I just don't get GM.

They justified killing the Monte Carlo because they said there was no significant market for a two-door coupe. That gave them a reason to not invest in a new, updated version.

Then the company comes out and justifies the Camaro program by saying they can do 100k sales annually. Of COURSE that's a pipedream now, but it was a pipedream (according to them) when they began working on the Camaro program so many years ago because they used "lack of market interest" to cancel the Monte Carlo.

They better be happy with 50,000 Camaro sales.

 

Because the Monte Carlo sold only about 20K/year and 50% of that was fleet sales. Also I doubt that GM said there is no coupe market because the Camaro was already in development at that point.

 

Well, if they're expecting 40K, I'd suspect that they would be happy with 50K.

I wonder if Camaro sales will even ever approach Mustang sales again?

 

Wow...wasn't that plant making 250K+ cars just a few years ago. Seems like the Camaro has itself in a bad place again. That being said...I could see 40K units being way low because the Camaro is a car people buy based on emotions..not the economy.

 

Makes you wonder what kind of pressure the Camaro program might be under.

 

Wouldn't 40-50k units still make it one of the better selling sports coupes on the market? Besides the mustang, what other sporty coupes are pulling upwards of 40/50k units?

 

If sales are that low they'll probably wind up stopping it again. I just don't believe they will be that low, aren't 10,000 already spoken for?

 

I'm sure the whole "North American Zeta" program has already been written off at this point. GM probably will never see a dime from the Camaro, but it's still a useful marketing exercise which the new GM can draw from.

 

At 40K units they might as well have just imported it from Austrailia and kept that plant moving full bore.

 

40K-50K units would make Camaro a better selling car than...

Solstice
G3
G5
G8
Lacrosse
Luecerne
Aveo
Corvette
HHR
Aura
Astra
Sky
9-3
9-5
DTS
STS
CTS
XLR

The only cars out selling the Camaro would be...

Malibu
G6
Impala
Cobalt

 

In todays market you're absolutely right. But lets be realistic here. Gas prices are artifically low right now. When gas prices reach $3.00 (won't even have to get to $4.00) a gallon we'll begin to see the smaller cars you mentioned move off dealer lots.

If the Camaro reaches 50k units sold or at the lower end 40k units sold I'd be real surprised to see it last until 2012. And I'll also put my neck out there again and say the car should have never seen the light of production to begin with.

 

Don't forget the Camaro gets 29mpg, better than anything with a V6 at GM, Ford, Toyota, or Honda.

I'm sure Chevrolet could throw in a 200HP+ 4 cyl. that gets 33mpg+ if things get real bad. Basically fuel economy is not an issue with the Camaro (if marketed right)

 

I agree.

All I can hope for, is that this one hangs in long enough to open a window for the 6th gen.

 

Regardless of how much money it makes, I think it brings excitement into the Chevrolet brand. I dunno, buying a car is such an emotional thing for some. It would really make it a bummer walking into a car dealership and ALL you see are econoboxes.

Just makes you feel better when you walk in to look at a Malibu, and sitting besides it are a new Camaro and new Corvette. But maybe I'm just an oddball, who knows.

 

I'm more curious to see how the Camaro stacks up in sales against the Mustang, Challenger and even Genesis coupe more than just a stand alone sales figure. Obviously all vehicle sales are down but if the Camaro sales are in line with the rivals than I think that will say far more about the car and if it's a success than just how many units are sold.