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Originally Posted by DGthe3
Just being a bit of a devils advocate here ...
What if the Cadillac version of the platform is based on an aluminum structure while the Camaro utilizes cheaper steel?
Also, while we know that the ATS is going to be Alpha based, I'm pretty sure the next gen CTS is too. I'm thinking that the Camaro may be based off of the larger variant of the car, rather than the smaller one. I say this because I don't expect a V8 in the ATS while the next gen CTS (and Camaro) will need V8s. And if they're doing 2 variants of the platform, with 2 different power train combinations, I would expect the Camaro to get the most ... robust version with the more powerful engines. They can still hack it down to smaller dimensions, but I foresee the next gen Camaro being a much 'denser' car compared to the ATS. Of course, this idea goes out the window if the ATS-V is a supercharged (or turbocharged) V8 cranking out over 600 hp.
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It's entirely possible. I remember reading an article discussing the goal and intentions of the Alpha architecture. One of them was the ability to swap out components with others made of advanced lightweight materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum, or ultra-high-strength steel. This would allow the architecture to be truly flexible and underpin many different vehicles.
However, I don't think Cadillac would spend the money on an aluminum unibody, especially not for the base models, because one of Cadillac's critical features is offering the same features for less $$$ than competitors. That's why the CTS-V was made for 60k, verus the M5's $80k pricetag.
As far as the size...I disagree. Considering the Mustang is purported to be shrinking, the Camaro's existing weight disadvantage vs that car, and the industry trend towards lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles...I don't think the volume-selling Camaro can afford to be set on a similar, or even larger (CTS is growing) version of Alpha. It would be counter-intuitive to....everything.
GM will need to develop a high-output V8 for the likes of the Corvette Z06 and ZR1...if the Camaro is based off of the smaller ATS Alpha architecture, it is conceivable that they could put a compact, high-output Gen V small block into the high-end versions. The cars don't need to be carbon-copies of each other...and in that light, we could see a much more robust drivetrain.
