Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Chevrolet, GM
Lutz thanks blogosphere for Camaro support
Though many factors were responsible for the new Camaro's path to production, Bob Lutz took some time on General Motors' FastLane Blog to recognize the support the car received from the blogosphere. While Lutz only mentions the comments left on FastLane Blog, we can add that the support for the Camaro on Autoblog has been robust to say the least. After posting on the Camaro Concept's introduction at the North American International Auto Show in January, you all left 1,074 comments on the post. Do a Google search for "Camaro Concept" and you'll find our post second from the top. And despite losing to the Dodge Challenger in our Pony Poll by a narrow margin, the Camaro has remained an object of pure automotive lust on Autoblog ever since.
In his post Lutz talks about the Aussie origin of the upcoming Camaro's chassis and the need for the car to appeal to all age groups and people outside the U.S., an obvious hint that the Camaro's going global.
You can check more photos of GM's announcement yesterday at the company's Flickr gallery here.
So mad props go out to Lutz and company for recognizing the power of the blog. Yes, behold the power of the blog! For our next trick, we'll resurrect the Firebird. Who's with us?
[Source: GM FastLane Blog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Yaroukh 4:16PM (8/11/2006)
I wonder what will remain from this beautiful concept (color not so beautiful) when the finished vehicle rolls off the factory
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Dale 4:26PM (8/11/2006)
Okay, I'll do it ... the dollar late, dollar short GM-related carping (just to get it out of the way).
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Ryan 4:30PM (8/11/2006)
#2
Yeah, I know what you mean. I was on mazda3forums.com last night and these two dudes got into it on one of the blogs. This 3rd guy stepped in at said "if you two want to fight like little bitches autoblog.com is where you need to go now leave". Pretty funny!
Love the Camaro though!!!
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Luxury Larry 4:30PM (8/11/2006)
that thing is so ugly.
i guess we'll see if all the bloggers actually step up and buy one now, won't we....
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Ryan 4:39PM (8/11/2006)
"4. that thing is so ugly."
-The guy or the car?!
- I will hand it to you the combover is sick, but the Camaro is just a beauty. I am actually proud of GM on this one, they deserve some props.
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jon 4:43PM (8/11/2006)
I,m glad GM designers looked to the spirit of the original Camaro as their inspiration for the 09.A real all-american design icon.Stay away from the screaming chicken Firebird.Tackey.And don't do the knightrider look again('82 on ).
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Ryan 4:48PM (8/11/2006)
"6. I,m glad GM designers looked to the spirit of the original Camaro as their inspiration for the 09.A real all-american design icon.Stay away from the screaming chicken Firebird.Tackey.And don't do the knightrider look again('82 on ).
Posted at 4:43PM on Aug 11th 2006 by jon 0 stars"
-LOL, yeah I wonder if they would actually put a bird decal on this. Or if they would make a T-top option, I alwyas liked T-tops.
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anonymous Z27 4:49PM (8/11/2006)
i dont know, for some reason i doubt this car will make a change in GM. at the rate GM is going right now this car future will only last a year.
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Aki 5:06PM (8/11/2006)
What's interesting is that GM has been doing a good job deflecting negative press, and it's all getting dumped on Ford (maybe cus' GM doesn't consciously leave out great cars). At least with perception, people have a more favorable mood towards the General than before.
Camaro is an awesome looking car--what they need to do is bring a great compact and mid-size to round out their offerings. Interesting to see how the Aura will pan out.
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JON 5:38PM (8/11/2006)
T-tops!I remember t-tops!If you didn,t have t-tops on your camaro/firebird in the seventies you didn,t have style.You just did'nt buy a camaro or firebird without t-tops back then.Why the heck bother.But you know the seventies were ,uh,the seventies.
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Drewboy 5:40PM (8/11/2006)
Its definately a butterface.
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Howard Kerr 5:41PM (8/11/2006)
" So mad props go out to Lutz and company for recognizing the power of the blog."
Yes, GM would not have thought to build a car like this without thousands of posters, here and elsewhere, telling them it was a good idea. Makes you wonder what the folks in marketing and product planning do to earn their salaries. Also makes you wonder how a much smaller company (Mazda) managed before there was an internet to tell them the Miata was a good idea.
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ruggels 5:51PM (8/11/2006)
"Also makes you wonder how a much smaller company (Mazda) managed before there was an internet to tell them the Miata was a good idea."
I do believe it's called common sense. Yay camaro, boo the rest of GM's car line up. It's a pitty they don't have a quality division building a entire range of competent cars for the masses (ala the aforementioned mazda). That said, i hate the design, but then again i'm not a baby boomer, so seeing Shelby walk hobbled over to a new 'stang doesn't inspire confidence in me either (yes I understand the things he DID for the American car industry and enthusiasts but he does not speak to people my age – 20 something’s – at all… and oddly, we’re spending a lot of money on fast fun cars thanks to the after effects of the dot coms and wealthy parents… at least acura (RSX), lexus (IS), and others get it). But the majority of the country is entering retirement so I guess that focus makes sense. ah the good old days that will never be again. what are companies like porsche thinking when they diversify and don't rely on ancient designs to sell cars, or honda and toyota spending more on R & D instead of more on marketing to make up for their shortcomings (GM). oh wells.
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Ryan 5:52PM (8/11/2006)
"10. T-tops!I remember t-tops!If you didn,t have t-tops on your camaro/firebird in the seventies you didn,t have style.You just did'nt buy a camaro or firebird without t-tops back then.Why the heck bother.But you know the seventies were ,uh,the seventies.
Posted at 5:38PM on Aug 11th 2006 by JON 0 stars"
-So true, the last car I know of with T-tops was the 1987-up Nissan Pulsar's, never quite the same!
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Ryan 5:56PM (8/11/2006)
"That said, i hate the design, but then again i'm not a baby boomer, so seeing Shelby walk hobbled over to a new 'stang doesn't inspire confidence in me either (yes I understand the things he DID for the American car industry and enthusiasts but he does not speak to people my age – 20 something’s – at all..."
My theory on who decided to make the Camaro a retro car:
Ford Mustang
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Richard Warren 6:04PM (8/11/2006)
The Firebird will be right around the corner, eagle and all. Why?
67=82,560
68=107,112
69=87,708
70=48,739
71=53,124
72=29,951
73=46,313
74=73,729
75=84,063
76=110,775
77=155,735
78=187,285
79=211,436
80=107,340
81=70,899
82=116,362
83=74,884
84=128,304
85=95,880
86=110,436
87=88,612
88=62,455
89=84,404
90=20,553
91=50,234
92=27,567
93=14,112
94=47,117
95=51,059
96=30,982
97=30,754
Total=2,488,484 Firebirds
No matter how you slice it and dice it there is a market for the Firebird.
Camaro same time frame total=4,337,207
So as a manufacturer are you willing to bypass the potential of perhaps 2 million+ cars? Don't think so.
Is the market that big anymore? I don't think so, but even if you kept the % the same there is gold in them tar screaming eagles.
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JON 6:19PM (8/11/2006)
Your right as rain Mr Warren.GM will have a hard time ignoring those numbers.I guess they ll have to sacrifice the eventual firebird to the screaming chicken crowd.Just leave the Camaro to the varsity sweater set (please).
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Brett 6:33PM (8/11/2006)
While everyone is hootin' and hollerin' about the camaro, I want to know why it was discontinued in the first place? There had to be a good reason...for instance not enough people wanted the camaro they were selling. Then why did it take soooo long to come up with a camaro that gets everyone excited? And why the hell does Australia get nice RWD platforms and the US gets stuck with hardly any for the past couple of decades?!!
Personally I think the concept reminds me more of the Berlinetta than the original camaro.
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Richard Warren 6:35PM (8/11/2006)
Agreed JON on the Camaro and Firebird.
All you need is the tie-in:
Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Ah we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm eastbound, just watch old Bandit run
Keep your foot hard on the pedal
Son, never mind them brakes
Let it all hang out cause we got a run to make
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta
and there's beer in Texarkana
We'll bring it back no matter what it takes
Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Ah we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm eastbound, just watch old Bandit run
Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Ah we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm eastbound, just watch old Bandit run
Old Smokey's got them ears on
He's hot on your trail
And he ain't gonna rest 'til you're in jail
So you've got to dodge him, you've got to duck him
You gotta keep that diesel truckin'
Just put that hammer down and give it hell
Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin'
Ah we gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm eastbound, just watch old Bandit run
Compare Firebird sales to when this song and movie were big 77-79
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Bob Miller 6:36PM (8/11/2006)
#15
My 98 Camaro Z28 had t-tops. It was a $998 option that year, and totally worth it. I know that car would not have been nearly as cool without them.
That was a fun car. Not huge on interior refinement, but definitely very fun to drive. The LS1 V8 got great gas mileage (on the highway) and the drivetrain never missed a beat. And even for a stock 4 spd. automatic with 2.73 gears, it was fast as hell.
I have a feeling this new Camaro will be just as nice to own as my 98 was. I think if GM doesn't change the styling too much, it will be a sales hit.
Of course, the key will be how it's priced. The only reason the GTO didn't sell was price. Why pay over $32k for a Pontiac? I wouldn't. I don't care how cool it is. And that's what a lot of other people figured too. They can't do that with this car. It has to come in at the same price level as the Mustang, or lower, or it will sit on dealer lots just like the GTO has. Hopefully they've learned their lesson with the GTO, and won't price this Z28 in BMW territory. GM needs to give their customers bang for the buck with this car, not a complete screwing.
Now, a super cool luxury Buick version with a high powered 32 Valve Cadillac engine - they could probably get away with pricing that in the $35-$40k range. But not the Chevy.
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