Over the past few months/years, we've been hearing about how GM is gearing up to produce more low-volume niche vehicles. A recent article or press release has indicated the same (reducing costs on existing vehicle production will raise profit margins and allow more low-volume niche vehicles). So far the line-up of niche vehicles have been retro concepts that have styled their way into the past. The SSR, which is of course essentially a '50s Chevy pickup with a bit of cool injected into it, and the HHR, which as I understand it, will be a panel truck/delivery sedan type vehicle, are the two I know of.

What if Camaro returns as a low-volume high price retro rod instead of a production coupe doing battle with the latest in sport coupes? Would we like that? It would probably stay true to the big/heavy roots that it has (yes, I know it's small by yesterday's standards), and the styling would doubtlessly be retro...

Another thought. The GTO is considered (for the moment) a low-volume niche vehicle. However, Pontiac's rennaisance and Holden's interest in expanding its overseas market are two driving forces for expanding the GTO sales. Could this theoretical Camaro transition from low-volume niche vehicle to production car? This may be the push-start the Camaro program needs...

 

If that were the only option for the Camaro coming back, i would have to say yes, i like it. To come back as a low volume 'niche' vehicle i don't see how GM could keep the price reasonable. Having the 'specialty car' tag, even if the Camaro chasis shared another cars platform, would seem to me to demand a high price at the dealers. I want the Camaro to be as it always has been, made. As an entry level performance car within the reach of about anyone that is able to buy a car.

 

I've been thinking about that too and I really hope it doesn't happen. Hopefully the GTO will be the low volume musclecar and let the Camaro be the high volume musclecar it is meant to be.

 

As long as the 5th gen Camaro doesn't look as god-awful as the new GTO or SSR, I will buy it.

Oh yeah, and it'll have to have V8, RWD.

 

If Camaro's only option is to come back as a high priced, low volume retro it should stay dead.

There is no way you can say a low volume niche car is battling any of "the latest sports coupes", and I don't understand how you came to that conclusion. Don't take this as a slam or chastising, I just feel that Camaro is much better than that.

This proposal would result in a Camaro that only a few well off people could afford instead of people who would normally buy sport coupes, Camaro would be produced in numbers smaller than it's competitors, and it still would be second tier to Corvette. How's it competing with anything?

Personally, I feel any proposal to reduce Camaro to nothing more than a pricey niche performance car is the same as killing Camaro off. You're turning it into not just a ghost of it's former greatness in the market ( CAMARO WAS THE 2nd BIGGEST SELLING SPORTS COUPE TILL IT"S LAST YEAR for chrissakes!) , but also a caracture of itself as well.

You may as well make a 4 passenger Corvette & put a Camaro name on it, because that's how little it'll mean to me then.

 

Originally posted by guionM
If Camaro's only option is to come back as a high priced, low volume retro it should stay dead.

There is no way you can say a low volume niche car is battling any of "the latest sports coupes", and I don't understand how you came to that conclusion. Don't take this as a slam or chastising, I just feel that Camaro is much better than that.

I don't take it as either, I take it as me not writing clearly enough. I meant that instead of being reincarnated as a mass-production car and battling the latest sports coupes, it may come back on the "heritage niche" program. My mistake.

This proposal would result in a Camaro that only a few well off people could afford instead of people who would normally buy sport coupes, Camaro would be produced in numbers smaller than it's competitors, and it still would be second tier to Corvette. How's it competing with anything?

Personally, I feel any proposal to reduce Camaro to nothing more than a pricey niche performance car is the same as killing Camaro off. You're turning it into not just a ghost of it's former greatness in the market (CAMARO WAS THE 2nd BIGGEST SELLING SPORTS COUPE TILL IT"S LAST YEAR for chrissakes!), but also a caracture of itself as well.

GTO did pretty well too in its time, but it's coming back high price/low volume for now.

You may as well make a 4 passenger Corvette & put a Camaro name on it, because that's how little it'll mean to me then.

Now that would just be silly.

 

But the GTO is not exactly being built here.

 

The difference between the GTO & Camaro is that GTO (especially after 1968) was pretty pricey, while Camaro never was (though the 1st 3rd gens came close). In musclecar comparisons, GTO normally was the most expensive of the bunch (the much cheaper Chevelle SS outsold it by 1969, as did Plymouth's Roadrunner the year before unless my memory's gone wrong).

Another point is that Camaro is a carline, not a car model. If you are going to turn this car into a limited & expensive car, simply call it Z28, or SS, or whatever. To take 35 years of history, the affordable sports car, the touring sports car, the car that has ALWAYS been Chevy's side of the ponycar war, and turning it into basically a 4 passenger Corvette in price and exclusiveness isn't doing Camaro any good, and is giving the entire market to Mustang, G35 coupe, Intrepid Charger, possibly a Mercury Cougar, and pretty much everyone else simply because Camaro couldn't hack it, and wants to run into a corner, by running away from the market.

I think it's a humiliating copout for a car that was second only to Mustang in segment sales less than 18 months ago.

Again, if that's the choice, then leave it dead.

 

If 'high price was in my mind when i first posted then NO would have been my answer. Like i said, i cannot see any 'niche' vehicle having even a remotly affordable price. I should assume the two go hand in hand.
A humiliating copout indeed. > GM has single handedly given virtually every car market to ford, on a silver platter. Do they not want business? As of next year GM no longer makes anything i will consider buying. It will take a few years for GM to feel the full effect and backlash. The only thing Pontiac is making that could even hold a candle to the Firebird, the two door Grand Prix is supposed to die in a couple of years, i think. Heh, Look at how bad Chrysler had it around 15 years after it gave up on the performance market, the government bailed them out. And they are still suffering, i don't think i've ever seen anyone under 50 years old driving a Chrysler product. GM will soon be the same way.

 

How high is too high? Let's say it's based on an imported Holden, Sigma, or even its own chassis, and costs $30-35K for the only model. If this was the only way to make a business case for a new Camaro, how would you feel? If, in two or three years' time, this would lead to a new Camaro program with all the right chassis/interior bits we all want, would you still reject it?