Voice Your Comments/Suggestions/Input for Focus Group on 2010 Camaro

[Peet]

Two things will make the Camaro complete for me....
1) A Z/28 model, or option.
1A) I see others suggesting RS/SS versions, which would also be great!
2) Pace Car!

[SScott]

I will not buy a Camaro unless it comes with a blown V8. If no blower, then I buy an '09 Corvette, and quit my bitchin'.

[01mussl]

I would be completely sold if it was a 5 seater

A Family mans' must have.

[Sierra]

Well I would love to see hide away lights but I dont think thats going to happen. I would also love some retro interior fabric. Olds school hounds tooth will be sweet. All and all its one sexy bitch. I wonder if that line will make it into the feed back.

[Chevyrocker]

Garfin, good work...I wish I could be there...

I work for Chevrolet and I need this car to live up to the hype (even though that hype has died down during the 3 year waiting period we had from first seeing the car to it's actual production date). This is what I feel we NEED...
-HALO front headlights
-rear LED tail lights
-definitely keep the front scoop, but open her up, functional is better as a selling point.
-The gills in front of the rear tires need to be functional like the Z06 (able to cool the rear brakes)
-LARGE front and rear rotors. Preferably slotted rather than cross drilled (more durable).
-Body colored engine covers
-Body colored brakes, or just bright red (like the Z06)
-Bluetooth. I think Chevrolet is one of the last brands to finally use this technology. We will be getting it for the first time next year in the upcoming SUV the Traverse. I know GM spent a fortune on OnStar, but let's face it, people really don't use the hands free calling feature as much as you thought they would. Bluetooth is the way to go.
-Advanced audio system. Bose just created a user friendly cd/mp3/ipod interface that they are going to start putting in high end Ferrari's (I think it's the 599). This system is similar to the Ford's SYNC system, only better (as it should be). We can't cheap out on the technology that is becoming common place.
-I think that we should stay away from the 4-cylinders. I drove the HHR SS the other day (2.0L Turbo-charged 260hp). Granted it was great for an HHR, but that's an HHR. Right now, the 3.9L V-6 in the upper level Impalas paired with the AFM gets great gas mileage. I drove one to Daytona on a Dealer trade and was getting 29 miles per gallon going 90 mph. I think that a 4 cylinder would put a lot of Camaros on the road, but I feel that a Camaro with less than 300hp just wouldn't be right. People will buy the 6's and 8's.
-Stay away from the LS9 engine. You already hurt the integrity of the ZR1 by putting the same engine in a passenger car that's going to sell for about half the price (2009 CTS-V). The 6.2L LS3 would be good enough. Maybe even the LS7 (Z06) motor would be great for the SS.
-Price is important these days with the economy the way it is. However, I'd hate to say it (especially here) but most dealers are going to be charging $5,000-$10,000 over sticker for the Camaros , and they will get it. I'm not complaining because that means my family is going to eat good for a year and I can buy mine at GMS (employee pricing) anyways. To get to the point, the base model V6 shouldn't be any more than $23,000+++.
-Make power windows and power locks standard. As well as Remote Keyless entry and remote start. It's embarassing when trying to sell an Aveo5 SVM being that it doesn't even have A/C.
-I agree to have a slew of GM accessories for the vehicle. Aftermarket companies are going to make a fortune on these pieces if we don't make them first, and make them better. Gm Certified. oh yea!
-DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON THE INTERIOR!!! I cannot stress this enough. We're finally on a role with building some high quality interiors (ie the 4LT Corvettes, the new Malibu). A cheap interior will do nothing but dissappoint people that have been holding off buying a new car because they want a Camaro.
-The transmissions should be 6-speed for the manual and the automatic. If you can put it in the Malibu, you can put it in the Camaro.
-We need to have a choice in suspension (by the way you spelled suspension wrong up top in the main part of the bulletin). The 65 year old guy buying the convertible V6 is going to want a smoother ride than the 30 year old buying the SS. I think that 2 would be enough.
-Make an HUD for the upper trim levels. People love this in the Corvettes and if this Camaro is going to be sharing engines with the Corvette, why not share some features?
-Push Button ignition with smartkey technology. The damn Altima has that in their base models, it can't be that expensive.
-Please make sure the seats are sporty. Some of our other brands (cadillac and buick) have some great seat designs. I think that they need to be different from anything anyone has seen before. Big side bolsters, sporty colors, 2 tone options, perforated leather inserts, the whole 9 yards.
-stay away from stupid features this car doesn't need. We don't need the front passenger seat to fold flat, so make sure it looks like the driver seat (unlike the HHR SS).
-Don't be afraid to have a loud exhaust in upper level V8's. People are going to go aftermarket if Chevy doesn't put it in there.

As far as marketing goes, we need to have a Loyalty program. For example, since we won't see any rebates on the car for probably the first 2 years of it's existence, put $1,000.00 rebates out there for people who already own Camaros. Or maybe do it like the Malibu ($1,000.00 rebate if you have a 1999 or newer non-GM vehicle).
On Chevrolet.com, you have a great little animated intro. It would be great to have some quality TV time. The President's Day sale ads were terrible. The Malibu had a few good commercials (like when the Camry was hiding in the corner), but it also had some terrible ones. Whoever writes the ideas behind our commercials should be fired immediately.
Other than all of that, I'm happy to see that the vehicle looks a lot like the concept as far as the body goes. I pray to the car God that the interior is something we haven't seen yet because I thought that the concept was cool as hell, but I heard the production model would be nothing like it. The concepts interior was different. If the interior of the Camaro looks like the interior of the Impala, we're in trouble. We really need to step up there. If it's a difference of $1,000 in the MSRP, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in saying that I would pay for it. Please make sure it's something special. My 2009 Gross income partially depends on it.

[Chevyrocker]

oh yea, and Flex Fuel is only a $120 upgrade (cost to the manufacturer). They should all have this capability because burning the E85 ethanol will give you a little more power than regular gas.

[Fbodybuddy]

Love the exterior (except headlights!)
Ditch the ricer wing and add lip spoiler
Have basic option packages (RS, SS, etc.) and let buyer fill the list out
Would like to see round gauge pods like the 67/68 with white faces
Keep the console gauges and ditch the totally useless torque gauge and put in a transmission temp or something like that.
Please rethink the dash contours and radio pod.
Also agree with many about seating cover options and the really cool GM buckles

[punkdrum01]

:notheadlights:

We need one for "Not the Real Taillights" too........

[Brangeta]

Exterior: the ducktail spoiler could look something like the one on the CTS-V. I guess this is the CTS-V spoiler at least. Whatever it is, I like it.

[TaylorRyanSS]

keep the body options available
like the big spoiler, ground effects kits and maybe some variations of hoods

[djgrind45]

How Much will it cost make sure its good for a younger crowed

[Satriani]

Originally Posted by '09-Z28

I think they should offer a "stripped down" version in the V-8 model (without all the high-tech gadgets) to keep it affordable enough for those who want a lot of power, but can't afford more than $30k.

I'm with you on this one. 500+ hp must be offered, I don't care if seats are not heated, or there's no HUD or bluetooth, etc.
Also, I would like to see wheel tilt, no antenna of any kind, ugly backup lights move inside rear stop lights or plate lights (somebody mentioned that). All vents must be cut out, or don't make them at all (cheesy).
O Yeah, don't even think about 'rice wing'

[alnoe]

These are all cut and pastes off of other threads I am in:

"A few things to consider:

GM has to do what they can to appeal to the CAFE standards and also appeal to younger buyers. One way to accomplish both is to have a 4 cylinder Camaro option. With the styling the car has, how many future "sport compact" buyers may switch over and buy the Camaro? One issue I am sure they would face is trying to get reasonable insurance for a V8 F-body. Why not build a mod friendly 4 cylinder that let's them play and still be able to afford the car and insurance. It reminds me when I was 18 and looking to buy an 88 IROC-the insurance was near what my car payment was and I had a clean driving record! I am a die hard F body guy but at the time could not swing the payment and also go to college. Getting younger people into the f bodies will be good for the brand. As they progress they can step up and buy a z-28, etc.

Another consideration is also that the ECOTEC is a killer powerplant. The late John Lingenfelter raced one in his Cobalt, and it was rumored to make 1000+ HP. Pretty impressive. Before you hate on it, you should really see what potential there is. I could see 400-500HPbeing a possibility with a fair amount of mods.

I will be buying a v8 6 speed Camaro when they come out, so I am not a huge fan of the 4. But it does intrigue me to see what it could do for GM.

One last thing for me to say to let people hate on: What about AWD in the future? It would be great to have an AWD Camaro that made 450-500HP and could use every bit of it, and be able to put it down, any place, any time.

Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that GM has to get YOUNG people to buy the Camaro, and that means make it affordable. The idea behind any car company, I would think, is to get buyers to buy their first car with you, then have a great experience, and want to keep buying products over the life of the owner. I think Honda did a great job with this in the last 10 years, and GM is finally "getting it" by adding personalization accessories, building better cars and trucks, and trying to regain market share that they lost.

GM also should look at insurance. I know it is an odd thing to bring up, but back to my '88 IROC analogy-I could not buy one because I could not afford insurance. If GM offered "reasonable" insurance to young, responsible drivers (I had a spotless driving record), it could really work well. Had I had the option back in '88 to get insured for a reasonable amount of money, I would have bought the IROC. I bought a truck instead because I could make my car payment, pay my bills, and still pay for school, food, etc.

I really hope they DO build a 4 cylinder Camaro. It will keep the car I love around longer, since it will appeal to a broad customer base and probably sell more, and another person pointed out that in 20 years, I can swap an LSX or whatever engine in it for my son, who is now 7.

V8's have to stay in the Camaro. Just make them with variable runner intakes, variable cam timing, DOD, and, with a power adder. Oh yeah, don't screw up like Ford did with the Modular engine platforms and make them impossible to work on-that engine family is tough to even put headers on."

Al

[Rich]

question if possible could one of the 12 Disciples print out the photo-shop of the blue T-top camaro and show GM what it could look like in our eyes?
Whom ever wrote about not being able to have it because of structural integrity is wrong. If that's the case then how can you have a convertible?
And I love all the vents but please open them up. having them closed looks cheap. That's the one thing that upsets a lot of people on all types of cars. Fake vents just make a car look fake.