I'm betting the F-body crowd is hoping for a whole helluva lot

Anyways until a new chassis gets here I cant see where its coming from? Powers not an issue. And for some reason alot of people think that a puny all aluminum and rumored 400hp - 385 ft/lbs 5.0 is going to somehow twist the S-197 like a wet noodle in comparison to the 540hp - 510ft/lbs monster that resides at the top of the heap currently.

I've seen the additional bracing a GT500 gets, it amounts to a strut tower brace on the pre '10 cars and a K-memeber brace for 07-'10 cars - both are simple steel tubes, nothing fancy.

Not a big difference between the M5 and M6 (can't say about the A5 and A6), especially since the M5 is alot beefier than the T-5 it replaced.

Brakes are heavier, but its the front rotors and calipers only. The rears are common between all models.

The V8 cars get the 8.8 rear vs. the 7.5 for the V6 and the only difference between the GT500/Bullitt 8.8 and standard GT diff are the axle bearings.

The '10 GT500 uses a forged "19 wheel, the GT with Track Pack uses a low pressure cast "19 currently.

All suspension components are essentially the same with the exception of high durometer bushings for the GT500 (and a larger front bushing for the front LCAs).

Extra content might count for some weight gain, but the current car has alot to begin with. I imagine the heavist non GT500 car is a GT fitted with nav, "19 wheels, current version of the interior comfort package (both front seats power and heated) and the glass roof along with the shaker 1000 audio. all told the car gets close to probably 3600 pounds or might even just go over a bit.

Now that I think about it, the next GT is probably a current GT500 with about 300 pounds knocked off (3v 4.6 vs. 4v 5.4 weight difference).

 

I just hope GM is able to give the Camaro team the resources to improve. Since Z28 hasn't gotten off the ground it makes me believe that everything is idle.

 

Could be, but I like to think that if anything were to kick start improvements, this would.

 

lovely.... I guess time for a few bolt ons, see where I can lose some weight AND a tune to keep up with next mustang.

 

Okay, let's look at this...

Some of the main complaints which this Camaro has garnered - ie, large size, overweight, weird claustrophobic interior - those things aren't going to change on this car.

Numb steering and understeer, these things can be fixed, I'd think.

There are no plans for a Gen V smallblock on this car either, so the LS3 is pretty much it (not a bad thing). And an LSA isn't going to correct the Camaro's shortcomings, in fact prpbably exacerbate them.

Let's see what GM comes up with, but considering Mustang's lighter package, better interior and driving position - and now upcoming powertrains - Camaro will have an uphill battle.

 

Probably indeed. My TVS 2300 Magnacharger weights 72.5 pounds. This is the blower/intercooler assembly alone, and is not counting the accessories which probably weighs an additional 20-25 pounds.

 

Driving position? I've not heard that one. Everything I've read (as well as my personal experience, although I've not sat in a 2010 Mustang) puts Camaro in the lead for driving position.

 

I've heard it mentioned several times by reviewers. And I agree with them. Visibility seems better to me on the Mustang.

 

I've also read the driver position comments from car mags as well. I've sat in both cars. The Camaro feels like old school 3rd and 4th gens: low slung, doors up high...feels like a real sports car to me. Mustang feels like a more normal seating position, more sports coupe like.

 

Actually, the Mustang's driving position reminds me alot of a 3rd gen. Both in the seating position and view. Maybe that's why it feels so familiar and comfortable to me. The Camaro does give me a touch of claustrophobia though. Those huge a-pillars give me the feeling I'm in a bunker or something. I have this urge to make sure I've got enough .50 cal ammo and grenades in case of a Chinese infantry human wave attack.

 

One thing that amazes me is that Ford dealers are greedy on the high optioned performance Mustangs. I saw a GT500 KR in one dealer that had its price brazenly plastered across the windshield in big letters, "ONLY $89K!".

Get real.

 

Unfortunately the reverse of this will not be true. The Camaro needs to compete with mustang to sell. What happens when the newness of the 5th gen wears off? Mustang appears to be bringing a bazooka to a gun fight. If GM does not respond, then this car will suffer the same fate as the 4th gen. GM's lack of refining, updating, and refreshing of the 4th contributed to its demise. The same treatment of the 5th will have the same result.

If GM is not working on steering, handling, and interior improvements, right now as we speak, then they have their collective heads up their A--.

 

+1 no way it puts on 400lbs

 

There are some tweaks which should/can be done, but I just don't see GM spending any meaningful additional money on this car. No matter what, the 5th gen is handicapped with some built in compromises when compared to Mustang. That simply is no way to compete.

If I were calling the shots, I'd want to push forward the 6th gen.

 

You know, Charlie, I had a chance to speak to some friends of mine inside GM, and I hate to say it, but I hear that you will be disappointed with the size and weight of the Alpha Camaro too -- apparently, they enlarged Alpha (it's called Alpha Plus) in order to accommodate Camaro rather than shrinking Camaro to fit Alpha.

Hopefully it's early enough in the development stages that it was just a prototype with no such decision set in stone, but that's what I heard.