GM RWD Platform canned, Camaro powertrain changes!
Discussion
Long term prospects look bad. Though I think they are talking about future RWD not the current stuff.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/blog/?p=759
"one GM official, who asked for anonymity but who confirmed the rear-wheel-drive projects are now dead."
Camaro goes Hybrid – RWD platform canned
As a result of the United States government recently revising the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ
rules that will force manufacturers to meet an average 35mpg across their entire fleet by 2020, GM have not only taken the decision to bin the new Rear Wheel Drive platform mooted for the next Pontiac G8/Chevrolet Impala/Buick LaCrosse, but have also had to rework their plans for the 2009 Camaro.
It was expected that the Camaro – fortunately too far down the road to production to be stopped – would form the basis of any future RWD platforms, and so the decision to can the Impala/G8/LaCrosse means that any cost saving benefits from sharing the platform disappear, which in turn makes pricing for the Camaro much more difficult for GM, who are desperate to stay competitive against the Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang.
One saving grace for GMs balance sheet is that the new Camaro plant in Oshawa, Ontario had been built with enough flexibility to allow assembly of both Front and Rear Wheel Drive vehicles so the $2.5bn investment that GM had made together with the Canadian and Ontario governmental authorities won’t now be wasted on an idle plant. Large SUVs (ridiculously) are in the clear for now as the 35mpg ruling doesn’t apply to trucks; high end Cadillac models are also safe as GM knows they must be RWD to compete at all.
GM are said to have turned to plan B for the Camaro which will be to build an awful lot of V6 models, perhaps with Turbocharging (thus increasing the average fuel economy for that model), and to charge a large premium for V8 models to cover themselves for penalties applied for going over the economy limit for passenger cars. The biggest news in plan B is for V8 models to employ hybrid petrol-electric drivetrains, making the 2009 possibly the first “green” musclecar.
At first this seems like an oxymoron, but the more you think about it, the more this becomes a great selling point for Chevrolet when compared to the traditional V8 petrol only musclecars from Chrysler and Ford, which really could be consigned to history a lot sooner than we’d like to believe. It’s the only glimmer of light that comes out of this news anyway.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/blog/?p=759
"one GM official, who asked for anonymity but who confirmed the rear-wheel-drive projects are now dead."
Camaro goes Hybrid – RWD platform canned
As a result of the United States government recently revising the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ
rules that will force manufacturers to meet an average 35mpg across their entire fleet by 2020, GM have not only taken the decision to bin the new Rear Wheel Drive platform mooted for the next Pontiac G8/Chevrolet Impala/Buick LaCrosse, but have also had to rework their plans for the 2009 Camaro. It was expected that the Camaro – fortunately too far down the road to production to be stopped – would form the basis of any future RWD platforms, and so the decision to can the Impala/G8/LaCrosse means that any cost saving benefits from sharing the platform disappear, which in turn makes pricing for the Camaro much more difficult for GM, who are desperate to stay competitive against the Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang.
One saving grace for GMs balance sheet is that the new Camaro plant in Oshawa, Ontario had been built with enough flexibility to allow assembly of both Front and Rear Wheel Drive vehicles so the $2.5bn investment that GM had made together with the Canadian and Ontario governmental authorities won’t now be wasted on an idle plant. Large SUVs (ridiculously) are in the clear for now as the 35mpg ruling doesn’t apply to trucks; high end Cadillac models are also safe as GM knows they must be RWD to compete at all.
GM are said to have turned to plan B for the Camaro which will be to build an awful lot of V6 models, perhaps with Turbocharging (thus increasing the average fuel economy for that model), and to charge a large premium for V8 models to cover themselves for penalties applied for going over the economy limit for passenger cars. The biggest news in plan B is for V8 models to employ hybrid petrol-electric drivetrains, making the 2009 possibly the first “green” musclecar.
At first this seems like an oxymoron, but the more you think about it, the more this becomes a great selling point for Chevrolet when compared to the traditional V8 petrol only musclecars from Chrysler and Ford, which really could be consigned to history a lot sooner than we’d like to believe. It’s the only glimmer of light that comes out of this news anyway.
Sounds like a laod of nonsense to me.
The Pontiac G8 replacement is going ahead..they've started exporting them already. Plus, Camaro is based on global RWD same as VE Commodore, so the platform already exists.
However, if the global RWD team are looking a bit pissed off on Monday I'll let you know.
The Pontiac G8 replacement is going ahead..they've started exporting them already. Plus, Camaro is based on global RWD same as VE Commodore, so the platform already exists.
However, if the global RWD team are looking a bit pissed off on Monday I'll let you know.
ringram said:
Nice coloured SS Jader!
Are you going to cam it?
I'd love to...it really should make some more noise. Too boomy inside and not loud enough outside. Are you going to cam it?
Unfortunately I can't touch it because it is a company car. I give it back in November because I only keep it for 11 months, hence the colour - I wouldn't have bought one that colour!
Was going to get an Astra next because filling the Commodore every 10 days gets a bit expensive, but after spending Wednesday at a track day thrashing various Holdens I reckon a V8 Calais might be the way to go.....sounded awesome at full throttle, and looks pretty good too.
Edited by Jader1973 on Friday 15th February 11:53
LathamJohnP said:
I don't get it.
Why would they ditch specifically RWD platforms? Does RWD = high consumption? BMW seem to manage - the latest 3/535d is rated at 178g/42mpg combined.
And the SUV exemption is laughable.
I suspect posturing/political shenanigans.
John
Quite possible, I guess we will see. Maybe a premium on the V8 to keep volumes down, which will help average consumption for GM. But they better not strangle the V8 with some electric mess or other rubbish or it will bite them.Why would they ditch specifically RWD platforms? Does RWD = high consumption? BMW seem to manage - the latest 3/535d is rated at 178g/42mpg combined.
And the SUV exemption is laughable.
I suspect posturing/political shenanigans.
John
I've been following the Camaro forums since the concept was shown - and I REALLY doubt we'll see a Hybrid - it's too far along it's development now. What we have seen is a lot V6 testing and very little V8 (in public).
They say the GTO/Monaro replacement is dead - and I believe that
Still, I'd still only buy a V8 Camaro and it's on my radar for next year - still, LHD only it seems. double
They say the GTO/Monaro replacement is dead - and I believe that
Still, I'd still only buy a V8 Camaro and it's on my radar for next year - still, LHD only it seems. double
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