Camaro May Be a Sore Eye to GM's Prospective New Owners

[Z-06]

[source: Motor Authority]

Camaro too popular for GM's own good?

There's no denying the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is an eye-catcher, and it has the performance to match it, with even the V6 variant checking in at over 300hp. But all that mean and too little green could be making it harder for General Motors, despite over 18,000 sales so far.

GM's new de facto controlling investors - lawmakers in Washington - do not appreciate the car's success, however. Despite the V6's 29mpg highway rating, the Camaro, especially the V8-powered models including the 2010 Camaro SS (pictured above), does not fit with the 'advanced vehicle technology' tag being bandied about the industry.

A more eco-friendly approach may be necessary to appease the legislators, reports Financial Times, but that may not be something GM can justify doing - at least not if it means cutting back on the Camaro. Already the huge interest in the car has lead to the addition of another shift at the Oshawa plant where GM builds the Camaro.

A similar problem faces all carmakers in the U.S. market right now: go for the advanced vehicle technology assistance and leave behind a huge segment of the market? Or play both sides of the field, hoping that neither hand sees what the other is doing?

In the end, it may just be that whatever sells cars wins the day - and the Camaro is certainly selling, even in the face of a recall over bad battery cables.

[David]

The GOV needs to wake the f@#k up and get over the green $h!. I am so tired of everything has to be green. I do my best to recycle everything and put very little garbage in the ground. I have gone way above the building code on my house so that it cost me very little to heat or cool. But when it comes to my auto, Keep your hands off. Support the Auto industry so they can move to and make efficient hybrids, diesels and electric auto's and allow the technology to mature so that eventually even performance, truck and suv's can be moved to the technology. Just stop trying to say all has to be green now. It will not work.

Right now the Camero is creating jobs and profits and that is a good thing!

Edited May 19, 2009 by dfelt

[hyperv6]

These are the same guys that are willing to kill out economy even more than it is for the eviroment.

No matter if GM is controled by the goverment these are the same people passing laws that will end the Camaro as we know it soon enough.

I also fear for racing as this is also something these same people would like to see killed.

As far as many of them are concerend they would rather see us on tolleys and trains or even a bike. All this is fine if your going the way they are going but where I live none of these would work for me.

You right to own and drive the car of your choice is under attack. Once some of these laws are passed and the right to own some cars are removed we will have a very hard time to get the rights back.

As automotive enthusiast we need to fight for our rights and do it soon.

[Intrepidation]

I love how they threw in this bit:

and the Camaro is certainly selling, even in the face of a recall over bad battery cables.

Because no car has ever had recalls right out of the box? Certainly far worse than a battery cable.

As for the the situations, it's stupid and we knew it was coming, but that's the problem with GM deciding to take money from the government. Ford played it smart and stayed away from that mess, so now they can have fuel efficient Fiestas and high powered Mustangs.

[pow]

Editorial disguised as a news story. I've yet to see one quote from the government that singles out the new Camaro as inappropriate.

Here's the original article the Financial Times "reported" on: Popularity of Camaro headache for GM.

[FAPTurbo]

But all that mean and too little green could be making it harder for General Motors, despite over 18,000 sales so far.

GM's new de facto controlling investors - lawmakers in Washington - do not appreciate the car's success

Yeah, because creating a product to meet market demand is how to not run a business, especially when the company could use any bit of cash they can get.

Maybe instead of blaming GM, the government should go after the voters for wanting to buy the vehicles that they desire. But of course, that doesn't win elections.

This article is dumb.

Edited May 19, 2009 by Captainbooyah

[pow]

Yeah, because creating a product to meet market demand is how to not run a business, especially when the company could use any bit of cash they can get.

Maybe instead of blaming GM, the government should go after the voters for wanting to buy the vehicles that they desire. But of course, that doesn't win elections.

Those quotes above are all conjecture. I want to see the proof - when exactly did the US government say they do not appreciate the Camaro's success?

I might as well create an article reporting that the US government is delighted by the sales of the new Camaro, so that GM can pay off their loan sooner.

The entire article, that the Camaro is a "headache" for GM, is based off the author's one sentence assertion that the Camaro doesn't have an eco-friendly image.

[Intrepidation]

You can tell that the other has an anti-Camaro agenda by the last line where he fels the need to sneak in the battery cable recall, and that somehow its selling despite this DEVASTATINGLY CATASTROPHIC recall.

[z28luvr01]

Looking at the Camaro as a bad apple is just wrong, and I'm not just saying this as a Camaro fan. If the government doesn't want to give more money to GM they'll leave the Camaro alone. The damn thing is selling despite all the negativity surrounding GM's future. A much better approach would be to get behind the Camaro and invest in i so that it meets future MPG/emissions standards yet keeps it's Camaro-ness. I am talking hybrids, alt fuel versions, turbo 4 options, etc.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Every time I see stuff like this I just get madder and madder.

[pow]

Every time I see stuff like this I just get madder and madder.

Agreed. Fake news sucks when it's not funny.

[gm4life]

Editorial disguised as a news story. I've yet to see one quote from the government that singles out the new Camaro as inappropriate.

Here's the original article the Financial Times "reported" on: Popularity of Camaro headache for GM.

I hope your right. I haven't heard anything like that either but... Still I can't fathom government having a problem with a sucessful product from GM that consumers are buying at sticker. Good for the company and North American workers. Yet green stuff does sell but I can't imagine big gov having a problem with a fun car or two as long as they are selling seriously, if they do they can screw off. This to me looks lik ean editorial disguised as a news story, just in the way it reads.

Edited May 19, 2009 by gm4life

[Sixty8panther]

Our Government gets stupider by the minute!!!

[A Horse With No Name]

I just read today that they want a 39 MPG fleet average...

Divided on this. Would love a new camaro, but not even fuel efficient sporty cars like the MINI hit 39 MPG.

But I am tired of giving my fuel money to idiots in the middle east.

The Camaro will be around for about four or five more years, and then the next wave of fuel saving automobiles will hit.

Better get a Camaro while you can.

Chris

[gm4life]

The Camaro will be around for about four or five more years, and then the next wave of fuel saving automobiles will hit.

Better get a Camaro while you can.

This is so true with any in about five years (or at least a couple) my son or I will be getting an SS. Also will prolly just wait till the last year and get the "special edition". That will be in 2015, I would bet.

Edited May 19, 2009 by gm4life

[FAPTurbo]

Anyone know the author's email address? I want to send him this image for making up news:

Edited May 19, 2009 by Captainbooyah

[A Horse With No Name]

...Any color so long as it's Tan or Maroon, right GM4life?

I really hope you get one. Your enough of a GM guy that IMHO you "deserve" to enjoy one.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

...and 2015 sounds like a nice round number. HMMM...GM...the performance years at Chevy.

Start-Small block, great bodystyle 1955

End-Special Camaro, 2015, 60 years later.

[gm4life]

...Any color so long as it's Tan or Maroon, right GM4life?

I really hope you get one. Your enough of a GM guy that IMHO you "deserve" to enjoy one.

Chris

Thanks you know I am, and my son is even more-so than me. One of us will get one prolly the last year in order to save up for the extra goodies. No this one will be white or whatever color the special edition comes in on an SS of course. Thanks for the kind words.

[gm4life]

...and 2015 sounds like a nice round number. HMMM...GM...the performance years at Chevy.

Start-Small block, great bodystyle 1955

End-Special Camaro, 2015, 60 years later.

Yep well that is what I am betting if its five model year cycle so that would sound right... Zeta is good until or through 2016 I have read. Take a look at this... a photo from an early LT/RS photo-shoot for C&D... This is why I bet 2015 model year.

Edited May 19, 2009 by gm4life

[A Horse With No Name]

I'd actually like to see it (new Camaro) in white...I love white cars.

(off topic)

Maybe they'll even have racing series for the new Camaro like they do the Mustang...wouldn't that be sweet...Hmmm...35 white Camaros rubbing paint and running full throttle around Mid Ohio, Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta, Road America, Daytona, et al.

(on topic)

Glad the Camaro is providing jobs for people.

Chris

[hyperv6]

I still feel our country is being taken down one step at a time internally.

They could not defeat us militarily but they can fiscally.

The things I have seen in the last 10 years make me wonder where the hell were going to be in 10 more years.

[Robert Hall]

Yep well that is what I am betting if its five model year cycle so that would sound right... Zeta is good until or through 2016 I have read. Take a look at this... a photo from an early LT/RS photo-shoot for C&D... This is why I bet 2015 model year.

Great photo..really emphasizes it's 'hippyness'. I worry that once Zeta is phased out, the next Camaro will be based on the Cruze (which is probably what GM has been planning all along, crisis or not).

Rob

Edited May 20, 2009 by Cubical

[gm4life]

Great photo..really emphasizes it's 'hippyness'. I worry that once Zeta is phased out, the next Camaro will be based on the Cruze (which is probably what GM has been planning all along, crisis or not).

Rob

I don't see much hope for a 6th generation model lets put it that way. Either it won't offer an affordable 8 cylinder (even if small that is a must) or it won't offer one at all. Sadly that will not interest me or many other car guys/gals. That is why someone in my family either I or my son will be getting a 5th gen SS.

Edited May 20, 2009 by gm4life

[Justin Bimmer]

I'm sorry, but the media becomes less and less believable every day. Look at that guy that made up a quote on wikipedia and all the news outlets that printed or aired it.