Zeta News 2.0: New VF Commodore and Chevrolet SS

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Exactly... They're doing it because they have to not because they want to. I mean, in the end, Camaro fans aren't going to exactly "celebrate" a turbo I4 model, but its absolutely necessary to be able to have the Z/28 and SS models made available.

Personally speaking, if they can keep the Camaro weight down, the idea of a Turbo I4 model actually sounds like it could be pretty cool. No, its not a true Camaro in the same sense as my father's '68, but indeed, some kind of new-school bruiser thats just as fast as some of the other ones out there.

Plus, its not like it will be alone: I'm willing to bet that Ford will have a 260 BHP EcoBoost Mustang as well.
 
I agree that it will still be a muscle car, just the V8 option. They're doing it to keep tree huggers off their backs, and actually still be able to give the fans what they realy want. And it doesn't change the fact how awesomely cool it is :drool:
 
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Yellow, eh? Looks like velocity yellow from the Corvette, which makes me wonder what other colors will eventually cross over. Oh, and I just noticed the little "mast" radio antenna on top. Weird, I had figured for a while that it would have had an integrated one in the rear window...
 
I think that's a good color on the car. But then again, I'm a little partial to yellow cars for some weird reason.

Those mast radios are pretty cool. The VW has one and the only problem I've had is that it's just one more thing to wax around.
 
-> That little mast will make Clarkson go "aaarrggghh, I'm mean, I'm a shark, aarrggh"! ;)

-> Hmm, I'm not liking that yellow, it kinda looks like a Cobalt. :indiff:
 
Did you guys not watch 'Transformers'?..

Engine variant will be determined by a mixture of marketeer prediction and consumer demand. If lots of people buy I4-turbos, then they'll make them. Judging by Mustang sales, lots and lots and lots of people will buy a V6 with 'adequate' performance. People seem to forget that a 300hp car is actually a bit of a beast, and a 400hp car is a lot of a beast. Dodge have only got the 425hp Challenger to market first in that form so they can have the gullible high-buck customer base validate some engineering work for them. If you can prove parts on your high-faluting car first, you can design them better second time around for the runabouts that most will buy.

A turbo I4 Camaro would weigh in a good few kilos less than a V8, and probably handle fairly well because of it. But it will have to poke out a good 200hp just to make the thing move. The DI 260hp engine sounds like a good match. The benefit will be 35mpg+ cruise. And when the GMEuro boys get a few for evaluation, you can bet a range of I4/I5/V6 turbodiesels will be going in for squits and giggles.

I've always though that the US has been very slow on the uptake of high-spec monster torque turbodiesels coming from the likes of BMW, VAG and Jaguar(Peugeot.) Why not a Lion 2.7TD V6 powered Mustang, for instance? Same power as the V6, same torque as the V8, 30% better economy than the V6? Sure, it's an expensive engine, but that depends on what your annual mileage is and fuel type costs are.

I'm a loon, a petrolhead and a V8 nut. If I order a Camaro (possibly when) then it will be a top of the line job. As much horsepower as you can shoehorn under that yummy hood, please. But I will be testdriving a turbo version just to figure out if they've done the job right (I'm not a turbo fan, I'm impatient, and even the best turbos lag. It would annoy me.)

As far as colours goes... I'm praying for a 'Rallye Green' replacement. Chevy don't do any greens in their passenger car division. This is a FAIL.
 
Venari
Why not a Lion 2.7TD V6 powered Mustang, for instance? Same power as the V6, same torque as the V8, 30% better economy than the V6?
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Because people hate diesels with a passion in America, diesels are not viewed as performance engines in America, and the premium price a diesel would carry would make people just buy a V8.
 
Not to mention the price of diesel per gallon is about $1 more expensive then premium fuel.
 
And it is still rocketing up while prices of normal gas have (at least around here) reverted to what they were two weeks ago.
 
Fair enough. Over here, petrol/diesel prices are more or less equivalent (maybe diesel = +10%)

And no, you'll never get over the noise. But the performance is there. Some of those breathed on street trucks will leave even Corvettes for dead off the stop light to 40.

But I hear ya. :D
 
The secret at GM is that they're working on diesel versions of most of these cars, and I'd be willing to bet that there is a diesel Camaro (or Commodore/G8) mule somewhere. The new 4.5L diesel V8 fits in any small-block space, and makes a helluva lot more torque, offering up fuel economy that goes into the 40 MPG space (theoretically).

Until diesel gets back in line with regular petrol, I don't think there will be a big market. But, there has been market research done to prove that people are more interested in diesels than hybrids (they generally come at a lower cost, now more-efficent).

We'll see. I wouldn't rule out a diesel V6 option in the Camaro, but the LN1 turbocharged I4 may replace that altogether.
 
Considering GM themselves are the ones that singlehandedly made the whole of America hate diesels, I'm thinking it may be more of an uphill struggle for them than if, say, Ford offered a diesel engine in every car.
 
We'll have to see how the new Jetta TDI works out here in the coming weeks/months, and for that matter, how the BMW and Honda offerings will fair as well. My guess is that if they are successful, GM (and likely Ford) will jump on the diesel bandwagon. If not, no huge loss...
 
Again, the Zeta Commodore is 100% getting a 2.9L VM Motori diesel V6, so why not the Camaro get the same engine? Being designed in Australia and all I think it would be probable. (This V6 is meant to get as much torque as the 6.0L in the VE SS, and theorised 180kw).
 
They haven't even confirmed it for use in the Cadillac CTS here in the US, which is what the engine debuted in. We'll see what happens, but I'm not willing to put all of my eggs in a basket yet over it.
 
I don't think I'd buy diesel anyway. About a week ago I was all for it, then I learned it literally kills brain cells, and I like my brain- it makes me very smart.
 
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God, they're everywhere!

This has to be at least the fifth or six mule spotting altogether... Interesting that you can't tell what engine is under the hood, because it would be cool to hear more about what they're working on.
 
They are around here as well, but they keep them in car camo (like we don't know what it is). I've never been in a good position to snag a photograph though.
 
My guess is that they'll migrate over here when the weather warms up... GM likes to rent-out Grattan Raceway in the summer for development runs. They were doing the Ion Red Line and G6 GTP months before they even debuted at auto shows out here during my 2005 bike racing series.
 
Is that an intercooler behind the grille or just a silver radiator??
 
Ok something a bit different that showed up on Autoblog this afternoon, someone built two Camaro's out of Lego's with working diffs and trannies...pretty bad ass.

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Gallery of the rest of it:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lego-technic-camaro/719337/

Autoblog
We were just about to write yet another post on new Camaro "spy shots" that were taken in Florida, but we've seen so many uncamouflaged Camaros lately that the initial wow factor has almost entirely worn off. Then we saw pics of this Camaro over at Winding Road. Built entirely out of LEGO pieces by someone who goes by the handle "Crowkillers", these scale models of that last remaining pony car to reenter the market are really amazing. It's not easy to recreate the lines of a modern day muscle car using only square blocks, so it appears that Crowkillers dipped into his bin of Technic pieces allowing for a little more complexity than ye olde traditional LEGOs. We're not entirely positive, but it appears each car is able to move under its own power, as well. They even feature fleshed out interiors and a mock V8 engine under each hood! While not official offerings from LEGO, the company responsible for much of my childhood delight could do worse than have a guy like Crowkillers on its payroll.
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Toronado
OMIGOD awesome.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OHMYGODTHATISAWESOME!@!!!!1!!cos(0)!!!!!!1!
 
I would buy that kit.

no joke.
 
Officially official, HSV gets LS3 in April.
http://www.caradvice.com.au

Originally posted by Australian Car Advice
As usual the rumours were true, with HSV today announcing the arrival of the GM LS3 engine which is to be fitted standard across the HSV range from April.

The upgrade will see the ClubSport R8, GTS, Senator Signature, Maloo R8 and WM Grange’s power output rise to 317kW, up from 307kW.

The 6.2-litre LS3 engine is currently manufactured by General Motors Powertrain in North America and is used in the current Chevrolet Corvette.

In its HSV guise, maximum output of 317kW is achieved at 6000rpm, with maximum torque of 550Nm at 4600rpm - this is compared to 321kW and 424Nm achieved in the Corvette at near identical rpm.

Surprisingly, despite the added displacement, the LS3 engine will deliver a slight improvement in fuel economy for both the Maloo R8 and WM Grange, whilst the short wheel base models deliver 14.5L/100km as opposed to 14.4L/100km with the current LS2.

HSV’s export range will also receive the new LS3 powerplant, which includes the Vauxhaull VXR8 in the United Kingdom and the CSV R8 sold in the Middle East.

The obvious issue presenting current E-Series HSV owners is the logical blow to their resale value, with the LS2 having been made redundant by the now standard LS3.
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About time, and is that a typo or do HSV spec LS3s actually get over 100Nm more than the Corvette's. How much torque does the LS3 Corvette make?
 
I really love the idea of turbo four in Camaro.. since there IS a replacement for displacement. :D
 
Leonidae
I really love the idea of turbo four in Camaro.. but there IS NO replacement for displacement. :D
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There we go, just helping you fix your typo Leo. :sly:
 
I'm not sure where they're getting their figures for the LS3 in the Corvette, but its a higher output than what they quoted. On the "standard" Corvette it is 430 hp (321 kW) and 424 lb·ft (575 N·m) of torque, and the power increases just a little bit when you add the free-flow exhaust kit.

It looks like you guys are getting the same power-cut on the LS3 that we're getting for the G8 GXP... About 400 BHP. Nothing to complain about really, the engine is still packing a HUGE punch, and certainly is a bit more efficent than the LS2 its replacing.
 
There was no typo. you need stronger glasses, young man. :lol:
 
Hopefully GM will make the turbo Camaro (as well as turbo G8) something better than a penalty box. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who will demand a Z/28 or SS-spec suspension/tire combo, and I'm hoping GM is willing to package one in. Maybe as an RS option? Hard to say.

I'd be more apt to go for the V6, but the Tubo I4 is interesting. I'd really like to give one a drive just to see what it would be like...
 
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