An Alpha engine bay that is designed to be long enough to fit a I4, and wide enough to fit a V6, should be large enough to fit a V8. The only question is whether or not the front suspension is strong enough to handle the extra dead weight (<100 lbs?) and the rear diff strong enough to handle the extra torque (<150 lb-ft?).

Or am I missing something?

 

That may be what happens. I could even see keeping Camaro around for a few years for the V8 fans while having a smaller coupe for volume. It's a total guess, but I think a V8 Alpha Camaro would have a premium similar to the SRT8 Challenger or GT500 Mustang. $40K-$49K in today's dollars.

 

A V8 is longer than an I4 and wider than a V6. It also needs a bigger radiator, stronger tranny (probably larger), etc. Just look at how big all the ancillary pieces are on a V8 compared to an I4.

You also need to make sure the chassis is strong enough.

One way to 'add lightness' is to design every element to be just as strong as it needs to be and no stronger. Assuming that light weight for an I4 is important, I think GM will need to do some of this. That would imply adding strength for a strapping V8 version, which would be a separate chassis, separate crash tests, all sorts of things that add cost. Or they can stick an I4 into a chassis engineered for a V8. That's a good way to get a 3600 pound four cylinder.

I've been saying for a while now that a big reason the Genesis V6 is so much lighter than the Camaro V6 is down to it being designed only for the V6. The V8 Genesis sedan weighs the same as the V8 Zeta sedan.

 

As near as I can tell (from looking it up on the web) the torque difference between the LLT V6 and the LS3 V8 is only 147 lb-ft, and the "dry-weight" difference is only 15 lbs?? (370 vs. 385) Is that it?

 

then it will fail. both those cars you mention also have cheaper V8s available.

 

Current V8s? I'll give you that one since I'm too lazy to look it up. But what about a smaller (4.0L?) V8 designed to be lighter and more efficient than today's engines. (Gen V?)

Understood. But that's a "given" is it not?

 

They do now. Remember that the context is 2015. Keep in mind CAFE and CO2 regulations.
Remember also that Ford is doing the 'minus 2 plus boost' thing right now.
Chrysler is one big question mark.

 

i doubt ford would build a mustang without a V8.

 

I doubt you'd see a small N/A V8 like that, as its torque output would be too close to the N/A 3.6, but fuel consumption would be higher. But you never know. If GM decides that a V8 is a must and that they must make it as small and efficient as possible, you'd probably get something like that. It would be longer and wider than the V6, but not as tall. You could put one of the new four lobe superchargers in it to boost power and torque efficiently. I believe there are a lot of forces working against that, but customer demand is a force that can overcome those.

I'm not sure what you meant with that question.

 

They have before!

http://www.mustangii.net/

 

i know. didn't last long.

think they'll do it again?

 

I'm thinking small (4.0L max) DI V8 with some variation of AFM. It seems to me that would be more built-proof than a turbo V6. At least if 350-400hp is a must have.

 

I don't know. It depends on the price of gasoline and the pace of regulation. The former will affect customer demand, and the latter will affect the cost of providing a V8.

The thing is, back in 1974, the fastest Mustang II would not have broken under 18s in a 1/4 mile. With an Ecoboost V6 a little more powerful than the current models, you could break into the 12s with a Mustang. At what point does your customer base demand a V8? And can you make money satisfying that demand?

The future is way too hazy to predict the answers to those questions. With the new 5.0, Ford will certainly be hedging their bets.

 

Are you asking for DOHC 32-valve or OHV 16 valve?

 

Agreed.

That was General Motors management that killed Alpha, killed Zeta's line.


GM hasn't been able to effectively manage 5 divisions in 20 years.

Saturn stagnated in the 90s, while GM threw money into Saab & Oldsmobile.

Pontiac shedded models quicker than a dog sheeding hair in the spring, while money went to Cadillac.

GM's Zeta dies because GM sent money to the GMT100s.

GM hasn't had the ability to bring out 2 models of the same architecture since most people here were still in elementrary school... althoug Ford seems to be able to manage this still.

GM simply is too big, and is spread too thinly to ever invest the resources it needs to stay competitive and make class leading vehicles. All you're ever going to have is continued hit & misses, and the occasional great car that then sits for a decade while everything and everyone else passes it by.