I have always been told that while 09 was the year Camaro was expected to be made, it could be fast tracked if the car was received well. I never was told how much fast tracking it would move it up.

I received this email from someone...I know it is a long shot....but I figured I would post it anyway...because I have a fard time believing GM would wait 3 years to bring a car this well received to market...there were people crying at the intro for heaven's sake. Also, Lutz said they had to see where it fell in with GM's priorities...yet GuionM has said teh RWD cars are Chevy's top priority right now...

 

I don't doubt they are going to try (hence the hush hush on a real date) but just becuase they are trying doesn't mean it's going to happen.

 

the sooner the better

 

I still have a hard time believing that they won't rush this thing for a 40th Anniversary model, even if it's a very late 2007.

 

"(Name witheld)". Of course! That is always the case. If I had a nickle for every e-mail ike that that I have seen. It is always an "unnamed source" or "someone that works deep in GM" or "my mom's friend's brother has a buddy who knows". Dealers can't be counted on, only in rare cases.

It is doubtful that Lutz whispers inside secrets over pot roast with friends. He has been in the business long enough to know not to mix business with pleasure, and what "loose lips" do. Heck, Lutz may not even know himself.

But, I could be wrong. Might be true, might not be. The point is, wait until an official announcement. It ain't official until it is official. My wife's mom's boyfriend who has a sister who does the taxes for Freddie Lutz (no relation to Bob Lutz) said so.

 

Yeah, ok...

 

Guys, it's a year for stamping tooling for a body, no matter what anyone fast-tracks.

So, if they had the design complete and kicked off TODAY, you're in calendar 2007 at the earliest.

On top of tooling, everyone has to remember that there is a whole slew of validation steps that have to go on and an assembly plant has to be tooled up, two exercises which are time-consuming and expensive.

Calendar 2008 (MY 2009) would be a crash program of epic proportions at this point.

Can it be done for calendar year 2008?

Yes.

Throw enough money at it and calendar 2008 is possible... and there's the rub. GM's biggest problems right now boil down to engineering resources, time and cash.

Cash will get you engineering resources and folks have a pretty good handle on what things cost in that arena, but paying for time is way expensive...

 

Could it be the general is awaiting on the moves from DCX with the Challenger?

 

Doubtful.

GM wouldn't really care what DCX decides to do. Camaro would crush Challenger in the marketplace.

GM took Ford and DCX's best shot in the area that GM holds most dear - trucks and SUV's - and has come out on top. They can beat DCX at any game they choose, and they know it.

 

While I agree with you for the most part on GMT-900. Let's wait until next model year when revised U222/U228 come out and then when revised F150 debuts. The market is going to be more competetive than ever in the next 3 years.

 

As much as id like it to be a 2008 model I doubt it will be. I can wait till 2009 Id rather have it done and built right then rushed.

 

Theres also testing which i would say takes around a year to get everythin hammered out

 

The problem with 2009....thats way too far away. People's emotions are not a long term thing. A show like the NAIAS can affect people, and some people for months....but years? Do you really think that Joe Consumer is gonna see this car 3 years from now and still want it? He's gonna be over it, it will be an old car to him. It may be etched in his head today, but its going to be a vague memory 3 years from now, and its gonna seem old.

 

I gotta say that most of the people that saw this concept already are not Joe Consumer, they are crazy enthusiasts like ourselves. Though I'd love for the car to come out sooner, it will be new to most people as soon as they see their first one on the road in 2008 (07 maybe? Please?) Let's just hope the whole "retro" scene hasn't worn too thin by then...

 

That is my worry as well but it is much better knowing a Camaro exists than nothing being said at all. Hopefully they'll get it out as fast as they can.