Just lookin at the numbers, I'm guessing a base C5 would be left in the dust. What about the C5 Z06? Any thoughts?

 

kind of hard to compare a car that isn't even out on the road yet

 

 

The numbers have been released though.. I thought that'd give us a pretty good indication.

 

Sorry what are the numbers? LS3 or LS7? Weight?

 

What is the stats? I think its the LS3...I still think the C5 will hold its own....Aerodynamics, weight etc... I can t wait to rumble with some of them with my combo...

 

I'll take a shot at it....

From reading the numbers HP and weight, the Camaro looks like a 13.0 - 12.8 type car as it's a bit heavy. The C5 Z will still be much faster. I can say I do like the styling of the Camaro, and the Zeta platform along with the LS3 engine I think will make for a great car. I would love to own both, but if I have to choose one, I'll keep my C5 Z!

 

The C5Z will smoke it. Nearly the same power (LS6 vs LS3), and the Camaro is a 2 ton piggy. Somebody with an 08 or 09 C6 drop a 1000 lb weight in your car and make a few passes. Give us an idea!

Base C5 will likely be a drivers race, depending on how well the Camaro handles it's weight.

 

The Camaro is a great ride that is what is in your budget and a Vette is beyond your budget. However, the overall performance envelope of even the base Vette is higher than the top dog Camaro.

Any guess that the Camaro could smoke the Vette is just that - a wild guess. Likely, wrong guess as well.

 

Might have more power, but that's an awful lot of weight to lug around. I suspect it will be an even match with a base C5, at best.

 

I've driven one already! And my C5 would definitely win in a quarter mile race, although mine isn't bone stock (but pretty close to stock). Even though the new SS has the 426hp LS3 in it, the car also weighs around 3800lbs, so it's power to weight ratio is roughly the same as a base C5.

A friend of mine works at the Camaro assembly plant, and on February 15th he brought a new SS out to give some of us a chance to look at the car and even let a bunch of us drive it!

I got to drive it about 10 miles or so, but the road was very straight, so I didn't get to see how it cornered. I did get the chance to go full throttle a couple of times, it feels about the same as a stock LS1 f-body unfortunately. I figured they would be quicker, but it feels like about a 13.3 at 105 to me. The suspension is nice, it felt very comfortable over the bumps, not harsh, but still firm and sporty. I found the seating position odd, it was a lot different than what I'm used to in my C5. The gauges are kind of odd looking, IMO, it would take me a while to get used to them. But the entire dash layout is pretty cool, especially the four gauges down low in the console (including trans temp and oil temp, those are nice touches!)



Here are some pics:

 

Nice looking car

 

I agree. The Camaro SS won't be crushing a C5 unless it's an automatic with 2.73:1 gears. It will be about as fast as the last generation Camaro SS. I think the end result would be a drivers race with the advantage to the C5. Here are some numbers...

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 (automatic)

* Vehicle Curb Weight: 4,140 lbs.
* 0 to 60 mph: 4.8 sec (Car and Driver Test Results)
* 1/4 Mile Time: 13.3 sec (Car and Driver Test Results)

2008 Shelby GT500 Mustang

* Vehicle Curb Weight: 3,920 lbs.
* 0 to 60 mph: 4.5 seconds (Car and Driver Test Results)
* 1/4 Mile Time: 12.9 seconds (Car and Driver Test Results)

Camaro SS

Weight: 3913 (SS automatic)

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=129496

Edmunds says according to Chevy engineers the SS will run a 13.3s with the automatic and the manual will be a tick slower at 13.4s. The truth is, independent rear suspension is harder to launch and looses more power through the driveline.

So, if the GT-500, which has a solid axle (better to launch, less hp loss), 500 hp/480 lb ft runs a 12.9 s. The Camaro SS automatic, which apparently is faster than the manual, is the same weight with 426 hp. That means low 13's.

Conclusion. The Camaro SS is too heavy. If you want real performance, then, for exactly the same money, purchase a used C6. You have to really want the backseat to want the Camaro, since it's priced so closely to a 2 or 3 year old, low mileage Corvette. People WILL be cross shopping used Vettes and the new Camaro, just like they did in the last gen. I believe it will hurt Camaro sales, too, especially since the C6 gets better mileage and the C5 (just as fast) is $10k cheaper and a more prestigious name plate.

It's also not aerodynamic, so the chances of it matching the 170 mph top speed of a C5 are slim to none without a lot more power. At higher speeds the C5 should pull away. I don't know about you guys, but I'm sticking to Corvettes...

The Camaro has the novelty factor. Here's the problem, if it's successful, then within three years there will be 300k of them on the road (more than all C5's produced), so that goes away, too.

 

Great information! I have an A4 w/ 2.73's ... Guess I need some 3.42's

 

3.42 gears are a lot cheaper than a new car payment!!! Honestly, if the Camaro SS manual does end up running a 13.4s, then an A4 w/2.73's with no runflats should still give it a close race.

 

Interesting read on the article from Edmunds. Have to agree with the majority on here - the C5Z will be faster and even an LS1 powered C5 should be faster or very darn close in terms of performance.

 

As nice a car as it is, and as much as I would like to own one, I'd still give it to the C5. Power/weight ratio looks to be about the same. Some people on here have raced the new Challengers and Chargers which weigh about the same as the Camaro and have done well.

-Alex

 

They had a chance to hit a homerun, instead General Motors decides to build a 3900 pound Camaro. The idiots should starve. I have owned 4 Camaros and I would be all over the new one if it weighed 3400.

 

It would be close. Probably drivers race with edge to C5 or C5Z. This topic will be just as famous as the C5 vs. GTO threads back in 2005 and 2006. Incidently, the GTOs had 400HP LS2, 3.46 rear end, and weighed 3725lbs and it would give the C5 a run...so i suspect the Camaro will be similar. Slightly more HP depending on model, slightly more weight, slightly larger wheels, 3.27 diff.

If anything, a great comparison would be 2006 GTO vs. 2010 Camaro...now thats a drivers race.

 

I agree, but in 2010, it's much harder to build a light performance car. There's so much more safety/emission crap they have to add. Also, the standards for chassis rigidity are much higher, which requires more steel. For cost reasons, the manufacturers have to use adaptations of existing platforms, which limits their options. Thanks for the pictures. They're better than the magazine poses in some ways. I love the way it looks, but honestly, I'd rather stick with my old ZO6.