...

 

This is what I am failing to understand as well. Any luxury style piece of equipment you would get with an SS, you could order in a z28.

 

Ok - but what could you get in the SS that you couldn't get in the Z28? A couple of appearance things - like the hood and wheels? And couldn't you get an SS without a lot of options - or any at all?

Bob

 

Indeed.
Somewhere in my posts I have written that more SSs came fully loaded than Z28.

 

Uncle. But I think Chevy had "Sport" much more in mind than "Luxury" (in any context) when they named the car "SS".

 

So...Is this another live axle car? I can see another 40hp, but how about revision of the suspension? All the reveiwer of the GT500 says the car has great power, but handles like garbage.

I dont understand how the Mustang is so heavy, but everything is so light and cheap? Less complex SLA, strut front end...yet still a tank?

If Camaro comes in at the same weight as Mustang, IMO, that would be pretty good considering that the more complex IRS and GM's push twards better quality....not to mention the phone call to Jenny Craig.

 

Dear God,

After seeing the Shelby GT500KR, I am praying to you in the hope that GM has a new Camaro ZL1 up it's sleeve somewhere, simply for bragging rights. Ford cannot be allowed to claim the horsepower throne.

Amen.

 

Was just rereading the thread, and I saw this. I noticed when I saw the concept, that it did look really big in person. Didn't help that they put it near a Vette.

People can throw around dimension specs all day. The 5th gen certainly appeared larger and definetly more bulky than my 4th gen in person.

 

I think if Ford either bumped the output of a Cobra R to 500hp, or detuned a GT500 to 385, that a Cobra R would have a great chance at a GT500 on a track.

 

I found that the 5th gen looked smaller in person than it did in the pictures I saw when it first came out.

 

I love how it looks but I wish they would change and relocate that antenna. It ruins the styling.

 

Mustang isn't heavy. The base GT starts around 3425#, is about 188" long, is a wide 74" in width, and is a tall 55" and some change in height. It's also RWD.

Compare that with a RWD Nisan 350Z that's a shade under 170" long, just over 71" wide, 52" tall, has 2 less seats, less bulk, extensive alumunum use, just a V6 and related light weight drivetrain components. It's pushing about 3380..... a mere 45 pounds less than the comparatively huge, V8 Mustang!

GM's own specifications puts a base model Camaro Z28 (meaning no T-top, no optioned, base model Z28 that no one actually bought) at 3405#
....just 20 pounds less than the Mustang GT.


All the weight of the GT500 and the GT500KR is entirely the heavy duty components that are NEEDED to deal with 500+ horsepower and 500+ lbs feet of TORQUE......without breaking!


Since the Mustang GT is within a couple of bags of sugar and a big gulp in weight of a 4th gen Z28, assume we start with a 4th gen Camaro terms (something we're all familiar with, and whose weight we aren't likely to exaggerate), and adding a high capacity supercharger and internal intercooler is going to add weight, but it will also add alot more power. To handle that power, you'll need to dump the internals and go to heavier forged versions and a sturdier block. Both add additional weight.

To back that up, yo're going to need a tougher transmission an a heavier clutch. Add on more weight. 330 ft/lbs of torque is a pipsqueak next to 500+. going to need a stronger (and heavier) driveshaft. The rear end of the 4th gen tended to shatter under stresses of the LS1 if you added sticky tires and went to the drag strip repeatedly. Add on a stronger rearend... and even more weight. You're going to need bigger brakes to stop all that extra weight, which adds weight. Want to avoid warping the brakes? going to need thicker materials. More weight.

Didn't even go into any reinforcements you'll need to the chassis of a Camaro with a hatch that opens like a C5 and leaves a void in the structure that would probally do it no favors when launching at a drag strip with something approaching 38% more body twisting torque.

Now..... keep in mind that all these components are going to be used and likely abused by it's buyer, and will have to hold up not only well in excess of 100-150,000+ miles that todays buyers demand, but will also likely to be tweaked by owners (with nothing more than a pulley change) to make even more power.

You'd easily have a 3900 to 4000 pound 4th gen Camaro.

If you want to run 500 horses and in excess of 500 lbs ft of torque, seat 4 people inside, keep it on this side of $50,000 msrp, and not have to take it back every month or 2 because something broke, you're looking at serious weight going along with it.

Makes you put all that horsepower and what it takes to get there into perspective, doesn't it?


And sooner or later the price of these things used will drop to the point where some young, inexperienced juvenile with more testosterone than brains will be able to afford one to impress his friends, and won't hesitate to use it.

 

Even if GM makes the Camaro weigh as much as the Mustang with it's heavier components, at the end of the day it still weighs alot. A 3900lb Camaro would be extremely disappointing.

 

I think that just due to saftey factors and other things that are out of our control, goverment mandated and such, that we are going to see heavier and heavier cars. While I know Ms.Craig has been called in, there is just a certain level of weight we are going to have to accept. I would be surprised to see this car come in UNDER 3600lbs.

I still think that while the GT500 and KR are very fast vehicles, I dont think they offer much more then straight line speed. This is where Camaro will offer a better car per dollar, providing a better platform for performance driving, not just drag racing.

 

I guess we will have to see................. when they get here (and who knows what new "save everyone from themselves" safety features will have to be standard then).