Camaro lite?

[Doc]

Originally Posted by GretchenGotGrowl

I was thinking more along the lines of a Dodge Magnum, but I would be interested to see what you come up with when you have time.

I was just using the PT Cruiser as a sales example; I'm in agreement it should be bigger.

Originally Posted by Bhobbs

They should take the Tru 140 concept, make it a mid engine turbo 4 or N/A v6 and call it a Corvair.

How sick would that be?

Originally Posted by GretchenGotGrowl

That's actually a very cool idea for a small sport coupe. It would separate it from the FR-S/BRZ crowd!

A slightly scaled down mid-engine Camaro called a Corvair....I REALLY like that idea! If it out-handled Vettes and Camaros though, would GM like that idea?

I saw Ruby's comment. So what are we looking at here? A scaled-down 2 door sports/muscle car with RWD or FWD based on a Spark, Cruz, etc.? Maybe call it a Nova? Or a scaled down mid-engine sports/muscle car as a revived Corvair? Or would a revived Nomad; a modern station wagon be a good next project?

Just for the sake of discussion, if this were a project, what sizes, specs, configurations would people like to see? If we could use stuff that's already on the shelf and re-purpose it that would be best to keep costs down.

[SS 376]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

I've thought of something similar before. Slot something in under the Camaro (I'd call it the Nova). But then I realized how it probably isn't going to happen.

What you are basically describing is the Scion FRS & Subaru BRZ. Under 3000 lbs, 4 cylinder only, get low 30's highway, mid 20's city. Mediocre performance. I think the two of them combined for about 25k units last year. GM would probably consider themselves lucky to hit 20k if they made an entry into that segment, 15k cars feels more reasonable. A car with half the volume of the Corvette, at less than half the price would probably be a pretty tough sell to GM management.


As for getting young people into buying new cars ... I don't see it happening. Too much debt, not enough income. A 10k price-point is pretty high for someone still in university (or most recent grads). And even when you've got the money, cheap new cars face fierce competition from higher-positioned used cars (in the case of the car you described, it would be used Camaros). Afterall, the average car is now about 11 years old. Average. Anything newer than 5 years is usually still in pretty good condition. Its not like it was a few decades ago when a car that's a couple years old is probably a disaster waiting to happen.

Yeah I don't see it. I think Chevy could build something faster than the BRZ/FR-S but the business case isn't there. Unemployment is too high, incomes too low, and the interest just isn't there anymore. A new car is an outrageous extravagance for most 20-somethings. Even a higher end used car is totally unaffordable too. Young people aren't into performance cars nowadays either, not like they used to be. So yeah, anything like the FR-S/BRZ would be very low volume, and Chevy isn't doing that unless it's a super premium model like the SS, Z/28, ZR1, etc. And a sporty four cylinder like the BRZ would decimate V6 Camaro sales.

[GretchenGotGrowl]

Originally Posted by Doc

I was just using the PT Cruiser as a sales example; I'm in agreement it should be bigger.





A slightly scaled down mid-engine Camaro called a Corvair....I REALLY like that idea! If it out-handled Vettes and Camaros though, would GM like that idea?

I saw Ruby's comment. So what are we looking at here? A scaled-down 2 door sports/muscle car with RWD or FWD based on a Spark, Cruz, etc.? Maybe call it a Nova? Or a scaled down mid-engine sports/muscle car as a revived Corvair? Or would a revived Nomad; a modern station wagon be a good next project?

Just for the sake of discussion, if this were a project, what sizes, specs, configurations would people like to see? If we could use stuff that's already on the shelf and re-purpose it that would be best to keep costs down.

If the goal is GM seeing it and pursuing it, then I would vote for the Nomad given the lack of competition. If the exercise is to have some fun doing something GM would probably never consider, then Corvair.

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[BaylorCamaro]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Just build a Spark SS, a Sonic SS, and a Cruze SS and call it a day.

I just made a purchase this week (take delivery tomorrow morning) of a CPO Mini Cooper S. I wanted something for a DD so I could focus my ZL1 on the track.

I was originally looking at a Ford Focus or Chevy Sonic hatch, however the power / fun factor was lacking. The Sonic RS is a joke, but if there was a Sonic SS hatch with a bump in power I would have been all over it.

[Doc]

Originally Posted by BaylorCamaro

I just made a purchase this week (take delivery tomorrow morning) of a CPO Mini Cooper S. I wanted something for a DD so I could focus my ZL1 on the track.

I was originally looking at a Ford Focus or Chevy Sonic hatch, however the power / fun factor was lacking. The Sonic RS is a joke, but if there was a Sonic SS hatch with a bump in power I would have been all over it.

Between you and Ruby I'm seeing something in common; the desire for a sports/performance car that's more of a daily driver than a track car. An affordable second car as much as an entry-level for first car buyers. I'm thinking the price has to be kept under $20k to be viable. And of course there's the idea of a revived Nomad which is a big question mark. Would it be a utility vehicle for lugging things around? Somewhat like an SUV except for street only; no off-road? Or would it be more like a cruising car; something you take to the beach with surfboards in the back. More of a comfortable cruiser so to speak.

As far as something new and interesting to work up come concepts for, I'm starting to like the idea of a Nomad.

[GretchenGotGrowl]

Originally Posted by Doc

Between you and Ruby I'm seeing something in common; the desire for a sports/performance car that's more of a daily driver than a track car. An affordable second car as much as an entry-level for first car buyers. I'm thinking the price has to be kept under $20k to be viable. And of course there's the idea of a revived Nomad which is a big question mark. Would it be a utility vehicle for lugging things around? Somewhat like an SUV except for street only; no off-road? Or would it be more like a cruising car; something you take to the beach with surfboards in the back. More of a comfortable cruiser so to speak.

As far as something new and interesting to work up come concepts for, I'm starting to like the idea of a Nomad.

A comfortable cruiser that sits low like a sonic but has space behind the rear seats more like a suv.

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