I know Pacer is going to threaten to get in his SS and drive across town and serve me a whoopin', but here goes...

Do any of you guys see a hybrid powertrain in the 5th gen? You have to expect zeta to have it on the sedans, especially with the the new tech. they have developed with aide from DCX. So will we see it on the GTO/Chevy coupe???

I say, why not? This would be a great selling point over the rest of the class on the mid-models. Also, if you were to put a 310hp 5.3 with say 75hp in electric assist, you have quite the powerful powertrain "system." Did the press release for the 2in1 trans list weight? How much of a weight penalty would we see by the time that generation of hybrid comes around?

So tell me what you think. I know the hardcore grease monkeys are going to flame the hell out of me...but ask yourself, would this have benefit for GM? Would there be demand (and $$) for GM to supply it??

Talk amongst yourselves...

 

If by hybrid you mean JET ENGINE...

otherwise, nope

 

Hybrids don't really make that much sense, and they cost much more. Fore example, the Prius doesn't get that much more mileage than the Corolla, but it costs several thousands more. Equip that Corolla with a displacement on demand system, and that would bring the two even closer.

The one way hybrids do make sense, is to sell on "image" but since few hot rodders are buying "green" cars for the image, that won't work.

I'd be happier if they devoted their resources to making the car extremely lightweight for its class (which results in better performance) to achieve MPG gains, and maybe coupled that with the displacement on demand function.

If they could keep the weight down to 3200-3300 lbs (aproximately corvette weight, but consider all the techno-crap that's on a vette that's not on a camaro type car) they could get the mileage into the low 30's with DOD.

 

You know, if they would have never even called it a "hybrid" in the first place, and didn't have the following of "tree-hugging hippies" then nobody would have a problem with it. If it was just known as another type of assist like a supercharger or a turbocharger, people would have been all about it. Instead now, people think it just makes a car slower and cost more. While the latter may be true, it doesn't cost much more than a super/turbo charger but can serve up just the same amount of torque and HP as both AND help a car get ~30-50% better fuel economy. Whats the problem here?

I'd say offer it on the base model as an option only, otherwise all kinds of anti-environmentalist enthusiasts will throw a fit. Hell, they'll probably throw a fit about it being an option on a V6 too if its nearly as quick as the base V8 polluting half as much.

 

By your same logic, an LS1 Camaro isn't that much faster than a 3800...so Chevy just offered the V8 as an "image" to sell Camaro's as a powerful car.

With GM and DC alreaddy having a joint venture with the new hybrid powertrain, why not help spread costs by mixing it in with all the Zeta's?

If you could find a way to make a car as big as a Camaro 'lightweight' enough to equalize the gas milage of a full-hybrid powertrain, you'd probably be a billionaire. With a full-hybrid powertrain such as whats on the Toyota Prius, a 4th gen could easily acheive upwards of 40 MPG in the city. Oh, and have 400+ HP.

 

There is no way a small device to compress air (Turbo or supercharger) is similar in cost to an entire hybrid system - basically and entire second drivetrain which includes an electric motor, a battery pack, high voltage wires, control hardware and often unique transmissions (Prius, Escape, etc.). It's also no secret that the automakers aren't making much, if anything on Hybrids right now. I'll bet that the $2500 premium you'd probaboy pay for each results in break even at best for the hybrid and $2000 profit for the supercharger.

 

We're really just pissing in the wind here until we really find out how much these full-hybrid batteries will cost after all is said and done.

 

Good idea...DOD + hybrid=~25% mpg gain highway I bet.

In case you haven't noticed, the Camaro name could use a slight image makeover. GM needs the Camaro to go for volume. To do this, they will need a wider audience/demographic. Why not go for the middle-aged guy that wants a hot looking car with 350-400hp and can get 30-32mpg? How much better could that get???

 

This guy gets what I'm talking about!

 

You think just the blower/hairdryer is the only thing OEM's add to the vehicle? This diminishes your arguement significantly...

 

i think a hot looking car will be enough to sell more
look at the mustang
it used to sell so so for it's 4th gen, but whne the hard edged style came out (not sure if it's called sn95 or what) it took off
it looks appealing and it doesn't have hybrid
the camaro can do just as well as the mustang, if not better, without hybrid

 

Do you think GM is interested in doing "as well, if not better" than the mustang? Why not go for the throat? If mustang wants to go for the base corvette in speed (a territory Camaro probably won't tread), Camaro needs something to stand out from the rest.

BTW, do you think Mustang will be Camaro's only competition in 2008?

 

Ok. I forgot to add a longer belt. Really, for a Supercharger, how much more content are they adding (not changing - adding)? A roots blower (the most common) just sits on top of the engine and runs off the belt.

BTW, Has anyone read about the driving experience of the Prius? It is not one that I'd come ten feet from in anything resembling a sports car. I'm not sure that the parallel hybrids like the Accord are much better, but I don't know for sure. There still aren't any manual transmisison equipped hybrids. I don't have anything against hybrids - I worked on a team building a series hybrid car several years ago, but I don't think the technology can deliver the driving experience we want in a car with a performance image at this point in time.

 

i think it would be a great idea.

 

I don't know.