is that the new Camaro needs to be designed to be worked on by the owner.
Regardless of how it looks, I hope it wil be possible:
to install a new stereo without removing the whole dash.
to change the sparkplugs in your driveway,
to put on headers w/o pulling the engine.
to access dashlight, taillight bulbs easily.
etc etc etc.
I always felt like one of the things that hurt 4th gen Camaros was that they were no longer driveway friendly. I am not asking for Carbs and points, I love the fact that they will have DOD technology and get great mileage, but I want it to be "Hotroddable". I am not going to go into a long list of specifics, but I sincerely hope that as the design is finalized, that user friendliness is considered at every point. i.e. make a taillight that has a lens that can be replaced if it cracks and not have to buy an entire $500 module that replaces the whole rear fascia. What made the classic muscle cars great was that you could work on them and make them your own. And not just ny bolting on Bling Bling. Technology is great and makes cars better in many ways, but please don't let it rule every facet of the design.
Thanks in advance GM for reviving the Camaro. Please build it when it is ready!!

 

They only really need to worry about that if the other manufacturers do. I don't think that is the case so there really is little competition in that arena. It would be nice though.

 

Several of us did in fact relay those messages to the design team while we were at the Sunday night reception.

 

I hope it's user-friendly too, but there is a big push for OEMs to do just the opposite. Looking at an OEM radio in almost any new car is proof of that. They don't want you replacing their radio, so they dump everything from power window logic to airbag logic into it so that you can't touch it. Companies like Toyota have found sucess by taking the Scion line in a different direction, making the vehicle aftermarket friendly (and even encouraging it), and I've seen GM start to do the same with the Cobalt. I really hope they follow suit with these cars.

I'm probably in the minority, but I will rethink an entire car purchase based solely on the aftermarket upgradability of the stereo. I am not happy with stock equipment and I refuse to retain it. I talked my fiance out of a CTS for that reason, and it very well could keep me out of a Camaro if it came down to that.

 

At least the engine in the 5th is in the engine bay, not under the dash ala 4th-gen!

 

I've done all that... in my driveway... Its not as owner friendly as other vehicles, but come on guys, its not that bad. Never had to pull a motor for headers. Just slip in from the bottom. Sparkplugs are an easy driveway task...

 

True, true.

 

I think no matter what this new Camaro won't have the engine under the dash and it should be wide enough to accept easier access to the engine. Look at the Caddy CTS or GTO they are about as user friendly engine wise as you'll fine today.
Another thing to considder is that even though we may be able to work on the car as we saw with the LS1 cars most of the big work needed to be done with a laptop or major engine work. Besides the basic bolt on goodies like lids and headers. We have to face the fact that these higher tech newer engines work great at getting 400hp out of the box and to really get some gains ya really have to add some major mods. How many LS1 cars have 400 hp N/A without heads and or cam swapping.

 

Yeah, no need to come out with something if the competition isn't doing it first.
Easy modability should be a fundamental feature in the F body.

 

I didn't mean to knock Gen 4. Just expressing a hope that GM would consider the concept of mods in their design. They can make working on it easy, not just possible.
I want one!!!

 

not everyone missed that...

 

My biggest hate of the 4th gens and the 3rd gens was the hump in the floor on the passenger side. As to the LS1 my 2001 SS puts out 410 rwhp but like you say a cam and heads do the job