Chevy is stepping it up on the power front. First we get news of the $107k (and the rest) 638hp Corvette ZR1. Now we hear news of the new $40kish Camaro SS. GM says that bad boy will holster a supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V8 good for 500 horses. For comparison sake, the new ($51k?) Cadillac CTS-V will boast a 550-horse powerplant. Pricewise, the Camaro SS' more logical competitors are the $40k Dodge Challenger SRT8 (425hp) and the $42k Ford Mustang GT500 (500hp). For bowtie lovers, the question will be whether to go for the 500 horsepower Camaro SS or make the jump to the $50k base Corvette with 430 horses. Oh, choices, choices. You say the muscle car era is over before it begins (again)? It is. But that just means the used car lot in three years will be the world's greatest meat market.
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I wish I could afford to pay for the gas for these beasts. I’d love to have one.
Reminds me of the 1969 427 ZL1 COPO Camaro. At the time, it was as expensive (or even more so) than a 1969 Corvette. They didn’t sell very many ’69 427 Camaros as a result.
While I can see a few Chrysler or Ford fans paying big bucks for a Challenger SRT8 or GT500, I can’t imagine many GM lovers ponying up the same amount for a new Camaro SS instead of a Corvette.
The Camaro is using the LSA V8, identical to the Cadillac CTS-V except for tuning and packaging. The LSA itself is the LS9 out of the ZR1 with the primary difference being a smaller capacity blower.
With some tweaking the LSA will be putting down monsterous power and in normal driving it will return fuel economy superior to most SUVs, trucks and crossovers polluting our roads.
If I had to fill up with gasoline every few days I’d rather fill up a muscle car than a truck. Thankfully with my LS2/six-speed combo I only fill up once a week and average 17-19mpg in all city traffic.
Hardly bank breaking and really quite good for 400hp and the thrills it provides.
Yeah, I assume TriShield is right and that “LS8” is a typo.
Also interesting to note that the LSA, at least in the CTS-V, doesn’t utilize forged pistons. I find that a bit odd in a factory forced induction motor….though my (aftermorket) supercharged LS1 Corvette has had no durability issues. And it gets 32 mpg at 70 mphin 6th gear.
doctorv8 :
Yeah, I assume TriShield is right and that “LS8″ is a typo.
My bad. Text amended.
Buy one, garage it, wait for the barrett jackson auction in 15 yers.
I think that all this adds up to a ridiculously overpriced ZR1. How much faster can it be than the already blistering Z06? The price difference clearly isn’t in the engine department if they’re putting the same thing in a lowly $40K Camaro.
Can I just say? Regardless of engines, the front of the new Camaros looks ridiculous. Like a stoned grin on a bloated hippie’s face. It reminds me of the “Oh Yeahhhh!” Kool-Aid pitcher/guy in the old ads, for some reason.
It costs $40K+ to get into a muscle car these days? WTF?
The only modern muscle cars I see on the road have “D” on the license plate, indicating that the dealership still owns it.
For forty grand, will it still sport the offensively cheap interior?
Actually Matthew it does not, every modern muscle car offers an affordable V8 model. In the case of the Camaro it will be packing a 400hp+ LS3 V8.
Great timing too.
It’s amazing how they keep coming up with timely advanced engineering is beyond me. GM must have a crystal ball.
40K for a museum piece? Sign me up!
I probably wont see this in Europe either. The closest thing would be a previous generation Camaro, yay. Or a previous generation Mustang, woohoo. I’d rather have a Fox or Gen3, not taking classics into account. Of those i’d take the Challenger no doubt. Oh i can’t get the new Challenger either.
That’s 40k plus dealer add to be the first on your block. Then comes the more affordable model, and then comes the really cheap model Following that is the really cheap model that looks just like the really expensive one you paid mucho cash for and can now only get a small percentage for if you sell it.
Then they start rebates, and call the whole thing off. The only real question is – what will they blame it on?
I’d pick up the base Vette until rebates on the Camaro came. Plus 10 years from now, there’s a better chance the ‘vette will still be a current production model.
The supercharged Camaro won’t be available till 2011 model year.
For 2010 there are 2 engines available:
-3.6L DI HFV6 (290-310hp)supposedly staring near $21,000 USD.
-6.2L LS3 (under)rated at 404hp like the G8 GXP and should sticker at $29,000 USD.
Also, it has been rumored that the Z28 badge will become the “Camaro’s Z06” and thus it will be on the supercharged model. This means that the LS3 version will be sporting the SS badges.
As far as the Z28’s motor goes, there has been no official word on whether it is the LSA or LS8. Last I heard the LS8 is a ‘cheapened’ version of the LSA that is less costly to produce and should have an output of around 525hp.
The expected weight of the cars is:
V6: 3500 (with 50/50 weight distribution)
SS: 3800-3900
Z28: 3900-4000
Apparently during testing the SS ran 12.7 in the 1/4 and the V6 ran low 14’s. No times for the Z28 yet but considering its weight advantage over the CTS-V expect it to be that fastest car for $40,000.
While all 3 models sound exciting I am most excited about the V6. Cadillac V6 with DOHC and direct injection, 300hp, +28mpg highway, independent rear suspension, 50/50 weight distribution, 6 speed manual or auto and of course those killer looks. All of this for around $21,000 means this car is more concerned with being a 350Z killer than a V6 mustang / challenger beater. Considering that 80% of Camaro’s will come with a V6 it is very important that GM gets this model right.
geggamoya :
The info about the powertrain is wrong… but this should still cheer you up.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/03/camaro-confirmed-for-europe-may-not-be-branded-a-chevy/
Just wait one year, and a kick your butt car will be yours for a nice discount. The dealers are going to gouge the eyes out of the early adopters, being the scum that they are. Hopefully for every rob job performed, they get an “accidental” shipment of base Cobalts with manual transmissions…
The other benefit of waiting on a car like this is that you get to enjoy the enhancements the manufacturer makes like added features, more power, special packages, etc.
Production version will be revealed in about 3 months, Woodward or something. From my understanding there may be two V-6’s 240-260hp and a DI 300hp, V8 from the G8 GXP with just over 400hp and the supercharged 500+hp in the Z28. Still unknown if the top dog will be SS or Z28.
Expect prices to be similar to the Challenger so 23k for the base, 29k for 400hp and 39k for 500hp. Not including options of course. Being lighter than the Challenger this will be a very good performance bargain.
If they have cylinder deactivation on the 400hp V-8 I’ll still get that. Hell I get V-8 mileage now with only 232hp.
Remember the adage “speed cost money, how fast do you want to go?”
People will still pay for speed when they won’t pay for trucks. Think of it this way. Half the cost of a 911 and faster.
Steve_S :
Lutz said there would only be one V6.
“Lutz said GM has dropped plans to offer a low-priced, entry-level Camaro with one of GM’s low-tech V6s. GM will position both the V6 and V8 versions of the Camaro as premium cars compared to the Camaro’s chief rival, the Ford Mustang.”
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200803191538/FREE/86927553