Zeta News 2.0: New VF Commodore and Chevrolet SS

  • Thread starter Thread starter YSSMAN
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That was a very well-written letter. I hope they will read it and think about it. Going rear-drive to compete with other brands will definitly help, although front drive seems to be working for the Japanese.

I do disagree with your wanting to make the GM branches BMW wannabes. The world does not need more of those. They (and the other American manufacturers) need to maintain their "cheap cars for the masses" role, except offering good quality for cheap.
 
Personally, I think all automakers should give the finger to CAFE. What business does one state (Assuming the "C" shands for Car-hating California) have dictating the emission laws of the rest of the country?!
 
I've come across some interesting posts over at GM Inside News:

Beaumontbill
Very reliable sources. I can tell you that there is not even a question that the car is not on hold. Let's just say that I went to the top at Chevrolet and they were very aware of Mr Lutz's comments and were quick to confirm them as untrue...

GM is not giving up on the RWD platform. That's the word period.
They are aware of the cafe issues and are monitoring them but the plans have not changed for the rear wheel drive Impala. It is not my place to tell you where that info comes from but I can tell you that I am the GM of one of the largest volume Chevrolet dealers in the country and I bleed chevy blue. I was dissapointed when I read the rumors on the site and used my connections to get Chevrolets position on this. The answer I got was there should be no rumors whatsoever. The new RWD Impala is a go
and is on schedule!
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Interesting. We can't be completely certain of this guys information, but if Chevrolet is refuting Bob's quote, I'm sure that there are others in the company who are shaking their heads too.
 
Camaro mule (probably) spotted!

From GMInsideNews.com

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There is a bit of debate going on right now as to what exactly it is, but I'd assume that it is a pretty safe bet that it is the long discussed Camaro mule that has supposedly been roaming around Australia since December. The big hubbub comes over just how short this new platform is under the Commodore (keep in mind that the Camaro's version of Zeta will be about 2 inches shorter), and what exactly that means. Theories are:

- Its the Camaro, plain and simple. This is the first time we've seen the mule, so its a bit surprising.

- Its the Monaro, maybe, as we have yet to see prototypes of the 'more-than-likely' coupe for Australia and America.

- Its the first of the 'Alpha' chassis cars, that being the rumored Zeta-derrived small RWD chassis that will underpin (probably) the next Pontiac G6.
 
The width of that flare--probably a good 3-4 inches there--combined with the short wheelbase says Camaro to me.
 
It may only be a mule of a different car, but that has got to be the meanest looking Commodore I have seen!
 
skip0110
The width of that flare--probably a good 3-4 inches there--combined with the short wheelbase says Camaro to me.
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Yeah, I think we're all probably right on that one. The guys over at GMI were taking different photos of Commodores and actually measuirng them in Phototshop to attempt to explain the size of the car, and just what exactly it is. Those are dedicated folks there...

So I do have to wonder now: If the Corvette now has the LS3, what will be the top-engine in the Camaro SS?
 
Nothing wrong with it, but I'm unsure what GM will do there. Logic says that it won't get the LS3 so it can keep the Camaro firmly behind the Corvette in performance, but truthfully the only other options are the LS2 or the L92 (essentially the same engine as the LS3).

It will be interesting to find out for certain. As of now, the only confirmed engine for the Camaro is the 242 BHP 3.9L V6 from the current Epsilon cars here in the US.
 
YSSMAN
Nothing wrong with it, but I'm unsure what GM will do there. Logic says that it won't get the LS3 so it can keep the Camaro firmly behind the Corvette in performance, but truthfully the only other options are the LS2 or the L92 (essentially the same engine as the LS3).

It will be interesting to find out for certain. As of now, the only confirmed engine for the Camaro is the 242 BHP 3.9L V6 from the current Epsilon cars here in the US.
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Historically the Camaro has gotten the Vette engines with a one year delay (Vette got the LT1 in 92, Camaro in 93; Vette got the LS1 in 97, Camaro in 98)...so assuming the Camaro will be '09 car, it would make perfect sense for it to have the LS3 from the '08 Vette.

Probably with a few less hp due to exhaust restrictions, just as with the LS/LT engines in the past.
 
The will probably tune the engine itself down a bit, too. It looks a bit shorter than the normal car, indicating Camaro. Whatever car it is probably won't have rear doors, seeing as how the ones on that car are attached to the fender flares.
 
I don't think the Camaro will be light enough to go head-to-head with the Corvette, but the engine makes sense - LS2 or LS3, perhaps with a little down-tuning, will work just fine for the Camaro.
 
Interesting mule, I doubt it is a Monaro/GTO mule as it wouldn't have a shortend wheel base. Most likey Camaro or this 'Alpha' mule, but it could be a test car for many different technologys or designs they are testing packed into one car.
 
If it was an "Alpha" mule, wouldn't it have more "normal" dimensions?" Would they really put such huge fender flares on a non-performance car mule?
 
Folks, take a look at this:

AutoBlog
General Motors released an image today of GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, Vice-Chairmen Bob Lutz and Fritz Henderson standing in front of a production clay model of the 2009 Camaro being chiseled. The official caption of the pic refers to the car as a "production clay model", although from what we can see through the pleated pants of these three GM execs, the front end looks exactly the same as the Camaro Concept that first debuted at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show.

What's more interesting, perhaps, is the fuzzy background showing this design studio's wall on which hangs a concept rendering of what appears to be a new Chevy vehicle. Josh Oliver from TheGMSource.com surmises that it's a new rear-wheel drive coupe, possibly a new Monte Carlo or Chevelle. We're not sure from the available evidence that such a claim can be made with any degree of certainty, but it is clear the car on the wall is one we haven't been officially introduced to yet. Any thoughts on its identity? Impala, perhaps? Drop your guess in the comments.

[Source: GM via The GM Source]
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Camaro Picture (Link to higher-res version):


Mystery-car:
x07co_ex040_250.jpg
 
Looks like a 4 door to me, my bets are on the new Impala! Awesome, the production Camaro looks identicle to the concept!
 
If the car in question is a coupe, by every measure of awesomeness, it MUST be the return of the Chevelle. If it is indeed a sedan, there isn't any question in my mind that it is either an Impala/Caprice, or indeed may carry the Chevelle name once again as well. Very interesting, I'll have to see what they are screaming about over at GMI...

---

And for those who don't know: The 'Alpha' chassis is apparently the new RWD spin-off of Zeta that will split the difference between Kappa and Sigma, and become the 'cheap' RWD chassis that will have the ability to do battle with the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class, and the like. There hasn't been anything official from GM on the chassis itself, but it is a name that is thrown around a lot at GMI, and indeed is suspected to be the chassis by which the next G6 (and possibly G5) will be based, presumably 2010 or later.
 
Next Monte Carlo then?
 
-> Nice:

ve.jpg


^ Man that looks far better than the ready-to-rumble Challenger RT, the hi-po Mustang Super Snake, and the plain-looking Camaro combined! Now I like that "Monaro GT3-R Proto", please bring it here as a Saturn! :dopey:

-> Hmm...

x07co_ex040_250.jpg


^ I have a gut feeling that this will be the next generation, RWD Impala SS with a LS3 engine " Charger SRT-8 Killer". ;)

(:
 
The Vanishing Boy
Now I like that "Monaro GT3-R Proto", please bring it here as a Saturn! :dopey:
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Monaro? Monaro has extended coupe doors, that proto has sedan doors and B pillar.
 
^ Thats why I called it a "Proto" as in a prototype test mule of the next-gen Monaro. ;)
 
Don't get me wrong, I love Bob Lutz, but I'm glad he retracted his earlier statement...

[QUOTE-LLN.com]Less than a month after saying GM would put development its Zeta platform rear-wheel-drive cars on hold, Vice President Bob Lutz now says work will probably resume on the cars.

On April 10th, Lutz cautioned new CAFE standards proposed by U.S. legislators would force GM to halt development of the new Chevy Impala, Monte Carlo, Pontiac GTO, Buick Lucerne, and more. The new Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac G8 would not be affected, he said.

Yesterday, Mr. Lutz backed away from those comments, telling Detroit Public Television GM would probably resume development of the large rear- wheel-drive cars, albeit with more fuel-efficent engine choices.

Analyst John Wolkonowicz of Global Insight told Bloomberg News it's critical GM moves ahead with the cars as planned. "It goes back to real American cars for real American buyers. Too many of their cars have been bad copies of Japanese cars.

Earlier this week, a sketch of a mystery Chevrolet model appeared in the backdrop of a recent press photo taken inside the Rear Wheel Drive Performance Studio at GM's Warren, Michigan, Design Center. The vehicle is believed to be the Zeta-based Impala or Monte Carlo.[/QUOTE]

Its good news indeed. They were shooting themselves in the foot by 'stopping' these cars, and I'm happy to hear that it has continued to go through.
 
Thank god....
 
Yeah...
I bet this sort of back and forth attitude will play out over time with the SS model Cobalts. :confused:
Might just be a matter of them looking for cuts and seeing which one people scream about the most.

With these new models still on the way I am sure GM will manage to gain ground here in the U.S. 👍

As for a LS9 Camaro... I'd bet on that being highly limited production. The LS7 seems like it would be the base of a more common SS model (as I'd bet on the LS9 getting a unique name).

In any case, I'm happy to see that the SS Cobalt killing philosophy didn't win-out on this subject. :cheers:
 
Well the odd thing was that while Lutz was going on about how the product development was on hold, the guys at GMI who work for the respective companies were saying that all the work was still being done, and they had never been given an order to stop work...

...The big problem that I've been reading about is that they've pushed the Chevrolet Impala launch back to 2010. The confusion comes from the definition of 2010, be it the model year, or the calendar year. Quite frankly, I'm uncertain of why it would take so long for what it essentially a slight modification of the Commodore or Statesman, especially when Casio had shots of Impala prototypes not too long ago...

It will be worth the wait. Lutz's promise of 'more efficient' engines and such is pretty much a guarantee, at least in my mind, of diesel power and 6-speed gearboxes. We'll see what happens...
 
The Vanishing Boy
^ Thats why I called it a "Proto" as in a prototype test mule of the next-gen Monaro. ;)
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Whats the point of a 4 door mule for Monaro, Monaro is just a coupe body style nothing else special (same wheel base, track, hardware etc).
 
Oh, so GM grew half a brain and realised that selling every single 4000 lb RWD car with a V8 may not be the most fuel effecient choice? Nice to know. This sounds like some kind of crap designated just to ramp up hype.
 
lol, who outside of car boards really knows much if anything about Zeta cars?

Talk to the average GM car buyer and mention Zeta, see what they say.
 
Onikaze
lol, who outside of car boards really knows much if anything about Zeta cars?

Talk to the average GM car buyer and mention Zeta, see what they say.
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Ask the average GM customer about what they want, and there is a good chance they are going to say something similar to the Chrysler 300 or Dodge Charger. Americans want their American cars back, and fortunately for GM, they answer the question that most people are asking...

Granted, you are correct in saying that most folks aren't going to know what the 'Zeta' Program is, but that largely depends. Of course, living in Michigan, word gets around fast, and most people know the different cars by their chassis names (not just whats on the hood). That being said, the further you get outside the 'friendly' Mid-West (say, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and maybe parts of Kentucky and Pennsylvania), I'm certain that people aren't going to know what the cars are.

Either way, the G8 came out of Chicago with an overwhelmingly positive reaction, and I'd be willing to assume the same for Chevrolet and the Impala/Chevelle/Monte Carlo, as well as Buick with the Invicta/Park Avenue (see Buick of China)...
 
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