Chevrolet: Camaro News
01-20-2006 | 09:57 AM
#243
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 969
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From: CT
Having known that Rick Wagoner ordered an eleventh-hour redesign of the Camaro Concept before its debut at the Detroit auto show gives us all an opportunity to play armchair auto-exec.
So what would you have done if the buck stopped at your feet? Go with what your original design team hath wrought or throw it all in the compactor and start fresh. No pressure.
http://www.autoblog.com/
A Closer Look at the Camaro That Almost Was
The so-called Studio X Camaro has taken a lot of folks by surprise. We thought readers would like to get a closer look at it, and we’ll post additional shots when we can get our digital hands on them. We’d be curious to hear your thoughts about this notably more edgy design. Does it look a bit too much like the Caddy XLR? Or did Chevy miss out by not opting for this alternative? Incidentally, our friends at AutoBlog have some nice TV screen grabs of pre-Detroit show Camaro concepts up at the moment.
We’ve been hearing a lot from readers about the Camaro that almost wasn’t, including a note from one of our friends at Chevrolet. Tom Wilkinson, former journalist and now a senior PR exec, wanted to set the record straight about the sequence of events during the top-secret development of the Camaro concept:
“There was earlier discussion about a Camaro concept, but work didn’t begin in earnest on the Advanced Design model until Spring of 2005. The Studio X project kicked off in June. The final bake off occurred in late summer.
Also, it is probably an oversimplification to say parts from one were grafted onto another. There was a lot of sharing of ideas back and forth. but both designs evolved in a very organic way, each in a way that was very true to the overall vision of the team. The visions were just different, with the Advanced Team bringing a modern feel to a heritage design, and the Studio X team trying to push the spirit of the 1969 design farther into the future.”
Thanks for the clarification, Tom.
What’s ahead for the Camaro? It’s the talk of the industry, it seems, right now, and it’s hard to get folks at GM to stop talking about the concept. But the caveat remains: it’s just a concept for now. Several questions must be answered before a final decision is made about production:
* Can a good business case be made, especially if the base model starts in the low-$20,000 range, as car czar Bob Lutz is promising?
* Will a production version drive as good as it looks?
* Will the design still hold up in late 2007, the soonest it could likely hit market?
Let us know what you
http://www.thecarconnection.com/blog/?p=260
The Camaro That Almost Was
If you want to get a good look at the Chevrolet Camaro concept car, you’d better get down to Detroit’s Cobo Hall pretty early — or stick with the images on TheCarConnection.com. The lines form early and last long. There’s no question that the Chevy show car is the top draw at this year’s North American International Auto Show. But it almost didn’t get there, at least not in the form we’ve seen.
As TCC previously reported, an early attempt to revive the Camaro nameplate in time for the January 2005 Detroit show was scuttled by General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner, who felt it was simply too retro. Wagoner sent design chief Ed Welburn and his team back to their digital drawing boards, and “within about three weeks, maybe four,” recalls Welburn, they had something serious going. Soon, the sketches were transfered to a lifesize clay model and rolled out onto the well-guarded patio behind the GM Design Center, in Warren, MI. “When I walked out onto the patio and saw it, it was obvious it was a Camaro,” Welburn, himself a Camaro collector, tells TheCarConnection. But he still wasn’t satisfied. “I liked it, but I wanted them to push it farther.”
At that point, the decision was made to bring in a second studio, a top-secret facility located well away from the main design center, and known by the cryptic codename, Studio X. Where the first studio’s work bore a strong resemblance to the relatively tame ‘68 Camaro, Studio X came up with an alternative that, according to Welburn, “had a lot of flare,” more like the iconic ‘69. The photo here gives a look at the two versions. Or, if you prefer, three, as the Studio X clay model, on the right, features two optional faces. And in it, you’ll get a clue to what happened next.
Digital design is a wonderful thing. The main design worked better, overall, than the Studio X prototype, which seemed a little two edgy, a bit too much like the Cadillac XLR. But it had some intriguing details lacking from the first design. Ultimately, the two competing teams were able to borrow some of each other’s ideas. One of the Studio X grilles was melded onto the main design team’s overall shape, and by mid-2005, Welburn and his bosses, CEO Wagoner and car czar Bob Lutz, were ready to sign off on the show car that debuted to so much acclaim early this month. Along with the running prototype on display in Detroit, by the way, a second version, with no running gear, was milled, painted, and ultimately shipped to the West Coast, for a belated presence at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Now, the big question: will they build it? “It’s just a concept,” Welburn repeats, open like a mantra. But after he takes a breath, he admits, “We all feel very connected with that car.” Though he can’t confirm production plans, he does tell TheCarConnection, “We do need to move very quickly” towards making a go/no-go decision. Considering the stir Camaro is creating, we’re betting approval will come within the next several months, with production likely to begin within as little as 18 months. And obviously, we’ll report the details along the way.
01-20-2006 | 01:43 PM
#244
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Washington DC (NOVA)
GM could move quickly on Camaro, design chief Welburn says - - By GREG MIGLIORE | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - - SOurce: Autoweek
DETROIT -- The Camaro concept unveiled by General Motors at the Detroit auto show clearly gets design chief Ed Welburn's blood pumping.
It didn't take much reading between the lines of his remarks at the Automotive News World Congress to get the message that he wants the remake of the classic muscle car to join the Chevy lineup as soon as possible.
GM stopped building the Camaro and its Pontiac Firebird sibling in 2002. The cars debuted as 1967 models.
"It was a vehicle I was very passionate about," said Welburn, GM's vice president of global design.
Welburn wouldn't say whether a decision had been made to put the concept into production. Once GM brass give a vehicle the green light, Welburn noted, it typically takes three years for production to begin.
"But the Camaro isn't a typical car," he said. "I think we could move very quickly. It is a strong design."
Despite Welburn's coyness, it's an open secret that the Camaro is headed for production. The car is based on a rear-wheel-drive platform that will be engineered by GM's Australian Holden subsidiary.
GM sources say the production Camaro will be almost 100 percent true to the concept car. But the interior will be scaled back to allow lower prices for an entry-level V-6 version.
Welburn said he and GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz wanted the Camaro to be reminiscent of its predecessor, but updated. This suggested a strong Corvette flavor for the project, he said.
The concept is powered by Corvette's aluminum LS2 6.0-liter, 400-hp V-8.
Welburn said he was happy to be able to talk about the Camaro, after frustrating months of enforced silence.
GM kept details of the concept shrouded in secrecy for eight months before its debut.
And inside the company, he said, "We never used the word 'Camaro' above a whisper."
It didn't take much reading between the lines of his remarks at the Automotive News World Congress to get the message that he wants the remake of the classic muscle car to join the Chevy lineup as soon as possible.
GM stopped building the Camaro and its Pontiac Firebird sibling in 2002. The cars debuted as 1967 models.
"It was a vehicle I was very passionate about," said Welburn, GM's vice president of global design.
Welburn wouldn't say whether a decision had been made to put the concept into production. Once GM brass give a vehicle the green light, Welburn noted, it typically takes three years for production to begin.
"But the Camaro isn't a typical car," he said. "I think we could move very quickly. It is a strong design."
Despite Welburn's coyness, it's an open secret that the Camaro is headed for production. The car is based on a rear-wheel-drive platform that will be engineered by GM's Australian Holden subsidiary.
GM sources say the production Camaro will be almost 100 percent true to the concept car. But the interior will be scaled back to allow lower prices for an entry-level V-6 version.
Welburn said he and GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz wanted the Camaro to be reminiscent of its predecessor, but updated. This suggested a strong Corvette flavor for the project, he said.
The concept is powered by Corvette's aluminum LS2 6.0-liter, 400-hp V-8.
Welburn said he was happy to be able to talk about the Camaro, after frustrating months of enforced silence.
GM kept details of the concept shrouded in secrecy for eight months before its debut.
And inside the company, he said, "We never used the word 'Camaro' above a whisper."
02-08-2006 | 09:39 PM
#245
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Washington DC (NOVA)
| Chicago Auto Show | - - By WES RAYNAL - - Source: Autoweek
One other hot rumor swirling around Detroit: Camaro produciton has been moved forward, from 2009 to 2008.
One other hot rumor swirling around Detroit: Camaro produciton has been moved forward, from 2009 to 2008.
02-08-2006 | 10:23 PM
#251
Senior Moderator
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 59,006
Likes: 10,999
From: Chicago
Originally Posted by srika
this is so lame.... first they show the concept at LA and Detroit, now one person at GM is saying they aren't gonna make it, another is saying they are, I mean damn, why they gotta tease like this. 
make up your stinkin' minds!!
make up your stinkin' minds!!
Build it and they will come..
02-09-2006 | 11:12 AM
#257
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans
Originally Posted by Maximized
I doubt this is true. Can anyone think of a car that went from concept to production in 2 years??
02-09-2006 | 01:02 PM
#258
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 27,997
Likes: 1,318
From: Miami, FL
It makes sense to have short time between a concept and production vehicle. I never understood the reason of spending millions on a concept when the watered down version won't touch it. Why put 22's on a car that'll have 16's???
04-27-2006 | 04:51 PM
#265
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,411
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From: New Orleans
Originally Posted by Sly Raskal
^^ i'd say about 10% of that ends up in the production model. And it'll probably be something stupid like the door handles.
04-27-2006 | 05:13 PM
#266
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
Originally Posted by unlemming
That interior is just disgusting. Very nice exterior though, prolly the best retro imho.
Are you looking at the same pictures we are all looking at?That interior is AMAZING!
04-27-2006 | 06:40 PM
#268
Pinky all stinky
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,665
Likes: 191
Originally Posted by titan
I think it'll wind up being very close to what we see here, minus the obvious showcar stuff.
04-27-2006 | 07:54 PM
#269
Originally Posted by phile
I think raskal was referring to the interior, which for the most part is obvious showcar stuff.
04-27-2006 | 08:15 PM
#270
The Third Ball
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 49,450
Likes: 5,116
From: Los Angeles, Ca
meh. After seeing it in person...its all body panel...its cool and all but something doesnt sit right with me.
If/When the Challenger is made, I will do my damnedest to afford one of those.
If/When the Challenger is made, I will do my damnedest to afford one of those.
!!!!!!
05-01-2006 | 07:35 PM
#275
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 9,263
Likes: 2
From: Lenexa, KS
I don't dig the speed-o or the tach at all (fonts are nasty amongst other things). But is is a concept, lol. I bet 60% of what we see makes production. The rest will all be lost compensating keep it priced with the Mustang. And for the 3rd time will fail against the Mustang...
At least GM is consistent
At least GM is consistent
05-01-2006 | 10:06 PM
#276
Banned
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,309
Likes: 0
From: Champaign, Illinois
Originally Posted by SiGGy
I don't dig the speed-o or the tach at all (fonts are nasty amongst other things). But is is a concept, lol. I bet 60% of what we see makes production. The rest will all be lost compensating keep it priced with the Mustang. And for the 3rd time will fail against the Mustang...
At least GM is consistent
At least GM is consistent
I looked at Mustangs yesterday. I just can't do it.
Mustangs are too rock 'n' roll and country music, and I spin the disco and techno while I'm rolling on 15's.
05-02-2006 | 02:34 AM
#277
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
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From: Washington DC (NOVA)
Cash for Camaros? - - Chevy dealer pulls ad after $1,000 deposits draw fire from GM - - By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - - Source: Autoweek
DETROIT -- General Motors has not announced plans to build the Chevrolet Camaro, but that's a mere technicality for a Detroit-area Chevy dealer.
Les Stanford Chevrolet in Dearborn, Mich., has solicited deposits from enthusiasts who want to order the Camaro. In the May edition of the national car-enthusiast magazine duPont Registry, Stanford published an ad that says "the new Camaro is coming," advising readers to "reserve yours today."
The dealership took five deposits of about $1,000 each after placing the ad, says owner Paul Stanford.
After hearing from GM on Thursday, April 27, Stanford says he will discontinue the advertisement. The ad will run in the June duPont Registry, but Stanford says he's pulling the ad from the July edition.
"I have agreed to take the (Camaro) picture out of the ad," Stanford says. "It will be removed, and any language about the new Camaro coming will be removed."
Customers can reclaim Camaro deposits if they wish, Stanford says.
GM not amused
No doubt that will be good news to GM executives who objected to the ad. "We would obviously not condone a dealer taking deposits on a car we have not verified that we will build," Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, wrote in an e-mail to Automotive News.
Chevrolet has received unsolicited deposits from people eager for the Camaro, which GM unveiled as a concept at the Detroit auto show in January. Chevrolet returns the money, says Chevrolet spokesman Mike Albano.
Albano says GM has not made any production announcements to dealers or to GM employees. "We do not endorse the idea of using the Camaro or any concept car in a misleading way in advertising," he says.
Albano did not say whether Stanford had violated the dealer sales and service agreement. GM officials are investigating the matter, he says.
Although Stanford concedes GM has made no Camaro announcement, he offers a defense: "Our contention from our sources is that it's coming. In the event that it is being produced, we want to be in a position to offer it to our customers."
Chevrolet hopes to announce its plans for the Camaro this summer, Albano says.
Vipermania
Other popular concept cars have experienced this sort of frenzy. When Chrysler Corp. unveiled the Dodge Viper at the 1989 Detroit auto show, deposit checks deluged the project managers, says Chrysler spokesman Dan Bodene.
"We were getting checks in envelopes addressed to Viper Highland Park, Michigan," Bodene says. "People had no idea who to send them to."
One man sent a check for $60,000 to then-Chrysler President Robert Lutz, for two Vipers - one for himself and one for his wife. Chrysler returned the checks.
Richard Truett contributed to this report
Les Stanford Chevrolet in Dearborn, Mich., has solicited deposits from enthusiasts who want to order the Camaro. In the May edition of the national car-enthusiast magazine duPont Registry, Stanford published an ad that says "the new Camaro is coming," advising readers to "reserve yours today."
The dealership took five deposits of about $1,000 each after placing the ad, says owner Paul Stanford.
After hearing from GM on Thursday, April 27, Stanford says he will discontinue the advertisement. The ad will run in the June duPont Registry, but Stanford says he's pulling the ad from the July edition.
"I have agreed to take the (Camaro) picture out of the ad," Stanford says. "It will be removed, and any language about the new Camaro coming will be removed."
Customers can reclaim Camaro deposits if they wish, Stanford says.
GM not amused
No doubt that will be good news to GM executives who objected to the ad. "We would obviously not condone a dealer taking deposits on a car we have not verified that we will build," Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, wrote in an e-mail to Automotive News.
Chevrolet has received unsolicited deposits from people eager for the Camaro, which GM unveiled as a concept at the Detroit auto show in January. Chevrolet returns the money, says Chevrolet spokesman Mike Albano.
Albano says GM has not made any production announcements to dealers or to GM employees. "We do not endorse the idea of using the Camaro or any concept car in a misleading way in advertising," he says.
Albano did not say whether Stanford had violated the dealer sales and service agreement. GM officials are investigating the matter, he says.
Although Stanford concedes GM has made no Camaro announcement, he offers a defense: "Our contention from our sources is that it's coming. In the event that it is being produced, we want to be in a position to offer it to our customers."
Chevrolet hopes to announce its plans for the Camaro this summer, Albano says.
Vipermania
Other popular concept cars have experienced this sort of frenzy. When Chrysler Corp. unveiled the Dodge Viper at the 1989 Detroit auto show, deposit checks deluged the project managers, says Chrysler spokesman Dan Bodene.
"We were getting checks in envelopes addressed to Viper Highland Park, Michigan," Bodene says. "People had no idea who to send them to."
One man sent a check for $60,000 to then-Chrysler President Robert Lutz, for two Vipers - one for himself and one for his wife. Chrysler returned the checks.
Richard Truett contributed to this report
05-02-2006 | 12:28 PM
#279
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,411
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From: New Orleans
Originally Posted by biker
There certainly are plenty of Camaro fans out there - the question for GM is this: will a new Camaro live beyond the intial hype or flop like the Tbird?