| Mr. Wyndham |
03-10-2014 05:21 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc
(Post 7442436)
After giving it considerable thought as well as putting in time on concept car designs in an attempt to provide constructive ideas for the Camaro, I've reached the conclusion that one of two things are either going to happen, or need to happen.
In order to be successful at changing the Camaro, due to the extreme sensitivity of the Camaro crowd, for the 6th gen GM is probably going to "upgrade" the 5th gen slightly so that overall it looks "new" but is still pretty close to the 5th gen. The Camaro crowd is likely to throw up and pass out on the floor because some features have changed and start playing the OMG IT LOOKS LIKE!!! (name the car from the past) game, but overall it will still look familiar enough that it will survive. The 7th gen is another matter altogether.
There are really only 2 possible directions for GM to go here. Because the Camaro crowd is so sensitive to change, GM has to either make very small incremental changes over time so people don't freak-out, or just go all-out and change the car completely so it looks nothing like the past. As they've already seen from the 2014 refresh, doing small incremental changes doesn't avoid the freak-out. If they go all-out and do something completely different people would still blow chunks and pass out on the floor because 'IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A CAMARO!!! (from the past) but it's the only way to wean people off the retro look. And honestly, as much as I love the looks of the 5th gen and some of the cars from the past, it's time to step into the future. And by future I mean one where we control our cars; not sit in them as passengers staring at our phones while "the system" moves us around like cattle in a cattle yard. No "driverless" concept cars. I think it is probably too late for GM to go radical with the 6th gen, but the 7th gen is the one in my opinion they should use to make this change happen.
It's like removing old bandaids. Remember what that was like? The worst way was to pull on it slowly and try to gradually peel it off. That was the most painful and took the longest. The best way was to yank it off suddenly. It still stung but only briefly... and you lived. (That was a VERY IMPORTANT POINT to kids). :)
I have a feeling the reason why we aren't seeing anything yet on the 6th gen is they are still struggling with the appearance. The 5th gen is such a tough act to follow that it's an almost impossible task to "evolve" it. I honestly believe they would be wise to just leave the past behind and start with a completely new design. It would give them the most freedom including using entirely new materials and construction techniques. It would be risky but I believe it would be less risky than a gradual "improvement" that causes the "I'll stick with the old 5th gen" reaction because it isn't as good at capturing the retro feel as the 5th gen is. That's the standard they have to reach with the 6th gen IF they decide to make it a retro evolutionary design. A complete break from the past frees them from that problem and gives them the freedom to wow us with something entirely fresh and new. Or at least fresh and new for a Camaro.
Regardless of over-the-top artist's sketches, there's a reality that comes into play when creating a car. Just like Camaros from the past, a new Camaro is still going to have 4 wheels, 4 seats, needs wide doors for access to the rear seats, an engine up front that requires a radiator and cooling systems, a gas tank, and must meet crash, safety and roll-over regulations. Oh and don't forget getting great gas mileage! The idea that they can design a car with those requirements that doesn't look like anything ever seen before is unrealistic. Cars have been around for too long and there's been too many designs done by designers all over the world for people to expect something truly new that doesn't have some kind of similarity to something from the past. That doesn't mean they can't design a new car, just that people need to have realistic expectations and not beat up the designers if there are elements on it that may have a similarity to a previous design. Unless we can now make anti-gravity hover cars that don't need wheels or gasoline, there are going to be some elements that are similar to past elements. As long as people have realistic expectations that's perfectly okay.
We shall see but I'm hoping they have the courage to break from the past and step into the future.
|
Doc, I think through your experimentation and feedback, you discovered something that the Camaro team struggles with on a daily basis: Design is everything to this car.
It's the reason it has succeeded in the marketplace...it's the reason everyone recognizes it on the road...And design is the reason they have to be VERY VERY careful in bringing the car into the next generation.
The Camaro has had a very clear personality through the years, though...and people clearly respond to certain proportions and lines better than others on a performance car.
I, personally, don't see anything "retro" about the current car. I know people will point to things like the side gills and gauges...but I don't see anything more than a family resemblance...retro is way too strong a word, imo. I believe they should follow the patterns of Aston Martin and Corvette....slow, intentional, well thought-out design evolution.
Nevertheless - my thoughts are part of what makes this so difficult to come up with a "solution" to the problem of the 6th gen design.
For what it's worth - the same people that brought us the 14 refresh and the 14 Stingray are working on the new Camaro. I'm not at all worried for the future. :) |
