Quote:
Originally Posted by Number 3
Sorry, but those days are ending. We are in the middle of watching cheap fun performance cars in their sunset. With the current volumes.
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IMO, the current volumes are because auto manufacturers have priced themselves out of the market and have lost track of what it was to build a true muscle car. For example, take the Plymouth Road Runner. In 1968 the Road Runner was introduced to the world and it was a no frills go fast machine. It had a 383 or a 426 hemi as its engine options. It had a bench seat, vinyl floors, and was CHEAP. Their goal was to get a performance car into the market for under $3k. At the end of the day, the base engine 383 was competitive with many cars on the street and with minimal modification could be running very impressively.
Fast forward to today. A base model SS Camaro with no extras included on it STARTS at about $37,500. My 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS with practically every option except a sunroof stickered for about that. In less than 10 years the price of the car has gone up substantially. To price my car's equivalent today it would cost in the ballpark of $48,000. That's an additional 28% price increase over what mine cost in less than 10 years!! This is without everything that I'd build to put on the car as "extra features". This is to get similarly equipped car, not decked out 100% car. The problem is that this isn't just Chevy. Ford and Chrysler are doing the same things except that Chrysler at least is making some fun cars to go with some extra costs.
I will agree with those who are saying that the Camaro gets zero publicity and that is contributing to the lack of sales, again IMO. Chrysler does a heck of a job promoting their power brands (Hellcat, Demon, Trackhawk, Scat Pack, etc). All of their brands are household names. I was at a Camaro show a couple years ago and the kid helping their parent behind one of the concession stands started freaking out when a rogue Hellcat drove by. They were so excited about the 707hp and thought it would smoke every car at the event. Of course I let them in on a secret of my friend's 1,100+rwhp 2010 and their mouth dropped, but that's my point. Educate the public on what you have and get them EXCITED about performance.
In the future it is likely going to have to be electric cars that are the performers. Either that or GM is going to go under developing it. There's A LOT of potential out there if auto manufacturers would just tap into the potential. Heck, if everyone is going truck and SUV's, come out with a performance truck and SUV. Chrysler did it with the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Why not a pavement pounder Blazer or a SS454 style pickup again? And if you're going to do one of those, don't make it look like everything else. The SS Silverado was bland at best compared to the standard Silverado. Put something into the styling that makes people know "this thing means business!".