Actually he 1st references the Miata/S2000, which, bluntly, the Solstice is not, despite what anyone here who has not actually seen it in person says or thinks. That comes directly from inside GM. So the idea that Solstice is going to be some reject chassis is really, really wrong.

95Z28LT1, don't judge a book by it's cover. I saw the Bengal in person, and though it's an ugly car IMHO, it would still roughly the size of a Mustang in production trim (concept's 175" long w/ no overhang at either end, which would definately change in the production version adding at least 10")

This part isn't directed to anyone in particular, but it's extremely ironic that there's still misconceptions that because the Solstice is a 4 cylinder car that it's chassis will be cheap and fragile. What's really funny is that when you take a 3rd or 4th gen F-body and put it on a lift, you can actually see the body flex!

Does anyone here actually, really, truly believe the Solstice will have a weaker chassis than an F-body that got it's structural start when Carter was president. Or a 1st and 2nd gen Camaro that shares it's structure with Chevrolet's smallest, cheapest car till the Vega came out.

Also, how on earth does anyone here come to the conclusion that the Solstice/Bengal/Sky ISN'T a world class chassis. Has anyone here actually seen it?

It wasn't too long ago that some actually believed that GM was going to take a FWD "J" car and turn it into a RWD Solstice. Then some here complained about the weight of the GTO. Anyone look up the weight of the V6 CTS? A Camaro based on it would be no more than 150 pounds lighter....and that's just the V6!

No one is going to make a version of the CTS/STS/Lesabre into a Camaro. It's a heavy chassis. It's cowl is too high. It has NOtumblehome whatsoever. The Solstice chassis is as close as it's going to get unless GM commits more money than we know they will.

Think we ought to get over it??

 

You got that right! Every time I jack up mine, I hold my breathe, hoping it won't snap in half!


That's the thing guion, we don't know.

If the suspension used, is beffitting the aspirations we have for a new Camaro.....I SAY GO FOR IT! But I suspect that the suspension components will be of the low rent variety.

 

I've put my Camaro on a lift before... it had a little shake to it, but it was a whole lot stiffer than any GM unibody sedan at the time.

 

I've seen the Solstice and I think the Bengal in person. They were at last years auto show in Detroit. Although I never looked at them at the time as being the basis for the next Camaro, I still don't believe that they will be a suitable replacement.

I want something that is going to come from GM's new RWD chassis that the next gen Impala, Monte, or whatever will be built on. IMO the next Camaro's most important component is going to have to be its chassis for it to shake that "rattle-trap" stereotype it has with so many people.

 

Better tell GM to get working, their Solstice platform is already flimsy and weak, and it's not even made yet!

I'd rather have a smaller, lighter camaro than a porker. I sware it seems like a lot of people here want a B-body based replacement.

 

Light and small is good!

Reducing mass is the only modification that you can make, which in one fell swoop.....improves acceleration, improves handling, improves braking, increases mileage, reduces emissions, and reduces stress on components.

It looks cooler too.

 

I know this has been debated a lot Guion and I know we've disagreed about this before on a few threads, but really, I don't see the Solstice as the optimal platform for a 5th gen. I can shove a V8 inside of my 94 S10, but does that automatically make it practical? Look at the Bengal (a V6 car) and the Solstice (supercharged Ecotec). Those are light duty cars not meant for lots of power like the Camaro is meant for. It may be a world class platform but I wonder about the weight distribution of that car with a V8 inside of it. True it will have room for the V8 and true it will be 2+2. But there will seem to be SO MANY things you have to upgrade in the suspension and drivetrain. These would be unique parts in this factoy. Out of the GM parts bin, true. Yes I know the concept had the T56 but that from what I hear will be scrapped since the car will not need a transmission that heavy and built for the S/C Ecotec. But these parts would have to be shipped to the factory only for the Camaro, not the Solstice or Bengal or Sky. It doesn't seem practical.
Now, the upcoming RWD Grand Prix/Monte Carlo platform seems more optinal in that you already will have a car with V8 and beefier drivetrain. The interior will be roomier than the Solstice I think since it will be designed better for passengers. We always complained about the 4th gen not having useful back seats. Reskin it, put in a wilder GenIV V8, and make a stiffer suspension and to me you would have a better candidate for a Camaro that I think would be CHEAPER to produce per unit. Just my opinion as an observer. I'm with Z284ever on this one. But not Sigma like he said. The upcoming MC/GP/GTO/(Chevelle?) platform.

 

Let me get this straight, and correct me if I'm wrong, but we will have 4 different RWD platforms in the next few years? (not counting the GTO/Monaro platform)

1)Vette
2)CTS Sigma
3)Solstice/Bengal/Sky
4)Grand Prix/Monte Carlo

This looks good to me. You know I really don’t care which platform the Camaro comes back on as long as it true to the car heritage, affordable and acceptable to our demands of performance as enthusiasts.
And by the way I miss read what Red Planet posted about the Solstice.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see a little bit of all of these in the next Camaro.

 

I'd just like to point out that swapping a V8 in an S-10 is a different thing then a fatroy bulit and enginered Solstice with a V8

 

Well Burmite, disagreeing is all part of the fun here.

Just the same, no one knows anything about the Solstice chassis. Pacer X comes the closest as far as anyone who'll talk, and what I've gotten depends on who I talk to. The thing that is universal in the few cases where there is a common thread, is that it will be light, rigid, and very geared to performance & handling. Pacer X's post seems to fall in line with that as well.

The CTS Sigma has a rear subframe which will be expensive if done in alumunum, and heavy if done in steel (just like the identical sized 3600 pound Mustang Cobra & Pontiac GTO). I think that after 3400 lb V8 Camaros, the idea of base V6 Camaros weighing that much wouldn't sit well with this crowd, and some at Chevrolet apparently knows this.

There are people at Chevy that want the next Camaro to be "world class" in the chassis department, and prefer to use Cadillac's chassis to do it, seeming (at least to me, anyway) oblivious that a low $30,000 performance Camaro isn't what it's all about. Mark Ritter's (Chevy's General Manager) remark last year about finding a proper chassis for Camaro (which he shortly back tracked from) was because of this exact debate going on behind the scenes (true story!).

So the Solstice based vs CTS based Camaro debate wasn't just here alone.

Guessing the end result will be a combination of some sort.

 

My problem is, that I want it all. I want world class dynamics, unprecedented rigidity, impressive light weight and affordability.

 

Way back in the dark ages, circa 1995-1996, the CTS chassis WAS the choice for a Camaro replacement. If I remember right, CTS was originally called GMX-320, and the Camaro variant was off the same platform.

Then it got killed dead.

 

Verrry interesting.

Even i fit was killed at the time, I'm sure the work they did still exists somewhere... somethig they could revive I suppose. It would put them a little ahead too, if that were the case.

 

I believe th chassis your refering to is called Sigma. And yes its a top notch ultra modern very customizeable chassis. Any Camaro built on it would be very very advanced, maybe past that of the Vette.

However there is an inherant flaw that seems to keep it from ever seriously being considdered as a Camaro chassis. It has nothing to do with politics or cost but with its architecture.

So the Solstice to me represents a major possibility. GM is in the process of "looking" for vehicles to base off this platform. To cut costs and fill a plant. Obviously the Solstice and a Buick variant but there would certainly be room for one or two more. Almost like the W or J platforms. While amny may scoaf at the idea of a Camaro being built from a shared platform the fact is the F platform is gone and it isn't comming back. It may be all we get, for now...

But in the words of the great Obi Wan, there is another!