STAGED

I'm not talking about an unrealistic wish list, but what kind of high performance cars would you like to see in future GM lineup? Here are my thoughts.

Camaro (overview of entire lineup): 4.3L XV8. Semi-upright profile (like a BMW 5-series with 2 doors). 5L60E automatic only with Tiptronic-style manual mode (leave this as the only transmission to streamline production and reduce cost of calibrating a true manual trans). Maintain weight at 3100 lbs. Length at 185". RWD. Keep live-axle rear to cut costs and in the end sticker price.

Camaro LS (base): 60% of sales, 280hp XV8 and low-end torque-minded camshafts, tall economy-minded gearing, tight convertor, 20mpg city/30mph highway. Still with 3100lb weight and 5-speed auto, should do high-13 second quarters at 100mph. Painted 16" aluminum cast wheels.

Camaro Z28: 30% sales, 300 hp XV8. Slightly more top-end oriented camshaft profile, slightly looser torque convertor, performance minded gearing. should do mid-13s@103mph. 19 mpgcity/29 mpg highway. Slower than current 6-spd f-cars but raging sales of slower Mustangs and FWD imports prove that out-of-the-box speed is not the key sales consideration. 1st class 17" wheel and tire package with machined/polished finish.

Camaro ZR28 (10% of sales): Special camshafts (in the XV8) for 8000rpm operation and 7300 rpm peak power rpm --> 100 hp/liter or 430 hp. 1st class 18" wheel/tire combo. Special chassis tuning. Special allocation of Tremec T-56 transmissions. This car should use the current Z06 as handling performance targets (if not exactly the handling feel) and quarter mile performance should be 12s@120mph. $40,000

C6: 5L60E and Tremec T-56
Coupe, softop Convertible, Hardtop: 346cid evolution of current motor. 5L60E only with manual-mode!!! If you want a true manual go with the Z07!!!
Z07 Coupe, softtop Convertible, Hardtop: 6.4L 445hp. Only marginally more peak power than the ZR28 but the low to mid range output will be much greater here for nice acceleration out of a corner and more tolerance to non-ideal selection of gear in roll-on acceleration.
C6-R: Rumored 7.0L 500hp V8. under 2900 lbs. A/C delete. No formal sound insulation and speakers with active noise cancellation. I think the whatever's in the rumor mill is right on. If you want this motor and A/C, look below at the Cadillac SLR!!!

Cadillac SLR (Vette-based)
SLR 5.7: has to be hardtop retractable like the new Lexus LS430 and in contrast to the softop Vette convertible. This is for superior isolation necessary in a Cadillac. 17" rims and conservative suspension tuning.
SLR 6.4: Generally similar but 18" rims and competition for the MB SL500. High performance suspension tuning. Heavy-duty 5L60E.
SLR 500 (for 500hp): Competition for the 476 hp supercharged MB SL55, Ferrari 550, and 460 hp Aston Marton Vanquish. Engine is 7.0L LS7. Special custom heavy duty 5L60E, may need to outsource automatic since I doubt the new 5L60E can be made to OEM required durability for this output. Even with weight and automatic, probably still capable of running even with the current Viper GTS.





[Modified by STAGED, 6:00 PM 10/16/2001]

Bwright

C6 idea looks good. 435hp/435 lb./ft. of torque and 3,100 lbs. ought to do it. Side impact airbags, rollover protection for the convertible, HID lights, return of the optional magesium wheels, titanium exhaust standard, ceramic brakes optional, 275/40 18" front and 305/35 19" tires at the rear, OnStar and separate stand-alone NAV screen so radio and climate controls do not have to be looked at to operate. Longer warranty and more standard equipment. Keep the widebody exotic look. Magazine writers who rip it should look at what owners think of the Vette's dimensions. GM should not be misled. Killer interior should top it off. GM was price conservative on the C5 only to discover that they were way off what buyers would pay. I encourage them to go for broke with a base price of $50K.

Whatever that Cadillac coupe does should not overshadow the Vette. I believe it shouuld have a 155mph limiter like most German cars. Though I note that the Germans have now started to give buyers the option to have the chip removed. As such, GM should make sure they have a similar option ready. The top should certainly be fully automatic and overall assembly quality is key. same goes for the Vette.

JeffMc

I would hate to see 4 versions of the Camaro. I would say drop the XV8 and the ZR28. I like the two middle versions. Styling and Cost are huge problems for the Camaro, performance isn't. Look at all of the V6 Mustangs that have killed the current F-Body.

IMHO, a stock Vette should be able to trounce a stock Camaro.

- Jeff :chevy :flag

Illini Steve

I don't think you'll see three body styles continue with the C6. Bye bye hardtop.

BucksnVettes

Good post, i can see you've put a lot of thought into it. I think that 4 different models for the camaro are a little much i personally think that they should keep a simmilar position to what they have now, V6 Z-28 and some sort of an SS model with some appereance/preformance mods. The camaro should be streemlined both appearence wise and production wise so it is not only kills mustangs in preformance as it already does but it kills them in sales. But i also truely believe that a stock camaro should not comepete on the same platform as a corvette. Thats gonna make some people buy a camaro instead of a vette and then next thing you know the corvette is in danger of being discontinued. As big of a loss as the camaro is its firmed up the vettes positions as Chevy's sports car. :cheers:

1HOTVETT

Buckvettes, love the sig, "Bad Boys" is my favorite movie!!! :cool:

BucksnVettes

Hey thanks alot 1HOTVETT its one of my favs too. IM me sometime

Wadoka

Nah,

I think GM ought to get away from multiple trim levels completely. It's like the guy who was in here a few months ago talking about a kid-encounter with his Vette. "Cool! A Corvette! Is it the fast one?" Apparently the lad wanted to know if it was a Z06, but imagine how you'd feel if you got that question on your hot 'vert or coupe! :D :eek:

When the Camaro comes back, it ought to be like that new hot Opel running around Europe - small, light, quick and nimble, and most of all, overpowered. Don' need no steenking base model, unless GM wants to get back into the Camaro-vs-Mustang game. The appropriate vs.-base-'stang car was the Fiero and the Geo Storm.

I think there's going to be a war of hardtop versus coupe in the Corvette line, and I don't know who'll win. I think there are probably a lot more people who want a 'pop-top fast one' than there are who want the absolute limit of cornering, but that's me...

19corvette91

uhhhhhhhh

i think i should give a shot at my opinion

for the camaro:
just one model
muscle car styling on the outside but highly advanced on the inside
i'd say a very small displacment V8 with DOHC and twin turbos and all wheel drive

the upcoming 5 speed auto or 7 speed manual available

the engine should produce about 380 HP

i say this becuz i know the good ole days of carbs and no cats will NEVER come back, so there is only place i can look and thats to a Hi-Tech future:rolleyes:

vette:
targa top coupe and a convertible
stick with a 350 thats very done up
say about 400 HP for base

and somehow, get GM to shoehorn a EFI 427 into the vette making about 550 HP to compete head on with the Viper

and either stay low-tech in the traditional sports car manner

OR

get VERY hi-tech, as in a true supercar

(i love the C5 but it bothers me in that it seems more like a luxury kinda car)

say a front engine RWD, EFI DOHC 427 with 7 speed manual and a 2 speed transaxle, so you can switch from hi end/gas mileage to mega-acceleration/pig mileage

and have a way to cut it down a notch like on the ZR-1 to pass gas mileage tests

now i know all this would be very hard, but hey, i can dream
:yesnod:

Tom73

I take a different approach. I would like to see a midsize two door sedan with V8 power driving the rear wheels. Something like the Monte Carlo, but with a front V8 (Z06 engine?) and driving through the rear wheels. Would also like to see the rebirth of a true Pontiac GTO. Something that could live up to the image and intent of the late 60's GTO.

I am just sick and tired of all the front-wheel drive cars. I feel that a lot of people are and that is one of the reasons for the high sales of trucks. A truck is almost the only place you can get a vehicle that will seat 4/5 and have a V8 in front with rear drive.

tom...