New Camaro Concept

[jayhawkexplorer]

GM is under some kind of contract that they cannot build a car faster than the Corvette. So, even if they do put the same motor in, they will choke it down like they did back in...I think it was about '93-'94 (if memory serves it was an LT1), where a chip and a few mods made that years comode z28 fast as hell, but production stock could not be faster than the vette.

GM's under no kind of "contract" but it just makes sense not to have a car that's more powerful than the Vette. Its GM's halo car and the one car they have that's truly an icon. Just like the Ford GT has 500 horses and the new GT500 Mustang should have as much power, but probably won't.

I love the styling of the new Stang, and the Camaro/Challenger concepts, but my problem lies with the future. The '05+ Stangs are based on various elements of '64 to '70 Mustangs, the glory years. What are they going to do with the next gen Mustang? Base it on the '75 Mustang II? On the '86 SVO? No, they'll have to rehash a retro again or go back to modern styling, like they did with the '94 to '98, then '99 to '04 cars. I LOVE the new cars and plan to buy an '08 probably, but I worry about the future.

Say Chrysler builds the new Challenger, what do they do when its time to redesign? The Challenger was cool for about 3 years in the '70's so there's nowhere else to go for design inspiration.

Same thing with the Camaro. What will the next gen car look like, an '89 IROC-Z?? God I hope not.

And I forgot about the T-Bird. Same problem there too, they had nowhere to go but into the past and it failed.

That's where GM has done so well with the Vette. You can see elements of the old cars in it, but its a totally modern looking car and they've never had a problem updating the car, but making sure it was still a Corvette.

 

[Rick]

There might not be a contract to keep the 'vette the fastest in the GM lineup, but when Cadilliac introduced their 2 seater a few years ago with a Northstar that was at the time more powerful than any other GM engine they refused to release it with the high HP motor for the very reason of not wanting to "dethrone" the 'vette.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

The Challenger is speced for IRS??

I am not sure on the challenger the lady that was doing the Dodge presentation knew nothing but the camero is speced for IRS :thumbdwn:

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

for the Vette problem just give the Vette 600 HP and stick the 500 in the Camero. After reading the article on the Dodge website on the Challenger it appears it will have the HEMI in it eith the 5.7L V8 or maby I think they could put the 6.1 from the SRT-8's in it.

 

[FROADER]

Or just say 'F' the Vette this year and make something cool.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

Yeah that would make sense though

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

There might not be a contract to keep the 'vette the fastest in the GM lineup, but when Cadilliac introduced their 2 seater a few years ago with a Northstar that was at the time more powerful than any other GM engine they refused to release it with the high HP motor for the very reason of not wanting to "dethrone" the 'vette.

The XLR, as far as I know, was never slated to have an engine more powerful then the Vette. It got a Northstar V8, just as almost all Cadillacs have. Now the XLR-V, coming this summer with a supercharger Northstar and 469 horses, may be a different story. Great to see Caddy doing that, wish Lincoln could do something like that.

 

[chriswells78]

The XLR, as far as I know, was never slated to have an engine more powerful then the Vette. It got a Northstar V8, just as almost all Cadillacs have. Now the XLR-V, coming this summer with a supercharger Northstar and 469 horses, may be a different story. Great to see Caddy doing that, wish Lincoln could do something like that.

Unfortunately, I don't see Lincoln doing that. Ford is careful not to undermine it's other models very much. If they were to supercharge the LS for example, it would undermine the Jaguar S-Type R (400+Hp Supercharged on the same chassis as the LS) I think this is why thy quit making the SHO in '99, becuase the LS came out in 2000 (not to have 2 mid-sized 4 door V8's) A roots supercharged LS would be awsome though.

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

Unfortunately, I don't see Lincoln doing that. Ford is careful not to undermine it's other models very much. If they were to supercharge the LS for example, it would undermine the Jaguar S-Type R (400+Hp Supercharged on the same chassis as the LS) I think this is why thy quit making the SHO in '99, becuase the LS came out in 2000 (not to have 2 mid-sized 4 door V8's) A roots supercharged LS would be awsome though.

No, Ford's taking Lincoln in a backwards, waste of time dirction. The LS is cancelled and the S-Type is being redesigned. Funny how all the cars on that platform flopped (LS, S-Type, T-Bird).

 

[chriswells78]

IIRC the New Mustang is on that platform. Is is not?

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

IIRC the New Mustang is on that platform. Is is not?

A shortened, strengthened version of it with a solid axle, while all the others were IRS. For evidence of its strength in Mustang form, drive an '02 to '05 T-Bird and feel how much it shakes compared to the Mustang convertible.