well, i think the irs will weigh more just because they want to keep it cheap to make the camaro affordable, and i agree wholeheartedly that it would make for a better, daily driver ride
no sunroof imo, i like my t-tops to each his own
i do agree that a rough riding live axle car may not be that great for the 32-49 year olds, but i think that the camaro is more of something to hold them over til they can really afford the vette (poor man's corvette if i remember correctly, and throw in the fact that if they have a family, they need more than a 2 seater to haul the kids, but still have a very fun daily driver)
the only reason i question why they would market towards the more youthful segment (me included) is that they just can't simply afford it
i'd say 25 years old on up or so, and that seems more plausible than marketing toward an 18 year old who will most likely go to college and could only afford a v6 at the most (atleast in my case)

 

I'll be 41 when the 2007 Camaro is launched in late 2006.... and I intend on buying one. Therefore, I want it to be marketed to my tastes.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE DETERMINES ALL.

If GM cared about the enthusiasts more than they do making money, then there would be a 2003 F-body.

Therefore, GM will build a product that will sell. "READ" sell-out.

Can you blame them?

 

ok can someone fill me in on the whole hatchback thing im to lazy to go though all these pages and read dont have much time now!

 

Good post Guion. I'd like to add some things though.

Originally posted by guionM Starting with the basics:

1. The next Camaro will have an LS2, 6.0 liter V8.

Sounds good. I hope it is a improved for some extra lower RPM TQ with an improved sound over the LS1. Even if we don't have a mid-engine, the same engine with noticably different power levels can work too. (Although having a separate one would be cooler. )

2. The next Camaro will be RWD.

Not really anything new to those of us that frequent here but good anyway.

3. The next Camaro will be out for the 2007 model year.

See answer to 2.

4. The next Camaro will have IRS.

I'd rather not have IRS. But if it can be done without adding too much weight, it might be OK.

5. The next Camaro will be taller than the 4th gen.

I think the Camaro has almost always been more comfortable than the M*stang. I'd aloso rather see it be about 4" less than what you mentioned to be the low, wide, "sports-musclecar" with the exotic flare that it's been for so many years. I never had a problem with the Third Gen and they were even lower than 4ths. But maybe people used to cars that aren't so purpose built don't like it so who knows.

6. The next Camaro will have alot less overhang.

I hope they don't take away too much. It just won't look right. Less is OK, but leave some.

7. The next Camaro will be somewhat roomier.

The days of falling into the Camaro (at least at 4th gen levels) is likely to be over. The combination of alot of research, the new modular RWD chassis, and a general desire to be competitive to the Mustang means GM is moving away from a car considered uncomfortable by all but F-body enthusiasts.

The Camaro has a different formula than the M*stang, it always has, even in the 1st Gen. As before mentioned, a sedan-like Camaro is not too appealing. It's just not the meaning of "Camaro."

8. The next Camaro will not be a hatchback.

I realize that they are hinting more towards 1st and 2nd Gens structurally in ads as you said, but the hatchback was much more useful and sportier than a regular trunk. The car is starting to sound more GTO than Camaro. The car is viewed differently than it was way back then and almost has a competing with the Corvette rather than M*stang feel.

9. The Camaro SS will be the performance model (at least at first).

Unless you have been in intensive care the past couple of years, you know that Chevrolet was moving "Z28" out to pasture in favor of the "SS". Assuming there is another Camaro in 2007, the groundwork would have been laid out a year or 2 ago, just when it seemed SS was being pushed as THE performance Chevy & Z28 was nothing more than an afterthought. That move seems to have lost steam the past 6 months or so, but the rest of the Camaro program (again, speculation ) would be ahead of a newly recognized Z28. Therefore, if Z28 returned, it wouldn't be out initially, as GM likes to test the smallest thing into the ground before releasing it.

I'm pretty sure Guion will agree that I usually pick up on even the littlest hints that he throws out there, and I'm liking what I'm hearing here. It's what myself, DH, Z284, and many others want to hear, all of us that have been speaking out for the Z28 and what the car should be. (Z/28 for some of you, you know who you are, even if I don't want the / back again!) It should be the "Z06" or "special" top Camaro.

10. The next Camaro will have T-tops.

You can't go wrong when over 65% of your buyers choose this option (at over $700 a pop) that's probably worth an additional $17 million plus to GM, if they get $500 per top on just 35,000 Camaros. History and money make this a near certainty.

Cool. Not sure if I'd be completely happy with an F-Body without them. (Unless it was a highly modded 1st Gen maybe )

11. The next Camaro will be heavier then the 4th gen and will cost at least slightly more.

Nope, don't like it. The 4ths were too heavy to begin with and they also costed too much to get what most people wanted which means the top model.

12. The next Camaro won't be GM's only RWD coupe on this chassis.

Just make it a Camaro, and not a sedan! (with some Third Gen looks! )

 

Personally I'd rather have a trunk and a fold down rear seat. However, if its going to have a hatchback... take everything related to the 4th gen hatchback and throw it in the frreaking trash. Anyone that owns a 4th gen and has had a rear hatch shock or two lock up, knows what I'm taking about.... when the frame is flimsy compared to the rear glass... that's a bad thing!

 

see, the thing with a trunk is, the need to engineer t-tops to fit
i don't know how they did it 78-81 (cause i don't own one) but i was thinking they could have a bag or something attached tot he back of the fold down seats, so all you would have to do is take em off, and throw down the seats and put them in the bag
if anybody knows how it worked in 78-81 years, i'd really like to know
unless there was no given way and you threw them back there any way you like

 

And also, if the car is that high, it is gonna absolutely need some kind of GFX/extensions. Which could actually be a good thing.

 

The platform will have a hatch similar to what the SSX has (looks like a boot/trunk closed)

This will give the look of a trunk and the practicality of a hatch.

Here's a link to some pics..

http://69.56.135.118/~hrt433/concept/ssx/ssxgallery.htm

 

a versatile hatch would be nice....the gen 3 and 4 cars hatch is so useless due to the fuel tank taking up a big chunk of room between the floor and the glass.

 

Does somebody knows if the 5tg gen will have true duals?

 

I like the way that trunk/hatchis setup!

I dont like the fuel door being up that high on the pillar though.

 

It better, I feel that it is a necessity.

I don't like either.

I think they worked great! Useful for carrying all kinds of things.

 

In Bowling Green this past year, Scott dismissed the idea of a mid-level V8 being put into the line up, basically he said it wasn't worth it.......

 

I think they worked great! Useful for carrying all kinds of things. [/B][/QUOTE]

oh sure you could chuck a piece of luggage in the well area--but not much up top that has kind of height, unless you put down the seats. For a h/b F-bodies have been quite useless in comparison to others. I crammed my car full of stuff this year when I moved cross country and it was a pain.

Disapointed to hear what Scott said about a mid-level V8. If Ford can do it....................