[Chris 96 WS6]

From our friends at Cheers & Gears:

(By BuddyP) Some Camaro news from my source....

"Just thought you might like to here the story behind the pics. All the pics that were leaked on the web are pics that GM released to a toy company so production toys/scale models can be ready for sale shortly after the NAIAS. Someone at the toy co leaked the pics, I've heard the FBI is involved and GM plans to prosecute the person responsible. Expect to see a silver running car at Detroit and a red push car at LA."

http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4128&pid=60854&st=0&#entry60854

 

[gettinthere]

DAMN!!!!!

 

[Chris 96 WS6]

Therefore, one must assume the pics are actually very close to the final product concept car.

 

[Phoenix57]

that is very interesting :bat

 

[Karps TA]

That doesn't seem to make alot of sense to me. Like a toy company needs a 3 year ramp up to make a toy?

I guess I don't buy it. I still think GM leaked it.

 

[Darth Xed]

I'm not sure I believe this at all.....

1) Why supply the toy company with pics of a clay mockup that shows two sides with different features? I know they could mirror-image it to complete the toy, but it just seems odd.

2) If the concept has changed somewhat since then, like we have heard, including the rear end, this would be all but useless to the toy company.

3) Why, on earth, would GM supply a TOY COMPANY with CAD drawings of the platform undercarriage? How detailed does the underbody of a toy need to be??

 

[Darth Xed]

That doesn't seem to make alot of sense to me. Like a toy company needs a 3 year ramp up to make a toy?

I guess I don't buy it. I still think GM leaked it.

Well, I think they are saying that these were handed out so the toy could be realeased after the concept car was shown... not after the production car comes out.

 

[Karps TA]

So what if everyone hated it? Then they'd have a bunch of toys that noone would want.

If that's the best excuse GM can come up with, it's no wonder they are losing ground.

 

[Darth Xed]

So what if everyone hated it? Then they'd have a bunch of toys that noone would want.

I'm not sure I understand your point?? You are saying if the concept flopped, there would be a lot of unsold toys?

I doubt that is high on GM's list of concerns, really... the toy company would be taking the biggest risk in producing it... and if no toy company ever took a risk, there'd be no toy cars at all.

FWIW, I remember seeing toys of the Mustang Concept car... which is differnet that the 2005 production Mustang. They came out after the concept came out.

 

[Karps TA]

That toy Mustang came out AFTER their was alot of clamour about the car at the auto shows. And that typically comes from a toy company requesting to make the car. If they are already working on one, that means the car mfg is requesting the build.

For as locked up tight as the Camaro project has been or has said to be, doesn't it seem a little bit odd that they would just give pics and cad drawings to some toy mfg?

It just seems like the most ridiculous explanation to me. Maybe Buzz Lightyear was the one who emailed LS1tech?

 

[Darth Xed]

That toy Mustang came out AFTER their was alot of clamour about the car at the auto shows. And that typically comes from a toy company requesting to make the car. If they are already working on one, that means the car mfg is requesting the build.

For as locked up tight as the Camaro project has been or has said to be, doesn't it seem a little bit odd that they would just give pics and cad drawings to some toy mfg?

It just seems like the most ridiculous explanation to me. Maybe Buzz Lightyear was the one who emailed LS1tech?

I agree with you, in that I am not buying this as the source of the leak totally....

But, at the same time, the Mustang concept toys came out after the concept was shown (obviously), but it does take time to design and produce the tooling for the toys, set up the suppliers, etc.... there is no way that the Mustang concept toys were designed 100% AFTER the concept was shown.... they were out within weeks of the concept being shown... if not sooner.

Plus, it's fairly common for concept cars to be put out in toy form... SSR was done the same way... I think some Solstice toys were out... Corvette Stingray III toys were out.... I even remember seeing a Chevy Borego concept toy... it's fairly commonplace.