Camino LS6

Besides, this design would look great with the Holden lion as well. They seem to have wanted the SS to look like the current Malibu - really bad idea.

Which they should have done. With the GMME Chevy fascia.

Which begs the question, what took them so long to bring it here?

You and I are not famous for getting along or agreeing on much, and I may even differ with you on some specifics of this post, but concur entirely with the essence of it. Generation after generation indeed. Maybe GM's disease is an insistent demand for an instant return, maybe it is a lack of perspective on variants in general, but I think it may mostly be a failure of strategic thinking. Perhaps even the total lack of one beyond a mid-cycle refresh. It's "silver bullet" thinking, and that is a uniquely American failing. I really doubt that they see the long-term benefits (and savings) to be found by increasing the use of variants rather than the number of stand-alone models. The sad thing is, they once understood this. You know, back when they ruled the automotive world. Must be a lesson in there somewhere.

This was love at first sight for me. No reservations. Would look great in any bodystyle.

As good as those options sound, I expect I'll have to stick with a slightly more humble powerplant. An LS of some sort, I think.

...and should have been called Chevelle. It's a gorgeous chop by "MonaroSS". Aggressive face, five spoke wheels... That's how you do an SS, GM.

There is talk of the sportwagon coming, but not the Ute.

Sure would, and the result would be closer to a modern Ute. But I've had one of those, and like the stealth factor the '77 can provide.

Yeah, I've seen a few of those. I'd buy one, or build one myself if I could see my way clear to do so. Of course GM built a number of pre-production G8STs as well. How many, and how many still survive, I have no idea. Having one of those would be wonderful. As it stands, I'll just end up doing a modern drivetrain etc, for my '77 El Camino instead.

The red tape involved is a nightmare, and then the car is only quasi-legal. Any way you look at it, it sucks.

Unobtanium. I have to admit it, the nose looks better on the Ute than it does on the sedan. Still a step down from VE, but not quite so bad as I thought it would look.

Eliminating multiple bodystyles is exactly the wrong way to go. Those behind such thinking are what should be cut.

This means I'll have to build my own.

Either way, that Formula 455 you posted is so beautiful that it's painful.

There certainly is enough widespread pressure that GM will have to respond to the question of the manual. I'd say the press release was vague enough that they could claim it was always part of the plan. At least I have not seen an official word that it will not be offered. The waste I see in Zeta was how the architecture was handled from the very start. All of the back and forth, all of the indecision, they were just fumbling one aspect after the other - for years. So many missed opportunities, and expensive errors that one can hardly count them. Hell, they practically had to be forced at gunpoint to build Camaro. Very slow learners high up within GM. If they have truly learned from all of that, and prove it with the deployment of Alpha, then maybe things really are getting better. We shall see.

Well, GM's ambitions for this car are modest enough. And, 46% of GXP buyers is the best indicator you could ask for. Yes, GM could be waiting to announce a manual - hopefully, that's the case. Most of the folks posting about this actually own G8s or Camaros, or similar cars, and they are the target market. So, I'll have to stick to my points on this.

All the more reason to get the product just right.

The Code may indeed offer the sort of choice I'm looking for - maybe...someday. Truth is that choice has been dwindling for many years - and it is getting worse all the time.

In all honesty, I'd have been perfectly happy with a Ute or wagon equipped no better than the VE/G8 as far as electronica goes. And, I'd have even been happy with the old 350HP LS1 - if the car had a manual. My GTO was so equipped, and it was a ball to drive.

Salesman: Welcome to 21st Century Chevrolet, can I help you? Me: I'm looking for something interesting and a bit different. Salesman: OK, What other new cars have you bought in the past. Me: An El Camino SS, a Firehawk, and a GTO - I like cars that stand out in a crowd. Salesman: How about moving up to a Corvette? Me: That's not in the budget. Salesman: In that case Camaro is the car for you! Me: I don't know, I'm not much of a Camaro guy. Got anything else? Salesman: I could put you on the waiting list for the new SS. Me: SS? SS, what? Salesman: Just SS, that's the name. Me: I see. Got a brochure? Salesman: I can let you look at my copy, but we don't have any to hand out yet. Me: OK, let me see it. Me: Hey, this is a sedan. Salesman: It's a performance sedan! Me: That so? It says here it only comes in automatic. Salesman: But it has paddle shifters, that's the same thing - only better! Me: Umm no, no it isn't. Salesman: But it has parking assist! Me: I think I'll pass unless it comes in another bodystyle. Is there a coupe? Salesman: No. Me: It would make a perfect El Camino, can I get that here? Salesman: No, they couldn't position it relative to the performance sedan. Me: How about a wagon, then? Salesman: Well, that might happen later. Me: I see. Any other coupes? Maybe something like the old Solstice? Salesman: We have the Camaro. Me: Maybe we should move on to trucks. I really love my old 2-door Tahoe, I'd like another. Salesman: Sorry, they only build 4-doors now. Me: The Avalanche is pretty interesting and different, maybe I can order one the way I want it. Salesman: You'll have to choose from what's in stock, it's been discontinued. Me: OK, what about a regular cab pickup? Salesman: I suppose we could order one, we only have extended cabs in stock. Me: I prefer to order my new vehicles anyway, so that's ok. I'd like a 2500HD with the Duramax and Allison in LS trim, all HD options, and bucket seats. What kind of money am Iooking at? Salesman: Well, Bucket seats aren't available in a regular cab - but you are looking at about 50k. Me: That's approaching Corvette territory! Salesman: So? Me: I think I'll just go home now, I'm not feeling so good.

Interesting tidbit posted on CZ28.com : The manual trans take rate for the G8 GXP was 46%!!!

Well, this was it. The last chance to get it right for the Zeta cars. The way I see it, the strategy they have adopted here is just the final mistake in a long history of mistakes. Zeta was wasted, and its potential barely explored. All that I can do now is hope that a few tweaks can be applied to the SS in time to make it somewhat successful. Lacking that, a flop with this car could be used to seal the fate of GM RWD going forward. So, warts and all, I hope this thing sells.

Thanks Ocn. The truth is, I think the whole strategy indicated in the article is the polar opposite of what should have been done with these cars under the Chevy brand. And now, at the eleventh hour, it is too late to fix. That just saddens me.

spend how much to certify, advertise, and distribute a car that only 300 people would buy (without an automatic)? They would have to price it at 50k to make up for the 20k in marketing costs each car would bear just to get the word out. Utter nonsense! If offered, the manual would account for nearly half of sales. This is a limited production performance car, and the intended market wants the manual. GM did learn (through G8 and Camaro sales) that it doesn't make sense to import a v6 version, but they seem to have missed the memo on the manual transmission. While opinion is divided on the styling, the desire for a manual is overwhelming - just scan around enthusiast sites (the target market). This car is meant to be an enthusiast's car, so the normal dumbing-down to an automatic is exactly the wrong way to sell it. As for marketing, those who want the car already know about it.. And with expected volumes of 3-5000 per year acceptable to Mark Reuss, how much advertising do you need for a car that makes its own news? You have to understand performance cars and performance car buyers - the usual sheeple coddling doesn't apply. Of course, in order to support your statements, you have to make the assumption that enthusiasts and performance car buyers ONLY drive manuals. That's far from true. Not at all. But on a car of this sort, a manual option is required.