I drove a g35 for 15 minutes once. It seemed much smaller to me then my mustang did. Granted, it had been 5 years in between.

 

Sadly Charlie, I think you might be right. Remember the last 2 auto shows in Detroit? Bob Lutz could not stop openly drooling over the new Mustang, and many of his henchmen in GM felt the same way. They felt/feel the Mustang nailed everything. My biggest fear is we get a Camaro that clones the new Mustang in every way...and while that would lead to a pretty successful car, it just isn't right. We don't need our new car to be deemed a copycat.

New Mustang approaches 188" in length. 184 or 185" would make a perfect Camaro. If they can keep the weight around 4th Gen levels (3400-3500 pounds in the top-optioned V8 model)...we'd have quite a winner. Agreed?

 

Those who write those reviews dont usually represent average Joe and Jane car buyer (which BTW there are a lot of when it come to Mustang)

And those who BUY Mustang dont seem to think it a problem.

When has a Camaro rear end ever been WAY TOO big? Why would they start now?

 

It's not as 'real' as the ones in the GTO (37" rear leg room, 37" rear head room according to edmunds.com), but with 31" rear leg room and 35" rear head room, it edges out the 4gen FBody which had the same head room but only 28.9" rear leg room. I doubt it's a major selling point to the clueless magazine reviewers... but it matters to folks like me with two rapidly growing tykes.

 

Areed!?!? OMG, if that were to be the case, I'd be doing backflips!

 

That's the info from inside. The Monaro won't be a 2 door Commodore this round.

I think we agreed on that exact point a few years ago about the G35 being a perfect size for the next Camaro.

However, it seems alot of research doesn't agree with us. With the new Mustang threatening to hit 200,000 over a 12 month sales period while all it's competitors are lucky to break 35K (even Monte Carlo is still selling around 40K+) we aren't going to get very far saying the pony car should be smaller.

Sounds like you spoke to a particular feller who calls a particular something "Chevy's Mustang".


Not a fair comparison. Limited production, screw-the-customer-mark-ups, the fact a $32,000 Pontiac is expensive, while a $32,000 Infinity is reasonable, etc...

Allow me to direct you to the Mustang. Outsells all other sports coupes in the US...... combined........ by over 2 to 1!!!!

 

Yeah, but imagine...just imagine if a 200 hp G35 coupe went for $20K. And it had iconic American styling and name...like Camaro or Mustang.

 

The key here being iconic American styling and 200 hp for 20k, not the overall size. Your argument does not hold water. The FACT is that the Mustang, which does have Iconic American styling and 200 hp IS selling 192k+. Chevy is not blind to that fact, they are going to make a modern iteration of the pony car. Ford has set the bar, my guess is that Chevrolet will surpass it once again.

Rant On:

I also have to say, there sure is alot of ranting going on about a car none of us have even seen yet. Somehow I don't see Scott trying to bull**** us about a pig wearing the Camaro name. Is it going to be heavier than a 4th gen? Might be, might not be. Why get worked up about it. Bottom line, if the styling, performance or weight are not to your liking, DON'T BUY IT! But slamming GM for what the Camaro MIGHT be (conversely very well may not be) is idiotic. Not to mention, I don't see it engendering alot of desire from certain insiders to come and share details with us. In fact, whenever these angst driven speculations start creeping up, I notice a definite drop off in participation (well at least in the short time I have been here).

PS-1969 Camaro Z/28 Please note the weight on this car.

 

Not to worry, I won't buy it if it's over ~3300 lb. (yes, I know this means a 99% chance a NEW camaro is not in my future).


For grins, here are a couple of sources that give the '69 Z/28's weight as 3050 lb. (not that I belive them either).
http://www.edge-inc.net/cars/index.c...ta/id/1036.htm
http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/used-ca...o-z28-1969.htm

Not that what it weighed in 1969 should have anything to do with what it SHOULD weigh in 2008 (2009?).

In the sportbike world, it would be UNIMAGINABLE for a new liter-bike to even weigh as much as a 600 from ten years ago! They have ADVANCED. In the car world, we've reverted to overweight pigs of vehicles. It's a real shame...

 

Huh?

Your post makes no sense to me whatsoever.

GM bashing? Please. Maybe you're confusing a PASSION for GM products as GM bashing...I don't know. But some of your posts have a flavor of butt-kissing to me...but perhaps I'm wrong also.

Don't buy it!?? WTF are you talking about? Maybe I absolutely dream of buying one...didja ever think about that.

And do you really...I mean... really think an insider is going to come here.... to a public forum...and share future product info with 'lil 'ole us.....just because we all sit quietly in agreement? Keep dreaming.

And the point of posting the weight from a 36 year old car is?

 

Man what a bizarre analogy. The key difference here: sport bike owners don't seem to care much about their safety. Those of us who do... tend to value having some mass on our side in a collision. I don't feel very comfortable scooting around in some of the tiny 4-cyl rentals I've driven. You just feel like you're in a little tin box. At least my 4gen fbody feels substantial, like a mid-sized, solid car. More than I can say for many imports today...

 

First off, the rant wasn't directed at you. BUT, since you chose to respond, I will answer your points.

1) I was not reflecting on you with the GM bashing comment, should have made that clearer, mea culpa. The first point, prior to rant on, however was a rebuttal of what you previously said. I do not think that size is all that important in MOST buyers minds. Most buyers will never take one to the strip, or a road course, we are the EXCEPTION.

2) *** Kissing- Don't think so, I prefer to consider it courtesy, since I have not seen the car, I will withold judgement, but again please see point 1.

3) Don't buy it - I assume that MOST of the people on this board WANT very much to buy a new Camaro. My point being, for those who have lamented and blasted the loudest, if it doesn't suit your needs don't buy it. See point 1.

4) Hmm, let's see.. confirmation (sort of) about what the new Camaro will NOT be (regarding a Camaro pic)... confirmation at least 3 weeks before the auto mags that we should rilly, rilly be at the NAIAS auto show...neither a denial nor a tacit acknowledgement that the new z/06 may have MORE than 505 hp. So to answer your questions, yes, for those of us who do not have direct connections to auto insiders, I do consider that these people ARE dropping hints. And yes I am dreaming, dreaming of being able to buy a brand new Camaro, just like you and many others.

5) Lastly, the point about the Camaro's weight was that it had not grown significantly in 33 years, I am pretty sure that it will NOT be a pig when it comes out in 200x. The '05 Mustang GT has a curb weight of 3487 lbs, approximately what the 2002 SS weighed. I think that they will most likely be right in the same ball park.

The Camaro may have been an after thought to the Mustang, but hindsight is 20/20, which is why, in my opinion, the Camaro was almost always the better car.

 

91350Z...thank you for pointing out a few things.

You're right....this site is very very tiring to me and a few others within the industry. Everyone wants to claim "passion"...and to that I say "well...there are a lot more passionate people in the enthusiast community than there are on this site.....and most of them have better manners...." Yup, that's gonna wind a few of you up. Get over it. If you want to slam me, then I'll slam you back.

Stop with the "it's a big car!" routine, please.

I've been asked to curtail my comments. (interestingly, the leaks aren't coming from me...)

But....suffice it to say that a few of you jumped to a lot of conclusions. Methinks whoever was talking got their words mixed up. Forget "large", please.........

 

Bizarre analogy? It seems perfectly apt to me.
FWIW, I have a couple of sport bikes, and believe me, being lightweight and maneuverable is a TREMENDOUS boon to safety.

You want a heavy car, get a 300, or a Magnum, or an SUV.
If you want a PERFORMANCE car, then light weight becomes important.

But then do you REALLY think that Camaro buyers first concern is SAFETY?!

Anyway as gas prices escalate, you WILL be driving a lighter-weight, more fuel-efficient vehicle in the future. This is a chance for GM to be somewhat AHEAD of the game.

Of course they'll blow it...

 

Ok, sorry. I thought it was directed at me.