It’s not plausible. Weight reduction like that is expensive because it complicates production line processes. They install everything that goes on normal Camaros and then remove things like the Radio or rear seats towards the end of the production line. Getting a 427 past emissions without a hybrid system is nearly impossible. If it weren’t, the C7 would’ve had a 427 variant. It’s easier to put an LT5 or a next-gen twin turbo DOHC small-block in a Z 1LE with P Zero Trofeo R tires and More aero. Nobody wants a stripped out track car these days. Anyone who does can build a base SS or Stingray into a monster for Z06 money.

But look at the new GT500 its a stripped out track car, and know what they will sell every last one and most at 5-20K over MSRP.

That's because Mustang guys are willing to spend the money. Mustang has had quite a few expensive models over its history and people are more than happy to pay.

I guess that's the benefit of the Mustang being the only Ford V8 performance car. There is nothing above it to steal sales, like the Corvette is to the Camaro.

I wouldn't exactly call that car stripped out.

But it went further then the 5th gen Z/28 if you opt for the track car they take out the back seat for 20K LOL and all the CC parts go on too.

Agreed - I've said this before as well.

5th gen sales can't be compared to 6th gen - the 5th gen benefitted from the Camaro hiatus and everyone was excited to be able to buy a new one again. Move forward to the 6th gen, it's better in every way, performance, style, weight - yet doesn't sell nearly as well.

There are many reasons for this, but these are the two major ones:

1. Corvette - lots of Camaro owners step up to the next level of performance after they own a Camaro, that's the Corvette and the C7 is a huge jump from the 5th gen Camaro while still being relatively affordable.

2. No more hiatus hype - simple supply and demand...all of those who wanted a new Camaro and were excited to see GM bring it back already bought one. Some will trade up into the new gen, while a lot more will be happy with their original purchase. I've seen in with the 3rd and 4th gen owners - most wait 2 generations to buy another Camaro if they didn't buy a Vette. Fewer will buy the next generation as in this 5th vs 6th gen case.

The weight reduction in the GT4.R is stripping the car's entire interior, stripping the body of all sound-deadening materials and changing the doors and front fascia to carbon fiber. When you look at it, you aren't losing a whole lot of weight (in a production car sense) changing the plastic front to a carbon fiber. The doors, sure, but there is some functionality loss there (and weight added back in to get the carbon fiber doors street-functional).

Swap the LT4 in the ZL1 1LE for an LT1 (which the GT4.R uses) and you aren't too far from a GT4.R with an interior...

Huh? Unless you're talking about certain race car variants that get sent out post build and de-contented, options simply aren't installed in the first place if the car doesn't call for them. I've been to LGR several times, watching ATS, CTS and Camaros being built.

The GT500 is FAR from anything "stripped". The thing will weigh around 4k lbs... If it were a "stripped" car, it'd weigh close to a base Mustang GT.

The Zeta-chassis of the 5th Gen was just a heavy chassis (the race car version, the Z/28.R, weighed +/- 3,500 lbs!)... The S550 chassis is much lighter than the Zeta (but a little more than the Alpha). The GT500 will still weigh as much as a fully loaded ZL1.

Here’s a picture of Z28.R that I took back in 2015 from the Daytona race.

GT4R

I'm of the opinion that we will see the N/A street version of the new C8.R DOHC flat plane V8 as installed in the C8 Z06 or whatever its going to be called in the Z/28.

Flat plane crank V8...from the C8

If that becomes the case, I would say it would have to be available in the Vette for at least 1 year before becoming available in the Camaro. I'd be willing to bet it would be two years, seeing as the C8 is an entirely new platform and so is this engine. What if the 5.5L FPC from the C8 were a CPC version in the Camaro? Maybe with a power adder of some sort, first thought was hybrid. Not saying I would like that, just trying to think of various options that "could" occur. Gotta have something to discuss, the Z/28 column has been barren of conversation for quite a few months.

I don't see the FPC DOHC V8 making its way into the 6th gen...It will make it to the 7th gen, if there ever is one. 6th gen doesn't even get the LT2 yet, which is much easier to install in the 6th gen than a completely different engine.