I used to be the biggest proponent of all things GM and I hate to say it but honestly, I don't think I care anymore. GM Corporate doesn't care about Camaro fans. Sure, there are people within the company that do, but, GM as a whole could give two $hits about Camaro fans. They can make a Camaro, and maybe I'll buy it if its good. But if they don't and continue to parade FWD, auto only "performance" cars and unafordable authentic performance cars then I most definately won't be back. I can count on no hands the GM cars that I can actually afford that I would buy even with the rebates and the $3,000 in points on my now all but worthless GM card. It still boggles the mind how a company with the number of makes, models and divisions that GM has cannot make a single car within my price range that I would buy. Buy hey, SUV fans, there's probably another itteration of the Trailblazer platform on it's way!

 

Scion doesnt sell sport cars...... Just economy cas with differnt looks. By todays standard even the TC is no more than the garden varitey economy car under the skin.

Halo cars are what companys do to stay in consumers minds when the rest of what they offer is sub par. Ford is doing it now, Crysler did it in the 90s. And even GM is doing it with the SSR. DCX is now full of cars that have a little bit of the Halo thrown in but with the exception of the Viper they are not. The 300 series cars stand out, but are not halo cars, same goes for the PT cruser or the SRT versions of cars.

I have said this before. No matter what GM tells you Chevy is not the lowest point. They have more cars and trucks at the 40k mark than any other gm brand besides Caddy. Thats not a bargain brand.

 

Yea, I can agree that the anxiousness I once had for news of a possible Camaro has steadily declined. The "bright headlights" article on this website says nothing to indicate a Camaro is coming in the near future. It simply states that a Chevy coupe scored high in a car clinic. This is certainly not ground-breaking news.

Luckily though, the Mustang is still left. It seems as though the 05 Mustang is the last car that is flying the flag that the F-bodies once also flew.

 

Uhhh......What about the 400hp '05 GTO, I would really be looking forward to one of those showing up on the lot. That is if you can get one in '05 since some idiots at GM decided to cut production 30%, and not let the car compete which I think it can in '05 if the price is right. But the cut will probably insure another round of dealer price jacking for the '05 models.

 

Oh well...sad to hear that a lot of people are giving up the faith.
As for GM not caring about entusiasts, I think its more about GM not caring about US enthuistasts.
They have the imports coverd with ION RL and Cobalt SS
They have the performance coupes and sedans covered with big V8's
They have the sports car market covered
They have the luxury sports sedan market covered
They have the sports truck market covered
The only market they dont have covered is the market we just so happen to fall in, at least not now.

 

Not giving up faith for the car . But the day to day soap opera of ever changing news ...yes Somebody summed it up earlier . With all the news thats been shed on a 5th gen , not one single thing officially from GM caters to a Camaro even in the works , not one thing .

So , I do have faith someday a long time from a new ( probably pretty badass ) camaro will emerge . But until that time , why beat a dead horse . Plus one things gets me ....is there gonna clone the GTO , buick and chevy coupes together . They why cant they clone themselves a new trans am to go with the camaro . Im a pontiac guy , I had to say that

 

You know why Ford sells so many Mustangs? Because they have nothing else that fits into that category even remotely in their lineup, a sporty 2 door with heritage. When the T-bird and Cougar were around for the nearly the same price as the Fox body in the early 90's Mustang sales were lower than they are today. GM has the Corvette, the GTO, even the Monte Carlo and Grand Prix could be lumped in there while Ford for the most part has that single car. In the 80's there was multiple markets for these types of cars, but look at the casualties since then in this segment, they are numerous. With the market so small for these types of cars these days I do not see GM spending the money for a new Camaro. What would be the point for them to do this? The supposed intro date is less than 2 years from now and yet no development news or spy pics have come from GM. I too would like to see a new Camaro, but the likelyhood of it happening is remote at best.

 

We seem to be diehard fans of a car that's obsolete in today's marketplace. While Ford trumpets along with yet another successful rendition of the always popular Mustang ponycar, we as F-body enthusiasts have to literally hang on to the hope that a 5th gen will return in the not-so-distant future. Let's just hope it comes along before we're too old to drive.

As today's family sedans and even some trucks are approaching the performance levels of what was exclusively sports car territory just a few years ago, I'm getting more and more ambivalent for a new 5th gen as the years go by.

The 5th gen is going to have to have knockout styling along with Mustang beating performance to succeed. With today's crop of GM studio designers these days, I find it hard to believe that the 5th gen will have that 100% "knock your socks off" timeless styling the 2nd/3rd gens had when they came out.

 

I look at it this way, there will be a Camaro no matter what. They do not wanna just give the market to F*rd for good when they can bring something better out. (when it's legal to) What I am tired of is all the frustrating uncertainty and constant changing information. Not that I fault our reporters here because it isn't their fault, they do what they can. It's the fault of that disconnected, slow, boring designing, mediocrity set, corporate, confused, enthusiast let down that has been the GM of recent years. I think it will change, but we've still got some years to go until it does. Unless the car and other good things are farther along than we think. It's time for them to want to compete and take back markets, (like the B-Body's also) to actually try and use some effort. If they don't they'll be in trouble and it'll cost them. Let's also not forget new competition from Chrysler coming too, they need something.

The Camaro is a famous car and is one of the most well known names GM has. It has a huge fan base and aftermarket that gets bigger everyday, it's almost always the most covered musclecar in performance car magazines in general, they're extremely popular at show/cruises/to collectors, and there are Camaro fans inside GM. Desire and demand for them among enthusiasts is really high. GM knows all this and it's pretty difficult to overlook. I mean we have crate 1st Gens now! It continues to excite and bring good things even on hiatus. I remember going to a site and seeing a study that rated the Camaro as the most desired and fastest appreciating musclecar above them all. There's no way they'll just let the name go and not make a M*stang competitor again at some time. (who knows when) The name alone will sell cars. Styling it nicely, (if they are capable) making it perform great, staying true to it, having choices and a well thought out setup will sell even more cars. Remember, years from now, our reactions and guys/entusiasts like us who came here (and places like it) to discuss all aspects of the car and the want for it to continue will be talked about in new Camaro/Musclecar publications. Let's hope we get to read a 5th Gen section after the "hiatus years" section of Camaro history then, and let's hope that new car happens by 07 too.

 

I still have hope that there will be a 5th gen.

Yeah you're probably right about not wanting to see any spy photos and such..wouldn't want the new Camaro to become stale before it even hits the streets.

 

Yeah, if I didnt see a single spy shot, and at NAIAS in 06, they had the Camaro production car there, then announced sales would start in 2 months....
Id be down with that.

 

Branden,
Tell everyone that Scott Settlemire says "Keep holding the faith"

 

Well, you can say they have these segments "covered," but their respective offerings aren't at the top of anyone's list. FWD Grand Prix's don't exactly get the blood pumping for somone looking for a V8 sedan. And other such sentiments exist for their contenders in import-tuner, performance coupe, sports truck--really anything outside of utilitarian trucks or SUVs.

As alluded to another post, it's hard for GM-backers to find a car that suits their wants even with thousands in earning points and rebates. Truly, it is not the rebates that have turned GM into the KMart of automakers; it's their Martha Stewart Living cars.

 

So if i understand you correctly then there is pretty much a camaro and firebird thing going on, except its between the gto and the new chevy coupe?

 

That is very well said!

Seems like some people really are taking this car thing a bit too seriously.

When ever GM is ready to tell the world something about the upcoming 5th Gen, I'm sure they will let all of us know.

I'm keeping my faith and while I'm waiting for the news, I'm enjoying to the fullest every single mile I drive with my current Camaro and not worry about the Zetas, Kappas or what nots. I'd suggest some of you doing the same, too.

TS