This thread is a way for me to feel a few things out concerning some of the stuff we have been hearing.

Senario one-Camaro on Zeta

This would put the Camaro coming in after its 40th and not until 08 at the earliest. The recent articles state that Holden gets Zetas made in 06, Buick 07, all else (Camaro included) 08.

Senario two-hybrid Camaro

Seems to be sounding better and better, to me, all the time.

Camaro on a combination of Kappa and Zeta. This would use a Sigma/Zeta rear end. SLA arm Kappa front suspension. Kappa peices would need to be widened and probably lengthened. Good points include a faster roll out time and a factory in the US starting up production really soon, this year. Also the head honcho seems to be gung ho about everything Kappa related.

It seems to me that Kappa came along way to quick to be develped from scratch with the level of siphistication we see on it in just under 3 years. I think work has been done on this for a while the question is which platform did it borrow parts from?

Downsides, relatively weak platform for high performance machine. Limited parts supplies, remember the article about high cost of Kappa if production is not low.

Senario three-Camaro is dead now stop beating a dead horse.

Simply put ain't gonna happen, no way no how. We have to much evidence to state otherwise.

I would like to see the opinions of Guin, Pacer, IREngineer, formual79, and hopefully RedPlanet (probably won't happen I heard he likes his job ) and all the rest of our insiders.

Can a mod make the poll part look right it is the 1st one I have done and I messed up making it up-thanks.

 

First, my standard disclaimer: Anything I was told in confidence that risks anyone's job I'm not going to post.

OK. This is just my opinion based tidbits from people & putting what little intellegence training I have to work.

1st, don't expect Camaro won't be out before January 2007 as a 2008.

Zeta is a modular chassis, meaning that the unibody will be comprised of many interchangable sections. GM will be able to change wheelbases, lengths, overhangs, width, body configuration, height, even drive wheels (RWD or AWD) by subsituting different sections on a specialized assembly line made for this (see Holden's current Fisherman's Bend factory). Zeta is the foundation of GM's entire non-Corvette, non-Cadillac RWD program. This means that there will be many standardized parts.

There will also be plenty of specialized parts, shared with other like cars. the rear suspension of some may be similar to Cadillac's CTS, while others will bear a closer resemblence to other high performance or AWD vehicles.

IF there is a Camaro program, it is based on Zeta. It may have parts it will share with Solstice, or GTO, or perhaps even Corvette, but it's structure is likely based on or is an offshoot of the Zeta, not Kappa.

Why? GM can either invest the money and time to modify the Kappa structure for a Camaro, or it can simply take a chassis that already is engineered to accept a high performance V8, has extremely flexibility in it's configuration engineered in, and is all but done with development.

Putting Camaro on Kappa isn't going to get it here any quicker. Solstice will be out in just over a year, the Curve & Nomad a year later (2007 MY), and pretending there's a Camaro, it will be out in 2008, the earliest it could be out on a Kappa.

Don't worry about any structure being weak. In order to have precise accurate handling, and a solid ride, the body structure will be very solid. If Ford can make a Fairmont handle 400+hp and torque, chassis ridgity isn't an issue. The 4th gen Camaro isn't a paragon of chassis ridgity either... courtesy of that massive hatch opening and equally massive doors (something Camaro partially makes up for by having massive double box construction under the door sill & thick guage steel in the B pillar).

Having a chassis handling horsepower is a non-issue. Solstice's chassis should easily be able to handle Corvette-like power outputs and then some.

 

08 now? What happened to 06 as 07 model?

 

Wait.....Didn't GM just release something a month or two ago stating that either the Curve or the Nomad wouldn't be built?

 

yup, my faith vanished already, I decided to go and buy a mazda 3... and Keep my Camaro LT1= A Muscle Car

 

This is one of those rare occasions where lack of time was the friend of quality.

2 years ago...what Kappa is now....was barely a gleam in someone's eye. Believe it or not, it takes lots of time to make really cheap components work. Well, GM didn't have time for cheap...they only had time for what they knew worked....and what they knew would work were "top shelf" GM components. That's why Corvette was the jumping off point for Kappa's suspension.

I am extremely confident that if enough power can be pumped through Kappa...SPECTACULAR performance will result.

Zeta however, is already engineered for a V8. And is more flexible to manufacture. Sadly, it may also be more flexible than Kappa in rigidity too.

 

At the LA auto show preview, Gary Cowger said it himself in his speach that Saturn would would get a sports car. It's not going to be the exact car we saw as the Curve, but it will be similar.

Nomad is tentatively on 2007. The Kappa structure for the Nomad is going to be shared with the SAAB 9X concept of a few years ago:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/auto...9/slick_swede/

The way the Kappa lineup is shaping up is:

Convertible: Pontiac Solstice/ Vauxhall Lightning or Opel sports car (1 or the other)
Coupe: Saturn Curve/ Chevrolet (unnamed)
Wagon: Chevrolet Nomad/ SAAB 9X

It's actually turning out to be a pretty good program.

 

You know, I never thought of it that way.

It does take more time to engineer cheaper, lighter components once initial specs are done. With Bob Lutz pushing and Lynn Myers team moving at full steam, there probally wasn't any time to dumb down anything, and nobody actually shooting down something that was affordable for the price target.

It's going to start at $20,000 & the supercharger will be a dealer installed option from the very start.

Solstice might actually be one hell of a good car.

I may have to rethink my opposition to convertibles.

 

Yeah, Kappa will be one of...if not..the most rigid platforms in GM's stable. Combined with it's world class unequal length, alloy control armed, coil over suspension...I almost wish someone had thought about Camaro when they were designing Kappa.

 

Holden want a Kappa version as well

 

Ah yes, but when will this unnamed Chevrolet coupe supposed to be out? I hope no more than later 06/early 07. And isn't Chevrolet supposed to get a version of the Solstice or a car like it? Don't recall where I read that.

 

So, does anyone have an idea what the actual curb weight of the Kappa varients might be? I've seen numbers in the 2800-2900 range, which, um, is definitely not Miata-light.

 

Um.... actually....

The Chevy Kappa "coupe" is a late development (Chevy's intrest came very late) so no telling.

 

I have my fingers crossed.



The Chevy Kappa coupe is waaaay on the back burner. Nomad is ahead of it.

BTW, we shouldn't confuse the Chevy Kappa coupe with the "Chevy Coupe"........

 

I was about to ask if a supposed Zeta Camaro would have a SLA front suspension or if it would retain the current V-car's McPherson struts? Or am I totally off on assuming that Zeta will be McPherson struts up front?