It does make sense if its just gunna be a show car. Look at the original "Kappa" Soltice and the merging of parts-bin stuff. It could sit on the LWB for the show, and just wedge a 2.8TT motor in it.
But the problem is...no news of a V8, just turbo 6cyls or turbo 4's.
If this is the case...and this is the base for the next "Chevy Coupe"...maybe it shouldnt be called Camaro?

 

THANK YOU!

I want a V8. Therefore make my "Chevy Coupe" Zeta and not Kappa.

 

You are reading my mind. Here is my take on all of this...
Holden is developing the chassis for the next generation Camaro correct?
What size car is a Camaro? Medium not Large (Zeta)

The wheelbase on the LWB Kappa is the length a true Ponycar should be, and about what it is rumored the next Camaro will have. The wheelbase of the Nomad and Curve is 107 inches. The wheelbase for the first and second gen. Camaro: 108 inches. Our new Camaro is supposed to be about the same size as the first gen.
The track width on the LWB Kappas was already about 60 inches (60 in the front and 61 out back). Right along the same lines as the first and fourth gen. Camaro. To get the V6 to fit, that may have to be increased but maybe not, it depends on how the engineers did it. Either way, it is close to what a pony car should be. The track on the Zeta cars we have seen is 65 in front and 66 in the rear. That is too wide for a pony car. A bigger car, like a Chevelle or Monte Carlo would be better for that track width.
IIRC, Chevy isn't going to get a Zeta until about 2008, after the 40th anniversary of the Camaro. Again, IIRC, Chevy is supposed to get some form of a Kappa in late 2006 as a 2007 model. 40th anniversary party!
What did Holden do here, the found a way to get bigger engines into a bigger Kappa (LWB) which in turn could be the medium rearwheel drive architecture that could spawn the return of our Camaro.
I think that this will be very close to the platform that we will see the fifth gen. Camro on.

 

How about a kappa chassis and the turbo 1-5 from the hummer truck?

TONY

 

WRONG!

Up to now all we've heard is Kappa can only use a 4 cylinder. Holden is managing to squeeze a 6 into a "bigger" Kappa. THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT A PONY CAR.

The next GTO is going to be Zeta based which accepts a V8. Zeta can also be used for larger wheelbases (like a full size Caprice) however as it is flexible it doesn't have to be. The modern GTO is dimensionally similar to the current Mustang, AND is the same wheelbase the Camaro has been for most of its existance (except for Gen IV).

Therefore how can anyone suggest that Zeta is TOO big to be a "CAMARO"?

 

Because all of the zetas we've seen to date have had a wheelbase of about 114". Doyou want your Camaro that long. I don't. Track is 65", again, Much to big for a pony car. Look up the dimensions of the Nomad or Curve. Everything but overall length is right on for the size of a Pony car and is almost exactly what the first gen. was like. Wheelbase, track, height, interior are all right on. they even match up to the new mustang, the Camaro chief rival. Look it up. Matter of fact I'll post it later to save the good people here trouble.

 

Do you actually think the next GTO is going to have a 114" wheelbase and a 65" track?

Of course not.

Do you actually think GM is going to show us a Zeta car that has the dimensions of a 5th gen Camaro before they are ready to announce the Camaro's return to the world?

Of course not.

Just because we haven't seen a shorter wheelbase Zeta chassis, does not mean it doesn't exist.

P.S. Don't bother doing a dimensional comparison between Mustang, GTO and Zeta. We already did that a few weeks ago. Just to a search past page one.

 

A Zeta Camaro will have high firewall "issues".
A Zeta Camaro will be the size of a GTO (not very ponycar-like).

This new "medium" Kappa should fit a V8.
"Medium" Kappa will not have high firewall issues.
"Medium" Kappa can be made pony car sized.
"Medium" Kappa can be theoretically stiffer than Zeta.
Wilmington needs to add about 100,000 Chevys annually to run efficiently.

Just some thoughts going through my head........

 

I was going to make the firewall hieght issue as well against Zeta... And from what I've read, there was some idea on still making it work, but it'd be hard to say.

If the guys at holden took a DOHC I4 motor out and put a V6 TT in, unless they shortened the front end, an ls1 should fit. The engine will be as wide as the v6 (but narrower depending on how close the turbos are to the primaries) and long as an I4. I dont see this as impossible.

And Wilmington needs to add a lot of cars to run well...

The current GTO isnt a Zeta. It's too big for the supposed Zeta specs. But the chassis is flexible, and we know this. Just as we can toy with the Zeta, we Can toy with the Kappa.

 

I agree with you on all those points but what I'm wondering is will the medium kappa still be on the same line with at Wilmington? what benefits would GM see in keeping 2 diff. lines at one plant? maybe the ext. kappa will be built in oz.? i.e. effectively exporting the chevy coupe/camaro to the US. I'm just not sure GM will run with this idea though..

 

How can you say that when the current GTO is dimensionally the same size as the current Mustang?

Is the Mustang not a "ponycar"?

 

The current GTO is one half foot larger than Mustang.

And yes...the Mustang is a pony car.

 

6 inches... c'mon, man, yank a ruler out of your desk and look at what 6 inches really is (no jokes here, please ), and ask yourself if that really is part of the definition of what the car is or is not...

The most frequent comment I have recieved on the GTO from friends and family is "It looks so small"

 

6 inches is ALOT!

It changes....completely... the proportions of a car. It takes an intermediate car and turns it into a pony car. Six inches is one HELL of alot.

BTW, I think your GTO is just the right size for a GTO....it could be even bigger.

PS

The new Vette is only 5 inches shorter than the old one....and when you park them next to each other...one looks muscular and new....one looks bulky and alittle old.

 

See, I dont think the overall length is as important as , say the overhangs... I think a well porportioned car is what matters most.

I would agree... it could be a bit bigger actually... this thing does feel small to me after driving the Monte for 2 years.