viperr817

You might as well give up the hope. Clearly DCX has the edge in performance, that poor excuse of an ss trailblzer got smoked 2 days ago by my 06 srt jeep. These days are like the old days, where Chrysler ruled the street with the hemis. Times have changed GM and Ford are grasping at straws.

2000SilverLS1

Don't get me wrong, I like convertables, but... Don't we for the most part know what a convertable fifth gen will to look like?

Jeepnreb

If DCX has the ***** to put the 392 Hemi in the new Chally, you might have something. As it stands right now they are going with the 6.1 from the SRT8s and that will not cut it in 2009. I would love to see a production option of the Challenger SS (Super Stock) with the big Hemi. Of course that is only because I believe it might push GM over 450hp for the top Camaro.

greg_nate

I wouldn't exactly call the SS Trailblazer a zenith of GM performance engineering.

FS3800

every comparison I've read between the two pics the TB SS... mainly because it's a more balanced truck.. not the fastest but the easiest to live with and drive everyday

guionM

Don't ya think we ought to wait till 2009 before stating what may or may not "cut it"??

The DCX 6.1 currently fares far better than the GM 6.0 or 6.2 in power, and both the GM and Chrysler engines will soon be due for upgrades.

Capn Pete

Guy, you're forgetting something ...

... power to weight .

Even with its AWESOME 425 HP, I was able to beat an SRT-8 Charger at the track with my lowly LS1 Camaro . He ran 13.8 @ 104 and I ran 13.4 @ 107 .

Assuming/hoping that the 5th-gen weighs less than any of the Hemi pigs, (albeit, a little heavier than the previous 4th-gen) I think we'll have no problem stealing DCX's thunder at the race track .

ChrisL

Well, after abandoning the segement for over a DECADE, it's about time.

I'd hardly say GM and Ford are grasping at straws. It's just DCX's turn in the spotlight. These things are cyclical.

Bottom line, it's all good, for all performance enthusiasts.

Capn Pete

I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and guess that you're probably my Dad's age?? Now I don't mean this as an insult, really. But to say you only liked the 1st-gens, and they're what represent Camaro as "a great looking car" ... well maybe they're the nicest in your opinion, but you're ignoring 33 more years of production of the car that were all EQUALLY as "Camaro" as a 1967, '68 or '69 were . Perhaps the styling wasn't what YOU liked, but apparently they hit a real sweet spot in 1979, with the most sales for the Camaro EVER that year .

Don't get me wrong ... I love 1st-gen Camaros too ... my Dad had a Hugger Orange '69 SS that he sold before I was born that I wish was still around . I was just 3 years old when I fell in love with F-bodies (we had a '77 Formula at the time ) and we've had others throughout the years. But to hang on that 1 generation as the "pinnacle" of Camaros and ignore all the other great things GM did with the car over the years kinda irks me I guess?

I sometimes wish GM just came up with a BRAND NEW design instead of re-hashing the "almighty" 1969 Camaro?

sorry ... /rant .

Jeepnreb

I was born in 1974 and my opinion is the 1st gen was the pinnacle. My Dad owned a 68 RS/SS 396 and sold it before I was born. My parents owned a 94 or 95 4th gen that was pretty nice, but not for me. My Dad bought me a old beat up 69 that we restored together and I drove it through high school, college and my first years of being on my own. He gave me an option of what type of muscle car I wanted to work on, I chose a 1969 camaro. I had never owned or rode in a 1st gen, until the day we brought it home. It just looked like what a muscle car should look like. That is why I love the 5th gen and I can pass on the other generations. This is only my opinion and I expect many here to agree and disagree.

Jeepnreb

Maybe I should have put 2009MY, my bad. Going on the knowledge we have now, but remember I do not claim to have any inside sources or claim to be an automotive expert.

1. The new Chally will be built on the existing LX architecture, which is a bit heavy (4000+lbs in SRT8 versions) in the 300, Magnum and Charger implementations. I do not know if they can shave enough weight of the production Challenger until it switches to the LY architecture, but even then who knows what the LY will come in at. I do not.

2. The Challenger will come out first with the existing 6.1L and right now is listed at 420hp in Charger. This is info from Allpar, SRT and Challengertalk forums. I expect their "guionM" types, know as much as the ones here.

3. The Camaro at worst will come with a 400hp engine, but I would expect to come in under 4000lbs. That is the general concensus on this board.

4. If that Saleen article is anywhere near the truth, we are looking at 450hp.

So as it stands right now, the Challenger will come out before the Camaro with 420ish hp and weigh around 4000lbs. The Camaro will come in under 4000lbs and have a 400-450hp engine.

I agree DCX may up the HP on the 6.1 Hemi, but until I read it I am not going with it. I hope that DCX puts that 392 in the Challenger in year 2 though.

Z284ever

I can distinctly remember seeing all the different gens when they were new. I was 6 when I saw the first new '67 and I liked that just fine.

But, I'll tell you, the first time I saw my first 701/2, split bumper, Z/28, I was COMPLETELY blown away. Wow, was this some kind of an American Ferrari Lusso or something? At the time - and to my 9 year old eyes - the only car which could even hold a candle to it (looks wise), was the '70 'Cuda.

I had the same feeling again in 1982. I felt the Camaro was THE most beautiful car available - and I wasn't alone.

1993 was an utter and complete disappointment for me though.


We'll see how I feel in '09.

Capn Pete

Funny, growing up in the 80's, I was so used to the 2nd-gens ... they were sort of "run of the mill" I guess? But I loved them . Like I said, we had the '77 Formula, then a '78 Z28 ..... but then in and among, the 3rd-gens were becoming more popular, and when the IROC's came out ... they just took the Camaros to a whole new level (more "sport", less "muscle" car IMO ) but they were still cool cars in their own way. Whenever my Dad would point out an old 1st-gen (like his '69) they were awesome cars too ... again, in a different way than either the 2nd's or 3rd's ... but they were simply "classics".

But for me, when the 4th-gens came out ..... ..... they were almost "futuristic" to me .

97z28/m6

and drop dead sexy.

Jeepnreb

Of course I should say since I have had time to think about it, I was always a fan of the Pontiac side of the F-body world. When I thought back to my youth, the 77 TA (you know Bandit style) was my first automotive love. I liked those 70s, 80s and 90s TAs. Funny thing preference is, they were very similar in body style to the Camaro in the early years, but there was something a little more about them I liked. The 80s were a little weak, but hey there was KITT