I voted for the S/C V6 because I think it would sell better. A good number of people don't want a V8 for one reason or another so a bad *** V6 is a good way to trick them into getting base V8 level power (to many people, V8= poor gas milage and high insurance)

Don't get me wrong I would rather drive the 4.8L V8 car, but I think the S/C V6 would be better for GM and the Camaro.

note: HP #'s are based on the Grand Prix GXP engine and the Silverado 4.8L

 

If you had it as a choice...I'd vote for the 5.3, aluminum block, 290-300hp motor from the Trailblazer/SSR.

 

I have the 275 horse 4.8 in my Tahoe. Its a dynomite little motor with a nice mix of power and fuel economy.

 

I voted 4.8L V8 with 275HP.

Any1 know how much different the selection of engines will be or what we'll have by 06??

 

Couldn't afford to build an RS.

 

I'd go with the 4.8 also. Less engineering to worry about. Physically, everything that they will already have to put on a 5.7 will bolt right onto the 4.8. Think coil packs, intake routing, exhaust routing, wiring, emissions controls, etc. Even if you use the same V6 for the base engine as the SC'd engine there will be a lot of parts to re-engineer.

 

There would be no benefit in makign a mid range motor model. It only drives up production costs. Why have 2 V8 models? I bet you both would have equal insurance rates. You woudlnt save any gas worth worrying about. V6 and V8 are all thats necesary

 

Of course there is. More choice equals more sales and some might want a more affordable lower power V8, and not just 10HP less.

 

Small V8, if there is a mid-level motor... After all, that is what Camaro is about... affordable V8 performance. If you're going to go through the trouble of offering a mid-level... let it be a V8.

Side note: I'm not crazy about using "RS" as a mid-level name... "RS" has been an appearance moniker with Camaro. Not really an upgrade in power...

 

Do you really think that is right. Look at the difference between a 305 TBI RS and a 305 TPI B4C Both look like RS's yet the TPI motor has higher insurance rates. Also look at the 305 TPI and the 350 TPI. Trust me there may not be much of a difference but there is one.

 

Yup.

Side note: I'm not crazy about using "RS" as a mid-level name... "RS" has been an appearance moniker with Camaro. Not really an upgrade in power...

Thats the only choice and it would be a great mid-model name. Its also ALOT better than Z28, if you know what I mean.

 

Dont Mustang GT's and Camaro Z28s have insurance rates that are about identical? I remember reading it in Car Craft when they did an insurane rate comparison between many modern day muscle cars.

Also, how much gas do you think would really be saved using a smaller displacement over a 5.7L? The Z28 is rated at 19/28 or something like that while the V6 is just slightly higher right? I dont see much gas being saved.

 

I voted for the V8 but I also think that the 5.3 would be nice and to be rated at about 300 hp to do battle with the GT at a cheaper price. The only thing is, what would they call it? I vote for RS.............I just can't see the Z28 name being downgraded to a base V8 model.

 

You can'd demote the Z28 name anyway, it has too much performance associated with it. Even if it came with a weak V8 people in the market for a modestly powered sporty camaro would not want it becaue the perception is anything called Z28 has to be a fire breather.

Red Planet has sunk the mid level v8 argument many times here, but his own discussions about female buyers avoiding Camaro because of too much power are evidence that a mid-level power option is needed.

There is too great a separation between a 200 hp docile v6 and a fire breathing 305-345hp death machine. something in the 265-275 hp range would be great, and if it were simply a smaller bore/stroke version of the top level V8 (a la a 4.8L block cast in aluminum using vortec heads and everything else from the LS1) I don't see it costing an arm and a leg.

I say give Camaro two engine choices...a base v6 of 200 hp or so, and a v8 of sub-5 liter dispacement with 275 hp. Then offer the Z28 model with REAL visual differences from the Camaro and the top of the line small block (Gen IV), then offer the SS package as an option to Z28 just like as in the 4th gens. Offer an RS appearance package that can be combined with any of the above models, just like the 1st gens.

It would be great to have the Z28 become the camaro equivalent of the ZO6 but given the practicality and cost of the existing arangement whereby the Z28 is the "base" performance model, I don't see any real changes there.

 

You are da man!