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Camaro still significant?

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Old 04-18-2004, 12:43 AM
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Camaro still significant?

I'll keep this short. But the Camaro must still be significant enough to be talked about in car circles. You would think that GM can't ignore such a strong heritage or the fact that Ford has managed to build a similar product and make a profit on it.

I was just looking at my Motor Trend magazine and found Camaro referenced 4 times in that magazine! The car died on the assembly line 2 years ago...and they are still talking about it.

I think we will get our Camaro...GM will see that Ford is making a killing off the new Stang and they will eventually join in, late as usual. Just like back in 67'.

What do you guys think?
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Old 04-18-2004, 03:52 AM
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Search this board to find your answers.
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Old 04-18-2004, 07:09 PM
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Re: Camaro still significant?

Originally posted by Ponyhtr
I'll keep this short. But the Camaro must still be significant enough to be talked about in car circles. You would think that GM can't ignore such a strong heritage or the fact that Ford has managed to build a similar product and make a profit on it.

I was just looking at my Motor Trend magazine and found Camaro referenced 4 times in that magazine! The car died on the assembly line 2 years ago...and they are still talking about it.

I think we will get our Camaro...GM will see that Ford is making a killing off the new Stang and they will eventually join in, late as usual. Just like back in 67'.

What do you guys think?
I think you're new here, aren't you?
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Old 04-18-2004, 09:44 PM
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If you check out www.ebay.com and refresh it a few times, you'll get a list of the top 10 or 15 most popular automobiles on ebay autos, the Camaro weighs in at #3 behind the Mustang and the Vette (i think on the vette). Definitely still important!
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Old 04-18-2004, 10:33 PM
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But the Vaule of the Vette is going to drop in a couple years. With the introductory of the new C6 & the New Z06 You will see the C5 Price DROP big time. For a few years then come back.

Yes the Camaro is still singificant to the automotive world.
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Old 04-19-2004, 02:14 AM
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c5 sales will drop, but so did C4, C3, C2, C1 sales when the next gen came out. This is no big deal.

GM was still making a profit on the Fbodies, and they have been watching Ford make a larger profit on the Mustang for some time. If GM would make so much money off the Camaro, dont you think they would have come up with a 5th gen by now?

As for its name still being significant, ahhh yeah! Just look at this site, and the other thousands like it that are for the Camaro.
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Old 04-19-2004, 04:40 AM
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IMO, I think the 4th gen Ste Therese (sp?) plant contract and the auto workers union had more to do with the demise of the F-body than anything else. GM had to be making almost pure profit on this car since costs would've been amortized by now.

Also, I'm sure any money available for future platform upgrades for the 4th gen was quickly diverted away to more lucrative prospects like the sizzling hot high profit margin truck and SUV platforms.

IMHO, if GM has any hope to succeed in the 2+2 sporty RWD coupe segment against the Mustang, they will most certainly have to call the new replacment a Camaro.
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Old 04-20-2004, 09:54 AM
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Originally posted by mikedog
IMO, I think the 4th gen Ste Therese (sp?) plant contract and the auto workers union had more to do with the demise of the F-body than anything else. GM had to be making almost pure profit on this car since costs would've been amortized by now.

Also, I'm sure any money available for future platform upgrades for the 4th gen was quickly diverted away to more lucrative prospects like the sizzling hot high profit margin truck and SUV platforms.

IMHO, if GM has any hope to succeed in the 2+2 sporty RWD coupe segment against the Mustang, they will most certainly have to call the new replacment a Camaro.

Ah yes. You're new here too, huh?
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Old 04-20-2004, 01:00 PM
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Originally posted by guionM
Ah yes. You're new here too, huh?
Newb, this one is.
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Old 04-20-2004, 05:11 PM
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Easy there fellas! You throw around the word "newbie" like it's some kind of STD or something.

Actually, I'm really not a "newbie" per se. I've only recently started posting here, but I've been coming to this site and this message board for quite some time now. I finally got tired of sitting on the sidelines and decided to join the 5th gen discussion group. Wasn't a large part of the Camaro name fiasco thread on why GM can't use it taken off this site due to legal reasons or something?

How anyone can delude themselves into thinking this so-called 5th gen has a snowballs chance to be successful in the RWD V8 pony car market without it being named Camaro baffles me. If GM doesn't call this new car a Camaro, I think it's going to turn-off alot of traditional buyers.

I believe there's just too much legend, reputation, image and folklore attached to the Camaro nameplate to just simply let it vanish the way of the dodo bird. What other car competes in the RWD V8 2+2 sporty/pony car segment? GTO? Maybe, but that's more of a luxury based sports sedan if you ask me. Any others? I can't seem to think of any. Only the name Camaro comes to my mind. Oops, I forgot. They don't make that car anymore now.

I do agree with the overall sentiment around here about broad appeal though. If the 5th gen has any real hope to be successful in this fickle market place, it will definitely have be more ergonomically friendly. No doubt about that. Not much more, but only enough to provide the "illusion" of more space to the average consumer.

I like how people always seem to think that the Mustang is roomier based simply on how it looks. In fact, I willing to wager that the 4th gen actually has just as much interior room as the current SN-95 platform based Mustangs even in the back seat area. IMO, it's the steeply raked 68-degree windshield and rather low seating position that make people think the Camaro is cramped and small. In comparision to the current Mustang, I bet the actual differences are practically negligible between the two cars in interior room.

I guess separating the trunk from the rest of the body in the new design will achieve the "it has more room" illusion along with the more upright stance and 3/4 windows. This will, of course, give much needed "appeal" to the platform. Unfortunately, I just don't see how GM can seriously be competitive against the Mustang by making a Chevrolet brand car and NOT call it a Camaro? Legal red-tape mess or not.
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Old 04-21-2004, 10:08 AM
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Originally posted by mikedog
Easy there fellas! You throw around the word "newbie" like it's some kind of STD or something.

Actually, I'm really not a "newbie" per se. I've only recently started posting here, but I've been coming to this site and this message board for quite some time now. I finally got tired of sitting on the sidelines and decided to join the 5th gen discussion group. Wasn't a large part of the Camaro name fiasco thread on why GM can't use it taken off this site due to legal reasons or something?

How anyone can delude themselves into thinking this so-called 5th gen has a snowballs chance to be successful in the RWD V8 pony car market without it being named Camaro baffles me. If GM doesn't call this new car a Camaro, I think it's going to turn-off alot of traditional buyers.

I believe there's just too much legend, reputation, image and folklore attached to the Camaro nameplate to just simply let it vanish the way of the dodo bird. What other car competes in the RWD V8 2+2 sporty/pony car segment? GTO? Maybe, but that's more of a luxury based sports sedan if you ask me. Any others? I can't seem to think of any. Only the name Camaro comes to my mind. Oops, I forgot. They don't make that car anymore now.

I do agree with the overall sentiment around here about broad appeal though. If the 5th gen has any real hope to be successful in this fickle market place, it will definitely have be more ergonomically friendly. No doubt about that. Not much more, but only enough to provide the "illusion" of more space to the average consumer.

I like how people always seem to think that the Mustang is roomier based simply on how it looks. In fact, I willing to wager that the 4th gen actually has just as much interior room as the current SN-95 platform based Mustangs even in the back seat area. IMO, it's the steeply raked 68-degree windshield and rather low seating position that make people think the Camaro is cramped and small. In comparision to the current Mustang, I bet the actual differences are practically negligible between the two cars in interior room.

I guess separating the trunk from the rest of the body in the new design will achieve the "it has more room" illusion along with the more upright stance and 3/4 windows. This will, of course, give much needed "appeal" to the platform. Unfortunately, I just don't see how GM can seriously be competitive against the Mustang by making a Chevrolet brand car and NOT call it a Camaro? Legal red-tape mess or not.
Just razzing you because I did a thread here about a month ago regarding Ste. Therese that put everything into perspective and created a pretty good stir for a couple of weeks. There was one item I missed but since GM started sweating some of the same people I get info from, I just dropped it here & edited it at another site. To condense it to 3 words: it's a game. Politics, yes, but the whole thing is still a game.

As for the back seat of Mustang & Camato, Mustang feels roomier in the back because it doesn't have that wide expanse of metal where the rear quarter window is supposed to be, therefore Camaro feels clastrophobic in the back. The higher driveshaft tunnel and very low and separate bucket seat cushions of Camaro doesn't help either. Neither car is a backseat penthouse, but Camaro actually seats you in a better position.

Camaro also has more usable space than Mustang. Fold down the rear seat & you'd be surprised how much you can fit in the car. Short of furniture,electronics, & kitchenware, I managed to pack my whole apartment into mine when I moved up to Monterey. No way I could do that in a Mustang.
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Old 04-21-2004, 10:26 AM
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Originally posted by guionM

Camaro also has more usable space than Mustang. Fold down the rear seat & you'd be surprised how much you can fit in the car. Short of furniture,electronics, & kitchenware, I managed to pack my whole apartment into mine when I moved up to Monterey. No way I could do that in a Mustang.
I got a pretty good size air compressor and a parts washer in mine AT THE SAME TIME, along with a bunch of smaller tools.
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Old 04-21-2004, 11:29 AM
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Originally posted by guionM
As for the back seat of Mustang & Camato, Mustang feels roomier in the
Is the Camato mix of a Camaro and a tomato, or a mix of a Camaro and a Fiero?
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Old 04-21-2004, 02:14 PM
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Originally posted by IREngineer
Is the Camato mix of a Camaro and a tomato, or a mix of a Camaro and a Fiero?

Thats what I want to know. Got to pm RP about this one.
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Old 04-21-2004, 02:48 PM
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Originally posted by guionM
Camaro also has more usable space than Mustang. Fold down the rear seat & you'd be surprised how much you can fit in the car. Short of furniture,electronics, & kitchenware, I managed to pack my whole apartment into mine when I moved up to Monterey. No way I could do that in a Mustang.
Can't argue with that. Back when I had my 99 T/A, I put an entire Incon Twin Turbo kit (from my 88 Coupe), a set of aluminum heads, an intake (upper and lower), and various other engine parts in the car, and "delivered" it to a guy in Rhode Island (I live in Va Beach).

I will admit though....the ride home was much nicer without all that "stuff" back there.
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