Camaro Sets Pace for the U.S. Sports Car Segment

Chevrolet Camaro extended its lead in the U.S. sports car segment in February, posting 6,482 total sales. This is a 21 percent increase over January results, and marks the ninth consecutive month that Camaro total sales outpaced sports car models including the Ford Mustang, Nissan 370Z, and Dodge Challenger.

Consumers have bought nearly 75,000 Camaros since it was launched in early 2009, and demand continues to hold steady even in winter months.

“Traditionally, we expect to see a dip in sales for rear-wheel-drive performance cars over the winter,” says John Fitzpatrick, Chevrolet Performance Cars marketing manager. “But, demand for Camaro shows no sign of slowing down, particularly in the Sun Belt” Texas, California and Florida account for about 25 percent of all Camaro retail sales, and six of the top 10 U.S. dealers for Camaro sales are located in Texas.

Importantly, Camaro continues to attract new customers to Chevrolet. Of Camaro buyers who traded-in a vehicle at the time of purchase, about half traded-in a non-GM vehicle.

Camaro Kicks Mustang’s Derriere. Again!

Nine months running, the original pony car loses the sales race?

by Ken Zino on Mar.05, 2010

Year-to date, it’s Camaro, 11,853 in sales and Mustang at 9,862.

More importantly from a trend line point of view, Chevrolet Camaro has now outsold the Ford Mustang for nine consecutive months – while being production constrained all the way.

Ford seems to be taking a “wait until next year” attitude?

GM’s Oshawa, Canada, Assembly Plant has been running Saturday overtime since June 2009 to keep up with demand for Camaro.

Where, oh where, is now retired Ford sales executive Bob Rewey, when Ford needs him, Mustang aficionados might ask?

With this ongoing rout, there is no doubt that Rewey, who arguably moved more metal than any other Ford sales executive since Lido Anthony Iacocca, would be on the phone with key dealers and pushing through the packages and promotions that would — at the very least – let Alan Batey, the new vice president, sales and service at Chevrolet, know that this ball game is going into extra innings.

Moreover, it’s not only the Mustang in Camaro’s rearview mirror. Such formidable competitors as the Nissan 370Z, at 1,372 sales YTD and Dodge Challenger, 3,828 YTD, are eating Camaro dust as well.

2010 Automotive Excellence Awards Best Vehicle Design: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Popular Mechanics Best Vehicle Design Award: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Best Vehicle Design: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

By The Editors

Published in the December 2009 issue.

Popular Mechanics....

After a painfully long eight-year hiatus, the Chevy Camaro returns packing V8 power and V6 efficiency wrapped around classic sheet metal pulled forward into the 21st century. The design certainly pays homage to the past, but the muscular lines of this Camaro are modern and fresh.

The success of a new car design, especially a sporty one, depends on its ability not just to turn heads, but to inspire an almost primal lust in everyone from a college kid to his grandfather— hitting all the age groups in between. The new Camaro does just that—and it’s become one of the few cars outside the supercar ranks that will almost always elicit a conversation at the gas pumps.

Under the watch of GM design boss Ed Welburn, Chevy imagined the new Camaro as a thoroughly modern take on the 1967 original. And it looks amazingly close to the 2006 concept car. GM engineers somehow avoided the compromises that tend to dilute a designer’s original

vision as it makes its way into production. The inset front grille and the outboard round headlights offer a real link to that first Camaro, yet the big wheels and taut proportions perfectly convey 21st-century muscle.

Good design extends to the interior too: The view through the windshield is 1960s cool, yet it’s the subtleties that make this car feel so right. Of course, a Camaro wouldn’t feel right at all if there wasn’t some serious firepower under the hood. The top-dog SS models have a big 422-hp 6.2-liter V8, and even the base cars receive a potent V6 that returns 30 mpg highway.

The real triumph is that all the Camaro’s performance and intelligent design can be had for just a tick over $20,000. That’s a bargain.

Ed Welburn & the team, next to finalized design task

The Team: Micah Jones, Rebecca Waldmeir, Sangyup Lee ; displaying their creation at downtown Manhattan

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