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Lutz: GM mulls 4-cylinder engine for new Camaro

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Old 03-20-2008 | 11:51 AM
  #76  
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Originally Posted by jg95z28
The Turbo Ecotec runs on premium fuel. The DI V6 does not need to. Which is going to be cheaper to operate in the long run?
This is the same point I got pooh poohed on when mentioning LNF on another thread even before the Lutz comments. And you're likely right. However, until we know about weight, gearing, etc. there is no way to know for sure.

I don't see GM even considering a 4 cylinder option unless it offered some real world benefit. If by some miracle they could get it up to 20 mpg, it would cost less to run than a 6 getting 17 mpg.

Theoretically:

3.6: You have an 18 gallon tank and regular is 3.10 and you get 17 mpg with your 3.6. You can fill your tank for $55.80 and drive 306 miles.

2.0: You have an 18 gallon tank and premium is $3.30 and you get 20 mpg with your 2.0. You'd get 360 miles to a full tank that cost $59.40 to fill. It would take 15.3 gallons to drive the same 306 miles as the 3.6 liter at a cost of $50.49.

So your fill up costs more, but you're getting more miles for your dollar.

I realize that there's likely no way to get 20 mpg out of LNF in Camaro - it will probably weigh 1,000 pounds more than Solstice even if Camaro comes in at a dream weight. But wouldn't it be amazing if they could pull that off?
Old 03-20-2008 | 12:44 PM
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And here is St. Louis Premium gas is $.30 more then regular unleaded(mid grade is $.15 more), not $.20 more. I'm not sure if that was a nation wide change or just local.

So the difference would be even more pronounced.
Old 03-20-2008 | 01:09 PM
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In Kansas City it's still running .20 higher for premium. I don't know about elsewhere.

However, Premium would have to cost 50 cents more than regular in the scenario I outlined above for the 6 and the 4 to reach parity. Anything less than that, and a turbo 4 getting a theoretical (and probably miraculous) 20 mpg is still cheaper to operate than the 6 getting 17 mpg even if the 4 needs premium.
Old 03-20-2008 | 03:11 PM
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I dont think GM can really put a 4 banger in a Camaro because look at the competition. Mopars all new Challenger V6 is making 250 HP. Do you think GM will really let Mopar take over Camaro. I should say not. Even though I really like Mopar as well as Chevy, im still wiling to give some time to the camaro. As long as Camaro takes out the competition and those stupid riceburners on the street,ill be one happy camper.
Old 03-20-2008 | 03:31 PM
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The LNF DI Turbo 4 banger we're discussing makes 260 hp and 260 torque. 10 more of each than the Challenger SEs 3.5 V6.
Old 03-20-2008 | 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Eric77TA
This is the same point I got pooh poohed on when mentioning LNF on another thread even before the Lutz comments. And you're likely right. However, until we know about weight, gearing, etc. there is no way to know for sure.

I don't see GM even considering a 4 cylinder option unless it offered some real world benefit. If by some miracle they could get it up to 20 mpg, it would cost less to run than a 6 getting 17 mpg.

Theoretically:

3.6: You have an 18 gallon tank and regular is 3.10 and you get 17 mpg with your 3.6. You can fill your tank for $55.80 and drive 306 miles.

2.0: You have an 18 gallon tank and premium is $3.30 and you get 20 mpg with your 2.0. You'd get 360 miles to a full tank that cost $59.40 to fill. It would take 15.3 gallons to drive the same 306 miles as the 3.6 liter at a cost of $50.49.

So your fill up costs more, but you're getting more miles for your dollar.

I realize that there's likely no way to get 20 mpg out of LNF in Camaro - it will probably weigh 1,000 pounds more than Solstice even if Camaro comes in at a dream weight. But wouldn't it be amazing if they could pull that off?
Real word numbers please. By the time the Camaro goes on sale, gasoline will be well north of $4/gal and probably close to $5/gal.

Furthermore, only a 20¢ delta between 87 and premium is not realistic nationally.
Originally Posted by Primus
And here is St. Louis Premium gas is $.30 more then regular unleaded(mid grade is $.15 more), not $.20 more. I'm not sure if that was a nation wide change or just local.

So the difference would be even more pronounced.
We're seeing about the same here out west. In my town the average difference is 25-30¢.

I'm also not confident a turbo ecotec would get 3mpg better than a non-turbo DI V6 regardless of the fuel grade.
Old 03-20-2008 | 04:05 PM
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Originally Posted by jg95z28
Real word numbers please. By the time the Camaro goes on sale, gasoline will be well north of $4/gal and probably close to $5/gal.
OK, and remember, I said that I thought 20 MPG Camaro was likely, but still, it would be great if they could pull it off...

3.6: You have an 18 gallon tank and regular is $5.00 and you get 17 mpg with your 3.6. You can fill your tank for $90 and drive 306 miles.

2.0: You have an 18 gallon tank and premium is $5.40 and you get 20 mpg with your 2.0. You'd get 360 miles to a full tank that cost $97.20 to fill. It would take 15.3 gallons to drive the same 306 miles as the 3.6 liter at a cost of $82.62.

Originally Posted by jg95z28
Furthermore, only a 20¢ delta between 87 and premium is not realistic nationally.

We're seeing about the same here out west. In my town the average difference is 25-30¢.
I didn't realize that the gap was quite so high elsewhere. Here in KC it's almost always been 20 cents.

I don't look at California as a gauge to the cost of anything when a 2 bedroom ranch that costs $900,000 there is $90,000 here

Originally Posted by jg95z28
I'm also not confident a turbo ecotec would get 3mpg better than a non-turbo DI V6 regardless of the fuel grade.
That's why I've repeatedly said "likely no way" and "probably miraculous" to the 20 mpg 4 cylinder. But wouldn't it be nice? Did anyone think that GM would ever have a 260 horsepower/260 torque DOHC, direct injected turbo 4 a few years ago?
Old 03-20-2008 | 04:11 PM
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My 2007 Saturn Aura XR gets 20/28 mpg (I actually average more with the way I drive). Stock 3.6 VVT 0-60 in 6 with only 250hp (front wheel drive) and can run with 5.7 Hemis. I know first hand. I can only imagine what a 300hp DI 6 can do. Granted the curb weight of my Aura is only about 3500lbs
Old 03-20-2008 | 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Liquid Slap
My 2007 Saturn Aura XR gets 20/28 mpg (I actually average more with the way I drive). Stock 3.6 VVT 0-60 in 6 with only 250hp (front wheel drive) and can run with 5.7 Hemis. I know first hand. I can only imagine what a 300hp DI 6 can do. Granted the curb weight of my Aura is only about 3500lbs
Precisely my point. I'd suspect that in a heavier RWD Camaro the 2.0L Turbo Ecotec would only get 1-2mpg better than a similarly equipped Camaro with the V6. (Of course we'd have to wait for real word numbers.) The highway numbers would probably be a little better, but how much better is unknown.
Old 03-20-2008 | 09:12 PM
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what are they gonna do to the V6 DI from the caddy, detune it? like someone else already said, he said it would be 300hp, now its not, WTF. I am almost more concerned with the V6 power more than anything.
Old 03-20-2008 | 09:17 PM
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It won't be detuned....
Old 03-20-2008 | 10:02 PM
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I don't know if this has been mentioned yet in this thread, since I skimmed much of it, so my apologies if it has, but is the Turbo4 really going to net better fuel economy than the DI v6? The Kappas aren't a good clue into this question, because there is too much of a potential weight difference. My money is there won't be that much of a difference. Boosted motors are thirsty, and even if you stay out of boost, you have a crappy low compression motor putzing around (although I don't know the CRs of either of these motors, and I know typically with DI factory engines are tuned to a higher CR, so take that with a grain of salt).
Old 03-20-2008 | 11:01 PM
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Heh Cobalt guys are eating this up on their site. I thought we GM/Chevy people were supposed to stick together!
Old 03-20-2008 | 11:38 PM
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I don't believe a 4 cylinder have the longevity of a V6 let alone v8. Also you are crossing the line of your marketing strategy. Who is this car going to target? What the use of having Cobalt or sky ,etc if you can own a Camaro. Don't get me wrong I wanted to be affordable for everyone, but I also don't want it to be saturated with Camaros on the street. It will be just like the 2000 Taurus in resell value.
Old 03-21-2008 | 12:06 AM
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dont you guys understand? its in plain english. The V6 makes 300HP in the caddy and the same engine will make 260HP in the Camaro, obviously it will be some sort of detuned version of the caddy engine.Doesnt take a rocket scientist to put two an two together there.

Id rather have the 4cyl. tubo engine than a V6 (im not in the market for a new car, this is just hypothetic). A turbo 4 will have MUCH more mod potential than an N/A V6.

If you want a better car than a Muztang, expect to pay THAT MUCH MORE than a Mustang.



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