Would you rather the general handling tone of the Camaro be aimed at Drag Racing, Track/AutoX Performance, or a plush Grand Touring ride?

I am not talking about something that can be changed on the suspension level either...I mean more the overall design of the car. The 4th Gen being heavier is less the handler than a 3rd Gen in most apps, but the stronger structure makes it a better drag racer. The Third Gen was a great track performer, but the desire to make it light also compromised thier quality. Less material in teh constructing gave them alot of chassis flex issues...ect.

The second Gen was a bloated GT car, that in the middle of the 70's sold mere Camaro's than ever despite being some of the worst performing Camaro's ever.

Kind ahard to explain my point..but what do you wanna see?

 

Auto-X...Upper/lower control arms up front, multilink in the rear

 

Yes.



The Track Pack should be Track/AutoX ...the SS a "tight" touring package, personally couldn't care less how the base cars are package.

 

The Camaro has always been about great handling throughout its history. However, that doesn't mean some Camaro buyers, particularly those that want a mild V6 power luxo-cruiser, wouldn't be more in favor of a plush Grand Touring ride. Therefore it should be optional on the base and midrange Camaro.

The "TD" (TopDawg) Camaro sould come standard with the Track/AutoX spec'd suspension.

Gearing any mainstream production car purely at Drag racing is a rediculous proposition IMO. Sure you'd want to see a vehicle that could be made into that vein with some aftermarket go-go goodies, however to completely gear it towards Drag racing as a production car would mean a sacrifice in ride and handling for the most part. While some may want to take their 5th Gen Camaros to the strip on the weekend, a four-link or multi-link set-up would be a PITA on a daily driver.

 

I won't get into the whole z28 vs SS thing so i'll go by base, mid, and top as the 3 models.

Base: Soft non-sporty suspension. Needs to put emphasis on comfort rather than performance. Have an RS option which would include minor suspension upgrades (slight drop and revalved shocks).

Mid: Suspension geared for all-around performance. Not an all-out handler, but a good compromise of drag/track/street. You don't want a too-stiff suspension on this car since it too will sell in large volumes. Make it too stiff and you scare the consumer away.

Top: All out handler. Stiff performance suspension. Double wishbone suspension on all 4 corner Which'd mean the base and mid should have one too). The double wishbone is nice, but probably isn't realistic. Make the overall car a bit lower than both mid and base models. Give this model specific brakes, shocks, springs, and wheels to boost the overall track potential.

 

We're talking about a Camaro. The base model should still have a sporty ride, no matter how "comfortable."

 

With today's tire and suspension technology, this thing had better handle well. We're talking on the level of a base C5, with corresponding ride quality (which is to say firm but not punishing). Where as I'm not always able to enjoy my car's power on a daily basis, I can always appreciate quality handling during an average drive to work.

I couldn't care less about the ride or handling of the V6 - that's not my market segment to comment on. One would assume that it should be able to run with an Acura RSX or Toyota Celica GTS in "real-world" conditions, or else it'll have little place in the sport coupe market.

 

What about an option for the selective ride control? I am not sure how much it cost on a Vette but if I recall, it wasn't that much. Also, what about the possiblity of the magnetic ride control of the C5 too? I know this is more high-end stuff but if they can do it for a decent price by the time the new 5th gen hits the streets, I think it might be worth it and give the Camaro that much more of a high tech persona....................or maybe it will just be too costly on this type of a vehicle and my whole post was a waste.