Quote:
Originally Posted by RedonBlackRS
I think the best option would be to replace both the 2.0T and 3.6 with the 3.0TT (and this goes for all of the future Alpha/Omega cars),
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No way. Cost aside (the 3.0TT is extremely expensive by comparison) it's straight up too much power for a lot of drivers - and in some markets the base insurance on the vehicle would be higher, increasing the cost of ownership, which would hurt sales and residuals. That's one of the reasons the 4th gen Camaro died in 2002.
To put it in perspective in the UK, the BMW 318i comes with a 1.5L I3 with 136hp or the 320i with a 2.0L I4 with 184hp or the 330i with a 2.0L I4 with 252hp.
The same idea holds true in China as well, which is the market du jour - 200hp in a 3400lb car is FINE for a majority of drivers and PLENTY for those that live in cities and never drive fast anyway and are more interested in owning a BMW than having a BMW that's fast.
This is more relevant for the stable mates at Cadillac (even though the brand has exited the idea of taking on Europe and is just sticking to China) than the Camaro because globally a base engine with 260hp is pretty extreme and the Camaro isn't as global a vehicle - but saying a base engine should be 350hp or above actually risks "hairdresser" sales that want a styling car that's quick and sporty and don't want to be terrified when they put their foot to the floor.
For the ATS, dropping the 2.5L *was* the right move, but it actually did hurt sales as a LOT of people were plenty fine with 200hp and couldn't afford the higher-priced ATS variants. The Camaro could/would have the same problem - keeping cost down on the base model and having it be well equipped is REALLY important.