I don't disagree with any of this. What I am saying is that Ford had to have made some provisions in the development of the S197 to handle 500+ HP. How and where they were going to add some of that extra bracing was part of it. If they hadn't even thought about bigger power in the Mustang back in 2005, they were either A) incredibly short-sighted or B) incredibly stupid. I wouldn't think either is the case.

Well, Ford did set the precident. The Ford GT got an aluminum block while the GT500 got the iron block. Iron is most likely cheaper to make stout under boost. Cost being little object on the Ford GT or "super" Corvette, you can build a better aluminum block. If you're going to keep this "super" Camaro's cost down, while making the block less likely to rip apart, perhaps they do use an iron cast. I don't know.

 

Ford can barely keep the lights on at the headquarters right now so nothing they do surprises me. GM isn't as cheap in its powerplants. They might be in financial trouble also but not nearly as dire as Ford is at the moment. GM just posted a profit today for the first time in 2 or 3 years I think.

 

Cost would get passed on to the buyer no matter what. GM isn't just going to give you an exotic motor at a steal of a price because they're a little healthier than Ford. Seriously.

I also think it's unfair to say Ford does engines "cheaper". In fact, you could argue that it's GM with the pushrod small block architecture that is doing it cheaper. But I'm not going to complain about the power or the small block's characteristics.

 

Cheaper? Maybe .

Smarter? Definitely!!!

Argue S/C vs. NA all day long ... GM has still been blowing Ford out of the water with their LSx series engines . The ONLY exception is the '03/'04 Cobra, which has stood its own quite well. But just look across the board at the success of the Gen-III/IV engines, from the C5's/C6's, through the F-bodies, and even in the trucks ... they're a phenominal package, delivering great power AND fuel economy, and so WHAT if they're "cheap" ... GM has done us all a huge "favor" by keeping the design SIMPLE yet EFFECTIVE .

And all this comes back to .....

..... While there are good arguments for a supercharger, I'd still rather a have a nice, torquey 427 under the hood of my Camaro . Power-to-weight ratio will be enough to satisfy me, and give a supercharged 6.2 a run for its money .

 

Back on topic for a second...

It sounds like (if you believe HOT ROD) the top dog Z28 will get a 550hp version of the supercharged 6.2L.

550hp sounds good to me, no matter how you slice it.

 

Come on 540 BB lsx 650+ na hp

 

That would be awesome, just don't think it will ever happen or would be priced more than a base vette.

 

I disagree. While it may be priced north of $35K, such a Camaro will draw from a different crowd than the base Vette. It'll more than likely be purchased by a male enthusiast, over 40, who prefers a 2+2 coupe over a 2-seat sports car.

A similar Corvette buyer who wants performance, is going to have the Z06 and possibly Blue Devil (Z07, Z06R, SS... whatever they call it) to choose from. So a 550hp Camaro that easily outweighs even the base Corvette won't be much of a threat.

 

I just can't see Chevy making a Camaro that costs more then a Corvette. Ford doesn't have that issue with pricing because the GT500 is already their top car, the Ford GT was just a limited run that's over now so there is no heirarchy like there is with the Corvette and Camaro. Has there ever been a factory Camaro that cost more than a factory Vette?

 

I'm not positive but I believe the COPO Camaros were more than the "base" Corvette.

 

a fully loaded SLP SS convertible cost more than a FRC when they were available.

 

My main thing is if Im going to shell out the dollars for the car, I want the better foundation. If GM decides to put a 427 with the LS7 style heads (which are the best heads GM has ever built- 330CFM factory) its the way to go. What car can run with the new Z06 factory?

GM has always made their muscle cars N/A (F-Body, Vette), other than the couple turbo versions of the trans am, which were not that impressive.

S/C engines do not make that much torque. Of all types of power adders, they make the least amount. Nitrous and turbo make the most. I know of several Cobra owners that dont put down near the amount of torque that they should.(ex 723hp and 485 lb ft) If the new camaro follows suit of the older models, the car will be in the 35-3600 lb range. A heavy car moves easier with more torque. Bigger motor=more TQ. I would hope to keep a heavy car light as possible. I also want something that I can hop in, beat and bang on it whenever I please, and be able to put the miles on it. A blower motor wont have that longevity. The Grand National is an example of a FI motor that once people started putting moderate to hard miles on, failed.

Pricing of a S/C model will be a lot more than a larger CI N/A model. Look at the '03 cobra and mustang GT. The "premium" GT priced at 25500, where the Cobra rang in at 35085. Thats damn near 10 grand more just for a blower. Think of all the R&D that Ford had to do to make the S/C work. The extra weight of the blower. (Ford claims Cobra at 3665 lbs, but my buddies '03 weighs a little more than 3700 without him in it). GM already has something that works, and does so in convincing fashion. Its that much less money for something that is already in production.

Far as adding a pulley...Ill be willing to wager that if one would take the 427 (as discussed above LS7 style) and add a nitrous kit there wouldnt be a comparison.

6.2=smaller motor, less torque, no where near the cylinder head.

7.0=all the good stuff. A lot more potential.

The new camaro is styled after the classic muscle that got it started. The muscle car has always been about muscle. I want a body builder under the hood, not a teenager wearing a weight suit.

 

^ ^ ^ cool, I'm not alone in the world!!!

 

i voted blower because look at the 03 04 cobras two things and they have 500 at the wheels so why not if gm is gonna built a motor for boost then let them and we can love the benifits we'll have are camaros with our blown 6.2 and theyll have there blow 4.6 and well be like whos the leader of the pack now bitch i think the 6.2 all around is definitly worth it for the easy horsepower gains

 

I dunno...

My wife had a '97 Grand Prix GTP ('97-'03 style)with a supercharged 3.8L V6. The pistons couldn't handle much more boost for long, the tranny gave out at 300 hp, etc etc. Lots of guys with chipped pistons. Not to mention the terrible fuel economy.

You ask for a supercharged V8 but what if the tranny is only good for 50 hp over what it comes with? What if the pistons aren't made to handle much more boost?

Everyone is comparing it to the 03 Cobras but what guarantee do we have that GM will really make a bullet proof bottom end like Ford did?

Rather than taking a chance at getting a half *** bottom end, I'd rather have the 7.0L V8 and save a 100 lbs or whatever it is that the supercharger and intercooler will weigh in at.