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Old 10-16-2013, 11:56 AM   #1
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Z/28 Reviews

Z/28 HOME PAGE AT CHEVROLET.COM

INTRODUCTION & BUILD UP:

MotorAuthority: READ IT HERE

AutoWeek: READ IT HERE

Jalopnik: READ IT HERE

Car & Driver: READ IT HERE

AutoBlog: READ IT HERE

SlashGear: READ IT HERE

Wards Auto: READ IT HERE

MotorTrend: READ IT HERE

GM HighTech Performance: READ IT HERE

Yahoo Autos: READ IT HERE

LSX-TV: READ IT HERE

Edmunds First Ride: READ IT HERE

Popular Mechanics: The Baddest Camaro Ever: READ IT HERE

GM High-Tech Performance, The Inside Interview: READ IT HERE

Press Rollout at Barber Motorsports Park: READ MORE HERE

TECHNICAL ARTICLES:

Road & Track Multimatic Article: READ IT HERE

4-Traders on Z/28 Brembo Brakes: READ IT HERE

Recaro: Devil is in the detail: READ IT HERE

28 Ways the Z/28 Rules the Road Course: READ MORE HERE

"Flying Car" Performance Traction Management: READ PRESS RELEASE HERE

Z/28 Engineers Get a Grip on Wheel Slip: READ MORE HERE

Ruthless Pursuit of Power – The LS7 Engine in The Z/28: READ MORE HERE

TESTS & REVIEWS:

Automobile Magazine/Review by Ezra Dyer: READ MORE HERE

AutoBlog Review: READ IT HERE

Car & Driver Review: READ ARTICLE HERE

HotRod Review & Comparison: READ IT HERE

Road & Track First Drive: READ MORE HERE

Road & Track Z/28 @ Barber & Buttonwillow: READ MORE HERE

AutoWeek Review: READ MORE HERE

Yahoo/Motoramic Test: Z/28 vs. Nissan GT-R: STORY AND VIDEO HERE

TopGear – Z/28 First Drive: READ MORE HERE

MotorTrend – Z/28 vs. 911 Turbo S vs. GT-R: READ STORY HERE

Road & Track – The Z/28 Resurrected: READ STORY HERE

Driving.ca – First Drive: READ STORY HERE

Jalopnik – All Your Asses Are Belong To Us: READ STORY HERE

NY Daily News – Dario Franchitti talks about the Z/28: READ STORY HERE

Car & Driver 2014 Lightning Lap Test: READ STORY HERE

PHOTOS & VIDEOS:

GM Press Photos: SEE THEM HERE

7:37.47 Nordschleife Lap: WATCH IT HERE

"Flying Car" PTM Video: WATCH IT HERE

Car & Driver: Mark Stielow Talks Z/28 Aero: WATCH IT HERE

Car & Driver: Mark Stielow Talks Z/28 Chassis: WATCH IT HERE

Car & Driver: On-track Footage from Barber Motorsports Park: WATCH IT HERE

MotorTrend: The Trans/AM Racer Returns: WATCH IT HERE

AutoBlog Video Review: WATCH VIDEO HERE

Super Chevy – Z/28 vs. Pro Touring Camaro: WATCH IT HERE

Super Chevy – Mark Stielow Turns a 1:37.1 @ Barber: WATCH IT HERE

MotorTrend – Z/28 vs. GT-R: WATCH IT HERE

AFTER/DRIVE: Is the Z/28 worth $75K?: WATCH IT HERE
_______________________________________________

FOR DOCUMENT LIBRARY, SEE ATTACHED IMAGES BELOW:
Attached Images
File Type: pdf Camaro-Z28-Tech-Background.pdf (6.76 MB, 1069 views)
File Type: pdf 2014 Z-28 LS7 V-8.pdf (113.8 KB, 539 views)
File Type: pdf Z28 PRICING.pdf (112.9 KB, 541 views)
File Type: pdf 2014 Z28 NYIAS Reveal.pdf (242.3 KB, 471 views)
File Type: pdf PZeroTrofeoR.pdf (4.33 MB, 485 views)
File Type: pdf 2014 Camaro OM.pdf (7.16 MB, 658 views)
File Type: pdf Z28 AutoMag2.pdf (4.69 MB, 465 views)
File Type: pdf HotRodCamaroZ28test.pdf (1.82 MB, 439 views)
File Type: pdf AutoWeek Z:28 Test.pdf (5.65 MB, 431 views)
File Type: pdf The Z:28's LS7 Engine.pdf (4.19 MB, 760 views)
File Type: pdf Z:28 OM Sections.pdf (1.92 MB, 503 views)
File Type: pdf Z:28 SPECIAL BULLETIN.pdf (121.7 KB, 731 views)
File Type: pdf Z:28_Lifting_Jacking.pdf (151.2 KB, 571 views)
File Type: pdf Z28_Fender_Flare.pdf (182.6 KB, 649 views)
File Type: pdf Z-28 Part Numbers.pdf (220.3 KB, 1167 views)
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Old 10-16-2013, 12:00 PM   #2
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MOTOR AUTHORITY

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Is The Real Track-Focused Deal: First Ride
By Jeff Glucker

Chevrolet told us...

We were told that the automaker would only bring back the Z/28 moniker if there was a car that warranted the badge. You can't simply slap together a few performance bits, gather some marketing folk to drum up a cliche-laden press release, and then shove a poorly thought out machine down the throats of the waiting Bow Tie-brand fans.

No, General Motors knows they need to deliver something special with a modern Camaro Z/28. The world wants to know if they've done that… and the answer is holy hell yes.

They have.

Let's get something straight right from the outset. Chevrolet hasn't created a daily driver dream machine. Unless of course, your preferred dream consists of a race-derived dynamic spool suspension system, no air conditioning, massive carbon ceramic brakes, and R compound barely legal street tires. Wait, this is Motor Authority, right? Then that is exactly what you've been dreaming about.

The boffins at Chevy want us to know that this is a track-focused machine, which happens to be street legal and can therefore be driven to and from the track. If you glance really quickly, you might think you're looking at your average Camaro that's wearing a few basic body modifications. Look again, look harder, and look longer. All of the body bits you see on the car create downforce. So much, in fact, that the Z/28 creates an additional 400 pounds of downforce compared to the Camaro SS. This happens thanks to the massive front splitter, the heat extractor in the hood, the side sills, and large rear spoiler. Additionally, there are underbody aero bits that also work to keep the car glued to the road.

Chevrolet knew they wanted to make this a lightweight dancing queen. That's why the automaker opted for the LS7 instead of the LSA. It's a 7.0-liter V-8 engine that producer 505 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque, and it also happens to be 63 pounds lighter than the LSA. A majority of that torque is available between 1,250 rpm and 2,000 rpm, with peak torque occurring up at 4,800 rpm. Peak horsepower is produced at 6,100 rpm.

It's not just the motor that makes with the magic, however, as Chevy engineers were focused on making the Z/28 a well-rounded track machine. This means they had to pay serious attention to the brakes, suspension, and tires. Not only did they pay attention, but they turned to companies with expert knowledge on these subjects for help. For example, Brembo supplies the standard carbon ceramic brakes. Up front sit a pair of massive 15.5-inch rotors with six-piston calipers, while the rear units are 15.3-inch rotors clamped down upon by four-piston calipers.

For the rubber that meets the road, Chevrolet turned to Pirelli. What Pirelli came back with are the largest front tires ever fitted to a production car. The Camaro Z/28 wears 305/30-ZR19 Pirelli Trofeo R tires at each corner, which basically means that Chevy has brought a rubber gun to a rubber knife fight. Some might see this as cheating, but we think it's picking the best tool for the task at hand… which is creating a wickedly fast track assassin.

Even more impressive than the brakes and tires, however, is the suspension setup. It's clear that Chevrolet went above the call of duty by turning to Brembo and Pirelli for braking and tire needs. When it comes to the suspension though, the automaker has soared above the call of duty and is now forging new ground in the production car world. Chevy teamed up with a company by the name of Multimatic to develop the ride and handling of the Z28. Does that name not ring a bell? Well, it should because Multimatic created a new suspension system back in 2002 that has taken the motorsports world by storm.

It's called the Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve system, or DSSV for short, and it allows engineers to produce the exact amount of compression and rebound predictability, repeatability, and accuracy that a given car needs. The system works so well that many racing teams have adopted the technology. We're not talking about LeMons or ChumpCar teams here.

A number of the top Formula One teams rely on this technology, including Red Bull Racing, which means the Multimatic system could claim a part of the 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and (most likely) the 2013 F1 Constructor's Championship. There are also many LMP teams running the system, with 20 of the 56 entries for the 24 Hours of Le Mans utilizing DSSV dampers.

The only other production car ever to take advantage of this setup was the Aston Martin One-77. That's an ultra-exclusive hyper car costing well over one million bucks. Now, it's the standard suspension setup of the Camaro Z/28. Chevrolet isn't messing around here.

Multimatic is hoping that Chevrolet helps bring the DSSV damper system to a wider audience and it should once you dive a bit deeper into what it can do. According to Multimatic, when an automaker designs a damper system for a car, they want to be able to repeat their initial results with a 10 percent margin of error across production. On the other end of the scale, F1 teams need that margin of error down to just a half a percent. The Z/28 rings in at two percent.

This car is officially dialed in.

The Camaro Z/28 can easily and comfortably exceed 1g in corners. It can accelerate hard thanks to both its engine and its extensive weight savings over the standard Camaro SS. It can also run harder into corners and then brake later before applying clipping the apex and getting back on the power. This all helps add up to the potential for some seriously fast lap times. It also makes one hell of a noise.

But what does all of this actually mean? It means that the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 isn't aiming to take on the likes of the Ford Mustang, it's forever nemesis. The Z/28 wipes the floor with every current Mustang you can buy. Yes… even the Boss 302 Laguna Seca. Chevrolet ran a handful of Mustang and Camaro variants at its own Milford Proving Grounds Road Course, which mimics a number of turns from well known racetracks like the Nuburgring, and Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. Their drivers were told not to hold back, and we'll hold them to their word on this one. Here are the results:

2013 Ford Mustang GT500: 1:59.97
2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: 1:59.05
2014 Camaro 1LE: 1:58:85
2012 Camaro ZL1: 1:56.58

2014 Camaro Z/28: 1:53.71

Now, we'll reiterate that this was a home game for Chevy. The Milford Proving Grounds are where performance Bow Ties are born, breed, and educated. The deck is stacked in favor of the Z/28. To appease that argument, Chevrolet also boxed up the Camaro and shipped it to Germany. More specifically, the automaker and some of its finest drivers jumped in the good seat to set times at the Nurburgring. The fastest lap the Z/28 was able to run was a very impressive 7:37.40, which was enough to beat the times of the Porsche 911 and the Lamborghini Murcielago. Oh… and it was raining when Adam Dean laid down his fast video run.

The folks at GM tell us the unofficial fastest time set in the dry is in the 7:31 range. They can't come out and claim that, of course, because a 'Ring-Based gentleman's agreement says that it has to show up on video. So, the Chevy team plans to go back and get the time they feel the car deserves and is capable of hitting… with video proof.

Of course, a package like this won't come cheap. The ZL1 is now the second most expensive street-legal production Camaro. The Z/28 will slot above it in the price department. That's fine, since it slots above it in the overall performance department as well. Still, you're losing a few amenities you might be used to. Air conditioning is the only available optional extra. If you check that box, you also add in all of the extra speakers that Chevy took out, minus the one they left per the federal mandate for the chime that lets you know the door is open.

Chevrolet themselves have stated that this is a car they want purchased by people who are going to drive it hard on the racetrack. The automaker knows a few will be socked away by folks looking to get rich at Barrett-Jackson 2050, but that's not why this car has been created. The volume is low, with expected production to be in the 3,000 to 4,000 range over the course of two years. Chevy wants the majority of those buyers to be men and women looking to put a hardcore track machine in their garage, which can also be driven to and from the course.

For years now, the Camaro has been sort of falling by the wayside as the Ford Mustang progresses down the path from Pony Car to bonafide world-class sports car. Now though, it seems the Camaro has not only caught up… but blazed a path for both machines to follow. As they compete with each other, they will find new foes to battle from Germany and Japan…

The American Sports Car, led by the Camaro Z/28, has just declared a round of thermonuclear global war...

…would you like to play a game?
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Old 10-16-2013, 12:02 PM   #3
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AUTOWEEK

Chevrolet shares Camaro Z/28 details
And we get to ride shotgun in the most track-focused Camaro to date

Suspension revisions include 85 percent stiffer front springs, 65 percent stiffer rear springs, stiffer bushings, and Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve

By: Jonathan Wong on 10/16/2013

“Where is Z/28?” is the biggest question Chevrolet Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser says he has been asked since the current generation car debuted. Even after they rolled out a healthy number of variants, including a base V6, SS, 1LE, and the supercharged ZL1, Camaro fans were still clamoring for the return of the track-focused Z/28. The big question was finally answered earlier this year when Chevy pulled the wraps off the new Z/28 at the New York auto show, only revealing a few details at the time.

We were told the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 from the C6 Corvette Z06 would provide power and be mated solely to a six-speed manual transmission, it would be lighter, and have a heavily reworked suspension.

Other than that, we didn’t have much else to go on, until now.

The LS7 V8 with a dry-sump oiling system in the Z/28 churns out 505-hp at 6,100 rpm and 481 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. It tips the scales at 3,837 pounds, which makes it roughly 80 to 100 pounds lighter than the SS thanks in part to air conditioning and stereo being options, deleted sound deadening, and lighter wheels and tires, but engineers were quick to point out that more weight savings may still be found as the car is still under development.

Suspension revisions include 85 percent stiffer front springs, 65 percent stiffer rear springs, stiffer bushings, and Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) dampers from Multimatic. First developed in Champ Car back in 2002, the DSSV dampers utilizes spool valves to regulate oil flow through various shaped ports compared to stacks of flexible disks with a series orifices in shim dampers. Multimatic says its spool valve offers higher levels of predictability, accuracy, and repeatability. In the Z/28’s damper, there are two spool valves letting engineers independently tune compression and rebound characteristics. The result, according to Chevy, is a 1.29-inch lower center of gravity than the SS and up to 1.08 g of cornering acceleration.

Of particular interest, a number of Formula One teams use DSSV dampers, including Red Bull Racing, they are installed on Acura’s LMP1 and LMP2 cars, and are the spec dampers for DTM, Formula 3 and the Ferrari 458 Challenge series. And they are also used on Lawson Aschenbach’s Chevy Camaro race car that won the Pirelli World Challenge GTS championship this season. The only production road car to use DSSV dampers before the Z/28 was the low-volume Aston Martin One-77.

The package rides on 302/30 ZR19 Pirelli Trofeo R tires at all four corners mounted on staggered wheels with 19x11 front and 19x11.5 rear. Stopping comes courtesy of Brembo carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers in front and four-piston calipers out back.

Visually, the Z/28’s exterior gains a specific front splitter, hood vents, Gurney lip fender flairs, rockers and rear spoiler which are all functional and produce 440 pounds more downforce than the SS at 150 mph. Inside, Recaro sport seats are standard to hold onto you tight during weekend track days.

All the changes help the Z/28 turn in a lap time of 7 minutes 37.40 seconds around the Nurburgring in the rain, which is 4 seconds faster than the more powerful Camaro ZL1 and faster than published times for the Porsche 911 Carrera S and Lamborghini Murcielago. Oppenheiser vows to return to Germany with his team in hopes of catching dry conditions and improving on that time.

With development work about 90 percent complete according to Oppenheiser, we strapped in and rode shotgun in a Z/28 development car equipped with Sparco race buckets, five-point harnesses, and roll bar for a couple of hot laps around GM’s Milford Proving Ground Road Course with GM’s director of performance engineering Mark Dickens behind the wheel. The most alarming thing about the joy ride was how late Dickens braked for turns, in particular turn one, which is a tricky downhill, decreasing radius exercise. We assumed we would wind up in the guardrail, but the Z/28 slowed in a flash with almost no dive, tidily turned in, and exhibited little lean through the corner. The rear also seemed to rotate around nicely, it felt planted barreling down the back straight, and extremely well balanced and forgiving, which are all things you want in a good track car.

Production is slated to begin during the first quarter of 2014, with sales beginning late that quarter. Oppenheiser believes Chevy will build between 3,000 and 4,000 Z/28s over two years and says that it will be more expensive than the ZL1, which starts at $55,055.

The only question we have now is: When do we get to drive the Z/28?

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013...#ixzz2huBi4oSt
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Old 10-16-2013, 12:17 PM   #4
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Old 10-16-2013, 12:28 PM   #5
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JALOPNIK

Why Chevy Built, Destroyed And Finally Rebuilt The Camaro Z/28

There are two reasons why the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 exists right now: To give longtime Camaro fans a true track car and, according to its top engineer, to "beat the shit out of anything Ford can put out on the road." Here's how GM is going to pull that off.

(Full disclosure: GM wanted me to check out the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 so bad they invited me and a bunch of other writers up to their proving grounds in Milford, MI, to ride shotgun — not drive — in pre-production versions with some of the company's top drivers. A production version won't be available until closer to the beginning of next year, but GM made up for it by feeding us salad and various barbecued meats and letting me do some extra laps with my driver.)

There's a story behind how the fifth-generation Z/28 — which will be in showrooms in the first quarter of 2014 but Chevy doesn't have an exact date just yet — came into existence that involves the current ZL1, an argument over the slash symbol and bringing other companies to the table. Al Oppenheiser, the Camaro's chief engineer, told a lucky few of us this story.

Chevrolet originally planned to unleash the newest Z/28 in 2011. Its world debut was going to be at the Chicago Auto Show. Engineers had spent the last few years using the LS7 engine in dummy Camaro models, tuning and re-tuning them over and over with the goal of re-creating the track-ready Camaro owners from the past know and love. The LS9 was briefly considered, engineers say. But with that performance and eventual price point, it would be treading too far into Corvette territory.

They thought they had it. Suppliers for various parts had been contacted and production was slated to begin. For the Chicago show, GM took a regular Camaro body and added Z/28 badging, Z/28 wheels, track tires and some other engine and underbody components that would be used on a Z/28, but would not actually function as a Z/28. It was readied for a press preview prior to the actual show.

At the very last minute, Oppenheiser, who's also the guy who wants to beat the shit out of Ford, decided that this Camaro wasn't the right Camaro to carry on the Z/28 legacy. ("I was losing sleep over it," he said.) For one, it had magnetic ride control and too many other nannies. Second, it was too heavy. Third, it wasn't powerful enough.

He presented a business plan to GM North American President Mark Reuss and a handful of other top executives. They agreed, and halted the Z/28 unveil. But they couldn't figure out what to call what they had built. SS Supercharged? Something else? Finally, they agreed to resurrect ZL1. The morning of the press preview, engineers and other designers removed or replaced all Z/28 badging, came up with hastily created ZL1 badging and worked on revising their pitch just a few hours before reporters came through. Other Chevy personnel were on the lines with suppliers informing them of the last-minute change of plans.

There was a glitch when one supplier's parts order found its way online with "Z/28" listed, but as the re-christened ZL1 debuted, engineers were already back at work figuring out how to truly revive the project. They knew the ZL1 was a solid vehicle. So they worked with that blueprint for the next two years. And here we are now.

First, engineers took out all the weight. The Z/28 ended up weighing 64 pounds less than the ZL1. To further differentiate it from the ZL1, engineers sought to create as many Z/28-specific parts as possible. But they ran into a problem: Development time and budgeting was tight at GM, and since the Z/28 is a low-volume model, it doesn't have the same kind of priorities as the Malibu. So Oppenheiser and his team called for help.

Brembo, which already provided brakes for the Corvette, crafted ceramic composite brakes specifically for the Z/28. Pirelli brought 305/30ZR19 Trofeo R tires. Recaro designed the seats (though they can be swapped out for a cage). Camaro engineers also looked to GM's racing division for inspiration, and came back with Mahle pistons and Pankl titanium rods. Finally, Multimatic and Chevrolet co-developed a suspension and damping system.

Oppenheiser knows having a bunch of other names on a Chevy product might turn off some who want a true GM vehicle. But he promises those buyers won't be disappointed, and notes that a majority of the Z/28's parts were done in-house. The shifter, for one, was specially designed — and also crafted as another differentiation from the ZL1.

The biggest issue with the Z/28 was the name itself. Half of the team wanted to call it "Z28" without the slash mark. That was used on the last Z28 in the fourth-gen Camaro. But the other half wanted to bring back the slash used on prior generations. Designers crafted a bunch of badges with cardboard and engineers agonized over each one. The slash won out.

That all said, you probably want to know how the damn thing rides. Well, like I said in the disclosure — we weren't allowed to drive it at all. I rode with Adam Dean, who lapped the Z/28 around the Nürburgring in the rain at 7:37:40. (When I asked Dean about driving the Nürburgring in the rain, he shrugged it off. "Well, it was a challenge." Nice.)

The Z/28 is fast. Balls-droppingly fast. The exact specs are 505 horsepower and 481 pound feet of torque with the naturally aspirated LS7. Our top speed around the Milford course was 146 mph. That's just under the 149 mph GM told us drivers were able to get out on the track, which is designed to mimic the 'Ring, before we got there.

There's a lot of air going through the intakes because the engine gets 20% hotter than the ZL1. The vents on the hood are all angled at different positions for maximum aero. It's also noticeably lowered to the ground more than any other Camaro.

I couldn't get past the Brembo brakes. They're 394 x 36mm in the front and 390 x 32mm in the back. Obviously I wasn't the one doing the braking, but they were more than capable around the curves. And you could smell every bit of them in between drives.

The interior is bare, just as you'd expect. It's a track car. It's not meant for Sunday drives. There won't be a T-top model like the last generation. Chevy put in its performance traction management system. Supposedly it works better than launch control. Only track fans will be able to tell us, but engineers here say they think highly of the system.

I asked Oppenheiser how he plans to market the Z/28 to a new generation of buyers. The last Z/28 was produced in 2001. He says the Mustang is not the only one to beat anymore. Now they've got the Nissan GT-R on their radar. And the Porsche 911. There's a new crop of drivers who aren't wedded to the idea of American muscle as the be-all and end-all of performance.

Turns out, GM researchers found that the Z/28 was the most remembered name associated with Camaro anyway. And These Kids Today also know the Camaro from the "Transformers" franchise. What does it all mean? If GM only sells a handful of Z/28s next year to a bunch of over-50 guys millionaires wanting to recapture 1968, it'll be fine. Because a few years from now, kids who watched "Transformers" will be interested in getting their own.

GM hasn't announced the pricing for the Z/28 yet, but my guess is to look for something to start around the low $70s, maybe more. The ZL1 convertible tops out around 60 grand and is the highest-priced of the Camaro fleet.

I asked Oppenheiser one more thing about competition around the Z/28. His team wants it to go against the GT-R, sure. But could the Z/28 also take some shine away from the Corvette? Oppenheiser says the Corvette engineers and Camaro engineers are always in competition. And they're ready to re-tune the Z/28 if the 'Vette team comes with something stronger. So keep watching.
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Old 10-16-2013, 12:30 PM   #6
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CAR & DRIVER

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Coupe

Mr. Oppenheiser's high-performance diet plan.

OCTOBER 2013 BY ANDREW WENDLER

Like many of us, the Camaro entered its fourth decade carrying a little extra baggage. Thick in the haunches and laden with the obligatory accouterments of the modern automotive era, Chevrolet still managed to squeeze mind-blowing performance from it, namely in the form of the Camaro ZL1, a car that goes, stops, and turns better than any 4120-pound, 580-hp car has a right to. But for Al Oppenheiser, chief engineer of the Camaro program, that was just a warm-up. The next step in the shape-up plan was the Camaro SS 1LE, a lighter, tighter, track-tuned car, followed by the surprise appearance of the even more track-focused Z/28 at the New York auto show. Clearly, Mr. Oppenheiser is not only a man with a plan but also has the friends in high places to make it happen. To give us a taste of its most recent and lightest-weight efforts, Chevrolet invited us out to GM’s Milford Road Course to provide some ballast for a cadre of hot shoes for a Nürburgring-worthy workout in a trio of Z/28s.

Hang Tight

Moments into the first hot lap, it becomes apparent that grip was high on the list of the Z/28 team’s objectives. Halfway into the deeply dished turn affectionately known as “Pahrump 2” we’re pulling more than 1.00 g, and the chassis remains rock solid. Not only a test of the suspension, this corner was intentionally designed to starve engines of oil, a job it fails at miserably with the Z/28. While the driver and passenger strain to keep the horizon in their sights, the Z’s dry-sump system—the first ever in a production Camaro—remains unfazed, supplying the rotating assemblies of the 7.0-liter engine with a steady stream of motor oil.

Speaking of the engine, it’s no secret the LS-7 was chosen because it’s 64 pounds lighter than the LSA found in the ZL-1. Producing 505 horsepower and 481 lb-ft of torque (10 more than it makes in the Corvette), its internals read like a who’s who of horsepower weekly: Mahle pistons, a K&N air intake, and Pankl titanium connecting rods. Oppenheiser says the connecting rods survived a 50-hour torture test running at redline with little to no wear. Z/28-specific exhaust headers are fitted, funneling into a 3.0-inch exhaust that tapers 2.75 inches at the rear. Engine oil is cooled by the same liquid-to-liquid system found in the Corvette ZR1. Word is all Z/28 engines will be built at the GM Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Milford’s Nürburgring-like high-speed esses pass beneath us with nary a wiggle or twitch from the chassis. (Check out the Z/28’s 7-minute and 37-second run on the real Nürburgring here.) Much of the credit goes to the 305/30-ZR 19-inch Pirelli Trofeo R tires that reside at each corner. Wheel size is staggered slightly—19-by-11.0-inch front, 19-by-11.5-inch rear—to improve rear-tire handling at the limit. Chevrolet tells us going with the 19-inch tire-and-wheel package saves 48 pounds over a 20-inch setup and lowers the center of gravity by 1.29 inches. Engineers told us they were experiencing radical tire-bead slip to the tune of a full rotation or more during hot lapping, so they successfully devised a system of knurling the bead area to keep the tires tight. Engineer Mark Stielow says the wear pattern is surprisingly even, which speaks to the overall balance of the package.

But the suspension isn’t just along for the ride; nearly every component has been reworked for the Z/28. Compared to a standard SS, the springs are a whopping 85-percent stiffer in front and 65-percent in the rear, and all of the bushings have been stiffened to improve steering feel and help achieve the car’s 1.08-g maximum lateral cornering figure. Interestingly, the team was able to fit smaller stabilizer bars, down from 28 to 25 mm in front, and 27 to 26 mm out back. Part of the change was made possible by the use of Multimatic DSSV (Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve) dampers, which make their first appearance in a volume production vehicle in the Z/28. Essentially they trade shims used to tune traditional dampers for shaped ports. The result is improved transient response, thermal stability, minimal fade, easier and more predictable tuning via Multimatic’s proprietary software. Overall, the Z/28 has 190 unique parts in comparison to the SS.

Shifty Motives and Private Diets

Because of the engine’s prodigious output, hyperactive rowing of the close-ratio Tremec TR6060 six-speed transmission was not required to lap the circuit. When needed, however, the driver snicked them off easily, thanks to the combination of double- and triple-cone synchronizers on all gears. First gear in the Z/28 is a 2.66:1 ratio compared with a stock SS’s 3.01, all the gears following suit except for fourth, which is 1.00 for both cars. The rear end carries a 3.91:1 final-drive ratio (the SS’s is 3.45). Using a Torsen helical limited-slip instead of a traditional unit allows for the ABS to function for individual wheel sides and provides rapid torque coupling when powering out of a corner. This change alone cut 0.7 second off the car’s lap times at Milford. A liquid-to-liquid cooler similar to the one in the ZL1 cools both the transmission and the diff. Oppenheiser says a specific break-in plan will be outlined in the owner’s manual to ensure the powertrain and the driveline enter the world with performance and durability in mind.

No opportunity to drop pounds from the Z/28 was overlooked. In addition to the aforementioned weight savings made with the engine and running stock, the team shaved 28 pounds by dumping the A/C (you can still get it as an option), 21.1 by fitting Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, 10.3 by lightening the rear-seat assembly, 10.1 by omitting some sound deadening, and more through a variety of measures. All in, it weighs 300 fewer pounds than a Camaro ZL1. A specific front splitter, rear spoiler, hood vent, rockers, and fender-lip flares conspire to produce 440 more pounds of downforce at 150 mph than in the Camaro SS.

Lapping the circuit during a cool-down lap, it’s clear that compromise wasn’t a part of the team’s agenda. The car is tight and free of the rattles that often plague track-focused vehicles. The Z/28’s best time on the Milford course is 1:53.71. That’s 2.87 seconds quicker than a ZL1 and 5.14 seconds quicker than the SS 1LE. And here’s where it gets personal: Engineers say the Z/28 betters their best lap time in a 2012 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca by 5.34 seconds.

Oppenheiser says they think they can sell 3000 to 4000 Z/28s over the next two to three years and figures the cars should start showing up in showrooms late in the first quarter of 2014. The Z/28 is expected to be pricier than the ZL1, but firm numbers haven’t been set. When your author asked Oppenheiser whether there is a driving principle that keeps him and his team on constant watch, he eloquently replied, “Yeah, to beat the shit out of anything Ford puts on the road. And that goes for the whole company from top to bottom.”
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Old 10-16-2013, 01:25 PM   #7
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Great read. Thanks!
Keep posting them as they come out please.
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Old 10-16-2013, 01:52 PM   #8
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WOW! Thanks for all the reviews!
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Old 10-16-2013, 01:57 PM   #9
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WOW! Thanks for all the reviews!
Looks like the beginning of a great "sticky" thread.....
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Old 10-16-2013, 01:59 PM   #10
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Looks like the beginning of a great "sticky" thread.....
It's funny you mention that...
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Old 10-16-2013, 02:01 PM   #11
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It's funny you mention that...
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Old 10-16-2013, 02:09 PM   #12
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The Z/28 threads are finally on fire!
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Old 10-16-2013, 02:21 PM   #13
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But what does all of this actually mean? It means that the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 isn't aiming to take on the likes of the Ford Mustang, it's forever nemesis. The Z/28 wipes the floor with every current Mustang you can buy. Yes… even the Boss 302 Laguna Seca. Chevrolet ran a handful of Mustang and Camaro variants at its own Milford Proving Grounds Road Course, which mimics a number of turns from well known racetracks like the Nuburgring, and Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. Their drivers were told not to hold back, and we'll hold them to their word on this one. Here are the results:

2013 Ford Mustang GT500: 1:59.97
2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: 1:59.05
2014 Camaro 1LE: 1:58:85
2012 Camaro ZL1: 1:56.58

2014 Camaro Z/28: 1:53.71
WOW, I really want to believe all of these times. But when one auto manufacturer takes its competition on their own race track, I start to wonder. I hope all of this can be backed up by independent testing.
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Old 10-16-2013, 02:32 PM   #14
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The Z/28 threads are finally on fire!
We have been waiting for this for a looooong time!
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