GM’s Taking the Camaro to India
With India's economy enjoying sustained growth for more than a decade now, and their automotive industry being amongst the leaders of that growth, it makes sense the sports car market within the country has begun to see a great deal of life and vibrancy. Already, European supercar companies have imported their brands to India for the country's wealthiest businessmen and women to get their hands on (Maserati, Ferrari, and Koenigsegg are just a few of the names) that it made sense that Chevrolet's most prized and well-reviewed vehicle would be joining them. Starting later this year, GM has announced that the Chevrolet Camaro will become available within the Indian market.
The vehicle will be entering in interesting territory. Chevrolet has already built a decent consumer base within the country, and there's a market opening for a more affordable sports car to step in and fill. Currently, for a true sports car feel and appearance, the high-end European automotives are the only real thing available, and their vehicles tend to be priced so highly that they're well outside the range of the average consumer. Even with the importation fees and and taxes (which typically raise the cost of an American automobile entering the Indian market by %110), the Camaro will still be a much more affordable sports car than its competitors within that market. This greater affordability (while still expensive, no doubt) will open up an all new, potential sports car buying client base that has previously been untapped within the Indian market. If this calculated risk pays off, GM could find themselves holding a very strong stake in a very quickly evolving automotive market--a move that will reflect positively upon their future prospects worldwide. Of course, the risk doesn't seem to be too extreme, as the incredible styling and construction of the Camaro have made it an immediate hit anywhere and everywhere it has been made available.
Camaro Gets Sales Revenge on the Mustang
Well, the Mustang sales incentives for the 2010 models are dwindling, and the Camaro not only reclaimed it's spot at the top of the sales heap, and it did so with bravado. Last month Mustang outpaced the Camaro in sales by a grand total of 3 units. That was the third month in a row (and, only the third month period since the Camaro release) that the Mustang had outsold the Chevroley monster. A total of 3 units is a small small victory. A total of 751 units is a large victory though, and that's the margin by which the Camaro outsold the Mustang in August.
Chevrolet had official sales numbers of 6,321 Camaros. Of course, they produced 10,252 units in August, which means they're preparing for the more busy months ahead with the 2011 gaining reputation quickly as an improvement on the unanimous best new car on the road. Ford did move an impressive 5,570 units in August though. This number was a 26% drop off from the month prior, but was still solid for the generally slow month of August. In all, this is great news for both Ford and Chevrolet and speaks highly of the product being built and sold by these American Automotive companies right now. Hopefully, they'll continue to innovate and excite with their work in to the near future.
Gen6 Camaro to get new platform?
According to a recent MotorTrend report we're beginning now to get some information about what the 6th Generation Camaro will be like (seems a little premature, no?). Apparently GM is developing a new RWD platform that will take place of the SIGMA platform on the Cadillac CTS and be the base by which the 6th Gen Camaro is also built. This platform will be the ALPHA platform. This seems a little odd of a move, but I'm alright with it personally, to announce this right now before the second year of the Camaro has hit dealerships. So, this platform will be hitting dealers in 2014, and the Camaro is scheduled (tentatively) for 2015 right now. Other changes discussed here: The 6th Gen Camaro is expected to be lightened by a good bit from the 5th Gen; Also, apparently the engine in the Camaro will not be a naturally-aspirated, but instead either a turbo or super-charged V6. It seems the goal is to continue increasing Camaro performance while also increasing its EPA gas consumption rating to guarantee it will continually be able to beat whatever Mustang Ford throws at it. All very interesting stuff, but, having just bought my Camaro not too long along, too soon for my liking to hear about!
Camaro December Sales Numbers
Well, the Camaro is staying strong! A look at the December numbers for sales, and the 2009 production numbers are quiet impressive, and definitely offer a lot of hope towards GM's future. Let's also remember that the Camaro outsold the Mustang (by a considerable margin) for the 7th month in a row, which is its direct, popular, competitor.So, here's to selling another 60k+ Camaros in 2010 for you GM! If they want to guarantee improved numbers too they'll have to give the public new options. Maybe we'll see the return of the Z28 finally come to fruition this year! We can only hope!
Production Stats:
Camaros produced in December 09: 8,368
Total Camaros produced to date (since March 16, 2009): 82,188
Delivery (sales) Stats:
Camaro December Deliveries (actual sales): 7,548
Total April - December Deliveries (actual sales): 61,648
GM is Doing Well These Days
By DAN STRUMPF (AP) – 17 hours ago
NEW YORK — Just a tiny fraction of General Motors customers have returned their cars for refunds under the automaker's heavily advertised money-back guarantee program — and most buyers aren't even choosing to participate in the plan, opting for a rebate instead.
About 400 vehicle buyers, or "less than 1 percent" of sales since the program launched, have signed up for GM's 60-day money-back guarantee program, spokesman Tom Henderson said Tuesday. The rest took a $500 rebate, he said.
Of those 400 vehicles, just 15 have been returned in the four days since customers could begin doing so, Henderson said.
GM launched the money-back guarantee program on Sept. 14 with an advertising blitz, including TV spots starring GM Chairman Ed Whitacre, in a bid to get on-the-fence vehicle buyers to consider GM products after its stint in bankruptcy court this summer.
The program runs through Nov. 30 and allows customers to return any new 2009 and 2010 Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC or Buick vehicle for a refund of the purchase price and sales tax if they are unsatisfied with their vehicle.
The policy allows buyers to return their vehicle between day 31 and day 60 of ownership, meaning the first refund requests started coming in on Thursday. Reasons for the returns have been "across the board," Henderson said.
One returnee was the buyer of a Chevrolet Corvette, who bought the sports car with a manual transmission and found it "painful to shift," GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told reporters during a briefing last week. Once the buyer returned the Corvette, he wound up exchanging it for the same model — but with an automatic gear box, instead.
The return had nothing to do with dissatisfaction with the car other than the choice of transmissions, Lutz said.
"He brought it back because he made a mistake," he said.
A report Monday by CNW Research said the program has been successful in getting consumers to consider buying GM products. The program has "spiked interest in the company's products far beyond any recent previous effort," the research firm said.
AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The Camaro Truly is Classic!
CLASSIC CHEVROLET CARS-
There are few material things in life that are as priceless as an American classic car, specifically, the Chevrolet.
Invented in the early 1900s, the original Chevrolets — whose namesake, Louis Chevrolet was actually a race car driver for the Buick brand — were envisioned as being manufactured for the wealthy, this is evidenced by the introduction of the “Classic Six”, one of Chevrolet’s earliest models that also had a whopping price tag of over $2000 — a significant price for that day and age, and one very few people could actually afford.
It was also because of this difference in the idea for the vision of the company that the partnership of Louis Chevrolet and William Durant — the founder of General Motors and the one who hired Mr. Chevrolet to drive the Buick vehicles in promotional races — went their separate ways. This bit of history is often included in the story told by those selling classic cars, as it helps illustrate the richness and uniqueness of the Chevrolet brand.
As the years progressed, Mr. Durant continued to compete with Ford and Dodge by introducing automobiles with advancements in engine and body innovation and creativity that ultimately laid the groundwork for the Chevrolet models to surge in popularity.
For instance, the Chevrolet Corvette; arguably one of the most sought after for those buying and selling classic cars. Introduced in 1953, this car has been a mainstay in the antique automobile industry — and is also still in production today — and with such inventive ideas as using fiberglass for the body to make the car faster and more aerodynamic, it is the end all, be all in the classic car market. Few cars hold this distinction: the Ford Mustang is one, and the Chevrolet Camaro is also one.
Source:AllCarz