Chevy Camaro Chief Engineer on Mustang

[Deleted member 35644]

This car is undergoing another identity crisis. A majority of the body is still saying '69, while that new (and horrible) nose seems to have come from nowhere. If they want to improve sales, they need to replace their styling team with people who make actual improvements with each facelift. I was ok with most of the cosmetic changes from 2011 - 2017, with the exception of the steering wheel change in 2012 (I had a 2011 Vert until this year) but now they've ruined it. IMO.

I think they had a good thing going with this as a starter. Then came the 2018 mis-step.

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[TnWHTMARE]

I have a hard time believing that nearly half the Mustangs currently sold are V8s. Before the ecoboost, the V6 far outsold the GT. It's always been that way. The smaller engined car is cheaper but still looks great (read: fast), women and young people buying the V6 for their sporty car is what has kept the Mustang alive for 50+ years.

I agree, in years past, it was certainly the v-6 variants that kept the overall sales plugging along. I haven't seen a recent breakdown between them to know what that number looks like now. Which goes back to the basic elements of the car, the styling and daily driveability. I wonder what the breakdown is between v8 to v8?

 

[nastang87xx]

The problem is that the 6 Gen Camaro is too surgical and sterile. It's an engineering feat no doubt. The chassis is more advanced than the Mustang and Challenger. It is, just face it. HOWEVER, it does lack character. It's only a joy to drive when you're flogging it.

I think the best way I can put it is like this. Bare with me. I feel like the car is apologizing for its faults it had from the previous gen. Like a thick girl with a fun personality who got fit but is trying to go back to the guy she wanted when she was plump and now homie doesn't know what to do with her because all she's relying on now is the superficial. The car just isn't embracing anything that gets your emotions going. That's fine if you're a German but sorry Camaro, you're not.

 

[FastCarFanBoy]

Oppenheiser is dreaming

Chevy hopes the Camaro Turbo 1LE will appeal to those shopping hot hatchbacks like the
Honda Civic Type R and even cars like the Kia Stinger.

then Oppenheiser is an idiot because if you are shopping very roomy 4 door sedans why the hell would you settle on a cramped coupe?

 

[Chad11491]

I feel like things will only get worse for the Camaro due to the absolutely hideous refresh. Maybe they can do an emergency facelift like the Civic did a few years ago and fix it, or go back to the 16-18 looks. But with the new look I think sales will be even worse.

 

[TnWHTMARE]

then Oppenheiser is an idiot because if you are shopping very roomy 4 door sedans why the hell would you settle on a cramped coupe?

Very true and there are certainly additional flaws with that argument.

 

[EcoVert]

This car is undergoing another identity crisis. A majority of the body is still saying '69, while that new (and horrible) nose seems to have come from nowhere. If they want to improve sales, they need to replace their styling team with people who make actual improvements with each facelift. I was ok with most of the cosmetic changes from 2011 - 2017, with the exception of the steering wheel change in 2012 (I had a 2011 Vert until this year) but now they've ruined it. IMO.

I think they had a good thing going with this as a starter. Then came the 2018 mis-step.

There designers and stylist are still living in the Transformer universe

 

[99Zeus99]

I think something like this 1970's inspired is a step in the right direction.

 

[fkscreennames]

I have a hard time believing that nearly half the Mustangs currently sold are V8s. Before the ecoboost, the V6 far outsold the GT. It's always been that way. The smaller engined car is cheaper but still looks great (read: fast), women and young people buying the V6 for their sporty car is what has kept the Mustang alive for 50+ years.

Well I said almost half, the Ecoboost should sell more, but I don't think the gap between the 4 banger and V8 is that big.

To me this sentence tells me that the V8 is selling very well, but this can be interpreted in many different ways I suppose.

 

[TURTL3]

Camaro has a better chassis. That is an objective fact. Everything on top of that is classic GM silliness. The styling has gone from new-retro cliche to an absolute mess and the interior is awful. Not to mention, the Challengers and Mustangs are cheaper.

The Ecoboost is fine. If half of this forum wasn't so concerned about sitting on a 5.0 throne with a superiority complex, they'd realize that the Ecoboost allows Ford to fight for market share in multiple segments at once. The V6 is a fine entry level sports car but Ford neglected it and offered it in poverty spec. The V6 needs a lot of aftermarket work to unlock it potential. Either you get that or you don't, it's a lost cause that I'm over fighting. In the rest of the automotive world, turbos are what move cars. Refining the Ecoboost to offer smoother power delivery and more power stock should be a top priority for Ford. Saying that most buyers buy the V8 is pointless. If Ford got rid of the Ecoboost, all those Ecoboost owners would not be buying a V8 and Ford would be sacrificing a ton of market share. Especially considering that they're done with small car sales. If the next gen Camaro gets serious about practicality wrapped in an attractive package while also offering a more powerful turbo 4 and Ford rest on their hands and think the Ecoboost is good enough as is, there could be a major shift in this segment on the horizon.

 

[99Zeus99]

The sound of a V8 engine is a natural occurrence as proven by the Fibonacci sequence. It's science yo. If you go ecoboost, might as well just get the Tesla. Sound and tradition obviously don't matter to you

 

[fkscreennames]

Dude no one is saying the V6 or Ecoboost are shitty. My first Mustang was a V6 and I had just as much fun in that car as I do in my GT. I think the units sold between the two trims are close, I remember seeing that in a sales thread, I just don't remember which one. It was an interesting read.

 

[TURTL3]

Dude no one is saying the V6 or Ecoboost are shitty. My first Mustang was a V6 and I had just as much fun in that car as I do in my GT. I think the units sold between the two trims are close, I remember seeing that in a sales thread, I just don't remember which one. It was an interesting read.

You must not have spent a lot of time here. Mods have had to step in dozens of times because the 5.0 gang can't go 5 minutes without swinging their V8s around and slapping them on the table. I agree that the unit sales are close, but my point from that is that their closeness signals to the viability of a lower trim level Mustang, whether it be a V6 or turbo 4. I've never seen in all my years a community of enthusiasts that have such a poor attitude towards lower trims. With Ford eliminating small car sales, it's crucial to me that they continue to develop the Ecoboost into an affordable volume seller. If you're Ford and you think your foot is on the neck of Chevy, now is the time to twist and push harder and they're going to have to add value to the Ecoboost in order to do that. The 5.0 alone will not accomplish that goal.

 

[fkscreennames]

You must not have spent a lot of time here. Mods have had to step in dozens of times because the 5.0 gang can't go 5 minutes without swinging their V8s around and slapping them on the table. I agree that the unit sales are close, but my point from that is that their closeness signals to the viability of a lower trim level Mustang, whether it be a V6 or turbo 4. I've never seen in all my years a community of enthusiasts that have such a poor attitude towards lower trims. With Ford eliminating small car sales, it's crucial to me that they continue to develop the Ecoboost into an affordable volume seller. If you're Ford and you think your foot is on the neck of Chevy, now is the time to twist and push harder and they're going to have to add value to the Ecoboost in order to do that. The 5.0 alone will not accomplish that goal.

I agree with everything you said. Also, I loved my V6 so it's impossible for me to ever hate the lower trim Mustang.

Much love my dude.

 

[Deleted member 35644]

The V6 is a fine entry level sports car but Ford neglected it and offered it in poverty spec.

This was a sad thing to watch, too. I think it was an excellent engine that was suddenly a bastard step-child. I miss that startup sound in the mornings...not that sound is everything, but the 2.3 just can't match it.

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