GM may offer a Camaro hybrid, no more rear-wheel-drive projects

Posted: Feb 04, 2008
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GM may offer a Camaro hybrid, no more rear-wheel-drive projects

We’ve spoken of a Camaro Hybrid before, but at that time it was just a dream. Well word on the street now is that GM has been forced to make some changes to their Camaro onslaught in the wake of the new CAFE 35 regulations. Don’t worry, the Camaro will still offer a heart-pumping V8 version and will still be built on a rear-wheel-drive platform, with a hybrid model that may be in the works. Other cars planned for a rear-wheel-drive architecture like the Impala, LaCrosse and the replacement for the G8 due in the spring have all been dropped along with a new V8 engine that GM was working on for Cadillac.

“You can”t kill something that was never approved,” one GM official told The Car Connection, who demanded to remain anonymous but confirmed rear-wheel-drive projects are now dead. Only an ultimate-luxury Cadillac has the chance of still making it to production with rear-wheel-drive.

GM is now said to be working on a plan B for the Camaro, a car which it hopes to price competitively against the Dodge Challenger, and the Ford Mustang. While we know that a V8 engine will be the range-topper for the Camaro, Wagoner has recently confirmed that a V6 powerplant will serve as the engine for the base production models.

Tom Stephens, head of GM”s Powertrain Group, also recently told reporters that turbocharging can help boost both fuel economy and horsepower. GM is also expected to have a team of engineers working on how to integrate its new dual-mode hybrid system with the V8 version of the Camaro.

 

Source: TCC Blog

[tags]Cars, Car, Auto, Automobile, Vehicles, Technology, Auto News, News, Automotive, Chevrolet, GM[/tags]


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  • Willem Boomsluiter

    This is again a confirmation, that GM lacks focus, vision and technology. How in the world can you explain, that BMW/Mercedes can make efficient, high performance RWD cars and GM keeps on complaining that they are too heavy and too inefficient? Further fine to come to such an opinion, but does it take you lightyears to do so? Where is the entrepreneurship with guts and decisionmaking? I hoped mr.Lutz would bring a difference, but it is still about a committee designing a racehorse. And if they see Opel with diesels as their helping out: due to the strict management by GM Opel has lost connection with the european manufacturers, they are behind in style, technology and since years losing marketshare (from who did they inherit that?), now even being pestered in the same showroom with cheap Daewoo/Chevrolet cars.

  • Fritz

    And HOW much money did GM waste “barking up the wrong tree”? A Camaro hybrid is not going to sit well with the muscle car buyers I know some of who wish they could still get a new Camaro with a huge carburetor…

    I agree, there are plenty of other manufacturers that can build efficient RWD cars. GM needs to stop making excuses. FWD is fine, RWD is fine too – they ought to be selling a mix. They could capture more of the market that way.

    What I see / hear is GM making huge sweeping statements that are just untrue. The statements match their marketing plans (steering a portion of the consumers GM’s way) but don’t match reality.

    For me a couple of examples would be electric vehicles and diesels. Yes it works b/c GM did it. Toyota did it and they still have examples running around in CA with HUGE miles on their batteries. Another would be diesels. Americans don’t want diesels GM tells me. The truck guys like them despite the higher purchase price and Americans would like them in their cars if they had refined diesels as found in good European cars such as BMWs, Mercedes, Audi, and VWs. The kind that isn’t found in domestic trucks and don’t clank and rattle like a freight train locomotive/dump truck/bulldozer.

    No Camaro for me. I have bought imports for nearly 20 years and they are going to have to build an import style vehicle to get me to buy a “Detroit-child” again. The Astra looks promising and the newer Focus might get my attention. The HHR might as well. I ALWAYS buy used so we’ll have to see how well they age. What we are working towards is a very short commute (less than 10 miles). I’d like to have a full electric compact car that we could use to commute together with. A plug-in electric would do the job too. A used Mini may be the car we choose and I’ll give the used Astras a look too. We’re aiming for a turbo diesel wagon for the garage for weekend and travel use.