[DGthe3]

I was going to do a big thing on the value of displacement for a high performance engine, but I'll save that for another time. But generally speaking, high RPM engines come about as a consequence of a limited displacement -not as a substitute.



Back to what Ruess said. Lets break it down, line by line shall we?

"We're looking at the original formulas of the Trans Am homologation of the Z/28,"

This explains why he brought up the 302 ... it was part of the Trans Am homologation rules for the Z/28. Why bother reading between the lines when the plain text makes things obvious?

"Why was the 302 engine so special? So, the formula may change a little,"

The rhetorical question 'what makes the 302 so special' implies an answer similar to 'nothing makes that engine very special'. Furthermore, stating that 'the formula may change a little' makes it pretty clear that they don't intend on using a 302 cubic inch engine. What would they actually use? No idea. That would depend on how big 'a little' is. Was he being straight forward with that 'little' or is it sarcastic? Without knowing what he meant, it could be anything from a high revving NA engine of some non-302 cu displacement to something crazy like a twincharged 4 cylinder with 350+ hp.

"but it still needs to be a wicked fast track car more capable maybe than the comfort- and driver-oriented models.""

Its going to use the same kind of thinking that brought about the original & the 5th gen Z/28. Performance will overide comfort, as it should be on a Z/28.

Originally Posted by Demon 1LE

how about a 5.5L ?

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/03/...c7-rs-5-5l-v8/

Not the 5.5L again

That racing series places a limit on displacement at 5.5L. It means absolutely nothing with regard to production engines. Which is why there wasn't a production C6 or C7 with a 5.5L engine. They build those engines with that displacement in order to meet the rules. If rules stated that you need a V5 with 3 small cylinders on the left & 2 big ones on the right ... then race teams would build such engines. And the factory would still crank out whatever engine they feel like building to meet customer expectations.

[Mikes SS]

what I never understood was how can Ford always use or develop single purpose engines, but not GM?? surely they have the tech, they just choose not to. Their best bet is to use a 5.0L or 5.7L engine in the new Z/28 and some how/some way get it to have 500hp. The 6th gen is already lighter and for sure they learned a lot on weight savings and aero on the 5th gen Z/28 just put the two together and they will have a winner if it is under $60K

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Mikes SS

what I never understood was how can Ford always use or develop single purpose engines, but not GM?? surely they have the tech, they just choose not to. Their best bet is to use a 5.0L or 5.7L engine in the new Z/28 and some how/some way get it to have 500hp. The 6th gen is already lighter and for sure they learned a lot on weight savings and aero on the 5th gen Z/28 just put the two together and they will have a winner if it is under $60K

If 500 hp is the goal, why go smaller?

[CmeltoN91]

Bring back the 5.7 and 4.3!! Could you imagine a 4.3L LGX??

[Number 3]

Originally Posted by CmeltoN91

Bring back the 5.7 and 4.3!! Could you imagine a 4.3L LGX??

Nope. That's a very large V6. Great for a truck, though.

[CmeltoN91]

If they want heritage,they at least need to bring back the 5.7. My opinion of course....when people think GM Performance,they think of BBC. That obviously is a thing of the past,so what's the next best thing? SBC! OHC 350 making 535hp would be the best iteration of GM Performance.

[Sidedraft]

Originally Posted by Number 3

First, the Z/28 competitor is NOT the GT350, it's the GT350R and that car is over $60k.

Eh, it's packaging semantics to me. The GT350R is a GT350 with crazy expensive wheels, no A/C and no rear seat and the optional track pack. I think 50 of the 130 lbs the GT350R saves over the GT350 is from the wheels alone lol. Not sure how the base suspension will compare, but the GT350 with track pack and stripes is about $57K. So, close to $7K over the base car for MagRide and extra coolers. Granted, it will probably take the R package to best the 5th gen Z/28 around a track -- but given two years to catch up and having access to a Z/28 to benchmark against it would be a pretty significant failure on Ford's part if they couldn't put down better lap times.

So, I'm not really interested in how the GT350 or GT350R stacks up against a 14-15 Z/28. I am very interested in how GM responds, however

If GM made the carbon ceramic brakes and race dampers optional instead of standard they could have lowered the entry price of the Z/28 significantly and moved a lot more units. I don't think that was the goal for the 5th gen; seems to me GM wanted to give the 5th gen a proper send off and generate some serious buzz in the industry -- price be damned. Mission accomplished! I suspect now that the competition has woken up that things will be different for the 6th gen Z28. Hopefully in time for MY2017

[Scarrzz]

Implications are fuel for excitement, and I'm pretty excited to anticipate a technically outstanding LTX in the sixth Gen Z.

[Number 3]

Originally Posted by Sidedraft

Eh, it's packaging semantics to me. The GT350R is a GT350 with crazy expensive wheels, no A/C and no rear seat and the optional track pack. I think 50 of the 130 lbs the GT350R saves over the GT350 is from the wheels alone lol. Not sure how the base suspension will compare, but the GT350 with track pack and stripes is about $57K. So, close to $7K over the base car for MagRide and extra coolers. Granted, it will probably take the R package to best the 5th gen Z/28 around a track -- but given two years to catch up and having access to a Z/28 to benchmark against it would be a pretty significant failure on Ford's part if they couldn't put down better lap times.

So, I'm not really interested in how the GT350 or GT350R stacks up against a 14-15 Z/28. I am very interested in how GM responds, however

If GM made the carbon ceramic brakes and race dampers optional instead of standard they could have lowered the entry price of the Z/28 significantly and moved a lot more units. I don't think that was the goal for the 5th gen; seems to me GM wanted to give the 5th gen a proper send off and generate some serious buzz in the industry -- price be damned. Mission accomplished! I suspect now that the competition has woken up that things will be different for the 6th gen Z28. Hopefully in time for MY2017

Two points.

First there is a huge difference between a 350 and the R. Don't think the price difference of $15,000 is just for the wheels.

Second the dampers and brakes (throw in the tires) might have taken 6 or 7 grand off. But then you would have just had a 1LE with the LS7.......which would have made a lot of people happy.....but had a car that cost more than an ZL1 and was slower around the track.

Let's be positive this is Fords catch up play. GM has in effect pre responded. Next year when the R is actually available I expect a great review of a Z and an R.........and the will do quite well.

And for GM not doing exclusive engines? That was the LS7. Unique only in the Corvette and now only unique with the Camaro.

[Trans damm]

Originally Posted by Z/284ever

I think that I shouldn't exactly say at this point - but more than 6 months after.

So are we guessing the Z28 will be out before the LT4 version if two different cars exist?

[Z/284ever]

Originally Posted by Trans damm

So are we guessing the Z28 will be out before the LT4 version if two different cars exist?

Well, we haven't established if the Z/28 won't have the LT4.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by LesserO2Evils

Z/284ever, seems you have some legitimate insight. Could you happen to "insinuate" if the Z will be out within 6mon of the base models order opening? May be some of us that need to hold off. Esp me.

What would your Magic 8 Ball, say?

Probably this

[shinzon]

guys... this is GM.... the same company that brought you the Traverse, Acadia, Enclave, and Oulook. all the same car.

Sharing platforms motors and frames etc.. are a ways to save money. GM is in the business of producing cars.

Hmmm....Ats and ats -v

Ats = Camaro

Do you really think they are going to dump a lot of money in developing new engine when the development is already done and paid for in the ats-v ?

ATS-v = Z28

done and done and already developed and waiting a rebadge.

[Flow_Motion]

Listen, I don't really care what they do, but I just hope they have that awesome cool Z28 decal on the doors like the '81 Z28.