Originally Posted by Dan Baldwin

Again, an *ounce* of foresight and a little patience would have paid off handsomely. Kappa was rushed to market, and in the rush they purposely didn't make any accomodations to making the platform adaptable to a 2+2 configuration. What they *should* have done was slow the hell down and make SURE they could build both a Solstice/Sky *and* a Camaro *and* (why not?!) maybe even a Nomad (imagine a smallish rwd Mazda3 competitor, I'd be all over that as well!).

It might have cost them a year to market for the Solstice/Sky, but the Camaro could conceivably have come out by now, and at fighting weight rather than at nearly 4000 lb.

Originally Posted by 99SilverSS

You’re correct If money was no object this world would be a very different place. The cars we drive the places we live and play and the girls in our lives would all be much different. But in reality there must be compromises.
I believe this Camaro will overachieve for the price GM paid to design, engineer and produce it.

A chief engineer or VLE is a mediator as much as they are leader. Many people’s agendas are at work in this car and all the others to have ever been or will be produced. One person can't design and produce this car. The job of the chief engineer or VLE is to help determine goals for the car and expect to surpass many of them just a bit. But to stick to the plan objectives of the car. This must be achieved in a timely and under budget. The goal of engineering isn't to make things indestructible but just good enough for the cost and time allotted. It's said even the Egyptians had a schedule to meet for the pyramids.

1) They did and that's why this car is more user friendly with a more upright seating position and better ergonomics. The emphasis has been put on V6 or base model sales as Ford has cashed in on since 1964.5.

2) I think they are well aware of that and in some instances from a true enthusiasts view I'd say the Camaro is on equal footing as the Mustang. Being a Chevy and always having the dependable and always cheaply powerful SBC sure helps!

3) 350 Million was a monopoly money number. I'm not sure the real number is known as I'm sure there has been some cross budget with other platforms and models along the way. But either way it's a far lower number than say the Silverado or Malibu was to develop. But you spend big money to make big money and the Camaro is a much more specialized vehicle and thus the sales aren't likely to support a huge cost. Know that all vehicles are on a budget. It's just a fact of life.

4) Some could say the Camaro has always been Chevy's "me too Pony car". It was certainly developed later and has always trailed the Mustang in sales. I think this car has set the bar much higher over the current Mustang in many areas but mostly as a full content 21st Century sports coupe. We'll see what Ford returns with and either way it's better for both cars to have competition. I certainly welcome it as it's good for us and the Mustang lovers.

5) The Camaro has never had its own platform and now platform development is more expensive and complicated than ever before. I added it as one of the options just to show that it was more than the whole budget for the car. One of the only reasons this car made the business case to come back was it's sharing of Zeta. Obviously that has changed a bit from 2006. I'd love for it to happen but I'm a realist. The Mustang doesn't have its own platform either.

6) Ask them how the Vette (XLR) has its own full frame platform and factory to itself? Somehow the numbers support the Kappa's and Corvette/XLR but not the Camaro. GM is in the business of making money and if the Camaro was worthy of it's own platform and could bring the ROI back then it would have one. Something makes me think that's not the case. This isn't GM's first try at building a production car.

7) The budget was appropriate as we have a 5th Gen Camaro that will have class leadership in many performance areas and probably great build quality with the best safety equipment available on a rather quick timeline. (Long too many but a new car with all the Camaro has in 3 years from Concept to production is very good.)

8) As it has turned out the Camaro is the leader of the Zeta platform. As it stands now only Holden and maybe another domestic product will use it. This wasn't the plan. Also it's been mentioned that the Camaro Zeta platform is quite a bid different than what’s under the G8/Commodore. Smaller and lighter will probably head the list of Gen 6 development objectives. CAFE will make it so or the Camaro name will again fade away.

9) Interior style like exterior style is in the eye of the beholder. I've not seen it in person but I know someone who has and their valued opinion is that the pics do not do the whole car justice. The exterior is better in person and so is the interior. It’s much cleaner and nicer than pics depict. The materials and details are magnificent in his opinion. BTW he was not a fan of what he saw in the concept. I've had my complaints also but it's what we have and with a nice color choice, HUD and that very nice dash LED pipe lighting the looks get better IMO. I'd say hold final judgment until you sit and drive the car. That only seems fair correct?

Originally Posted by holeshot

5) The F-body was a dedicated platform. It shared many bits and pieces with others but it was a dedicated platform. I never said Camaro should be on a dedicated platform (please read item number 8). I am just challenging those that blindly say it couldn’t have one. GM has current examples that have dedicated platforms and a worst business Case than camaro would have. The “searching for an appropriate platform” crap is why it took so long and why we have a 4000 pound Camaro. Ask yourself where we would have been if Kappa did not happen and instead they would have spent the time and money on a flexible small rwd platform built with Camaro in mind but able to build small sedans as well.

Originally Posted by holeshot

6) My point exactly. I am waiting for someone to answer the Kappa question (which you did not do by the way). On paper, if you look at its volume, and its profit margin, there is no way that car has a better business case to justify a dedicated platform as compared to Camaro’s potential. I realize there are smart people at GM and they are in it to make money. I also realize this is the same company that was dumb enough to get themselves into a situation were they had to kill the Camaro in the first place.

Originally Posted by holeshot

In the context of “the game” as chief engineer I would have scrapped the whole thing…. No question!