There are a couple of threads on here discussing base engines for a 5th gen.

Several people are talking about super or turbo charged v6s and 4 cyls with supercharger options...

WHY????

The ONLY performance engine is going to be the V8..I can promise you that. Why? Because that's what the essense of Camaro is. Supercharged 4 cyls are for pocket rockets, which Camaro never was and never will be. Super or Turbo charged v6s are likewise for Japanese sports cars or FWD sporty cars, again, Camaro never was and never will be this. The Pony car formula is mid-sized, 2+2 seating, rear drive and a V8. This is why I was advocating nothing but v8's in the 5th gen...a Hi-po and a base level v8.

Let me try to explain further. The base engine is meant to be ecomical and to make the base engine-equipped car inexpensive to purchase. Adding superchargers and turbochargers to any engine is an uplevel feature, as they add cost and complexity.

Not only that, but they also imply performance. It would hurt the marketing of the Z28 (and SS, or whatever the arrangement ends up being) to have other performance models.

I just see people asking for these kinds of options and I think its trying to make Camaro something its not and should not be.

Just my $0.02, rebuttal and or discussion is always welcome.

 

I agree the only performance should come from a V8..however assuming the 5th gen is lighter..a 150 HP I4 would do the trick. A dealer installed supercharger package would help those who want mid line performance. I HIGHLY doubt we will see a base engine over 220HP

 

AMEN!

 

I agree. A base engine with forced induction would only make the base car more expensive. If that were the case, they should go ahead and make it a detuned V8.

 

I'd have no problem with a 5th gen having a twin-turbo I6. In fact, the potential for easy tuning may be greater than with a V8.

Are we not forgetting the fact that the 20th Anniversary TA was the fastest F-body made until the introduction of the LS1?

A V8 is great, but I just don't have any problem with new ideas being thrown into the 5th gen. You need to keep moving forward if you want the car to succeed.

 

Don't shoot me, I'm just playing Devil's Advocate here...

Do I hear cracking on a TT T/A?
Witness an '86 Mustang SVO in action?
Super-collectible '83 Turbo GT has both high $ value AND was a great performer in it's day.

Who's to say a turbo-4 or SC-V6 couldn't do a Camaro proud?
Granted times have changed since those cars, but so has the market AND performance levels. I'd see no problem with a top-performer of 15 years ago equating with an entry to mid-level performer in todays environment.

Again, not necessarily my position, I'm just throwing out some perspective "what if's".

 

These cars were one-off specialty cars...low production, limited editions...NOT the bread and butter for the entire run of the cars. And the TTA was back when GM still had the ***** to spend money on special cars and anniversaries were more than stickers and a new paint color. Were the SVO's and TTA's great cars? Certainly yes, but they were tangents to the pony car concept.

JC...A twin turbo I6...are you serious? Do you know how expensive it would be? You're talking a sticker price in excess of the V8 model. That's just as unrealistic as the people that post here saying the think the 5th gen should be a supercharged LS6...no concept of what's realistic. For a reality check do some research on the price-when-new of a late model Supra before they were discontinued.

Maybe it should have a 502 cubic inch IRON big block with a solid roller cam and full length headers and a 12 bolt rear end and already be plumbed for nitrous so all you have to do is hook the bottle up boy would that be cool....BUT ITS NOT REALISTIC or cost-feasible. Turbo I4s, blown I4s, twin turbo I-6s....it has to end somewhere people. The 5th gen is going to have two engines, a base probably v6 and a v8...period. It doesn't take an insider to know this.

I don't think we're going to see GM using turbos too much in the future, its too expensive to package them vs. a supercharger. I think you are still going to continue to see superchargers as uplevel options on N/A engines such as in the Grand Prix.

 

You missed some of my point here. I was not offering to develop a new "exotic" engine. Turbos and S/C cars WERE EXOTICS back then, no doubt, but they are much more commonplace now. Less expensive and more reliable too. guionM can testify to the guts of an S/C V6. They CAN be used reliably and cost-effectively to provide decent performance by today's standards. Diesels have been big drivers and mastered the art of economically and reliably turbocharging IMO. S/C cars are all over the place now with the T-birds, Mustangs, Lightnings, HD-150s, and GP like you mentioned. The cheaper production of these adders "has arrived", IMO, and will only get better.

My other point was that these car have made quite a reputation for themselves - DISPITE being variants of their traditional V8 ponycar siblings. Who's to say a new Camaro couldn't end up making quite a name for itself in the same way? Especially if done right. The basic high-end V8 (in one or two levels) still rumbling at the top of the heap, but with a "high-tech" 6 or 4 offering a respectable base unit with an alternative.

I truely do love V8's and I wouldn't want anything else personally, but if you look at V6 sales in Mustangs, where the V8 is available in 3 different levels NOW, you can't argue that the public (lots of it too) is infatuated with the V6 for some reason, not necessarily purchase price either. And it was the same way with the 2.3L I4 in the Fox Mustangs, and the 200ci I6 from '65 thru'83 - they have all sold remarkably well from day one. It's goofy - I know, but we better offer the people what they want to buy, or the car will flop... period - then what have we gained?

OK - I'm engined-out for a while. Let's see what everybody else thinks.

 

I understand your point, but my point is forget turbos because they are too pricey for base model coupes, and to GM superchargers and turbos will always be an uplevel option deserving of a special model. Other performance models not only cost more they compete with sales for existing models.

My big issue is that people want these engines in the BASE model, and its flat out unrealistic. So these engines would require a new performance model, which I also think is unrealistic because I think the formula for the Camaro is base model with V6 power and 1 v8 model...the SS after all was only an option package on the Z28...the cost of conversion was negligible when compared to the cost of assembling a third powerplant in an existing line.

 

Yes Proudpony, I'll be glad to talk all day about that Thunderbird SC's blown V6 (yup, it was that good).

But, I think Camaro is one of those cars that needs to have a V8 as top performer. If I ruled the world, Camaro would be a light weight rear drive 2+2, only slightly bigger than a Eclipse or Celica, with a base 4 cylinder engine, a V6 as mid power, and a mosdest displacement V8 that is only a tick behind Corvette in performance, with a Z28 as a Camaro version of the Z06.

Before I get tar & feathered over the 4 cylinder, let me explain a bit.

The 4 cylinder Ecotec Camaro would have the performance of the 3800 V6, but would still have the option of having a blower added at the dealer, and would be the car the 'youth'/aftermarket additions car. The V6 would be the bulk of Camaro sales (and would make a good basis for a Camaro LT) which would be roughly as quick as the LT1s (don't laugh, the G35 coupe will match an LS1 till both are over 60mph), while SS would be a well optioned V8 and Z28 would be the same car but not as fancy, and with better suspension hardware.

If Camaro was going to be blown, it should be done at the dealer or aftermarket level.

Just my opinion.

 

well considring the V6's of alot of other competitors of what was the Camaro and Firebirds domain..they will be beating the best stock LS1's in a few years..I mean think about it the Nissan V6's are very good HP wise..from 250 and up for HP..thats not bad considering the LT1 back in 93 had 275HP...those cars are getting fast and they are 4 door ones running almost as fast as V8 2 dr Fbodies.
Now getting into trend..small displacement engines are here to stay..and the V8 I think is going upscale....so yes the V8 is going to be the high water mark..the SS.
but to make a fun to drive cheep Camaro something like a turbo or supercharged V6 or 4 banger has to be seriously looked at..
take a look at the GTP for example..would love that engine in a say RS Camaro?? why not...to say a tune or 290HP...

The 4 bangers are comming to..the WRX and Evo series are also doing it..and the SRT-4 from dodge..those 1/4 times are pretty impressive and stock for stock...not bad considering they got 1/2 the cylinders...and a little modding..alot of people are going to go..and I can unsderstand DUMB logic..hey that SRT-4 just blew the doors off that SS..Im going to get me one...dumb logic..thats all..and yes we can do mod for mod and such..but you know true to anything there are stock and there are modded cars that can waste anything on a givin day..and it comes down to whats avalible, why cant we give them something that has the potential to mod it to perform like a V8 cost like a V6 and not have to worry.

G/N comes to mind when I hear bad *** V6's...and you know the horror they can do..why not a G/N derived or something motor in a new 5th gen?
again just my side of the devils advocate...

 

Well, in that case....I vote for guion as world ruler!

 

the base car needs about 220HP+ The Ecotech will be too week, and for what a turbo I4 cost you might as well jus put in a V6.

I think the 220HP I5 would be OK

 

Even if it would suffice I don't think they'd put an I5 in there. the v6 is still considered a performance engine by most car buyers nowadays and GM will want even base Camaro's to project a sporty image. I don't predict I5's to be very successful in passenger cars. THey'll do fine in trucks, but for the success of an I5 in a car look up Acura Legend.

 

Good point with the Legend...

But one thing I'd say for the I5 is that it might give the base Camaro something 'unique' and still be within reason...

But I'd think a V6 would be fine too...