Honestly Al, what if GM said screw the enthusiasts, we'll modify a Malibu and throw the Camaro name on it. Oh, it has four doors? Who cares about that. I'm sure you'd be the first to "bitch and moan." I have nothing against the G8, it's a great car. But they should create a separate legacy for it. And maybe it's just me, but how do you call a car with a name G8 a Firehawk? Pontiac threw out all their great names, they shouldn't try to put another back on it.

Edit: I meant to say David previously. I guess I'm so use to Ed being at the helm, but I guess he's not anymore.

I can not get over the comedy of so many people blaming GM for this. Guess what folks, they are in the business of selling cars, something they have done well for 100 years now. They know they can roll up another few thousand units a year with special editions, why else do you think the 4th gen ram air birds, camaro SS' , and even the Firehawk even existed?

GM has partnered with SLP on a lot of special projects for more than 20 years now. Just because the F-body ended for a while didn't mean that relationship was going to end.

GM and Pontiac have nothing to do with this.
This is SLP only. Its a package you can buy through dealers, not through GM. This is like the Bobcat packages for the GTO.

Yup, what he said. It's SLP's name and trademark, they can do what they want with it but it still doesn't excuse the retardedness(is that even a word? lol).

Their explanation is comical too..."we spoke to a bunch of Firehawk owners"...really? The ones I'm seeing don't seem to agree with SLP. It's a marketing ploy which is fine...but the people who are car guys KNOW the Firehawk name know it's BS...the average person that's looking for a "special car" could probably care less what the name of it is...it just doesn't make sense to me.

Hawk-

The Malibu name got ****ed to begin with.

Part of me isn't surprised. A lot of companies are whoring name recognition or "retro" stuff.

I'm not blaming GM for this. I know this isn't GM's doing. I was just making a hypothetical statement using the Malibu and Camaro. I know SLP owns the Firehawk name. I just thought they would have exercised some more common sense.

Big Al, the number 1 source of F-body ****-talking on the web. :mrgreen:

Damn Firebird fanboys...not like Al, he's a ****in "F-body guru"...but, only if they're Camaro's...oh, and only if they're 2nd gen or 2010. :drool: Al has to change pants every time someone mentions the 2010 Camaro. For those counting that's 2x in this last paragraph. The rest, **** em...especially the 4th gen boys. YUKKK!!! 2nd gen is where it's at!

Meanwhile, when the rest of us see a 2nd gen we get the urge to grow a mulltet, get a can of Bud, shoot a possum, slap our sisters in the jaw and change our name to "cLEeTUs".

Hate to say it Al, but a lot of those Firebird fanboys who are pissed, at least many on LS1 Tech, are 10x the F-body enthusiast you'll ever be. Only reason you don't give 2 ****s about the Firehawk name is because it's 4th gen and Firebird related.

Like someone said, if they slapped the Camaro name tag on a Chevy Malibu your vag would twitch like it had sand in it!

You just made yourself the perfect example of the kind of person Al was referring to. Congrats.

What can I say, the truth's a bitch.

Factory warrantied supercharged G8 sounds good enough to me to carry the firehawk nametag :shrug:

As stated its a business and I don't think G8 owners will be against it ;)

Camaro owners won't be against it either since both platforms have very very similar engine compartments :)

It is more about the fact that Shadowhawk and those who think like him seem to only be prepared to accept one version of the world, a world at which the Firebird is the pony car centerpiece. Unfortunately, it is a world that never existed, which is why the Camaro was picked over the Firebird for the return.

Without that version of reality, some seem unable to accept that GM, SLP, and performance enthusiasts all over the world have managed to go on with our lives in such a happy and content manner.

I just can't imagine how much uproar there would be had the 4th gen Firehawks actually been a major performance upgrade like the 3rd gens were or the G8 version will be. That would have really turned their world on it's head.

I really don't care that they're building an SLP G8. Great. The Firehawk and SS were the only SLP cars that made them money, and now that GM is building the SS, I guess they don't have the creativity to come up with a new name for their G8, so they use an old one. By doing so, they've alienated their customer base that they would be marketing to. It really doesn't matter anyway. If nobody is buying the G8 at 5k under sticker, I really don't think anyone will buy a $40k one. My issue is the arrogance of that Dave prick at SLP. Not only does he have no creativity, but he has the guts to insult his customers in a public forum, then those brown nosing asshats over at LS1tech leave all his posts up and edit or delete everyone elses. In the end, I really don't care, I wouldn't buy one anyway.

I don't think they have alienated any potential customers. They get to throw a shiney, flashed up special edition out there with the closest thing they have to a name that is recognizable to the masses. Having a few people who drive and shop two doors upset about a badge on a four door doesn't really cost you anything.

Unless the offended shopper in question needs and desires a G8 GT and is so desperately loyal to the old Firehawk as to skip the warranty covered performance upgrades they want, then it could cost them a good dozen sales a year.

Take a niche car, make a niche special edition, and you are left with a very small target audience. Internet hype one way or the other isn't going to do much to bother such a select group of potential shoppers.

:barf::barf::barf::barf::barf::barf:

I think alot.....and I do mean ALOT of people would be happy with the name change to GX8.

But the name thats recognizable to the masses offends those that recognize it, thus, previous and current Firehawk owners wont even consider it. I'm sure this thing wont be cheap, its SLP after all, nothing they sell is reasonably priced. Whats the target audience for this? I bet the SMS Challenger will be close in price, and do you think people are going to buy this hopped up four door sedan thats pissed a lot of people off, or a Saleen Challenger making 700hp? The G8 doesnt even sell now, so why would anybody spend an extra 10k on one?

I think the real thing that SLP is missing is that the name makes no sense. Yes, it's recognizable to those that know what a Firehawk is (most don't).

BUT THE CAR'S NAME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FIRE OR BEING A BIRD LIKE THE PREVIOUS INCARNATION OF THE NAME!

Are they REALLY that strapped for creativity?

I look at the results of the 2004-6 GTO, and can't help but apply that to SLPs decision to use an existing name. While there was criticism about the car itself (GTO), most of the discussion was about the use of the name. The G8 Firehawk is likely generating the same type of discussion - the car is great but please change the name.

:nod: :nod: :nod:


What people like NJSPEEDER don't seem to get is SLP is taking a name that not only has ZERO to do with the car, but also has a reputation, and marketing it to a "target audience" that won't get it. You people can talk niche markets, target audiences and the like til you're all blue in the face if it makes you feel smart, but dumb is dumb. They missed their target, same with the GTO. I understand their motives behind doing it, but their logic is flawed.

As Nineball pointed out on LS1 Tech, their target audience is pretty much the consumer buying BMW or Mercedes sports sedans or the like. Those people, aside from not knowing or giving a rat's ass about the Firehawk name, will probably frown upon it.

Not to say they're all like this, but to the average self-important BMW/Benz owner the words Firebird and Camaro mean low-class. If you ask them we're all a bunch of rednecks. They buy BMW and Mercedes cars to make themselves feel like high class big shots, and no matter how you package it a Pontiac will never hit that market. It'll just never be "spohisticated" enough for them.

And since Firehawk is associated with the Firebird, the new G8 will come off as the same. Not to mention the fact that, though it looked good up til 02, the Firehawk logo is a bit outdated for a new car, and the new tacky stripe or graphic package, whatever you want to call it, screams NO-CLASS.

And PS: my "one version of the world" is in your mind my son. I have no problem with the use of the Firehawk name, just not on some 4 door wanna-be sports car(it's nice for what it is but it's not a sports car). They brought CAmaro back because it was what began the GM ponycar herritage. They finally realized that it made no sense to produce 2 cars nearly identical. If you think it's for any other reason that you must have hit your head.

umm so al is stereotyped for camaros just like you are against them? you can say you want to grow a mullet, but don't you DARE say "the rest of us" al "only likes second gens and 2010's" well your post makes it seem like you only think 4th gens exist
your post made you sound like a complete tool, congratulations

btw al owns a third gen

You got that right. PMD is DOA

all that matters is that slp is taking THEIR NAME and using it on whatever THEY want. there's a lot of people hating on this car and no one saying they will buy it if its another name

bmw and mercedes people will frown on it, you mean like they do the M-series or dinan bmw's or the amg merc's? people that buy those cars just because of the name plate will buy the "firehawk" just because it is the most expensive option package available

Say whatever you like, but from 74-81 F-bodies went to ****. Slow, tacky, and ugly comes to mind. They were like the Mustang II of the F-body world. Most are still trying to forget they existed. 1st, some of 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation I love F-bodies and would never completely play one of the 2 cars off like Al seems to do. That "their car's dead anyway" comment was a douchbag remark. Who exactly in the **** are "they"?! Last I checked, we were all F-body guys here...with exception of Al.

And please point out to me where I said "I personally" don't like Camaro's. I hate them so much that I've probably owned more than many of the people here! But I love F-bodies, not JUST CAMAROS. While it seems that many others here seem to think the camaro is the be-all, end-all, and downplay Firebirds as if they're ****. Get real.

]

First off, I also have a third gen.
4th gens have thier place in Fbody history, no doubt. I just dont like the look of them too much. Personally, Im not a huge fan of 74-81 Camaros either. In fact, it took a while for my 72 to grow on me.

10x the Fbody enthusiast then me? How so? Cause they spent more money on thier cars? They are faster then me? They have a 4th gen?
What makes them 10x the fbody enthusiast then me or then Ill ever be? Is it cause I made you all sad when I told you that 4th gens are ugly?

Justin said it best. You are the PRIME example of an on going problem WITHIN the Fbody community.
I dont get bent out of shape when you say that 2nd gens are for red necks.
I wasnt offended when people said the same with the 87. But I am growing tired of it. I dont know why it makes me a red neck when I own a 72, and you are just cool as hell with your 4th gen.

If GM, understanding the 35 year history of the car, put a Camaro badge on a FWD Malibu coupe, lots of people would be upset.
This is a former Tier 1/2 company that owns the right to a trim package that dates back to...belive it or not....THE RED NECK THIRD GENS!
Yeah, remember that the Firehawk is NOT only 4th gen related. So that opens a massive and vast hole in your stupid argument.
Third Gen's started the Firehawk name. And it was a BIT different then just some wheels and a hood.

Exactly.
Thanks for playing.

Anyone ever tell you that you make an art form out of being a douchebag? You're like the Van Gogh of Assbaggery.

I didn't say I was a bigger enthusiast than you, so this is no personal attack because of some other dumbass comment you made. I couldn't give less of a **** what you or anyone else thinks of my car. I said THEY are 10x the enthusiast you are, because they recognize a bad idea when they hear one and stand up to it instead of sucking on GM's *** like you always do. They can never do wrong in your eyes, no matter how much they make a mochary of everything F-body. They could throw SS badges and Firehawk logo's on every econo-car known to man for all you care!

1,000,000,000 posts and being a founding member of some web based forum means jack to me. It doesn't make you any better an enthusiast than any other person here. At least everyone else steps up when they see a stupid idea.

And instead of trying to understand why your fellow community members are upset you say "**** it, their car's dead anyway"?! Why? Beceause you're a jackass. regardless of anything, if either the Firebird or Camaro name came into question, we'd all stand up, because we're F-body guys. You? As long as it doesn't desecrate your precious Camaro **** it, right? :moon:

To everyone else there's very little difference here between them using the Camaro name or the Firehawk name. Are you telling me if they put the Camaro name on a 4 door, even if it was RWD, you wouldn't be totally pissed?? Because I'll call ******** on that right now.

Second gens had sales numbers that you would not believe and I would assume are not aware of.

The 1979 Camaro sold 282,571 units. The ENTIRE RUN of 98-02 Camaros only totaled 207,591. That's 74,980 cars shy of ONE YEAR of 2nd gen production. They may not be what you like now but they sure were popular back then, and made GM a lot of money. 1979 second gen Birds did pretty well as well- with 211,454 units sold.

The 4th gens (both C+F) look good and performed better from the factory than every other previous generation- except in sales figures, where it really counts. We may love them but a lot of people did and do not.