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| Chevy SS: mythical and rare |
Best case, that’s about 400 cars a month. The Toyota Camry sold 45,000 cars – in August. The Camry is the best-selling car in America and sales should top 400,000 this year. The Ford Fusion isn’t far behind and with production ramping up at a second plant, Fusion hopes to challenge Camry next year for the No. 1 sales title.
The Camry and Fusion have nothing to fear from the SS in the sales race. Built in Australia, the SS won’t even be sold at all Chevrolet dealerships. Instead, sales will be focused in areas where the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro have done well, mainly Florida, California, Texas, Michigan, Illinois and the Northeast.
Not sure any of this matters. NASCAR race cars long ago lost any relationship to their production counterparts. Just find it interesting GM would put its NASCAR marketing dollars behind the SS when it plans to sell so few of them. Especially when the new Impala is getting rave reviews and the Malibu also is doing well. Both previously represented Chevrolet in NASCAR.
Oh well, I’m sure the General knows what it’s doing.
The Holden Commodore is a proven race winner in Australia's V8 Supercar Series, and even the Fox announcers in 2012 knew that the Commodore would replace Chevrolet in NASCAR for 2013 when they discussed the issue at Fontana. It didn't hurt they went to Bathurst and called the V8's for their big race, the Supercheap Auto Parts 1000, in 2011.
ReplyDeleteFunny how it's Commodore vs Mondeo vs Camry, Holden vs Ford vs Toyota in NASCAR now.
Regarding production numbers, how is that any different from the Superbird or Torino Talladega from back in the day? Do you consider those cars mythical too?
ReplyDeleteIn the days of the Superbird and Talladega, NASCAR required 500 to be built and sold before they could be raced. It's possible Chevy won't sell a single SS before the season is over.
DeleteAt Michael Abrams...yes those cars are mythical now, just as much as they were back then. Those cars were made to win in NASCAR. I am pretty sure winning in NASCAR is not as important now as is selling product.
ReplyDelete"Oh well, I'm sure the General knows what it's doing."
ReplyDeleteIs this irony, or sarcasm?
I pretty much lost faith in them when I saw my first Hummer.
I mean think about it, who would decide to build this, & after they decided to build, they named it a Hummer?
The only thing I liked about them was Jon Stewarts quote after they finally pulled the plug. "Now people will have to go door, to door, telling their neighbors that they're a**holes.
I can name an even more mythical item used in NASCAR by Toyota. Toyota didn’t offer an overhead valve (OHV) engine when they joined Nascar and built a race engine from the ground up using technology received from GM during 1990's shared projects. Show me a Toyota Camry with the similar engine block and heads as they race on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI remember how in 1986 GM rushed to get 200 Monte Carlo & Pontiac Grand Prix "Aero Coupes" built to meet the minimums in time to make Daytona to try to keep up with Ford's Thunderbirds. They brought trailer loads of them down for a parade around the speedway before the race. Problem was they were in such a hurry to get them done many of the rear windows blew out while being transported to Daytona.
ReplyDeleteI guess these days you don't even have to build them, only that you're going to!
I have been waiting for the opportunity to buy one. However if that is how GM is going to be I'll buy a Camry.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at the schedule and select the race you would like to attend, Nascar Sprint Cup Tickets available to see all the available options
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. i really appreciate it that you shared with us such a informative post..
ReplyDeleteThanks
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