I just wanted to (belatedly) remark on an observation I made some weeks ago.

There was a gathering of Camaro enthusiast here in LA with our resident Camaro guy after the 1st public day of the LAIAS. As people began to peel off (or peel out in some cases ), I noticed that almost every person was driving an SS!

To be upfront, I'm not a fan of the SS. I feel it's not worth the extra cash just for the hood scoop & badges, and the performance difference is about nonexistent.

The thought I had then was if this was typical of every Camaro gathering he or anyother GM rep has been to, then no wonder the emphasis is on the relatively expensive Camaro SS rather than the performance steal of the century Z28. It also doesn't help that the only Camaro that had no problem selling was in fact the SS versions.

No doubt, if this view continues, we may be seeing performance 5th gens costing as much in 2002 dollars as the SS does today (and some of you complained about $34,000 loaded GTOs).

One of the things that was brought up was that noone buys stripper or bargin cars anymore. Looking at the sales of the fast as a 4.6 Mustang GT base V6 Camaro seems to bear this out. But strangely, over at Ford a similarly quick V6 Mustang is being snapped up (just over half are men, so the "women" slam isn't factual) and is doing well.

What's your view on this?

 

The 2002 Z28 was possibly the plainest Z28 of all time.

I bet if they made the Z28 just look like the SS and sold it for close to the same price instead of creating that more expensive car, overall sales would have been much higher.

My thought is that there should be no "SS". Like Corvette, Camaro should be a true sports machine in all variants (yes, even the V6 cars), and would not need any special "Super Sporty" model to separate performance models from the more plebian models.

 

That the Z28 is indeed the best bang for buck car of its era.

That the V6 F-body is not as fast as the SOHC Mustang, because if that were true, using your statement, the V6 Mustang would also be just as fast as the SOHC Mustang.

 

An interesting thought!

Perhaps the question may be ......is the rep influenced by all the SS owners around him, or are the SS owners influenced to buy SS's by the rep?

 

Why buy the Z/28 when you can get the SS for only $4000 more? GM did little to make the SS more expensive and less mass-produced.

In my mind you have to do one of two things to the Z/28. Either make it the top performer, or make it the deal of the century. Unless I see SS models going for 7-9K more than a Z/28, I'm going to opt for the SS.

When they do bring it back, I hope the SS has a little more exclusitivity (that's a big word, and I can't spell today). I hope it has a version of the 6.0 or 7.3 motor (I speak in this gen motor, because I don't have any info on the next gen). The SS should not have the same motor as the Z/28, they should be different. I wouldn't even mind seeing the next Z/28 have a smaller displacement motor so it can be a lighter weight, higher revving motor. I really hope for a 5.0 version. This is if the SS would get the 5.7L. If the SS gets a higher displacement motor, then by all means give the Z/28 the 5.7.

Something that might also lend the Z/28 some more sales would be to give a really stripper V8 option, perhaps the RS. Like a 4.8L.

Actually, I hope the next generation relies on the truck line of motors, because it would be really easy to make more of and plop into the cars (providing you had the right hood height). It'd be more cost-effective than using more Vette motors.

Sorry to get off topic: The reason is the SS was only so much more. You don't have to give the consumer a deal, you just have to make them think they are getting one.

 

Oh-oh. Don't get me started.........

 

Nicely put.

 

Me neither.

 

I see the z28 coming second to the SS in future generations just as it had been the previous 7 years. GM might position it as Ford does the GT while elevating the SS to the Cobra's level. This way, you might have 3 engine options with a good difference in output among each one much like the current Mustang lineup. Something like a 220-230hp base v6, 300-330hp z28, and a 400hp SS. This doesn't so bad does it? atleast camaro buyers would be given more options and there'd be a performance difference to back up the hefty price difference.

Some of you guys will have to get used to the z28 being reduced to a medium trim level cause i don't see things changing. With chevy using the SS on every vehicle with a hint or image of performance, i wouldn't be surprised to see the SS moniker replace the z28 all together.

 

I wasn't going to start.....but here goes.....

By the time a new Camaro comes out, we'll have quite afew SS vehicles out there.

SS trucks....

SS front wheel drives...

I think we'll be pretty SS'd out by that time.
How refreshing it will be, to have a razor sharp 5th gen Z/28 to break the SS monotony. A car strictly for the Camaro enthusiast. And as we all know...when it comes to performance...enthusiasts won't settle for second best .
I am in complete lockstep with WERM on this. Camaro is the bridge for Chevy between regular passenger cars and Corvette. Camaro and Corvette should be true sport machines from the get go. No need to make a mundane pedestrian model more sporty....which BTW is the mission of "Super Sport".

The Z/28 however...as is the current Z06... is the double distilled essence of performance enthusiasm.

But then again....I'm not calling the shots at GM...I'm just a guy who will decide to buy......OR NOT TO BUY.

 

Exactly.

If they plan on doing that BS to the Z28 again, I think I'd rather see it not used at all in the lineup until they get some sence knocked into them.

 

RIMS!!!! The Z28 needed better rims, that car sould have had 17" rims or at least the option for them. Z28 should have got 245/45/17 all around and the SS 275/40/17. The 2000+ 16" rims sucked.

 

I've always like the extra flash of the SS.
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Ive got to agree with you on that... but I just wanted the looks.. I dont have the cashola to get a real LS1 SS... thats why last week I put a 2002 SS front end onto my 94 camaro... now I have the LS1 SS body style!! SWEET!

 

Give it a rest!!!!

The RS, Z/28, and SS trim levels have always been with Camaro. As such, you had the choice of picking one over the other or combining pckgs. That horse has been beaten already, everyone has there favorite. If and when a 5th gen comes back, I expect these trim levels to remain.

It would be nice if they could differentiate them a little more. That's why I went for the SS. The Z28 looked way too much like a base V6. Besides like bulldoguav said, the SS was 3.6k more. I got 0% APR, so the SS was only $1200 more than what I was expecting to pay (30K Z28 @ 8%APR = 32400).
For me, the 0% APR was an incentive to spend more (and get more of what I wanted) rather than walk away with the "what a bargain" feeling.

BTW, just how many SS Silverados do you expect to see on the hwy? I doubt consumers will get SS'd out.