I'd like to know how long would GM keep the 5th gen around if the Camaro doesn't deliver the sales performance GM is looking for.
I know we can't get an accurate date, but there must be a rule of thumb. Are they committed to it for 3 years, 5 years, or some other length of time?
They kept the Aztek around for what, 5 years?

The reason why I ask is I was considering buying another car now. If I do that, it will push my Camaro purchase out a few more years. Probably to 2012 or 2013. Will the Camaro still be around then? Especially if the sales aren't there?

 

Yes.
They'll sell fine.

 

I doubt they will be quick to pull the plug, afterall, they will have to listen to the public uproar from the diehard Camaro fans... again.

 

The car would absolutely have to hemmorage money before GM pulled the plug on it because of poor sales. The way the program seems to be set up, that simply ain't likely to happen. The coupe structure is likely going to be shared with 2 other models, it's going to share it's basic structure as well as an assembly line with a high volume sedan (unlike previous Camaros) which is the secret to the Monte Carlo's current existence at 30K cars per year (while Thunderbird was killed off when it dipped to 70K).

I don't think there's a rule of thumb on a model's lifespan if it fails, although I can't name any modern vehicle that was more than a cosmetic job on an existing vehicle that lived shorter than 3 or 4 years. Ford's Escort EXP lasted most of the 80s despite poor sales (was made on the same line as the extremely high volume Ford Escort sedan and hatchback).

The last 4th gen Camaro's sales figures were well into the toilet after the '98 restyling, yet GM continued to make the car for another 4 years. Despite having it's own grossly underused factory and a chassis not shared with anything else other than an even lower production Firebird, GM still managed to scrape a small bit of pocket change from the car.

 

Right from the start GM never really advertised the 4th gen properly. And there were less female buyers because they didn't like how awkwardly they had to get out of the car when wearing a skirt.

 

I could see CAFE rules giving the Camaro a relatively short lifespan, perhaps 5 to 8 years, unless GM can figure how to improve the fuel economy by 40 percent, yet still keep the car affordable.

 

i see that as a sales + for us guys

 

dealerships in my area (incluidng one I am hoping to be working for) are trying to find out ways they can get their hands on the Camaros, They all think it will be like the Sky & SSR & what have you so limited supply that they will mainly go to the larger Dealerships.


The one I want to work for is really small heck they dont even get the new vettes when they come out because they are in a small tinky town.
They want to know how they can go about getting on that special list to get some of the newer cars.

 

That's something that makes me wonder why they insisted that the Camaro MUST be able to sell 100,000 a year in order to be feasible. It's going to share the facilities with a few other vehicles, shouldn't that sustain the Camaro even if it ends up leveling off as a 50,000 a year vehicle?

I undersand they WANT to sell 100,000. I'm just saying, why would it be a very big deal if they aren't selling that much as long as the plant makes multiple models?

 

if they want to sell 100,000 they need to make 150,000 that first year. As I said iin my post. I know dealerships that are got their hearts set on being one of the few dealerships in washington state that get the Camaro, but they dont know how they go about getting on that list.

 

When premium gas hits $4.50/gal, it'll put a BIG dent in V8 Camaro sales. The 5th gen run should be at least 5 years, unless everyone that was going to buy a new Camaro couldnt wait and already purchased something else that they could drive now.

 

What if the V8 Camaro runs on E85?

 

I am still not convinced how big a dent high gas prices will be. This isn't the SUV families were buying because it was a station wagon/mini van you could actually be seen it. I think many people would be buying this (we are talking the big-dog V8 here) as a play/weekend car. Therefore, if they fill up once a month or less, it won't be that much of a difference, and if they are buying a play car, chances are they are pretty well off, so it won't affect the pocketbook too much.

This is a purely emotional purchase and the cost of gas will be factored in to the cost of ownership. It just means it will be more expensive to own, but not necessarily out of reach. I would imagine once gas hits that high, GM will have a pretty efficient V8 to slot in between the economy V6 and the hi-po fire breather.

Who knows, maybe I am all wrong, but I am not convinced (either way) just yet. I think the final product will go a long way to determine just how much people will be willing to pay for it (both at purchase and after).

I think the narrow-minded politicians (supported by a short-sighted general population) are a bigger threat in the future, but that is a different topic.

 

GM needs to start cranking these cars out before Congress ratchets up the CAFE requirements. At least we are guaranteed a new President before production starts.

 

I know I fit into this catagory. I drive a lot for work (3-4K a month) and I will certainly not be using a new V8 Camaro to do this. It wouldn't carry all the stuff I need anyways. I'll be buying my new Camaro for the fact that I love the Camaro and will want to drive it (and my current 4th gen Z28 as soon as I get her running again) on the weekends and days off.

People who are worried about gas prices probably won't be buying a Camaro anyways, especially a V8. I don't care about gas prices that much, they don't really affect my purchasing decisions. Even if gas was $5 a gallon, I'll still buy the new Camaro. If it runs on E85 (and I REALLY hope it does, I live in the ethanol capital of the US), even better. We have a huge ethanol plant right here in town and most gas stations carry it. I'm considering building an E85 engine for my 94 when I get around to it.