Here's a thought that's been rattling around in my brain for awhile.

What if Chevy approves the Bel Air and gives it a V8, (with possibly a Nomad platform mate). Since it would be based on inexpensive truck mechanicals, it could turn into a very inexpensive V8 RWD "car".

If such a RWD V8 car could be had for....oh, say...low $20K in coupe form, how would this affect the Camaro? Would this end up being a popular choice for the budget hot rodder? Would this free up Camaro to go slightly upscale?
By upscale, I mean, a car that wouldn't be under pressure to compete at the sub $20K range in I4 or V6 entry level form. This may mean, a better chassis and powertrains for all of us interested in a more performance oriented Camaro.

What do you guys think? And, would this be a good thing for Camaro?

 

I think they need a good I4 or v6 entry level to compete in that market and a rwd v8 to compete in its own market. As much as I don't like ricers, a decent sports compact car to compete with that market, in addittion to the Camaro, not instead of it.

 

Maybe I should clarify. There would still be an entry level Camaro. But maybe all Camaros wouldn't need to be "pulled down" technologically, just to be able to bring the base model in at an $18k price point.

 

Upscale Camaro? No thanks. That's not a Camaro anymore. Part of the fun of owning Camaro is it doesn't have all the fancy doodads that the ricers have, just raw power and some comfortable front seats. That's Camaro.

 

If Camaro goes upscale it will never get past the drawing board...if it is perceived to even remotely threaten the Corvette's position it will not happen. Camaro has alway been relatively affordable.

 

I probably should have been more clear in my original post. I'm not talking about creating this $40+K Camaro, or having it compete with with Corvette or anything like that. So everyone relax for a minute.

What I'm saying is....If BelAir comes out on the lower end, maybe Camaro can move SLIGHTLY upscale. Instead of an $18k base model, maybe base models can start at $20-$21K.

And why would this make such a difference? Maybe raising the entry level price will get Camaro a better chassis. Maybe it will get Camaro more "premium" Sigma components.

Remember, even if you're considering a $30k loaded V8 Camaro.....if the base model NEEDS to come in at $18k, that's the chassis you'll get too.

 

Indications are that Nomad & Belair will be made together. No clue as to when, though I'm guessing within the next 36 months.

GM-Holden will be making low volume niche vehicles for GM throughout the rest of the decade because of their ability to bring vehicles to production for pennies compared to what GM/NA can do. Also, the lower volume vehicles won't raise labor issues here in the US & Canada

Unless GM's Craft center ends up producing Nomad & Belair, I'd place big money on it being built by Holden. If it goes to Holden, it won't be built on a truck chassis, but the new IRS chassis Holden is finishing up.

Holden is expanding production capacity over the next year or so, and with the next GTO and Monaro to go separate ways in styling and country of manufacture, Holden will be getting other products to keep the newly expanded plant running at capacity.

Holden is also looking at selling their cars under their own name in other countries, including the US. Bob Lutz dictated that the upcomming Holden engineered US cars will have different styling than Holden cars, so anything Holden sells here under their own name won't look like cars produced here by Chevrolet & Pontiac.

Also, on a related item, it seems like GTO buyers will have access to HSV upgrades via aftermarket parts.

 

But for the sake of this argument, let's assume Belair/Nomad ARE truck based, WITH a live rear axle.

 

In that case, just because they would be on truck chassis, I don't think they would automatically be an inexpensive RWD car.

GM has developed a stunning ability of taking very cheap vehicles & turning them into cash cows extrodinare!

Take the Escalade. Compared to the Navagator, GM spends pennies making it. Navagator has 4 overhead cams, a sophisicated chassis, IRS, and a whole host of other goodies. The Escalade carries the same components as an $18,000 Chevy pickup. The $75,000 XLR will be a $48,000 Corvette (which already has HUGE profit margins). Those Cadillacs soon to be going north of $60,000 will be very similar to the $32,000 CTS.

If GM makes a limited production car like the Nomad & Belair, after the SSR, I'd bet they would price it in the $30Ks range, with it's production costs not much more than the Colorado, and pocket the difference.

In that case, Camaro's position is safe from a strictly cost (let alone market positioning) standpoint.

 

I have to agree with you there.

 

 

So what are these aftermarket HSV parts? Is there a list somewhere of what they are?

 

The purpose of this tread, (in my mind anyway), was to see if there was a way to insure Camaro gets the world class chassis we all want.

It sort of went in a different direction. Oh well...........

 

If a base price bump of 2-3k meant having a vastly superior structure compared to a bargain basement rattle trap, I'd say go for it, but I do agree that Camaro needs to keep price point in mind at all times...

 

That was the point I was trying to make...but unfortunately failed at.