Boomer

from www.z28camaro.com

http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/show...2&postcount=20

Moosetang

550 hp on the Z28 isn't much of an edge over the current "base" GT-500, not to mention whatever is being cooked up for the 2010/11, and given the weight difference I'm giving edge to the Shelby.

The SS obviously has more of an edge over the current GT. But when the GT gets the 5L (which 4cam pegs at 400+ and blueII at 425) with a 300+ lb weight advantage it shouldn't have any trouble keeping up.

jsaylor

I'm curious to see what the Camaro finally weighs in at because, for the moment, the same 3900lb number that kept getting tossed around for the G8 GT during pre production. seems to have become the prevailing number for the V8 Camaro. This is particularly interesting since the G8 GT isn't really a 3900lb car coming in at more like 4k and change when the rubber actually hits the road. If the supposedly 3900lb G8 GT is actually a 4100lb car is the purportedly 3900lb Camaro going to go the same way?

1999 Black 35th GT

I may have this confused, but wasn't the SS higher up on the food chain than the Z28 on the previous models?

If I have this mixed up, please accept my apologies as I am not a Chevy person.

Hollywood_North GT

If the recent comparo test Edmunds did between the new Challenger and the Bullitt is any indication, that "weight penalty" will, in turn, easily be offset by the fact that the Z28 has IRS - the acknowledged Holy Grail of automotive performance.

2k7gtcs

I am no Chevy guy either but I think the late 60's and early 70's Camaro Z28 was higher than the RS and SS. Camaro had their Z28 like Corvette had the Z06 even in the 60's. The late model F-bodies had the SS at the top of the food chain. I think it went RS, Z28, SS in that order. Evidently this will be more of an homage to the original Camaros...more retro.

Boomer

Z28 then SS for the 4th Gen.

5th gen is reverting to the V6 -> SS -> Z28 Model

Slims00ls1z28

Z28 and SS packages in the original states were different packages all together one for road course with a high winding engine the other with big block power. The 4th gens were marketed as SS being higher than the Z but most acknowledge that there was no difference in the 2. No one knows for sure what the power ratings for the new models are yet conclusively. The shelby shouldn't have much if any weight difference over the Z28 the shelby is quite portly itself.

As far as how much the Camaro weighs in comparison to the G8, the Frame is 6 inches shorter itself and has only 2 doors, and smaller back passenger cabin, so my guess would be 3700-3800 such as the GTO maybe less but I'm betting on the 3700-3800 range depending on options. Of course this is opinion based on the few exhisting clues. We will just have to see when it comes out. I predict drivers races if Ford does the 400 hp route. Shelby vs "Z" I'm banking on the Z. KR vs the Z different ball game based on what the Camaro actually weighs.

Boomer

4000+lbs Z28 to the current 3900 for the shelby ....
but if the 2011 goes on a diet? (which is a good guess)
Good night Irene

They'll both be fast cars, to be sure.
But unfortunately the Camaro has the weight issue that can't be ignored.
That platform is just heavy, but we knew that from the start.

Hollywood_North GT

And the Mustang has the SRA issue which can't be ignored either...unless the 2010 gets IRS.

Slims00ls1z28

If the bigger/4door G8 GT is 4K I don't see how a smaller 2door version going to weigh the same. Other than width the whole car is shorter in length and height. Not to mention the frame section alone is about 6 inches shorter. The supercharger and plumbing might add some but I highly doubt 4K lb. Zeta is a heavier chassis than the 4th gen Fbody for sure so the days of 3400 lb Camaros are probably gone no doubt but 4K+ is a stretch IMO.

Boomer

Why does everyone think that having 2 less doors makes the car lighter.
It doesn't...

Unfortunately the Z28 is going to be a heavy oinker. Something the Camaro fans will have to deal with.
Doesn't mean the car won't move... just means it's going to be a fast pig

Slims00ls1z28

Because 4 doors are heavier than 2 in the added sheetmetal used in the perimeters on the body alone not including the extra door material, mechanisms used, mandatory bracing, bigger windows etc. Passenger compartment is also much bigger as well. The G8 is a bigger car even if it was 2 door. I parked the GTO next to one the other day its bigger than it as well. We might just have to agree to disagree but I don't see a 4K Camaro if using the bigger G8 as a comparison.

Boomer

Coupes often weigh = to or more than their 4 door variant.

A lot of times the reinforcement on the 2 door has to be heavier/greater as it has no pillar between the front/rear.

Slims00ls1z28

I was a volunteer in my county's ERT. Part of the certification was to cut up vehicles using all tools available including the hurst tool (jaws of life), Sawsall, and hacksaw. I can tell you from experience the hardest on any to cut with a hacksaw was any 4 door car's B pillar. Everytime. There is over 1.5x the gap usually from the 2 doors A to B pillar as there is the A to C pillar on a 4 door requiring more bracing. True most of the time the front doors are longer on a 2dr but the additional rear doors make up the extra gap. With the additional cross section of the entry more support is needed to maintain rigidity.

Take one car for instance sold in coupe and sedan the 2001 Grand Am GT. V6 auto both. Coupe weight 3091, Sedan weight 3168.
http://www.edmunds.com/used/2001/pon...tid=ik16231731

http://www.edmunds.com/used/2001/pon...652/specs.html

This is on the exact same car with the same width, height, length, rear leg room, etc. Now take 2 vehicles where the only thing the same is the drivetrain and chassis type (the Camaro's Zeta chassis is shorter so they are not exactly the same. The Camaro is shorter in length, height, rear cabin room, rear leg room, less greenhouse, windows, doors, shorter exhaust, shorter driveshaft etc etc. The 2 are not as alike as the Camaro/Trans am by a long shot. so the specs will not be as similar even though on average T/A's weigh more than like equipped Camaros. Take a 6 inch length cross section off of the G8 and an almost 3 inch height cross section and even with the 4 doors and I can garuntee at least a 300 lb drop in weight on the exact same vehicle even if you add a 2 inch width cross section. Heavier than the 4th gen yes. As heavy as a G8 not likely even if you discount the 4 doors.

Katshot

Where does it say the Camaro is getting the LSA? As far as I know, only the Cadillac CTS-V is getting that engine.

Knight

I thought the CTS-V is getting the LS9...

I'm confused, whats the LSA?

Moosetang

Watered-down LS9.

2k7gtcs

Excerpt below from RoadandTrack.com article by Matt DeLorenzo July 2008

Go to link below for full article.

"Slated to bow in the first quarter of 2009 as an early 2010 model, it's expected that the Camaro will be offered in three trim levels — LS, LT and SS. The base LS may be powered by Chevy's 3.5-liter pushrod V-6 making about 220 bhp. The LT models would use the overhead-cam direct-injected 3.6-liter V-6 developing upward of 300 bhp, while the SS will be powered by a 6.2-liter LS3 V-8 (similar to that found in the Corvette) tuned to produce around 400–405 bhp. A year after launch, Chevy will introduce a convertible version and after that a high-performance Z28 model with a super-charged 6.2-liter sibling to the Corvette ZR1's LS9 motor known as the LSA. That engine would make somewhere in the neighborhood of 480–500 bhp and is similar to the engine used in the upcoming Cadillac CTS-V." Matt DeLorenzo Road&Track, July 2008.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=6814

hi5.0

Judging from what I'm seeing concerning the base (V6) engine offerings and power/weight ratios, looks like the Mustang got both the Challenger and Camaro covered and it's not even 2010 yet. Now about the brake/suspension tuning...