“The most striking element of the SS’ interior is the shiny plastic door panels and dash trim that matches the two-tone black and leather seats, with contrast stitching. It’s very racy, and should tie in nicely to the SS badges fore and aft.” I don’t know about you, but that’s it. I’m done with the “new” Chevrolet Camaro. I tried to maintain my interest, I swear. I even went to the Transformers movie and thought, why do they put so much salt on my popcorn? I already bought a bucket o’ Coke. Sorry. I mean, how can a Hollywood agent say the words “Shy La Boeuf is perfect for the role” with a straight face? I mean, when can I buy a new Camaro? To which the obvious answer is… never. I can never buy one. Not now. Not later. Never. Not only will GM not sell me one, they’ll never have one to sell. Meanwhile, when Autoblog gets down to the level of plastic door panels, well, who really gives a shit? Volt aside, is this the most over-hyped car never made? Yes, yes, Mikey; I know. You’re ready to build the Camaro prototype with your hands tied behind your back, blindfolded (as per GM policy). It’ll be better screwed together than Megan Fox (real name Lavinia Nussbaum). It’ll be light as a feather (well), nimbler than a Lavinia (well) and more fuel efficient than the 70’s version (well). But for God’s sake Autoblog, STOP PIMPING THIS CAR.
Find Reviews by Make:
Read all comments
Autoblog lolz aside that’s a pretty fine looking car inside and out.
Shiny, plastic interior pieces? Yes, it’s still a real muscle car. As it should be. I want one.
The Camaro in the photo appears to be equipped with the Excalibur option package. What do you win if you pull the sword out of the roof?
Looking at the photos, the “shiny plastic door panels and dash trim” seem almost like they could be made of squishy gel.
Like the handle on this Drill
The Camaro in the photo appears to be equipped with the Excalibur option package. What do you win if you pull the sword out of the roof?
You get to be CEO of GM. So I would imagine Rick is welding each one to the frame.
Sorry I couldn’t resist.
But Autoblog PLEASE STOP PIMPING THIS CAR
Well, there haven’t been any Tundra recalls recently…
I should have looked at the pictures first those inserts are TRASHY, like a hookers red vinyl pants bad. Who in their right mind thought to put something as tackey as that in this car, was this marketings doing yet again?
Edit doesn’t want to work again, just freezes.
It is going to Paris so matching accoutrements are important. Actually, I kind of like them. They are different, and it is a Camaro, so why not a little flash. I like the sword too. great catch Cicero.
I prefer the last gen camaro styling. Especially the SS, that was a hot car, with its ridiculous hood scoop included. Of course I’m not old enough to have experienced the heyday of these cars, but still, I liked the sleek modern styles, not these retro-modern blocks.
From Autoblog’s Mi Key:
“Love the color combination. Silver and Red just Rocks!”
That dash is horrible. What are those plasticy pods for the gauges? They look like something from a cheesy sci-fi movie in the ‘50s. All they need is a actor wearing a jump suit with contrasting piping and quilted shoulders sitting behind the wheel and their retro look is complete.
Screw the haters- and there are many, apparently- I like the new Camaro. It looks nice, inside and out, and it’s got the performance cred. I can’t wait for the Camaro/Challenger/Mustang comparos.
(I will say, though, that the red/black interior is kinda meh. All black, please…)
Hey leave Mikey alone! He keeps it real around here.
I like the new Camaro! There! I said it!
The only problem with the Camaro is that the two options I want, the nav system and backup assist, won’t be available until December 2009, according to literature I found on the ‘net. WTF, GM? You don’t want my money?
Still looks fine to me. I’d love one. It’s a muscle car–I really don’t care if the interior has plastic shit in it.
Nor will anyone else buying it, I suspect.
Haven’t there been cars in the past that have had this kind of hype for years before being released? Why is GM being beat down with it so much? Remember the XJ220 supercar? Was gonna be a V12 and AWD and yadda yadda… years of development… BAM Ford V6 and RWD. THEY didn’t go through this kind of bitching I suspect.
Haven’t there been cars in the past that have had this kind of hype for years before being released?
I can think of a few, but they’re all GM cars, too. The problem is that GM has been whoring out cars that you cannot buy–sometimes for years–for one of two reasons, both pathetic:
* To keep you from buying a competitor’s product that’s available today (the Mustang or Prius)
* To give certain members of the media the impression that GM does actually have good products in the pipe, despite their mainstream stuff being “meh” and their financial prospects dim.
Instead of having actual products to buy, GM is hoping you’ll buy it’s current crop, or at least not buy it’s competitors, based on what it might do. And while this strategy does work for Microsoft, GM has neither the lock-in ability nor the marketshare to pull it off.
August, 2010.
I saunter out of the building where I work, and get into my silver Camaro, pull the long door shut — ssssssssssssss (what’s that????)
OWWWWW! MY ARM! IT’S STUCK TO THE DOOR!!!!
Overrated, just like the Genesis. :/
Actually when does this thing go on sale? I kinda want one. Really dig it, and the mechanicals sound like a winner too.
Based on the raves for the G8, I’m expecting a seriously good car here.
The 67-68 Camaro body design is the best coupe shape ever (coupe = no b-pillar). And I loved the hell out of my 88 Camaro.
That said, I couldn’t care less about this overweight, high-beltline, chopped top, chunk of fantasy poseur-mobile.
I’m still hoping they badge-engineer a Pontiac Firebird out of it and give it nicer looking front and rear lights.
Since they are going retro anyway, it’s not really GM, and not really a Camaro, if there isn’t a badge-engineered Pontiac clone. That just ain’t right.
However, of course there could be some problems with animal rights activists if they were to offer the pictured excalibur package on a Firebird…So now, I see why GM took that decision…
And they say GM execs can’t make the right decisions…
Cheap plastics or not, I’d take the new Camaro’s interior over the drab Challenger’s interior (which is mostly just a copy of the Charger sedan’s interior) anyday. I guess there just wasn’t enough money to give the Challenger anything other than the hoary old corporate steering wheel.
Of course, the 2010 Mustang’s interior may trump them both.
The 2010 Mustang interior has been shot already by spy photographers. It is mostly carry over with some tweaks and the center stack out of the refreshed F150. The Camaro has them both beat inside stylewise if you care about that sort of thing.
Yes, I also think it’s funny that GM will badge engineer the Chevy Aveo for Pontiac but not the Camaro for Pontiac which an entire legion of people actually wanted. The Firebird was also the last real Pontiac the brand sold before GM snuffed it in 2002. I consider not bringing it back the real last nail in the brand’s coffin.
Speaking of the Challenger UK motoring show Fifth Gear just reviewed it and you can watch it on YouTube, they loved it. Clarkson and the Top Gear boys were spied picking one up in San Francisco for their next series along with a ZR1 and CTS-V. Chrysler wouldn’t loan them a Challenger so they actually purchased it and drove it to Reno. That should be interesting.
On the last series of Top Gear Hammond showed a picture of the new Camaro during their news segment and asked the question, “What if it’s actually good?”. What if ineed.
If it’s actually good, then it won’t have needed three years of incessant buzzing!
It looks great and it sounds like it will be great, but c’mon, it’s played out already and no one’s even bought one yet.
Since they are going retro anyway, it’s not really GM, and not really a Camaro, if there isn’t a badge-engineered Pontiac clone. That just ain’t right.
The Camaro/Firebird is definitely the exception that proves the badge-engineering rule. This is exactly the type of low volume car that would benefit from a quick fascia swap from the factory.
Instead people will be stuck looking for an aftermarket shop to affix hood scoops and a phoenix onto their new G3.
If they like shinny door panels they should check out the previous generation F-Body. It’s also lighter, more fuel efficient and more of a hard, rough pure muscle car.
Whether you like the way it looks or not, and whether you believe the hype that it is a mustang beater performance wise or not, you have to admit that they have been pimping this car incessantly (for how many years now?) and there still isn’t an actual car in Chevy Dealer showrooms. Let’s see how much time did Ford spend touting the current Mustang before it came out? Maybe I just wasn’t in tune, but I can’t remember any computer based comparos three or more years before it hit the showrooms, like we had with the Camaro. Building a car and then telling people about it is a concept GM should look into.
Chevy and Pontiac dealers have to get together and agree to rebadge this as a Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am and the G8 ST as a Chevy El Camino – I think its a fair trade and it will make a lot of people happy.
I can’t wait to read the Challenger SRT8 vs Mustang GT500 (would that be the closest model? I’m lost in the sea of Mustangs) vs Camaro SS comparisons.
Regardless, I’ll take the Camaro.
So a current Corvette invoices for 41k with an MSRP of 45k and they just finished offering employee discounts to cut inventories by a hundred days (~153 to ~53). Now they are going to sell a Camaro with 400hp that will probably cost 40k (since the SRT-8s all cost about that much).
So what’s the point?
Before the last gen Camaro was killed, GM said it was cannabilizing Corvette sales and that the cars were too close in terms of power. This is deja vu all over again!
Know what? If I lived in the US and had the money I’d get one of them in a heartbeat! Just wouldn’t use it as a commuter car. Guess then I’d need extra space in the garage…Gosh, this is getting expensive (which pretty much rules out all muscle cars’ chance of success – sigh).
The only thing I know is I wouldn’t be getting the Camaro. The Challenger is just so cooler. Call me peculiar but I have a huge soft spot for the orange one. No stripes pleeeaaasseee.
Pity the interior though. So, again, in a hypothetical situation, I’d be waiting out for the new Mustang. Challenger prices would have come down a bit and if the Mustang’s interior is fixed… Probably I’d choose the Ford (the Challenger is great outside, but inside)
I was never interested. I think it looks awful, and my reaction to 300-400 hp is “yawn.” I’m as amused as anyone by overpowered cars, but it fails abjectly to trigger any want-it impulses.
i read that about the shiny plastic panels earlier today and just was surprised at the comment. pandering…
Every one asking/wishing for GM to come out with a Firebird/Trans Am it isn’t going to happen. Even if GM wanted to and I don’t think they do they couldn’t afford to make it. Even badge engineering it costs money GM doesn’t have now. Just look at all the model cuts they have made in the last few months they can’t afford to make. Plus the amount they would sell even with the added model won’t justify the cost in the market we have now and will have for the future. Plus it would be shooting themselves in the foot trying to get their tax money for fuel efficient cars by adding another gas guzzling muscle car.
But you never know sales of the Camaro could tank and not mee the production level for the factory and the bone headed GM thing to do would be to add a second badge engineered model to make up the production loss and add some hype. I wonder if it would take another 3 years to get it. It would be cool to see a Trans Am, I always liked them better then the Camaro, at least the looks.
Adub, the SS is affordable and will base around $30k like the Challenger R/T. The hottest version of the Camaro is the Z/28 which will be comparable to the GT500 and SRT8. That’s the hot potato GM has been keeping a lid on.
Sorry, but I don’t see GM selling a 400hp SS for 30k. Even the GTO cost more than that.
TriShield, I’m admittedly a bit out of the loop with the Camaro, but I thought GM said they weren’t going to produce the Z/28? I hope you’re right, because I’d love to see one.
I’ve seen this Camaro so long now that when it finally does hit the street, somehow it will seem old.
The Camaro, I couldn’t give a s_____ about it. However, I could look at the (megan) Fox body all day.
A badge-engineered Firebird? Really? As a viable business case (as opposed to a nostalgic walk down memory lane)?
I’m glad GM is only doing a Camaro. That almost makes up for the entirely unnecessary Solstice/Sky duo.
As for AutoBlog’s pimping, tis business as usual. The more flagrant the pimping, the more refreshing TTAC looks to those who seek independent automotive journalism.
Michael, it’s not been shelved as rumored. It’s probably too far along to pull the plug and there’s really no reason too do so.
That would leave the GT500 and SRT8 unanswered by GM and that’s not going to happen, not when they already have the ZR1’s powertrain detuned and certified in the LSA ready to go into this car.
Adub, the SS will be priced to compete like the G8 GT was. Except it won’t be vulnerable to currency fluctuation or have razor thin margins since it is assembled in North America unlike the GTO. Chrysler sells the Challenger R/T starting at $29,995. The Camaro will be in the ballpark.
Why would the Z28 be the high-end?
the z-series GM naming scheme was displacement-based, right?
z24= 2.4, z28= 2.8 z34= 3.4?
iNeon: “Why would the Z28 be the high-end?
the z-series GM naming scheme was displacement-based, right?
z24= 2.4, z28= 2.8 z34= 3.4?”That may be the case with the newer nomenclatures (Z24, Z34) but that’s just GM’s marketing department trying to capitalize on the original Z28 RPO code (like Chrysler using the ‘Hemi’ name on engines that have virtually nothing in common with the original 426 Hemi).
Back in the day, RPO Z28 meant ‘special engine’. That first special engine was the 302 that was designed for Trans Am racing and detuned for street use. Unlike the rest of the engine line-up, the 302 didn’t get an ‘L’-type engine designator.
When the Trans Am racing series became defunct a few years later and the musclecar fad faded, Chevrolet eliminated their SS option groups but retained the Z28 code and affixed it to the highest performance Camaro, the idea being that the Z28 was an all-around high-performance group that handled better than the straight-line oriented SS-series cars.
They gummed up the works a bit with the 4th-gen f-body when they made the SS package an option on the Z28. Technically, it would have been more consistant to have it the other way around.
But with the new car, Chevrolet seems to be returning to the original hierarchy, that being (from lowest to highest) Base, SS, and Z28.
Why all the berating of GM for taking so long? Don’t you know the General has decided to do plenty of testing to be certain that this puppy will be rock solid, Honda reliable right out of the box!! That takes time folks….the tears of mirth are staining the keyboard as I write this…all joking aside I do like the current crop of modern muscle. The timing, though. Couldn’t have been worse if you tried.
Thanks for the clarification!
Sadly, it’ll always have a 2.8L V6 inside my head.
How else besides a translucent plastic are you supposed to illuminate it. If they made it of soft touch black plastic it couldn’t transmit light. Read up on the car. It will be way ahead of the competition including everything from Japan or Germany in it’s price range.
Fully agree it’s overhyped but Autoblog reports on everything it thinks it’s readers might want to look at. Its an aggregator of car news. Really don’t see the issue. Yes the Camaro is overhyped, no one alive thinks it isn’t. But you know what? I still looked at all the photos.
I’m surprised they didn’t mention the AC vent detailing on the side of the dash, or the way the headrests fit to the top of the seat. Definitely overhyped, but definitely not bad. Much better than the Challenger’s interior, I thnk.
Photo courtesy Autoblog??? hmmmm. Looks exactly like the photo I took yesterday at Indy…Oh, wait, it IS mine! That’s ok, you’re welcome to use it, but credit where credit is due.
I’m amazed how much you folks can tell about the build quality of a car from a photo, and not even the original hi-res photo at that. For those of you that do like it, photos don’t do it justice, they did an excellent job with the car. And yes it will be on showroom floors as scheduled. Interesting story came up about the Mustang vs Camaro tests they were running….
Doors should be chopped from the mirrors to the handles. High belt line – low seating sucks. The last gen was fabulous on the outside but a stinker on the inside. And did you see them race? In two different races the wheels came off! Miss my ’79 badly.
Uh, guys…you do realize that the SS is going to be the high-end Camaro…there will be no Z28…at least not at first.