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Revived muscle car to save industry jobs
Waterbury Republican-American ^ | August 22, 2006 | Greg Bensinger

Posted on 08/22/2006 6:59:41 AM PDT by Graybeard58

General Motors Corp. will save about 2,500 jobs in Oshawa, Ontario, by building a revived Chevrolet Camaro sports car there in two years, the union that represents the workers said.

Production of the 2009 Camaro will begin at the end of 2008 as part of a $662 million investment, the company's Canadian unit said Monday. GM, the world's largest automaker, made the previous Camaro in Ste. Therese, Quebec, until 2002.

Members of the Canadian Auto Workers paved the way for the decision by agreeing in March to concessions that included shorter break times and use of contract employees.

GM said the investment is designed to give the plant flexibility to build a variety of vehicles. The Oshawa plant now makes Buick Lacrosse, Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Impala cars.

"We are thrilled about this, it means that any job losses will be through attrition, the workers' own decision," Peter Kennedy, a union spokesman, said in an interview. "But this doesn't solve everything. We're hopeful that ($662 million) investment means something else will come in to sustain the business there."

About 100,000 Camaros will be built annually, Kennedy said.

He provided the estimate of jobs saved, from about 6,000 workers at the factory.

The Detroit-based automaker said earlier this month it would bring back the Camaro. GM built the so-called muscle car from 1966 until 2002, when annual sales dwindled to 28,404 from a peak of 260,201 in 1978.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News
KEYWORDS: automakers; camaro; generalmotors; musclecar
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To: Neoliberalnot

I had my Z up to 135 once but backed off. The feeling of having zero control and that I am about to become air borne has no thrill for me.


21 posted on 08/22/2006 7:19:55 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Why don't they bring back something the public is crying out for ? Like the Corvair...

because RALPH Nadar is still alive

Doogle

22 posted on 08/22/2006 7:26:44 AM PDT by Doogle (USAF...68-73,,..."never store a threat you should have eliminated")
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To: angkor
They might call that a Camaro, but it's not a Camaro.

Why didn't they follow the Ford lead and simply spruce-up the original design?

Actually, they did. If it is delivered as proposed, it'll look more like the original ('67 - '69) body style than any variation since. The '69 had a few minor revisions that set it apart from the first two year models... I think that's the one GM was shooting for.

23 posted on 08/22/2006 7:28:34 AM PDT by Charles Martel (Liberals are the crab grass in the lawn of life.)
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To: Graybeard58
2500 jobs....(long whistle)

Good job GM...

24 posted on 08/22/2006 7:28:47 AM PDT by sit-rep (http://trulineint.com/latestposts.asp)
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To: Graybeard58

Stupidly, I too had mine at 135 but had the satisfaction of not letting some guy in a 535 BMW pass me.

What do you drive now?


25 posted on 08/22/2006 7:34:37 AM PDT by Neoliberalnot
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To: brownsfan
Well, the union has a part to play, both in driving up the costs, which affects the price, and in insuring quality (or lack of it).

That said, there's plenty of blame at GM to go around
26 posted on 08/22/2006 7:35:53 AM PDT by CertainInalienableRights
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To: Graybeard58
"The only thing it had going for it was that it was fast and looked nice."

well isn't that the reason people buy muscle cars??? LOL

Toyota?
ya gotta be kidding me!

take the badges off that Toyota and you can't it from any other cookie cutter rice burner out there.

btw, the little guy below was my favorite camaro. It was a hybrid...burned gas & rubber.


27 posted on 08/22/2006 7:36:43 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: Graybeard58

It might actually sell if it didn't have that discredited brand name "Chevrolet" printed on it. ;)


28 posted on 08/22/2006 7:37:50 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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To: RexBeach
IMHO GM has already "screwed the pooch". Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
29 posted on 08/22/2006 7:38:28 AM PDT by alice_in_bubbaland (NY Slimes the paper of record for OBL!)
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To: P-40
What kind of mileage will these things get...

A lot better than you think. GM will likely use a six-speed manual transmission, and will likely use a version of the current Corvette engine with variable cylinder shutdown to improve freeway mileage.

30 posted on 08/22/2006 7:39:56 AM PDT by RayChuang88
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To: kellynla

What year? My husband owned a 70 & a 72 Z28 in silver. He loved those cars. Now looking for a 69 Z and the prices are soaring, if you want one in excellent shape with matching numbers.


31 posted on 08/22/2006 7:41:22 AM PDT by alice_in_bubbaland (NY Slimes the paper of record for OBL!)
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To: Yo-Yo

LOL! Is that the new & improved "Herbie"?


32 posted on 08/22/2006 7:42:52 AM PDT by alice_in_bubbaland (NY Slimes the paper of record for OBL!)
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To: nascarnation; P-40
What kind of mileage will these things get... actually quite good if driven moderately, and quite bad if driven hard

Not my question, but passing the answer along.

33 posted on 08/22/2006 7:44:17 AM PDT by Niteranger68 (I gigged your peace frog.)
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To: Graybeard58; All

Reviving a NAME and slapping it on a carter-ized, pinto does not make a car a musle car.

Perhaps they will come with TUBO-CUP-HOLDERS!

(s)It has to go fast, listen to how LOUD it is!(/s)

In order to save the company, you will have to fire every single suit. Dismiss every single designer who had anything to do with a production sportscar of GM that was portrayed as "cutting edge".


34 posted on 08/22/2006 7:47:09 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: RexBeach
I had a '95 Z28 and it was one of the best cars I ever had...problem free and faster than hell.

Top Speed was 169 as verified by Road and Track.

1.0 lateral g's...stopped better than any of the european imports under $200k.

I got 20mpg on the freeway with the cruise control set to 75.

35 posted on 08/22/2006 7:47:15 AM PDT by Mariner
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To: alice_in_bubbaland

70


36 posted on 08/22/2006 7:49:13 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla

1972! I had one. I only had a 307 in it. But I put headers, new intake, and an advance kit on it. I loved that car. I'd buy another. I'd buy that one! :)


37 posted on 08/22/2006 7:50:09 AM PDT by brownsfan (It's not a war on terror... it's a war with islam.)
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To: RacerF150
Not my question, but passing the answer along.

I'd be interested in knowing. If gas prices stay high and unstable, and I am hoping they will, this car might not sell that well unless it gets semi-decent mileage. Maybe they will put in one of those six cycle jobs that I read about the other day. :)
38 posted on 08/22/2006 7:53:49 AM PDT by P-40 (Al Qaeda was working in Iraq. They were just undocumented.)
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To: kellynla

"70"

Ahhh, I see, it's a Z. The regular 70 had the split bumper. I prefer the continuous bumper. Great looking car. That was the style that was really a poor man's vette. Rode low, handled decent, went fast. The tail lights are very much like a vette's. :)


39 posted on 08/22/2006 7:54:42 AM PDT by brownsfan (It's not a war on terror... it's a war with islam.)
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To: Graybeard58

The problem with muscle cars such as this is that the very market they are aimed at, which I believe is the 18-30+ age group, will not be able to afford the insurance needed to drive them.


40 posted on 08/22/2006 7:57:00 AM PDT by Eagles Talon IV
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