My 2 cents on the new Camaro...gotta say it

[JohnnyGMachine]

I've already put in enough 2cents on this car to make spare change now. I won't ramble on about what I like or dislike. I DO LIKE IT! Overall I think they're very close to what people are wanting. My only real issue with the car is the squareness of the front end. I honestly think the car needs to have a little peak in the front. I think it makes the front look a little more dynamic and interesting. I think they grill opening is perfect. But the way the sides of the front fenders "transition" into the front fascia - just too square. And this is just my opinion and all it is but the car is very over-the-top-macho. What i mean by this is yeah THIS is a street fighter. Which on one end is good but on another end could be bad.
One of the things that makes the Mustang successful and always has is that the Mustang is popular to men AND women. I read somewhere that about 50% of the sales for the Mustang are women. And most women who buy it don't care what it runs in the quarter mile or what the lateral g measurments are (like that Scott - tie in to the site) they just want it because it's sporty, has a little wing-thingy on the back and they look good in it. So they usually buy 6 cylinders. So I guess that's another thing to think about when you look at the new Camaro - is it too aggressive? Maybe, maybe not. Just a thought on that. That's why when I did my 5th gen (somebody posted above) the thinking was to make it look tough AND sexy. It needs to have a balance of hard edges and curves. I'm not saying that mine is the solution and I nailed everything - not at all. It's just what my idea of it was. Maybe the new Camaro could maybe be just a little more curvacious yet still have a strong edgy look?
I think the overall is a pretty good mix of modern and retro. I think the Challenger is way too much of a "direct copy" of the old. It looks cool and all but I think it's not even really retro - it's just a recreation of the same exact thing. After a while of comparing the Camaro and Challenger concept, I did like the Challenger a little more but then now it's the Camaro. The Camaro just has more interesting styling, more character in my opinion. It's retro and fresh.

John

[Derek69SS]

I like it. It's a good balance of retro and modern.

A full-retro '69 camaro would sell great... for 2-3 years. After that you need to update it, which literally can't be done to a retro design without looking stupid and out of place.

I'm glad they didn't do it. I like '69 Camaros. I don't want them to be the next PT Cruiser. When I see a '69 Camaro on the highway I gawk & stare at it. I'd hate to see a classic like that dilluted to the point that they don't even stand out on the road from the ones with V6s driven by middle-aged women.

[Huxsol81]

Originally Posted by Derek69SS

When I see a '69 Camaro on the highway I gawk & stare at it.

Enough said.

[Stuart Adams]

I like it, its 2009 geez. Its a great start IMO. The back ass of the vette aint michelangelo either. Put alot of power, tweak the front end, 10-20K less than vette, it will be ok.

Don't call the firing squad on me now, LOL.

[XcYZ]

I have a question, will the public ever get to see different variations of the 5th Gen Concept? As a GM enthusiast, I know many different variations were sketched and/or modeled as the NAIAS concept was being developed. I'm guessing what we see is the culmination of all the ideas throughout the design process and that there are/were design ideas that range from out of this world to versions that are almost a complete knockoffs of a 69 Camaro.

Wouldn't it have been cool if the General brought a few different versions of the 5th Gen Concept to the NAIAS and we got to vote on what we wanted most? I realize getting enthusiasts that range in ages from their teens to their 80's and that getting them (us) to agree on which one would be like trying to set the thermostat in a room full of women (it's never right! lol).

Anyways, just some honest thoughts coming from a Camaro and GM fan. Long live the Camaro.

[Kendall Burleson]

I didn't like the 69 but went it came out in 69 that was the fugly thing I had every seen. not because I owned A 67 z/28 and at that time I couldn't get used to that big ass camaro man how time has changed! chevy made that car one year most of the guys who would buy the 69 were in the Dnz fighting for their life.(babyboomer)

[rockdogz]

Wouldn't it have been cool if the General brought a few different versions of the 5th Gen Concept to the NAIAS and we got to vote on what we wanted most?

Scott,
I would love to see this too (heard there were 2 different concepts going on, the one that was released and a more faithful 'retro' concept that were competing with each other). However, I think it would be a bad idea to release these to the public before the car is made, or to have people vote on their favorite. Why? Because if your favorite is not produced, then you'll most likely not be buying the one that was, I would imagine. GM needs all the sales it can get from this model, and I doubt they would want to alienate anyone by showing what 'could have' been produced.

Would make a great book/show years later though...

[markss28]

[QUOTE=Derek69SS]I like it. It's a good balance of retro and modern.

A full-retro '69 camaro would sell great... for 2-3 years. After that you need to update it, which literally can't be done to a retro design without looking stupid and out of place.

I agree, having it made for a limited time would be the best if not then it will end up being like every other new car out there. I think the styling is fine and they should just make it and get on with it. I do think that by 2009 400hp will not be enough and another 25-30 would more likely fit the bill especially with the 425hp Challenger coming.

[69MyWay]

I love it. The style is bold, dynamic, and it isn't a cookie cutter retro wanna-be. It has enough retro shape to catch the essence of Camaro (especially since it has been out since 2002 and there is no immediate trail to jump on from the 4th gen). The hard edges are refreshing and strong. That is modern style at its best. Look at the Acura, Caddi, and others that are making bold harsh strong body lines.

It is also futuristic in the proportions and the way it takes advantage of cab-forward design technology.

The best part of it is the amount of modern hard style gives it room to mature over a body line run. No big deal if the grille or tail lamps aren't the best right now. Look at how they evolved over the 4th gen. This car is wicked cool.

If you think about it, Camaro had to play catch up in the 60s since Ford had a couple of years to get the whole thing going. When Camaro showed up it was a refined clean and better version of what mustang had created. That is what you are seeing here. By the time this hits you won't be able to give away a retro 05 style stang.

[Mecom Racer]

Originally Posted by 69MyWay

I love it. The style is bold, dynamic, and it isn't a cookie cutter retro wanna-be. It has enough retro shape to catch the essence of Camaro (especially since it has been out since 2002 and there is no immediate trail to jump on from the 4th gen). The hard edges are refreshing and strong. That is modern style at its best. Look at the Acura, Caddi, and others that are making bold harsh strong body lines.

It is also futuristic in the proportions and the way it takes advantage of cab-forward design technology.

The best part of it is the amount of modern hard style gives it room to mature over a body line run. No big deal if the grille or tail lamps aren't the best right now. Look at how they evolved over the 4th gen. This car is wicked cool.

If you think about it, Camaro had to play catch up in the 60s since Ford had a couple of years to get the whole thing going. When Camaro showed up it was a refined clean and better version of what mustang had created. That is what you are seeing here. By the time this hits you won't be able to give away a retro 05 style stang.

Exactly!