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Next-Gen Camaro: 6.2L LT1 V8 Or More Expensive V8 Hybrid: Community Question

On Tuesday, we presented readers the idea of a 2.0-liter turbo-four hybrid engine or 2.7-liter turbo-four engine for a theoretical seventh-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Today, let’s talk V8 engines.

All of this stems from a recent survey Chevrolet forwarded to Camaro owners asking for input on future powertrains for the sports car. In the survey, Chevy presented two V8 options: a 6.2-liter V8 engine making 455 horsepower (the same as the current 6.2-liter LT1 V8 engine) or a 6.2-liter V8 with a hybrid system that adds 90 hp for a total of 545 hp.

The standard V8 would theoretically do 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds and return 20 mpg combined, while the V8 hybrid would shave 0.3 seconds off the 0-60 time, but return substantially greater fuel economy at 24 mpg combined. Here’s the kicker, the regular V8 would cost $4,000 over whatever the baseline price is; the V8 hybrid would cost $8,000 more.

In our poll yesterday, we leaned towards GM foregoing a four-cylinder hybrid for the Chevy Camaro for one reason: price. The sixth-generation Camaro has already proved a tough sell, and ultimately, Camaro buyers seek V8 power. In this scenario, a V8 hybrid doesn’t seem like a bad option.

Not only is it pushing power well past the 500-hp mark, but the car may be able to better absorb the price over an entry-level four-cylinder hybrid system. We did notice one intriguing scenario from a commenter yesterday: perhaps GM does away with the V6-powered Camaro and introduced the 2.7-liter L3B turbo-four as the base engine, replaces the V6 with a 2.0-liter hybrid-turbo engine and then offers V8 power at the top.

This is all speculation currently, but clearly, GM and Chevrolet have hybrid power in mind for the Camaro’s future. Without further ado, vote below.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. Is the gas mileage a misprint? The both say 24 MPG combined.

    Reply
    1. VCAT,

      Yes, that was my mistake. I’ve updated the text to read 20 mpg combined for the regular V8.

      Thanks for reading! (and catching that)

      -Sean

      Reply
  2. Hybrid? No, the weight would be too detrimental to handling.

    AWD all-season Camaro? Hell yeah. While the AWD would also be detrimental to handling, it will enable thousands of people in the snow belt to buy Camaros for their daily drive. It’s a worthy trade-off.

    Reply
  3. You can drive a Camaro in the snow! You can drive any vehicle in the snow! Well that is if you know how to drive.

    Reply
  4. Make it an options.

    Not everyone wants this or would pay another $8,000 more for a car many complain is already over priced.

    Reply
  5. Who is buying this performance stuff. Speed limits are regulated to about 65 mph, and so many roads are in disrepair, congested, or under engineered.

    Reply
    1. “Who is buying this performance stuff.”

      Conspicuous consumers from every corner of the world.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspicuous_consumption

      “Speed limits are regulated to about 65 mph, and so many roads are in disrepair, congested, or under engineered.”

      There are also many places on Earth where the roads aren’t congested, aren’t deteriorating to the point of being unusable, and where the speed limits are much higher than 65mph.

      Your fallacy is in thinking that someone with a 500hp sports car is going to use that car to commute to work in gridlock and will have no problems doing so.

      Reply
      1. People who are tired of driving boring soccer mom, grocery getter, cars.

        I want something that is fast, loud, and handles great! To drive to work everyday, on the weekends, to the track!

        Reply
    2. Yep. Out here in rural MI, about 30 miles away from the GM proving grounds, there are quite a few twisty country roads for “spirited” driving. I even see the magazine reviewers out here from time to time in exotics.

      Yet a modern V8 is so powerful that on these roads your constantly holding back in fear of your life. As such it can be more fun to drive a 6 cylinder or even a high revving 4 cylinder that can be wrung out within a range of speeds appropriate for the roads. Miata drivers have known this for decades and I see groups of them every few weekends, every driver with a smile on his face. They can run their cars at their limit without committing any felonies, too.

      My ATS, which is basically a Camaro, is great out here but sometimes I wish I had the 2.0T, as the 3.6 is happiest at over 4500 rpm, which in most gears is too fast for me. So yeah, you nailed it, performance cars have in many ways become undrivable on the streets.

      Reply
  6. Reg; “ultimately, Camaro buyers seek V8 power.” Check your facts. Most Camaro’s for years have been the V6 and now the Turbo. In was at two dealerships last weekend and there were only a few V8 models in stock. Sales managers at both dealerships stated that they order few V8’s for stock.

    And back to the subject; I would buy the Hybrid V8 over the regular V8, in fact, it would probably turn me to seriously considering a V8. As it is now, a V8 hasn’t a chance of consideration.

    Reply
  7. At the end of the day most people need to commute home, and even though old school thinking wants a V8, the mileage is awful and will gather dust WHEN gas goes back up. Tesla has them all beat. Compete or fail. Again.

    Reply
    1. EV’s have to be heavily in the mix soon, or we won’t have to worry about what type of V8’s, cuzz our ‘Future’ will be in a Black Hole. V8’s and Coal Rolling idiots will help bring us to that future, soon.

      Reply
  8. Hmm, well, I guess I voted “unsure” because I don’t know where the price point is based on current gas prices and how each vehicle stacks up and how the initial cost of a hybrid pans out over long term ownership with maintenance vs. a non-hybrid. If it’s a true point of contention and to give consumers a realistic reference, then we need to know what true costs of ownership are to make an informed decision. Not just MPG’s, HP, and initial cost. My thought is what seems great now might bite you in the @$$ in the long term or vice versa. Not enough info leads to blind ignorance or blind belief in manufacturer hype and that always seems to bite most…IMHO. Bottom line is it REALLY worth it for the extra expense both short term and long? If yes, then YES go hybrid, if not, forget about it and stay conventional.

    Reply

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