Return of the King: Meet the 2014 Camaro Z/28
Chevy has finally broken out the Z/28 designation for this piece of work. The short version? It’s a stripped down, high-powered, Camaro with an appetite for corners. It’s not the most powerful Camaro you can buy, but it’ll definitely be the fastest.
Chevy says the Z/28 will have at least 500 horsepower, courtesy of the LS7. You might recognize that as the same engine in the Corvette Z06. Like the Vette, the Z/28 comes equipped with all the trick features that make the Corvette’s LS7 special. It’s got the dry-sump oiling system, high-lift camshafts, and those oh-so-controversial sodium filled exhuast valves. We’re sure that 500hp and 470 lb-ft of torque will haul the Camaro’s heft with ease, especially because there’ll be less heft to haul.
The allure of the Z/28 is that Chevy has cut a lot of weight from the car in search of faster track times. Here’s some of what they got rid of:
- Eliminated the tire-inflator kit, except for Rhode Island and New Hampshire, where it is required by law
- Removed interior sound deadener, and carpeting from the trunk
- Replaced the standard LN4 battery with a smaller, lightweight, LN3 battery
- Specified thinner, 3.2-mm glass for the rear window, compared to 3.5-mm glass on the standard Camaro
- HID headlamps and foglights are not available
- Air conditioning is only available as a stand-alone option
The net result is a car that’s 300 lbs lighter than the ZL1 with loads of of new aero. The carbon fiber splitter up front provides additional downforce AND serves as a snow plow in colder climates. They’ve also given it a rear wing on top of the revised rear bumper. GM has also fitted it with new spool-valve shocks that allow for a wide range of dampening stiffness. These and other changes mean the Z/28 will pull 1.05 gs in a corner. Not bad, right?
I think i’m not alone in being genuinely excited for this car. The Camaro is a fantastic car  and the Z/28 moniker is as legendary a nameplate as Chevy has. From what I can tell, it’ll live up to those expectations. Let us know what you think in the comments!
