have noticed more young guys buying and supe-ing up V6 Mustangs in my area also.

And what a perfect entry level performance vehicle for a 20 year old. Cheap to buy, cheap to insure, easy to hotrod and RWD.

.....Chevy should consider building something like that.

94z28jbw

The only ad that I EVER saw for a F-Body was in 1998 - "Super Chevy" Mag. [Usually read by most guys that are fully aware what F-Bodies are capable of] and the ad was for the new body style Trans Am. The ad was black except for the profile of the car in dark purple. Personnally, I liked the ad - Most people would probably find it obtrusive. But, for the public, Chevrolet's advertising strategy was Definately NOT successful due to a list of reasons.

I Just Hope They Bring It Back Someday Soon!

------------------
Check out my new pics @
My Webpage - http://www.z28only.com
Email - 94z28jbw@team.camaroz28.com
1994 Z28 - Black w/ T-tops, 17x9.5 rims, M6

Mods to date:Underdrive Pulleys, Hotchkis Rear Suspension Package, 17 in. BBS Moda Rims, Wings-West Rear Spoiler, Momo Shifter w/ Hurst Short-Throw, Hypertech Power Programing, Bosch Platinum Spark Plugs, 3 in. Flowmaster Exhaust, K&N FIPK Cold-Air Intake, C.A.G.S., Red Grantinelli MAF, Throttle-Body Air Foil.