New Camaros are in the showrooms

[Bunkster]

Based on what seems the inevitable… that GM and Chrysler will be owned by the government and labor unions…while legitimate free market bond issuers will get screwed… I’ll never, ever, buy another GM or Chrysler vehicle again.

I always bought US vehicles, even when I knew they were junk. But no more.

As well, I always supported any CEO’s earnings: The silly minions that whined about their high salaries were, and still are, lowbrows and ignorant.

But when Rick Wagoner, without a peep, crawled away like a wuss when government sphincters told him to go, THAT was a moment to puke: You earn all that money and you end up being a wussy and sissy.

I’ll buy freak’n anything but a GM or Chrysler now: GM and Chrysler can go to Hell.

[mtkawboy]

I noticed that at SEMA seeing them in person, the color of them completly transforms the car. Dark colors are better, light makes them look too big to me.

[Tom P]

They had one at the new car show a couple weeks ago. Front end is still ugly even though it looks like they have done a few minor changes since the 07 and 08 shows the prototypes were at.

I sat in it, my head was against the roof. It was a sunroof model. No way i'd get a helmet on in there. The guages look hard to read while driving but that seems to be a GM trait for a while now.
It was a V8 but the salesman said they are only selling V6's for the first few months.

[TD4087]

Saw one last Friday night at the track. Kid driving it with 20" looking rims/tires and it went 8.45 in the 1/8th. Not a bad looking car in person and I'm a Ford guy. But others here are right it looks like it is from the same mold as the Dodge

[bill dedman]

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is only marginally smaller than what a Camaro should be (overall length 175") and has a curb weight of 3,060 pounds.

I realize a Wankel is a lot lighter than a big V8, but that's a huge difference in weight.

I don't think than ANY of the "big 3" (that's a joke, now) worked very hard to keep weight off their new ponycars. Too bad; if they had, they'd be REALLY fast, with those engines!

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by TD4087

Saw one last Friday night at the track. Kid driving it with 20" looking rims/tires and it went 8.45 in the 1/8th. Not a bad looking car in person and I'm a Ford guy. But others here are right it looks like it is from the same mold as the Dodge

8.45? With a V6?

[bill dedman]

The new V6 they are putting in the Camaro is a direct-injection motor that's also in the Cadillac. It makes over 300 horsepower. It could run 8.45 in the eighth, I think, with the right tires.

[TD4087]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

8.45? With a V6?

Ooops !! My fault. I meant 9.45 Sorry.

[Clay Arnett]

Originally Posted by Bunkster

The 2009 Kia Rio, at 2365 pounds, which has to meet the same standards, does not seem all that heavy.

I didn't say that all new cars were heavy. What I meant were all the cars in that class were heavy. A Kia Rio has the following size

Length 158.1 in
Width 66.7 in
Height 57.9 in

Camaro

Length 190.4 in ( 2' 8" longer)
Width 75.5 in (8" wider)
Height 54.2 in (4" shorter)

Also the Kia has a 1.6L 98 hp engine to the Camaro's 6.2L 426hp engine.
Someone mentioned the RX-8 and yes it is lighter as well. RX-8 is a slightly smaller car but it also has aluminum body panels. It has a carbon fiber driveshaft as well. Take that rotary out and put a LS in there and you got a nice piece although the FD body is better for that.

That being said I do think they could have done a much better job with weight reduction. The Corvette is a good example. It is a very light car but with this lighter weight also comes a bigger price.

[Dave Turner]

I saw one on the way home tonight; red with RS badges - dual exhaust. No way to tell what was under the hood.