Magazine rumor rehash....
11-06-2006, 09:48 AM
#1
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Magazine rumor rehash....
Just going back and remembering what some of the magazine and internet rumors were regarding the 5th gen can be fun.
Let's see....
- Zeta is Sigma, but with less aluminum.
- The Camaro will be built off of the SSR platform.....which will be Sigma Lite.
- The Camaro will be built in Australia.
Any others? There's a million of 'em.
Let's see....
- Zeta is Sigma, but with less aluminum.
- The Camaro will be built off of the SSR platform.....which will be Sigma Lite.
- The Camaro will be built in Australia.
Any others? There's a million of 'em.
11-06-2006, 10:21 AM
#2
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Here's an excerpt from a MT story. In their defense, this is 5 years old.
That's where Holden, GM's Australian automaker, may come in. Its new Commodore sedan and upcoming Commodore-based coupe will also be built on the Sigma platform. Some have postulated that the Camaro's best chance for returning in a few years is as a North American version of the big Holden coupe -- built in Australia. Given current production limitations, it may be more affordable, and logistically feasible, to import a Camaro from Down Under, rather than establish a new assembly line Stateside. GM Brand staff have acknowledged that scenario would present a marketing hurdle for a classic American nameplate.
Built in Australia or North America, any car bearing the Camaro name will have to be available with a V-8 engine. Expect the current powertrain relationship with the Corvette to continue, with the C6 passing along its Gen IV small-block pushrod V-8 evolved from the current Gen III LS1/LS6 V-8s. Notable advances include 8-6-4 cylinder cutoff system and a drive-by-wire system to enhance fuel efficiency on the highway and offer light, precise throttle around town.
Another important engineering consideration is the type of rear axle. Sigma provides an independent rear suspension, but we do not expect this to be used on the Camaro for cost savings and product differentiation. An independent axle offers large benefits in terms of ride and handling and increased interior room. But there are weight, tire wear, and reliability issues with a rear-drive, independent system -- particularly if a tire-frying powertrain is adopted. Currently, GM is tickled with its decision to stay live axle in the midsize truck program (GMT 360, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, et al). It rides and handles quite well. And no doubt, a passenger-car version could be readily created for a rugged, inexpensive, high-powered coupe.
Approval and budget to create a new, specific platform sounds like a near insurmountable task given the bottom-line pressure to employ fewer, global platforms. At best, a Sigma variant could be created by clever engineers and serve as the basis for other vehicles, such as a GTO or Nomad. It is interesting to note that the Nomad concept shown in Detroit 1999 was constructed on an F-chassis. Indeed, the Aztek-ugly GTO and Nomad 1999 concepts were more serious proposals than the media and public were led to understand.
With all these fuzzy-edged puzzle pieces laid out on the table, how do they fit together? It is too early in the development process to know for certain what the outcome will be. However, in digesting, debating, and forecasting, we can distill the plans down to these possible scenarios:
--Camaro and Firebird simply disappear in 2002.
--The next-generation Camaro could be developed off a "light" Sigma platform, following an evolutionary direction.
--Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac GTO could be co-developed, possibly with rear drive.
--Perhaps we might see a 1960s-inspired Camaro coupe and Nomad sibling.
--Or maybe there will be no Camaro, but front-wheel-drive Monte Carlo gets Vortec V-8 instead.
Whether evolutionary or heritage in direction, we anticipate a fifth-generation Camaro that will push the legendary marque's performance and liveability to new levels.
Built in Australia or North America, any car bearing the Camaro name will have to be available with a V-8 engine. Expect the current powertrain relationship with the Corvette to continue, with the C6 passing along its Gen IV small-block pushrod V-8 evolved from the current Gen III LS1/LS6 V-8s. Notable advances include 8-6-4 cylinder cutoff system and a drive-by-wire system to enhance fuel efficiency on the highway and offer light, precise throttle around town.
Another important engineering consideration is the type of rear axle. Sigma provides an independent rear suspension, but we do not expect this to be used on the Camaro for cost savings and product differentiation. An independent axle offers large benefits in terms of ride and handling and increased interior room. But there are weight, tire wear, and reliability issues with a rear-drive, independent system -- particularly if a tire-frying powertrain is adopted. Currently, GM is tickled with its decision to stay live axle in the midsize truck program (GMT 360, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, et al). It rides and handles quite well. And no doubt, a passenger-car version could be readily created for a rugged, inexpensive, high-powered coupe.
Approval and budget to create a new, specific platform sounds like a near insurmountable task given the bottom-line pressure to employ fewer, global platforms. At best, a Sigma variant could be created by clever engineers and serve as the basis for other vehicles, such as a GTO or Nomad. It is interesting to note that the Nomad concept shown in Detroit 1999 was constructed on an F-chassis. Indeed, the Aztek-ugly GTO and Nomad 1999 concepts were more serious proposals than the media and public were led to understand.
With all these fuzzy-edged puzzle pieces laid out on the table, how do they fit together? It is too early in the development process to know for certain what the outcome will be. However, in digesting, debating, and forecasting, we can distill the plans down to these possible scenarios:
--Camaro and Firebird simply disappear in 2002.
--The next-generation Camaro could be developed off a "light" Sigma platform, following an evolutionary direction.
--Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac GTO could be co-developed, possibly with rear drive.
--Perhaps we might see a 1960s-inspired Camaro coupe and Nomad sibling.
--Or maybe there will be no Camaro, but front-wheel-drive Monte Carlo gets Vortec V-8 instead.
Whether evolutionary or heritage in direction, we anticipate a fifth-generation Camaro that will push the legendary marque's performance and liveability to new levels.
11-06-2006, 12:30 PM
#5
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That was an earlier possibility.
I remember telling someone something about the 5.3 and the Camaro in confidence a long time ago. Anyway, the person I told, misunderstood me and got the story wrong. After they posted what they thought I had said on a site, it spread all over the internet. Later it was even in print. I found that very entertaining.
Last edited by Z284ever; 11-06-2006 at 12:37 PM.
11-06-2006, 02:22 PM
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how about every car magazine thinking that the Camaro, GTO, Corvette, etc. will still be using the LS2/LS7 in a couple years? They don't do any research whatsoever when it comes to the engines they're spewing out. An idiot could do a better job.
11-06-2006, 03:59 PM
#10
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That was an earlier possibility.
I remember telling someone something about the 5.3 and the Camaro in confidence a long time ago. Anyway, the person I told, misunderstood me and got the story wrong. After they posted what they thought I had said on a site, it spread all over the internet. Later it was even in print. I found that very entertaining.
I remember telling someone something about the 5.3 and the Camaro in confidence a long time ago. Anyway, the person I told, misunderstood me and got the story wrong. After they posted what they thought I had said on a site, it spread all over the internet. Later it was even in print. I found that very entertaining.
