Well........it’s certainly been an interesting journey.......with what we (that’s you and me) have been through.

Some tough times............

--the day in 1996 when the decision was made to put the car on hiatus.....

--the many arguments and impassioned pleas to get additional funding for the 4th gen.....

--watching SLP Engineering wind down.....and the SLP board closing........

--working on plans to keep the Camaro and Firebird in production as long as possible....knowing we couldn’t build one after August 31, 2002.........

--for me, getting that final call from Ste. Therese on the morning of August 27, 2002 to tell me that the final car had just come down the line -- just after 9am...........while my family was holding a wake for a favorite uncle..........



And the good times.........

--making so many friends worldwide that share a passion for these fabled cars.....

--SLP introducing the new Camaro SS

--seeing the various Anniversary and Collector cars come to fruition....

....or watching the various Camaro pace cars and festival cars go around the track at Indy........a beautiful sight........

--hearing the first LS1 powered Fcar roar to life...............


.........and of course, witnessing a rebirth on January 9, 2006--indeed, a great day....................



To each of you:

--you could have disappeared over the past three and a half years.................but you didn’t.

--you could have called me a liar many times over..............but you didn’t...........

--you could have saved money by not traveling to Bowling Green, or Carlisle, or Atlanta, or Dayton, or any number of other Camaro/Firebird events .....but you didn’t.............

You could have said “the Hell with Chevrolet and General Motors!” ...........but you didn’t...........

You could have traded in your Camaros and Firebirds and gone to “the Dark Side”.................but you didn’t................


I realize more and more each and every day just how powerful the draw is to this brand.........and how very, very blessed we (at Chevy) are to have people like you who kept the faith......even when there was little evidence to keep that faith alive.

And so it was very special for me to watch YOU as the Camaro roared to life once again at about 11:00 am on Monday, January 9.

I thought I was the only one getting choked up........until I looked around me and saw tears of joy.......shouting.....whistling...screaming...... .or, as one enthusiast put it in a letter “.........you brought me to my knees with the beauty of what I just witnessed......”

One member of our communications staff said that he’s been unveiling cars for over 35 years -- and he’d never seen a car reduce people to tears...to raw emotions.........

There’s nothing I’d have liked better than to have a couple thousand of our enthusiasts at the unveiling. Unfortunately, I could only get 250 passes...it was beyond GM’s control. (further, there was some consternation at first on the part of several within the company about bringing enthusiasts to the event......I mean.....what if we’d unveiled it and you threw up???) If you didn’t get an invitation, please......accept my sincerest apologies.......I wanted you there.





So.....we’ve now all seen the concept. By and large -- by any measure, it is a resounding success. No....not everyone likes it. That does not surprise any of us. When you are dealing with a brand that inspires so much passion, you will always get those who are unhappy with change.

And so as we go forward through 2006 and beyond......we (that’s you and me) have a new sense of hope.....and I believe that the ties that bind us as friends will continue to grow stronger.

For those of you who were fortunate to get one of the passes to our unveiling.......Thank You for taking the time....and spending the money....to come to Detroit. I hope this will have brought you memories for a lifetime.

For those of you who were not able to attend, I hope you were able to watch on the internet....or perhaps go to the many sites and watch the video after the fact....and I hope you, too, liked what you saw. If you didn’t, I hope you’ll have the opportunity to see the Camaro Concept up close and personal at one of many autoshows where it will make an appearance.

And finally.......thank you to everyone for the hundreds....perhaps thousands (and yes, I DO mean hundreds if not thousands ) of emails/calls/letters that I’ve received over the past week. I could not answer them all, but I hope you’ll know that I read every one of them and in many cases they’ve been passed on to the various disciplines within GM.

Pete was right when he said: "...The name Camaro..........means pal, friend, or comrade......Thus, it suggests the real mission of our new automobile........to be a close companion to its owner, tailored to reflect his or her individual tastes and at the same time provide exciting personal transportation.....Chevrolet has chosen a name which is lithe, and graceful, in keeping with our other names beginning with C. It suggests the comradeship of good friends............as a personal car should be to its owner....”

I’m honored to call each of you “my Friend!”

 

you gave me goose bumps there scott...

that was an exciting read... I really wish some day I could meet you and meet some of the others that helped this reach (whatever point it is right now )

I wish some day, that I will be able to purchase a firebird... although I understand most people understood the camaro was a better seller, i'm starting to hear people say things like "you cant just leave the firebird, i mean they were sisters" and this is not from enthusiasts... this is from car people, but not f-body enthusiasts... I work at a chevrolet dealership so I will be blessed with this product soon, but for the pontiac i really hope...

but as for you scott, thanks for this note, thanks for everything you did, and thanks for unvailing...

 

Thank YOU!! for much more then I was expecting! The Damn thing is perfect!!!!!!!

Now whats it going to take to get a autographed poster from the man himself of the New camaro? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

 

And a "Thank You" to you sir. The past few years were an emotional rollercoaster. When the unveiling happened on that greatful Monday, a lot of tension and relief was lifted. I don't believe words could ever describe the gratitude and thanks. I had to watch the unveiling over and over, and then have my co-workers and employees watch. The car has been very well recieved in my workplace, and some still talk to me about it.

If and when this car hits the showroom floor, then my garage, I wonder how hard it will be to have one autographed by a certain someone that has always had us "Keep the Faith".

 

I think everyone can agree, whether they liked the concept or not, you have been extremely helpful in figuring out whats what over all this time. You have been a great help around here Scott.

 

Saleen signs all of his cars on the dash.... hint hint

 

Scott, you're one of a kind. thank you for helping all of us here, and members of the other boards you frequent, "keep the faith".


i can't wait til NYIAS when i have the opportunity to shake your hand and thank you in person friend

 

All I can do is smile!

 

Damn near brought a tear to my eye.

Well said... everything.


and one more time: Thank you

 

Thank You!

 

Thanks alot, for keepin the faith.

I, personally, look forward to seeing the concept Camaro @ Gathering 10 in Atlanta. Ga Memorial Day weekend

Thanks again,
Don :bowtie:

 

words cant express what this car means to me. please bring it to the dayton show. and thank you many times over!

 

Scott (if I may call you that... it almost seems like I know you )... well written post... it conveys a lot of heart-felt emotions... which is typical of your style of writing.

Why would we abandon Chevrolet when quite clearly its the best 'car company' in the world when the combination of performance, value and fun is concerned? Even at Holden we feel a solid link to the fabled Chevrolet division... its a much revered brand downunder even though Chevrolet vehicles haven't been sold here for decades (if you exclude the handful number of Suburbans imported several years ago).

Well done on the concept. You and your team have given us fans a lot of enthusiasm and new found hope... it's amazing how much excitement one car, yes one car in concept form, could generate and raise the spirits of true car enthusiasts all over the world. You should be pround of your (team) effort, thank you.

If I may digress for a moment, one thing that did surprise me was learning about Rick Wagoner's brave call to modernise the Camaro concept at the 11th hour... I wondered about your thoughts when I read that.. was it a tense situation among Camaro team members?

EDIT: Just read your response to the Rick Wagoner call in another thread.

 

Even though my friends would tell me Camaro is dead, I would come back to this board and read and oftentimes reread your encouraging words......."Keep the faith".........well, I did.

The Camaro Concept is beautiful. Muscular, yet graceful. I commend you and everyone at the GM/Chevrolet team. We have a winner.

Please reserve a 2009 SOM Z28 (M6, please) for me. My two "boys" need another brother....and we are not going to adopt a Ford.

Regards,

Jeff
"Fratsit"

 

Thank You very much!