If the new super Camaro comes in at 4000+lbs, it will be almost 600lbs heavier than a v8 4th gen. That is pretty crazy. A 2 ton supercharged Camaro is going to get pretty horrible fuel economy too. Good thing this will be a low production car, because it isn't going to be very CAFE friendly.

 

I'm sure glad it's got a great SLA front suspension to help the handling with all that weight, oh wait, er, nevermind...

 

Don't worry, I am sure it will have loads of torque management to help keep the drivetrain intact.

To get back to something argued about earlier in the thread I suppose the target for the super-Camaro would really be a middle-aged or up Camaro fan that can spend about $40,000 on a new Camaro. Don't really think it gets anymore specific than that. The problem is that these Camaro enthusiasts probably care first about bragging rights (horsepower numbers) and straightline performance second. I would be that GM rightly believes the numbers of people that would buy a focused Camaro with hardly any more power than the SS, even if it had significantly better performance numbers, is much smaller than the group that would rather have the obscenely powerful, if overweight and overthirsty, Camaro that they can say has 100HP more than "everyone else's" V8.

I don't know if the GT500 is the vehicle to use to make the case for an overweight but overpowerful Camaro. I think there is a strong Mustang fanbase that cuts through all sorts of demographics and probably they could find buyers for a premium Mustang no matter which direction it takes.

I personally would rather see Z284ever's version of the super-Camaro, maybe something analogous to the C5 Z06 versus a base C5. But that probably isn't going to happen until perhaps after fuel prices are so high that huge horsepower with horrid fuel consumption is less attractive than weight reduction for the same premium.

Maybe I am completely wrong and the stereotype of the American performance buyer will live on as someone that just wants more horsepower than the other guy and straightline performance.

 

Well I wasn't really posing that response as a question but more of an inquisitive statement. I know GM did far more work on the Zeta for the Camaro from its roots at Holden/G8 than just removing 2 doors. Those more extensive changes are the reason why the Camaro is going on sale until Q1 2009 as opposed to the Challenger's 2008 release. That was their chance to make a go at Zeta again and correct some shortcomings. I have no doubt that the Camaro will be a better car overall but I think they should have gone further on the weight reduction side. That is IF these numbers are true, and we won't know that until the unveil.

 

is this like 100% legit? how did u find all of this out?

 

Maybe there is still some hope for a 1LE 5th gen Camaro. Obviously there are going to be no stripper 5th gen cars, but a low content car with handling and weight reduction equipment would be nice to see, since the Z28 could very well be a land monster.

 

if it indeed is, very nice!

 

It looks like that call to Jenny Craig may have gone unanswered. I tried to temper my expectations but 3900 lbs for the garden-variety V8 is really pushing it.

 

If true, this is disturbing and deeply, deeply disappointing. The overweight thing is not unexpected but I never dreamed it would reach two flipping tons.

I hope all of you weight-doesn't-matter-as-long-as-it-says-Camaro-on-the-fender guys snap up every one made. Really, I'm serious. Put your money where your mouth is.

That may be the only way I'll get the car I want in 2014 or so.


It's a shame....I've really been looking forward to this car since about the late 90's. Never been a Corvette guy but I guess I better start looking for a low mileage ZO6. No sense in putting off my next car purchase any longer.

Can't believe that after waiting this long, I'll have to buy a used car to get a fun to drive, sub $60K V8 that doesn't weigh two tons.......

 

and there we have it.



all I can say is dont bench race it. drive it. then if you dont like it, you walked away making an informed decision.

 

I'm not 100% for certain... But it's interesting info none-the-less.

It's just a "I know somebody who knows somebody" kinda deal.

PS - new ZR1 w/ the LS9 puts down 560rwhp

 

Well, let me ask you this, if you can answer. I recently drove a G8 GT with the 19" wheel sport package. Nice car. But I could feel every last ounce of it's two tons whenever I would steer, brake or accelerate. And that's okay for what the G8 is. But, unless the Camaro has a completely different dynamic feel, (and why would it?), for me it'll be a failure as a "ponycar".

So is the sportiest G8 available, a good indicator of what the Camaro feels like?

 

Be fair though. You knew the G8 GT was a two ton car before you drove it. Don't you think this knowledge may have preconditioned you beforehand? In other words, had you not known its weight, would you have been just as judgemental?

 

you know after reading all of your opinions on the weight of the car, it sounds as if alot of you are/were expecting to essentially have a near-corvette quality car for half the price...i mean come on...the corvette coupe is what, 3200-3300lbs? and you guys were expecting the camaro to be what, 3600-3700? come on...as important as this car is to chevy and GM as a whole, they will not make a car that can outperform the vette. what would be the point of buying a vette for 50k when u can get better performance from a 36k camaro? use some common sense guys....

 

This is good advice, although I am not preparing to be blown away. The 5 series is a good handling vehicle with a lot of weight, but you can still feel it's weight in everyday driving, especially cutting a hard turn.

It is nice that GM knocked off 200-300lbs of the Zeta sedans, but ultimately two tons is two tons.