100,000 Camaros a Year

[mikeyb]

Lutz says GM must reach sales goal if concept is built

DETROIT -- Product chief Robert Lutz thinks General Motors can sell more than 100,000 units of the Camaro -- and says that's the number required for GM to build a production version of the concept unveiled at the Detroit auto show.

GM is doing "intense work" on engineering for a production version and analyzing the business case, Lutz, GM's vice chairman and global vice president of product development, said in an interview with Automotive News.

He added: "Is it an approved program? No."

In January, Lutz said he expected a decision on building the sporty [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]coupe[/FONT][/FONT] within six months. GM executives have strongly hinted they will build the Camaro.

Lutz says GM wouldn't consider building the car unless it could sell more than 100,000 a year. He says the Camaro, a car he describes as "a little bit off to the side" of mainstream segments, would draw new customers and promote GM's product quality.

The Camaro would be aimed at the [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ford [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mustang[/FONT][/FONT], which sold 160,975 units in the United States last year. In the peak years of muscle-[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]car[/FONT][/FONT] coupes, the Camaro sold 200,000-plus units.

The Camaro would be part of GM's coming lineup of midpriced to premium-priced cars on a new rear-drive architecture developed by [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Holden[/FONT][/FONT]. North American production of those vehicles is expected in 2008 or 2009.

source:http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060515/FREE/60515002/1041/THISWEEKSISSUE

 

[Hughes412]

Good luck this that one, it'll cost way to much. Now if they keep it to 22-26k they'll sell like hot cakes.

 

[mikeyb]

Good luck this that one, it'll cost way to much. Now if they keep it to 22-26k they'll sell like hot cakes.

If they were smart they would start the RS V6 at $20K, Z28 $25K to $26K, and SS $29K.

 

[vindication]

I doubt they'll sell that much. Only if the V6 model is nice and gas friendly.

 

[jred321]

given the mustang's numbers i don't see it as an impossibility but i don't think it will be a given. it's a tough time to try to market a muscle car to the general public

 

[Metal MP5]

2008 2009, more than enough time for muscle car fans to buy a mustang or charger =\

i wish GM woulda been able to release this last year or something. now THAT wouldve created alot of competition between all 3 manufacturers

 

[jred321]

oh yea, i forgot bush will be out of office by the time it's released so there's a chance gas will go down so marketing might be easier. it's not muscle car fans though that make those kind of sales numbers, it's normal people. muscle car fans will buy it regardless, normal people won't, they'll look at something smaller/cheaper/better on gas. i remember reading that somewhere around 70% of mustangs sold are V6s. those sales are the reason they're successful

 

[Newf]

True, most of the stangs I see are v6's.

I had to laugh when I read this part
".....would draw new customers and promote GM's product quality"

 

[Rio Racer]

I believe the new V6 stang is actually fast. Aren't they like 240 hp? If the V6 comaro is similar I think it will sell well.

 

[jred321]

fast? no. not slow as balls? yes.

 

[mikeyb]

I believe the new V6 stang is actually fast. Aren't they like 240 hp? If the V6 comaro is similar I think it will sell well.

The 05-06 V6 Stang has only 200hp with the 3.0. Ford should put the new 3.5 into the Stang.

 

[jred321]

<TABLE id=table4 width=407 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=147>4.0L SOHC V-6</TD><TD align=middle width=147>210 hp @ 5250 RPM
240 lb-ft @ 3500 RPM</TD><TD align=middle width=147>6.9 sec</TD><TD align=middle width=147>19 sec</TD><TD align=middle width=108>15.3 sec @ 91 mph</TD><TD align=middle width=108>113 mph</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[mikeyb]

<TABLE id=table4 width=407 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=147>4.0L SOHC V-6</TD><TD align=middle width=147>210 hp @ 5250 RPM
240 lb-ft @ 3500 RPM
</TD><TD align=middle width=147>6.9 sec</TD><TD align=middle width=147>19 sec</TD><TD align=middle width=108>15.3 sec @ 91 mph</TD><TD align=middle width=108>113 mph</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

So I was 10hp off.

 

[Metal MP5]

and 1 liter off too =)

 

[silverspeed03]

oh yea, i forgot bush will be out of office by the time it's released so there's a chance gas will go down so marketing might be easier.

What the hell are you talking about....don't blame bush for high gas prices

 

[mikeyb]

What the hell are you talking about....don't blame bush for high gas prices

I was thinking that too. He does not control the prices of oil.

 

[Hughes412]

oh yea, i forgot bush will be out of office by the time it's released so there's a chance gas will go down so marketing might be easier. it's not muscle car fans though that make those kind of sales numbers, it's normal people. muscle car fans will buy it regardless, normal people won't, they'll look at something smaller/cheaper/better on gas. i remember reading that somewhere around 70% of mustangs sold are V6s. those sales are the reason they're successful

History shows that gas and oil prices go up during election times. Never now how the new guy is gona act.

 

[jred321]

I was thinking that too. He does not control the prices of oil.

he's not totally in charge but his foreign policies and how other countries view our leader has a significant impact on the price of goods, particularly oil given where it primarily comes from and their attitude towards our country.
and he's a known friend of big oil, which isn't helping. my prediction is, depending on who follows him, gas prices will go down when he's out of office, but only time will tell

 

[jred321]

History shows that gas and oil prices go up during election times. Never now how the new guy is gona act.

after 6 months to a year in office they'll have a pretty good idea how the guy is going to act and, depending on who it is, they could already have a very clear stance. their stance could be better or worse than bush, but i hope the next president is the exact opposite of bush

 

[.paul]

Hopefully the v6 they put in the camaro won't suck balls..oh that's right, GM had to goto Honda to get a decent v6. I guess they'll still use the same 3800 series v6 they've used since the late 70's or early 80's or whenever that engine came out.

Maybe they'll reverse engineer the J30 engine and build a halfway decent 3-3.5L v6 - everyone else in the automotive industry can, except hyundai/kia. That's not saying much about GM's abilities when they're (still) at hyundai's level, and hyundai is getting better with each new release. Why won't GM build a modern thoroughly efficient v6?