Quote:
Originally Posted by Number 3
There is just no need or profit to be made here.
GT500 is not a better car than the Camaro. It might be if they do a new version or the GT350 replaces it. But the Gen6 will step up again.
Yes there are a few people that will choose a Challenger over a Camaro simply for the 707 hp. But they will have to pay more than the price of a ZL1 to get one. The number of people that can pay $60,000 plus for a car JUST because it has 707 hp are few and far between.
I could be wrong but I just don't see more than a few thousand sales for the Hellcat at that price.
Keep in mind Fiat has had the number 3 selling car in this segment all along. They needed to try and do something, anything to make a splash........and they did. I just don't see Camaro sales numbers dropping because of the Challenger Hellcat. The new Mustang on the other hand will likely hurt Camaro numbers.
What drives the engine is the base car. In 2002, the V8 Camaros and Firebirds were actually still selling. But it simply became a crappy V6 coupe and the bottom end dropped out. And in the case of the Challenger? It's still an overweight underperforming car in all guises but the $60,000 Hellcat.
GM could step up if that is not the case. And they could easily tune the new Z06 engine for another 50 hp if they felt they had to.
But that engine in a Camaro is 3 years away at best AND WILL COST A CRAP LOAD.
Put the currently announced 650 HP Z06 engine in an Alpha based Camaro at well under 4,000 pounds and I'm fairly certain the Hellcat is just a Meankitty.
Sorry, but "the best car" doesn't mean "the highest HP number" for me.
|
You seemed to have missed where I said that the advantages Camaro has won't be there forever. I understand the current Camaro is better than the old Mustang and current Challenger but those advantages won't be there against the new Mustang.
My point is with Ford/Dodge willing to build hugely high horsepower engines, and GM clearly not for the Camaro, and Ford building a better Mustang, GM will have to change its ways or watch the Camaro fall behind.
When is the last time GM tuned or modified an engine to produce more power? the 2003 LS6? More than a decade ago? If GM cared enough about the lack of power compared to the Camaro's competition, why didn't they tune the LSA?
You honestly believe GM will put the LT4 in a Camaro at it's full potential? I'd expect it to be around 600 hp if they even use the LT4. If the LS9 was too expensive to go in the ZL1, there's no way the LT4 is going in.