Which do you think is more important? Your personal satisfaction or the overall success of the vehicle in terms of sales?

Spinning off from Charlie's thread (which concerns you more, cost or weight)... I noticed a theme in which most people's concerns floated around their personal satisfaction, and their answers reflected that.

The most important thing to me is the overall success of the vehicle. I care about the cost, the weight, the interior styling, the reverse light location, T-tops (or lack thereof), and dozens of other things, but all of those points pale in comparison to my desire to have Camaro resurface as a popular, respected nameplate in the new car market. I want it to join CTS, Malibu, and others in leading GM's charge back to the forefront of automotive development, back to profitable operation, back to being #1 in market share.

Imagine for a moment that, after studying the specs and test driving a couple different examples, you are unhappy with the new Camaro and you decide not to buy one. The public, on the otherhand, overwhelmingly disagrees with you. Camaro sells in huge numbers throughout the lifespan of the 5th gen. How do you feel about this outcome?

I'm not posting a poll, because this thread isn't about the numbers -- it's about the discussion.

With that being said, discuss.

 

overall sucess.

In keeping with that I don't promote the idea that they should waste time selling a stripped down no power windows, no air no radio version to save 25lbs and sell 7 cars, like some people do. <-those people are nutjobs and have no clue how few people want an option like this. Right away I ignore them and anything they say as they are out of touch with reality.

On the other hand I do promote things I want, but I also think would help it sell.
Weight. Why in gods name does the 4thgen have a larger exterior while feeling more cramped inside then a 3rdgen? Will the 5thgen do the same? There is no excuse for 3 feet of worthless dash or empty air space in the fender. Why must cars always get physically larger with each generation?
Why did chevy only use a 2 spider in their axles when a 4 spider costs almost nothing more and is so much stronger.
Why is the damn belt line so high making it look like a chop top? Will it be like the prowler where you can't comfortably rest your arm on the window sill?
Why does the nose go vertical for miles? Even the 1st gen had a little more wedge were the turn lights and panel were set back some from the blunt front.
Will the comparable mustang model be just a few hundred dollars cheaper which will give Ford the right to advertise how they are cheaper?

I think either way it won't do bad with what they have and I hope the overall sucess is good even though I won't be buying one.

 

This car must destroy the competition. It must satisfy my personal needs AND be successful in sales. In order to do both it must excell in performance, bang for the buck, and overall quality.

I know this car will destroy the 350Z (maybe the 370Z) in price and performance. For reliability and quality we will have to wait and see. The quality of the interior trim is pretty crappy in the Nissans. The same problems you see in the Altima/Maxima 3.5 SE are the same problems you see in the G35 and 350Z. Cheap fragile interiors and same powertrain problems (poor heat in winter, cats die fast, SES lights for emissions crap that leaves the dealership baffled).

For the Ford Mustang, I have no doubt that the Camaro will beat it in performance. Price and reliability we will have to see.

 

While I do care whether or not this Camaro is successful, I have to honestly say that at this time its more important that its everything I want it to be as this will probably be the last "new" Camaro I buy for quite some time.

Am I being selfish, possibly, but at least I hope my tastes are what will help make it successful, so who knows.

 

For the Camaro, and General Motors to have "success", it has to appeal to a very BROAD market. At the end of the day, I don't think weight will really be a detriment ... look at the success of the Chrysler 300, and we know what that car weighs .

From all the debates/arguments/banter we have here, the nitty-gritty "specifics" matter A LOT to A LOT of people (but even here, not EVERYBODY).

"Personal success" is important to enthusiasts like (most of) us here. But the car's success overall probably hinges very little on what WE think, and mostly on what "the general public" thinks.

Being completely un-selfish and realistic, the price and content are probably the most important factors.

Being completely selfish and un-realistic, there are many things that are more important to ME (weight may be an example ) and a sale may be lost to ME. However, the CAR may be a huge success to EVERYONE else .....

..... like Mustangs! People love them, and I don't really care for them .

 

That's a really interesting comment. I want Camaro to succeed like Mustang, but I don't want it to be like Mustang.

 

They would be hard pressed to build one that I don't like. I pretty much just love Camaros. I didn't like the MCE '98 models when they first came out and I ended up owning one and loving it. I didn't really like the 2nd gens when I first got into cars but I can see myself owning one of them in the future. I will certainly be buying a fifth gen even if its pushing 4000lbs (although I won't be happy about the weight). The most important thing to me is that we get a 6th gen and more.
Things I don't like but would be willing to live with:
The backup lights in the middle of the bumper
the B pillar
A heavier car than the 4th gen
Fuel economy a little worse than the fourth Gen SS

My perfect 5th gen SS would have the exact styling of the concept, and outperform the 2002 SS in every respect (power, fuel economy, weight, handling, acceleration, safety, and price adjusted for inflation). After 7 years I don't think its too much to ask. I think the styling is going to be close enough and they will hit performance in everything but weight and the fuel economy will probably be close if not better.

 

To be honest I only want the high end (SS-Z28) to be successful. I don't want a bunch of clones in V-6's out there. I don't like looking over and seeing a dumbed down version of real vehicle.

An example we see evey day is the mustang. Although I am not a fan of Mustangs and Fords I don't like to see the v-6 versions of those either. It upsets me when everyone and their mother, daughter etc. can drive a "muscle" car.

 

Most likely this with be my first and last Camaro. You have to have overall success for the vehicle so you will have more aftermarket companies support. I don't think the Camaro will be a collector classic like the Super bird or anything, because GM want this car to be a volume car. Which I have no beef with that. I think you will see as many of 2010 Camaros as you do the current mustangs on the road. There are 3 cars that are going to save GM. That is the Malibu, Volt, and Camaro IMHO.

 

I was just thinking, and I think I can rephrase my question another way that's even more intriguing.

Which will disappoint you more?
* You don't like the new Camaro, but it does well and continues on with more redesigns in the future.
* You love the new Camaro, but it sells poorly and GM kills it off for good.

 

I will be more disappointed if the car fails entirely. "I" love my 4th-gen (as many others do as well) but it failed, and look where that got us .

I'd rather the car succeed, because that will only be a GOOD THING for the people of Oshawa, and GM as a whole. They need a turn-around. I believe they've already made some big steps, and this car is another major milestone for GM, IMO.

Even if I'm not "excited" with the final product, I have no doubt that it's going to be a car of exceptional quality, good performance, and good value . GM needs more quality in high volume (the Corvette is great car, but they simply don't build/sell enough of them).

That's my $.02 .

 

I won't buy a car just because everybody else likes it. I buy a car because I like it.

Bob

 

Overall success. Because I'm hoping there will be a 6th gen that will blow me away.

 

Overall success.
However, you can't have that without a lot of personal satisfaction (generally)...so, both.

I mat buy a car based on whether or not I like it, but I'd like there to be a car for me to decide that about.

I want this car to "live on". If there's only room for one or two affordable two sports cars in the future automotive landscape, I want one of them to be the Camaro. There's no reason that can't happen. This will give GM another car to be tear-in-your-eye proud of (ala Corvette), and it will give anyone who doesn't like this version another chance to get the Camaro of their dreams.

No more hiatus for the Camaro until the IC engine DIES.

How do you know that the car you want to be successful isn't just a suped-up version of a REAL vehicle? hmmm?

And if you want your car (the high end) to be successful, then you better hope that those "V6 clones" are even more successful. Because:

#1 they'll be making up 70%+ of total Camaro sales, and
#2, the high-end cars will exist because of #1.

 

Overall success.
The better the car does in general, the more the after market will produce for it, the more options there will be to make the car fit "me" more.

I know I am getting my Camaro in blue, if GM could not waste their time with black, white, green, yellow, and just do 6 shades of blue, that would be the best for me, but not for GM. Although that is a ridiculous concept, people have made suggestions on here that are not that far off.
Then get ready to be disappointed. Thats not what the Camaro is or has ever been. It has always been an every man's (woman's) car. Something with good looks and good performance that anyone could afford. Believe it or not there were lots of slow 6 cyl first gens driven by grandmothers in their time.