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Old 10-16-2013, 05:46 PM   #29
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WARDS AUTO:

GM Bullish on Chevy Camaro Future as Z/28 Model Arrives
Oct. 16, 2013 James M. Amend

GM expects the new Z/28 to take the Camaro’s track credentials to new levels. Mass reduction took center stage in its development, and the automaker spared no cost in pursuing the lightest, highest-performing parts.

MILFORD, MI– General Motors sees the Chevrolet Camaro extending its winning streak against the Ford Mustang this year and predicts a new Z/28 model will bolster its fortunes in 2014.

“We have everything, the styling and the performance,” says Al Oppenheiser, chief engineer for the Camaro lineup.

Camaro sales tumbled 4.4% last year to 84,391 units, squeezing past the Mustang’s 82,995 deliveries, up 17.8%, according to WardsAuto data. So far this year, Camaro sales are down 6.0% to 64,815, while Mustang deliveries are off 11.5% at 59,165.

Based on those results, Oppenheiser believes the fifth-generation Camaro, revived in 2009 as a ’10 model after a 7-year hiatus, may have altered forever one of the pony-car segment’s longstanding tenets by departing from a solid rear axle to an independent rear suspension.

Although the switch added 150 lbs. (68 kg) to the car, it transformed the Camaro from a light-to-light racer into a bona fide track machine and made it more palatable as a daily driver.

The sixth-generation Mustang, due next as ’15 model, is expected to adopt IRS. Ford officials are not commenting on the suspension layout of the new Mustang.

“I’ve been explaining for four years now about the (Camaro) being heavier,” Oppenheiser tells WardsAuto during a media preview of the Z/28.

“We win with styling, the larger wheels and tires and wide front track, and with performance from IRS. If I took those out, we would be pound-for-pound alongside the Mustang. But those are the things that help us win. This is an era when power isn’t everything.”

Oppenheiser expects the new Z/28 to take the Camaro’s track credentials to new levels. Mass reduction took center stage in its development, and GM spared no cost in pursuing the lightest, highest-performing parts, Oppenheiser says. Creature comforts such as air conditioning and a premium sound system were made optional.

The car will be sold exclusively in the U.S. and Canada, and if an item was not required by law there, it did not make onto the Z/28. The car does receive a functional rear seating area to retain its DNA as a 2 + 2 sports car, Oppenheiser says, but even then the seats are made of a lightweight construction.

“This is a track car,” he emphasizes, and given its driving dynamics few buyers other than the most enthusiastic will use it as a daily driver. “I love it. But it’s not for everyone. It follows the road, so you have to be ready to become one with the car.”

The Z/28 borrows a hand-built, naturally aspirated 505-hp 7.0L V-8 engine from the Corvette, but dials up the torque to an estimated 481 lb.-ft. (652 Nm). A close ratio 6-speeed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential with helical gears instead of traditional clutch packs put the power to the pavement.

Specially designed Brembo brakes combine with Pirelli Trofeo R tires to increase braking performance and grip.

Top-shelf suspension-damping technology from Multimatic appears on the Camaro, marking the first time it will be used outside of racing. The only other production car to receive the technology is the Aston Martin One-77.

GM credits the suite of exclusive technologies for helping the Z/28 deliver a Nurburgring time of 7:37.40, putting the car on par at the famous German test track with some of the world’s most prestigious sports cars. The Z/28 pulled its time in the rain, too, Oppenheiser notes. He says the car posted 7:31.9 in dry testing, although that is not considered an official time because cameras were not rolling.

“It’s a gentleman’s game over there,” he says.

Back in the U.S., the Z/28 covered the high-performance test track at GM’s proving grounds here in 01:53.71, nearly six seconds quicker than the Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca. It beat the Mustang GT500 by more than six seconds, GM says.

“That’s the shallow end of the pool now,” Oppenheiser says of the Mustang times. “We’re into the land of the Nissan GTR and Porsche GT3.”

The Z/28 will go on sale late in the first quarter. Pricing has not been determined, but it will cost more than the current top-of-the-range Camaro ZL1 that starts at about $55,000. The Z/28 will see two years of production at a volume of no more than 4,000 units. GM will back the car with a track-specific warranty.

Despite the popularity of the Z/28 name, which draws its nomenclature from the dealership order code for a high-performance Camaro package, bringing the variant to market was no slam dunk. Oppenheiser recalls that while the enthusiast community clamored for the car, GM management was initially skeptical about another Camaro: “‛We are trying to take the Chevrolet brand global and here we already have a stout Camaro lineup. Do you really need it?’”

Oppenheiser codenamed the Z/28 “Steve” during early development to keep its existence under wraps.

In fact, the ZL1 that went on sale last year originally was intended to be the Z/28, but its development took a different route. GM North American President Mark Reuss, design executive Tom Peters and GM Design Vice President Ed Welburn got behind the idea of a proper Z/28.

“We thought the Z/28 name would be let go for this generation, but Reuss said, ‘Hell, no. Let’s do something nobody can touch in the segment.’”

jamend@wardsauto.com
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Old 10-16-2013, 05:50 PM   #30
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MOTOR TREND:

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 First Ride
Goal: To ‘Beat the ****’ out of Anything Ford Can Put on the Road’
By Scott Burgess
October 15, 2013

The Z/28 arrives at dealerships around March 2014, and there are still a lot of unknown details about this car. Its price? More than the $56,000 Camaro ZL1. Its production goals? Only a couple of thousand each year. Its performance? Really fast.

But Tuesday’s event wasn’t about getting all the answers. It was about letting Steve show off a little bit.

The hand-built 7.0-liter V-8s in the prototypes didn’t rumble, or growl, or even scream as much as they roared with a resonance that quaked through my body. The naturally aspirated LS7 will crank out 505 horsepower and 481 lb-ft of torque, Chevy engineers revealed earlier Tuesday morning.

One of the cars on the track’s apron was responsible for a 7-minute, 37.4-second run around the Nurburgring, Germany’s ultimate proving ground, where Chevrolet has already run 1000 miles with the Z/28. That time was in the rain. Chevy promises better times to come.

Some of the carmaker’s best drivers sat behind the wheel of these particular Z/28s, their smiles big and wide. Today, their job was not to abuse the car’s suspension and brakes to make sure every part lives up to Camaro’s legendary moniker. No, these drivers were about to abuse auto journalists with the blunt instrument of a Z/28.

Of course, the Camaro’s real target isn’t the media. It’s anything built with a Blue Oval on it.

“Our goal, my goal, is to beat the shit out of anything Ford can put on the road,” said Al Oppenheiser, the Z/28’s chief engineer. “That’s a common goal from the top on down.”
Chevy says the new Z/28 is a true track car, and it has already bested the Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca on GM’s development course. Of course, that is a home-field victory, and the final Z/28 has not been independently tested or compared to Ford, Dodge, or anyone else offering up a highly tuned sports car.

I can tell you it’s probably a bad idea to chew gum when riding in the Z/28. Also, try to push your head against the back of the Recaro seat to stop the helmet -- with your head inside -- from hitting the window during cornering.

This car is downright amazing on the track. Chevy has changed 190 different parts when compared to the 2014 Camaro 1SS. It’s more powerful and lighter, and has the grip of a hungry anaconda. The 305/30ZR19 Pirelli Trofeo R tires were so sticky and the brakes so strong during testing that the rims rotated more than 360 degrees inside the tire. GM solved the problem through special beading and scoring inside the rims.

Perhaps the first thing you notice with this car is not the acceleration -- that’s expected -- but the braking. The 15.5-inch carbon-ceramic two-piece front rotors with six-piston Brembo calipers and 15.3-inch rear rotors help provide up to 1.5 g in deceleration. And the braking power stays with you. According to one of the drivers, you can do 22 grueling laps on the 2.9-mile course before you run out of fuel and you won’t experience any brake fade.

Of course, all the weight reduction Chevrolet did to the Z/28 also helps it stop quickly. Weighing 3837 pounds, the Z/28 drop got lighter in every possible place. The LS7 is 63.7 pounds lighter than the LSA. The wheel packages saved 48 pounds. Engineers pulled out the air conditioning, lightened the rear seats, and even pulled out acoustic deadening and insulation out to save a sum total of another 41 pounds. Floor mats? Redundant wiring in the harness? Trunk trim? Nope, that’s all gone. All in the name of speed.

The first time my driver hit 100 mph, I hardly noticed until he kept that speed going into the corner and I tried to hold myself in the seat. For a number of reasons, the Camaro does not come with a handle for the passenger to grab and curse.

As we cleared a small hill the suspension extended, but the car quickly planted itself again. The Z/28 produces 440 pounds more downforce than the SS model. The front splitter creates more than 200 pounds of downforce and instead of using expensive carbon fiber, the splitter is made of plastic, meaning it will only cost a few hundred dollars to replace. (And Chevy saves hundreds building it.)

Every surface was studied and analyzed to improve the car’s aerodynamics. The rear spoiler, hood vents, rockers, and fender flares help the Z/28 go faster. During the test run, some parts have not been finished, as engineers continue to toy with different rear spoilers hoping to create an adjustable one worthy of the track.

Coming out of the long sweeper, the Z/28 felt track scary, and that’s from the passenger seat. The car, which has a lower center of gravity than the SS, never wobbled and the back end stayed surprisingly stable. When my driver hit the acceleration hard, the car crouched more.

The driver clicked through the gears quickly, winding them out and finding the next one on a track he could nearly drive blindfolded.

The stiff suspension makes the Z/28 track-capable and also something many owners won’t want to suffer through on a daily basis. As Chevy engineers said Tuesday, “it’s made to drive to the track on Saturday, smoke everyone and then drive home.” So unless you work at a track, you might want a different daily driver.

Every part of the new suspension has been overhauled. The front springs are 85 percent stiffer and the rear springs are 65 percent stiffer. The Canadian company Multimatic Inc., which builds special dampers for Formula 1 racing, created the dampening system for the Z/28.

But any track demands a stiff ride. And the Z/28 delivers, at least from the passenger seat, where you don’t feel the steering or even the click of the six-speed manual.
As we hit more than 150 mph along the front straightaway, though, none of that seemed to matter. From the passenger seat, the Z/28 is still a thrill ride -- an angry, head-jostling, neck-bending thrill ride.

Now, if only it had something I could grab on to.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz2hvbAwW34
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Old 10-17-2013, 10:37 AM   #31
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Oppenheiser says; “This is a track car,” he emphasizes, and given its driving dynamics few buyers other than the most enthusiastic will use it as a daily driver. “I love it. But it’s not for everyone. It follows the road, so you have to be ready to become one with the car.”

I Love that phrase! become one with the car & the road.
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Old 10-17-2013, 10:46 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikamaro View Post
Oppenheiser says; “This is a track car,” he emphasizes, and given its driving dynamics few buyers other than the most enthusiastic will use it as a daily driver. “I love it. But it’s not for everyone. It follows the road, so you have to be ready to become one with the car.”

I Love that phrase! become one with the car & the road.
Isn't that what it's supposed to be about for people like us? For people like us, a car isn't a tool - it's a buddy or friend - I think, at least for me, it's even more than just an extension of myself.

Anyways - Mr. O' has made it quite clear what Z/28 is all about. I'm sure we'll get reviews and comments that completely disregard those fundamentals of this project, but I also know that each and every one them make will be sold.
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Old 10-18-2013, 07:06 AM   #33
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Z/28 Video

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/16/2...-review-video/
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Old 10-18-2013, 07:31 PM   #34
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2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 By the Numbers
More specs and data released to make Camaro lovers drool
By Scott Parker
GM High-Tech Performance, October 17, 2013

Following the stunning announcement of the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28’s impressive Nürburgring times, despite the weather conditions, GM also launched a full array of fascinated facts about its ultimate track performer. Quite simply, the Z/28 was built specifically to be faster than anything Ford can deliver. Not only was the Z/28 faster on the Nürburgring than the ZL1, but during development the Z (1:53.71) also surpassed it (1:56.58) on the Milford course as it did the 1LE (1:58.85), the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca (1:59.05), and the 2013 GT500 (1:59.97). And just how did they build such a fast car?

• 190 unique parts from the 2014 Camaro SS to the Z/28
• 3,837-pound curbweight
• 7.59 pounds per horsepower
• 1.5g in deceleration
• 305/30ZR19 Pirelli Trofeo R tires, largest front tire on any production car
• 1.08g lateral acceleration
• 33mm lower center of gravity than the Camaro SS
• 63.7-lbs lighter by choosing the LS7 over the LSA
• 505hp at 6100rpm
• 481 lb-ft of torque at 4800rpm
• 2.66/1.78/1.30/1.00/.74/.50-ratio TR6060 manual transmission
• 3.91:1 final drive ratio
• .7-seconds per lap faster with the Torsen helical limited slip differential
• 394x36mm front, 390x32mm rear brake rotors
• 20x lifespan in the rotors as the pads
• 6-piston asymmetric front, 4-piston rear monobloc, fixed calipers
• 19x11 front, 19x11.5 rear wheels (weight, center of gravity, rear tire handling at the limit)
• 440 pounds more downforce at 150mph than the SS
• 85% stiffer front springs, 65% rear springs match DSSV dampers
• 25% stiffer lower trailing link bushings (lateral stiffness and deflection)
• 50% stiffer front lower arm link bushings (steering feel)
• 400% stiffer rear upper control arm bushings (lateral stiffness)
• 25mm front, 26mm rear stabilizer bars (smaller than SS)
• 40mm piston, 45mm OD tube in front struts
• 45mm piston, 2.6lbs weight savings with aluminum body on rear damper

However, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts when it comes to the Z/28. In addition to the first dry sump lubrication system in a Camaro, the Z also uses engine oil, transmission, and differential coolers to make it track capable. These parts are unique to the Z/28, but bear striking resemblance to the Corvette ZR1 (engine oil cooler) and ZL (diff cooler). The trans is another leap forward from the base Camaro, boasting closer ratios and beefier components– double- and triple-cone synchronizers on all gears with a matching number of friction surfaces. The Torsen helical geared diff is another leap forward, which improves corner entry, exit, and mid-corner traction by allowing the ABS to function independently on each wheel, rapid torque coupling, and zero preload means no resistance for better steering and speed. Though the carbon rotors are a big focal point, the asymmetrical piston design on the brake calipers distributes the clamping force more evenly and increases the pad surface area for longer pad life. And last, but definitely not least, a great deal of time was spent selecting and tuning the DSSV Multimatic struts and dampers, which have its roots in Champ Car, Formula One, and many other highfalutin professional race series. To put it mildly, the Z/28 has the best parts money can buy and is one impressive machine.

Read more: http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...#ixzz2i7hnx9wu
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Old 10-21-2013, 08:34 PM   #35
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http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoram...155143023.html
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Old 10-21-2013, 09:24 PM   #36
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In the video the driver says that they might have a special tune for Europe...a Nurburging Tune.
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Old 10-22-2013, 10:40 AM   #37
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Here's the BEST review to date:
http://www.lsxtv.com/features/car-fe...e-track-camaro
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Last edited by Mikamaro; 10-22-2013 at 10:59 AM.
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Old 10-22-2013, 12:49 PM   #38
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YAHOO AUTOS:

Riding in the new 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28, a factory-bred street racer
By Alex Lloyd
Motoramic – Wed, Oct 16, 2013 11:51 AM EDT

After its shock reveal at the New York auto show, the 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 stands as one of the most anticipated machines of the year. GM promised new heights of performance, and an unrelenting dedication to make the car worthy of its legendary name, and challenge some of the world's best. We got the chance to take a Z/28 deep dive at GM's Milford Proving Grounds, and ride shotgun in one of its development mules on the venue's test track. Is it everything that was promised?

Let's start with the "shotgun" part: Chevy wouldn't let us drive the machines because the engineers haven't finished all the final calibrations. Our time behind the wheel will occur nearer to the proposed sale date, late in the first quarter of next year. So I'll start by saying that riding in the passenger seat does not give you a clear perspective. You cannot make a definitive judgement, nor should you when the car's still being worked on. But it does gives us a sense of what the car can do, and if that sense is correct, Camaro fans are in for something quite special.

I've spent plenty of time tracking the Camaro ZL1 and 1LE, as well as Ford's muscular competitors like the GT500 and Boss 302 Laguna Seca, including in a back-to-back comparison test. From a handling perspective, the Camaros are far superior, and faster. So it goes without saying that Chevy has a rather incredible platform to create the Z/28. But don't for one moment think that this car has only a few mechanical changes from the plain Camaro

No, the Z/28 is different. It's completely reinvented, featuring Multimatic DSSV shocks (the very same Multimatic that supplies Red Bull's dominating F1 team), monster Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes as standard, Pirelli Trofeo R tires that were originally developed for use in one of Porsche's amateur racing series in Europe, and front-splitter, side sills and rear wing that produce 440 lbs. more downforce than the Camaro SS. The engine, GM's naturally-aspirated LS7 featuring 505 hp and 481 lb.-ft. of torque, comes meshed to a Torsen limited-slip differential. It's lowered 33mm and close to 100 lbs. lighter

It doesn't even come with air conditioning.

The evidence of an all-out performer arrived via the car's 7 minute 37.40 second lap time around the infamous Nurburgring. That's faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera S and Lamborghini Murcielago, but was set in the rain. Chevy estimates that the car could pull a 7 minute 31 second lap. "We want to be in conversation with the Porsche 911 GT3 and Nissan GTR," said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. "We've ran much faster times than what we've posted," he continued, stating that you cannot video normal testing runs due to the privacy of other OEM's vehicles on track, leaving just a brief 15 minute window to record attempts.

At GM's mini-Ring test track in Milford, Mich., the team has run all of Ford's heavy hitters. The Z/28 lapped the track in 1 minute, 53.71 seconds. The Boss 302 Laguna Seca: 1:59.05. And the Boss is faster than the GT500. The Z/28 is even three seconds faster than the Camaro ZL1. Below is a video of that test, released by Chevy.

From within the passenger seat of the camouflaged test car, and despite our lap time being slower than the car's Milford record, the grip feels astonishing. The Z/28 produces race car-like downforce in the high speed turns, and power is perfectly proportionate to the cornering speed. The balance, too, is exceptional. My driver appeared timid in the slow speed turns, leaving some time on the table. But despite the car being capable of more, I was highly impressed.

But let's not forget the tire equation here: Mark Stielow, Camaro performance manager, even said the Pirelli rubber "really helped us get our lap time." While no one would offer me a percentage indicating how much of the newfound speed is from the tires, my guess is a lot — although I won't negate the other aspects from doing their part to contribute. You can see the picture of the tires equipped, and it's clear these are no ordinary street tire. If it rained, expect to crash.

Until we get our chance behind the wheel, it's hard to truly unravel what we're dealing with. And even then, deciphering pure grip from the tires versus performance from the car will be tough. But regardless, Chevy set out to produce the ultimate performing muscle car, and all signs says that's what it achieved. In fact, you can't really call the Z/28 a muscle car. It's a thoroughbred sports car.

When it goes on sale, expect prices to be more than the $55,055 base price for the Camaro ZL1. And don't expect it to be a vehicle for the masses: "It's not for everyone," Oppenheiser said. "It's a lot to handle. We want people to drive these cars to the track, smoke everyone, and drive it home." But Chevy admitted driving home would not be as comfortable as cruising in the ZL1. "Surprisingly, the soft tires do help with ride comfort," I was later told. "It's not as bad as you might think."

I can't wait to find out from the driver's seat, but for now, Chevy continues to take the pony wars by storm — at least until December, when Ford finally lets the new Mustang out of the corral.
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Old 10-22-2013, 12:55 PM   #39
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LSX-TV:

Z/28 Preview – The Ultimate Track Camaro

by Paul Huizenga on October 16, 2013

It’s been a busy couple of years for GM’s performance division engineers – consider all the droolworthy cars now in showrooms or on the way, and we think you’ll agree. Between the new C7 Corvette Stingray, the new-to-us Chevy SS, and the ZL1 and 1LE Camaros, they’ve provided enthusiasts with a lot of different choices when it comes to fast transportation.

And now, there’s the Z/28, which in many ways is even more hard-edged than the outgoing C6 Z06 in terms of being a car built specifically for the track. It shares the Z06′s LS7 powerplant and retains the same official 505 crank horsepower rating, but detail changes have increased peak torque from 475 pound-feet to 481, and broadened the area under the curve.

“Lightweighting”

Of course, the main internet keyboard warrior complaint about the 5th Gen platform has been its considerable curb weight; the Camaro is a sizable car, and the ever-increasing weight burden of crashworthiness standards and additional “content” have extracted a performance penalty even the best powertrain and suspension will have to overcome in order to achieve lap time reductions.

Chevy calls their program to reverse that weight creep “lightweighting,” and goes as far as to say that they took everything out of the Z/28 that didn’t make it go faster or was required by law. Air conditioning is an option; check that box and you also get more than the one speaker required to transmit the “click” noise the turn signal indicator makes. Everywhere except for New Hampshire and Rhode Island, the Z/28 will come sans-tire-inflation kit (those states have a legal requirement to include it), the rear glass is 0.3mm thinner, trunk trim and acoustic insulation are gone, and even the floor mats are deleted.

But the big savings come from the featherweight wheel and tire package, the carbon ceramic brakes, and the aforementioned LS7 powerplant. All told, the Z/28 is some 300 pounds lighter than the ZL1, and 80-100 less than the naturally-aspirated Camaro SS. This still isn’t a light car by an absolute standard, tipping the scales at 3,837 pounds, but with a 52/48 weight distribution and a power to weight ratio of 7.59 pounds per pony, it’s about as good as a full-interior 5th Gen Camaro is going to get.

Last of the LS7

The naturally aspirated, 427 cubic inch LS7 powerplant differs slightly from the version seen in the Corvette Z06. It retains the dry sump oiling system, but gets a pair of 3-2-1 exhaust manifolds made possible by the greater real estate between the Camaro’s fenders. An open element air filter, developed in conjunction with K&N, is also prominent under the hood.

Like all previous LS7 engines, the Z/28′s power plant will be largely hand-assembled at the recently-relocated Performance Build Center adjacent to the Corvette production line in Bowling Green, Kentucky. That will allow the PBC’s capacity to be utilized effectively until high-performance versions of the C7 come online in subsequent model years.

Because it uses a version of the same engine management system in previous Corvettes, the Z/28 won’t have the trick rev-matching feature the C7′s LT1 employs, but this car’s target audience should be well-versed in heel and toe downshifts themselves.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

While the Z/28 uses identical 305/30ZR19 Pirelli Trofeo R tires on all four corners (incidentally, the widest front tire on any production car), the Z/28-specific rear wheels are a half-inch wider in back, at 11.5 inches. That subtle change in sidewall geometry was designed to enhance rear handling at the limit of traction.

Those wheels frame massive Brembo carbon-ceramic brake rotors and monoblock 6 piston calipers up front, and 4-piston in back, designed for repeated high-speed stops. The front rotors measure 394mm in diameter and 36mm thick, and in a testament to the car’s grip balance, the rears are barely smaller at 390 by 32. The pad compound has been formulated to offer good cold bite as well as carbon’s typical fade resistance, alleviating a typical issue with race-style brake systems.

In an interesting technical note, the ABS is programmed to “tickle” the calipers with a bit of pressure to fight pad knock-back, the phenomenon where the slight, unavoidable lateral motion of the rotors during hard cornering causes the pads to retreat slightly into the calipers. Knock-back can lead to a nasty surprise at the end of a long straight when the brake pedal needs far more travel to return the pads to intimate contact with the rotors, and the ABS strategy is a clever way to help keep braking performance consistent.

Suspension of Disbelief

One area where the Z/28 doesn’t employ on-board intelligence to enhance performance is in the suspension dampers. Where the ZL1 utilizes a multiple-mode magnetic ride control system, the Z/28 employs Multimatic’s sophisticated but non-adjustable Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve dampers on all four corners.

Why the seeming downgrade in kit? Easy – the Z/28 is designed with one mission in mind, and if it didn’t lower track times, it got left on the garage floor. The DSSV dampers are precisely tailored to the suspension of this Camaro, and any adjustment to their rebound or compression curves would simply be a move in the wrong direction from the ideal determined through countless test laps. Some potential owners might grumble about the lack of knobs to turn, but let’s face it – unless you’re smarter and have more experience with this car than the GM chassis engineers, anything you do to change the suspension will just be flat-out wrong.


Don’t get the idea that the Z/28 doesn’t take advantage of the power of onboard computation when it comes to the suspension, though. The ZL1′s wheel position sensors are still there to feed data back to the powertrain control module and keep it well-informed about what the suspension is doing. It’s smart enough to know the difference between a wheel that’s extended due to cornering, and one that’s at full droop because you’ve just encountered one of the three spots on the Nurburgring where the Z/28 briefly gets airborne on a good lap, for instance.

Going with the Flow

Speaking of airborne, a number of changes in aerodynamics give the Z/28 440 pounds more downforce than an SS at 150 miles an hour. The front splitter, considerably different from the ZL1′s, is said to be able to withstand a 250 pound load, and a large functional hood vent relieves pressure in the engine bay at speed while helping the paired puller/pusher fans move air through the radiator and separate oil cooler behind the grill.

Fender flares, Gurney flaps and rubber air dams ahead of the wheels, and a rear spoiler available with or without an adjustable wickerbill all contribute to the Z/28's functional aero package. Since Chevy dealers will need repair parts for their body shops, pretty much everything will be available over the counter if you want to build a Z/28 clone.

A ZL1-spec undertray cleans up airflow beneath the front half of the car, while fender flares, Gurney lips, and small underslung air dams guide flow around the wide and widely-spaced tires. At the tail end, a bespoke spoiler with an optional adjustable wickerbill kills lift and keeps the car balanced.

So What’s It Like?

In our time at Milford with the Z/28, we got a chance to ride along with GM’s development drivers to experience the full potential of the car. Note that we didn’t say “drive” – while the Z/28 isn’t ill-mannered, and will do just fine on the street, even approaching its limits will require a higher level of skill than the journalist pool average. We were glad to get a chauffeured tour of the Milford test track to really be able to appreciate what the car was doing.

Around the 2.9 mile test loop, Chevy compared the Z/28 to some interesting benchmarks – its siblings, the 1LE and ZL1, and its arch enemies, the Mustang GT500 and Boss 302 Laguna Seca. Interestingly, the car with the most power, the GT500, also posted the slowest lap time, clocking a 1:59.97. The Laguna Seca did a bit better, running a 1:59.05, followed by the 1LE at 1:58.85. Despite the intensely technical nature of the test track, the ZL1 was still able to use its superior horsepower compared to the 1LE to run a faster 1:56.58, but it was the Z/28 that delivered the best time at a mere 1:53.71.

Is the Z/28 a race car for everyone? We’re told it will price out above the ZL1 when it hits showrooms early next year, so it’s not going to be a common sight on public roads. Nor should it be; this is clearly a track toy that just happens to be completely street legal with room for four (as long as two of them are small, and you hate them anyway). Chevy has hit the mark with the Z/28, though it might not be the mark your average Camaro fan would have aimed for in the first place.

Some will say it goes too far, while others will say it doesn’t go too far enough. We think that Chevy has split the difference neatly, with a Camaro that isn’t so hardcore that it will revolutionize the way rich guys run out of talent, but will still provide a level of performance so high that most owners will really have to step up to reach it.
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Old 10-24-2013, 10:51 AM   #40
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Have read the edmunds review?
http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/f...irst-ride.html
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Old 10-26-2013, 12:24 PM   #41
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EDMUNDS FIRST RIDE

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 First Ride
Taking to the Track in the Wildest Camaro Yet
Published: 10/18/2013 - by Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

If you see a 2014 Camaro Z/28 on the street, it's probably headed to the track. October 17, 2013

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 knows when it's airborne.

"When you jump the car, ride height sensors on the suspension tell the Z/28 to dial back the throttle so it doesn't overpower the tires when it touches back down," explains GM's Mark Stielow, engineer and in-house hotshoe.

It's this focus on the ability to exploit these fleeting, tentative fingers of grip that characterizes the Z/28.

Riding shotgun in the car while it's driven at full kill on GM's Milford Road Course (MRC), what stands out in sharpest relief is not the car's ample power, nor its grip, though that, too, is abundant. It's the control.

So much so that its hand-built, 500-plus-horsepower, 7.0-liter V8 is incidental to its character.

A Camaro With Porsche in Its Sights
In creating the Z/28, a car that its creators regard as a rival to the 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 and 2014 Nissan GT-R, GM's engineers largely ignored street use and instead turned their attention to doing whatever was necessary to improve its road course lap times.

"This is a track car, not a daily driver," says chief engineer Al Oppenheiser, beaming like a proud father. Thus, mega horsepower in the vein of the ZL1 took a backseat to honing the Camaro's Zeta chassis to its sharpest edge yet.

How sharp? Consider that, in the hands of GM's fastest drivers, the 505-hp Z/28 is nearly 3 seconds faster around MRC than the supercharged 580-hp Camaro ZL1.

Tires That Push the Limits of Legality
The 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28's potency is heavily rooted in its R-compound tires. These ultra-sticky Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires sized 305/30ZR19 all around are optimized for dry track conditions, and that's about it. They're street-legal in the same way that wearing banana-sling underwear in public is legal. You can do it, but it's probably not a good idea.

Track-biased tires alone do not a track car make. Such tires need a suspension that's capable of properly exploiting them, so the Z/28 wears front and rear springs that are 85 and 65 percent stiffer, respectively, than a standard Camaro SS. Higher-durometer suspension bushings are fitted to enhance precision and cope with the higher forces this car is capable of generating. The 19-inch forged wheels have shot-blasted inner beads that bite into the tires to prevent slippage of one relative to the other.

Then there are the brakes. Up front, six-piston monobloc calipers bite down on 15.5-inch carbon-ceramic rotors. In back, the calipers use four pistons to slow 15.4-inch discs that are also carbon-ceramic. Compared to steel discs, the carbon rotors save 28 pounds overall — and the whole setup is standard equipment.

But as impressive as the brakes may be, it's the dampers that transform the car.

Racing Technology in a Camaro
Patented, supplied and co-developed by motorsport gurus Multimatic, the Z/28's dampers eschew the traditional shim pack that typically comprises the heart of a damper. Instead, a spool valve regulates the fluid's path within each one. This unique approach to valving is also the dampers' namesake — Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV). The advantages of DSSV dampers are numerous, but the one you notice most is their ability to instantly recover from rapid transitions between compression and rebound.

As a result the Z/28 feels immensely poised and is unflustered by bumps, crests and jumps. When we point this out to our MRC driver, Bill Wise, during the cool-down lap of our brief track outing, he perfectly summarizes how this aspect of the Multimatic dampers actually makes the car faster. "I can return to the throttle much sooner because I don't have to wait for the chassis to take a set."

In terms of chassis composure, the Z/28 is indeed fairly astonishing, at least from the passenger seat. The comparison of this car to the 911 GT3 is not that far off the mark in this respect.

This Good, and It's Still Getting Better
GM says the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 will circle a skid pad at 1.08g, and that's the only one of the typical performance yardstick numbers the company is ready to share. As of today, the car is still in development. Rest assured we'll learn the Z/28's acceleration, braking and slalom numbers well before the car goes into production late next spring.

The Z/28's visuals won't change, however, differentiating itself from lesser Camaros by its huge front splitter, vented hood and conspicuous rear deck lid spoiler. Together these elements are responsible for a big reduction in aerodynamic lift compared to the Camaro SS. It's said that the Z/28 actually develops net downforce at speed, an unusual result among street cars.

Fender arch extensions provide cover for the impossibly wide front tires, giving the Z/28 a burly muscularity that makes it look as if it's poised to punch you in the mouth.

What About the 7.0-Liter V8?
Right, horsepower. The Z/28 plucks the normally aspirated LS7 V8 from GM's parts bin. Last seen in the Corvette Z06, the LS7 in the Z/28 generates the same 505 hp but torque rises by 11 pound-feet to 481 lb-ft due to revised exhaust manifolds.

Despite a weight reduction program that sheds between 80 and 100 pounds over the Camaro SS, the Z/28 is still a Camaro, which means that it is still an exceedingly dense car. In fact, the Z28's 3,837-pound curb weight is nearly 600 pounds higher than the last Z06 we tested.

So while the LS7 is enormously punchy in the Z06, its urge is blunted noticeably by the heavy Z/28. That the Z/28's downforce-enhancing body mods also increase its drag doesn't help its straight-line acceleration situation. It's still fast, make no mistake.

Ratios in the six-speed manual gearbox and the 3.91 rear end are carried over from the Camaro 1LE, although the Z/28's smaller tire diameter gives it slightly shorter gearing overall. This gearset has ratios that are closer for gears two through four, which are the ones most likely to be selected when driving on a track. Are you seeing a pattern here?

Still More Track Parts
To withstand prolonged track use, the 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 gets a dry-sump oiling system, an external engine oil cooling circuit and integrated cooling of the transmission and differential. Its front wheel bearings were also lifted from the ZL1. A Torsen helical differential replaces the clutch-type diff found in SS and 1LE models. Like the Camaro ZL1, the Z/28 is a car that GM fully warrantees for track use.

Performance Traction Management (PTM) finds a home in the Z/28, and drivers Wise and Stielow both say they're faster with the system on (in PTM5) than switched fully off. Inside the cabin, manually adjusted Recaro seats do an effective job of holding you in all but the most extreme banked corner, like the MRC's Toilet Bowl. If you're looking for creature comforts, though, this car isn't for you. Heck, air-conditioning is an option.

Pricing is yet to be announced. However, GM's brass says it will be more costly than the ZL1, or something north of $57,000. This may appear steep at a glance, but the Z/28 is a car that exhibits singular purpose like few cars on the road anywhere near this price. GM plans to produce only 3,000-4,000 units of the Z/28 over its two-year life, so the car that's easily the most capable, focused and track-worthy Z/28 ever devised will also be scarce.

Year Make Model: 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 2dr Coupe (7.0L 8cyl 6M)
Vehicle type: RWD 2dr 4-passenger coupe
Configuration: Longitudinal, front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine type: Naturally aspirated, port-injected V8, gasoline
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 7,008/428
Block/head material: Aluminum/aluminum
Valvetrain: Pushrod, 2 valves per cylinder
Compression ratio (x:1): 11.0
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 505 @ 6,300
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 481 @ 4,800
Fuel type: Premium unleaded (required)
Transmission type: Six-speed manual
Transmission ratios (x:1): I = 2.66; II = 1.78; III = 1.30; IV = 1.00; V = 0.74; VI = 0.50; VII = 0.839; VIII = 0.667; R = 2.90
Final-drive ratio (x:1): 3.91
Differential(s): Electronic active rear differential
Suspension, front: Independent MacPherson strut, inverted 40mm monotube, stabilizer bar
Suspension, rear: Independent multilink with 45mm monotube, stabilizer bar
Steering type: Electric speed-proportional power steering
Tire make and model: Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R
Tire type: Summer, high-performance
Tire size: P305/30ZR19
Wheel size: 19-by-11 inches front — 19-by-11.5 inches rear
Wheel material: Painted alloy
Brakes, front: 15.5-inch one-piece carbon-ceramic discs with 6-piston fixed calipers
Brakes, rear: 15.4-inch one-piece carbon-ceramic discs with 4-piston fixed calipers
Fuel tank capacity (U.S. gal.): 19.0
Curb weight, mfr. claim (lbs.): 3,837
Length (in.): 192.3
Width (in.): 76.9
Height (in.): 52.4
Wheelbase (in.): 112.3
Track, front (in.): 66.1
Track, rear (in.): 64.7
Seating capacity: 2
Bumper-to-bumper: 3 years/36,000 miles
Powertrain: 5 years/100,000 miles
Corrosion: 6 years/100,000 miles
Roadside assistance: 5 years/100,000 miles
Free scheduled Maintenance: 2 years/24,000 miles

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
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Old 10-27-2013, 11:38 AM   #42
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