Z/28 Reviews

[backtotintops]

boy is she a hottie!!! She draws crowds already and really is a stunning car. I have never seen one in person until I took her home today. Drove 60 miles to Costco and put on some Bridgestone streets.

First impressions:
idles a bit rough
great sound and I hope it will be even better on decel coming down from high revs.
a bit hot in the interior
no chance of me heel and toeing without a plate
seats are superb!!!
steering superb and even the feel of the wheel surface and shifter excellent
I ran the whole way with the windows open so I can't comment on sound
tried to get out of a gas station and cross a 2 lane road on an angle...wow...there really is a visability issue but I will recalibrate for this
ride was better than expected and I did run some bumpy roads...in fact it is smoother than my 2012 burban 2500.
fit and finish seem good
did notice some darting on open highway areas with a decent cross wind
wow factor 11!!!!
drives great and feels nimble but I never went past 4000rpm and 80mph but she will sit at 80 easy...this car might earn me some facetime with johnny law.
only gripe...I would have liked daytime running lights.

btw....the online system where you check progress never worked properly for me and was always lagging....useless.

a wicked car...you nailed it team camaro!!!

white, ac/speakers
msrp + $365 courtesy delivery to Northeast
tpw 3/24, vin 0#, delivery 5/6
will be tracked and driven everywhere year round

[Mikebrinda]

Great report!

[Moreno1]

Congrats! More pics please.... White is HOT!

[Ivan @ Southwest Speed]

Very good....congrats and what a badass ride!

[backtotintops]

I ran her just under 1500 miles this weekend all the time “trying” to not exceed 4000 rpms and 80mph.


GOOD
the seats….THE SEATS! Yes this is a touring car too!!!
clutch not too soft for me it is great
I do not understand why people keep saying “ALL” camaros have numb steering. This does not. Precision placement during lane change, initial bite at turn in exactly when and where you expect. I could let go of the wheel and she was dead straight, the ride was great and not too harsh at all…I’m thinking the multimatics with the softer spring rate are part of this.
sound is not as bad as I expected. I was able to make calls with the windows rolled up and it was fine. under acceleration it’s much louder.
yes there are running lights I was mistaken before


BAD
the low beams…THE LOW BEAMS!!!…they are actually bordering on dangerous. C’mon GM nobody took “Steve” out at night???
when you go to flip the mirror to dim you hit the on star
why is there no way to seek the next fm radio station without having to reach over to the radio?
the radio display is a large green rectangle that will not dim as much as the cluster so it is an annoying eyesore…I think I will cover with some dark film at night.

As you see not much to complain about…mostly minor except the low beams. These are different from all the other 2014s anybody have any suggestions on better bulbs?

She is a champ and I took her to a cars and coffee with my friends GT and more people seemed interested in her.

Next is the brake burnishing and then we will really see what she’s got.

[brt3]

READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE

Dario Franchitti talks about the Camaro Z/28, the Indy 500, and racing with a fly stuck in his helmet

If the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 was a bucket of bolts, you get the impression Scottish-born racing driver Dario Franchitti would let you know it. Set to drive the Z28 pace car during this year’s Indianapolis 500, held on May 25, Franchitti admits this 505-hp Chevy blew away any preconceived notions about American muscle cars.

BY NICK KURCZEWSKI NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Tuesday, May 13, 2014, 4:34 PM

As a four-time champion in the IndyCar Series, and with three victories at the Indy 500, Dario Franchitti's racing resume more than qualifies him to drive the 2014 Camaro Z28 pace car.As a four-time champion in the IndyCar Series, and with three victories at the Indy 500, Dario Franchitti's racing resume more than qualifies him to drive the 2014 Camaro Z28 pace car.





“From day one, I’ve always been a car guy,” says Dario Franchitti, while chatting about cars and racing in the headquarters of the Manhattan Classic Car Club.

The high-octane setting is an ideal spot, especially considering where the conversation leads us. Classic cars, horsepower, and a hint of danger (not to mention an errant bug) are amongst the subjects covered in our 30 minute chat with the 4-time IndyCar Series champion, and 3-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.

It helps that a Camaro Z28, done up in Indy 500 pace car paintjob, is sitting only inches away from us.

This is the first season that Franchitti will adjust to life on the sidelines, following a massive accident in October of last year that permanently hit the brakes on his professional racing career. In addition to piloting the Z28 pace car at Indy, he’s also settling into his role as competition director for the formidable Chip Ganassi Racing team.

The 505-horsepower Camaro Z/28 is no stranger to racetracks. This muscle car was engineered and tuned at the world famous Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany.


The 505-horsepower Camaro Z/28 is no stranger to racetracks. This muscle car was engineered and tuned at the world famous Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany.

“I feel lucky that I get to do what I do now,” says Franchitti. He also relishes being part of a top-notch team with excellent racers. “We’re pretty bloody good. [Chip Ganassi Racing] has guys that have won 5 of the last 6 championships.”

The conversation shifts gears, if you’ll excuse the pun, to favorite road cars. Franchitti smiles and admits he has a “massive list” of favorites, such as the Ferrari Daytona Boxer, Porsche 911 (930 Series) Turbo, the bare-bones Ferrari F40, along with the classic 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR.

You might have noticed, there are no American sports cars on that list – and that could spell trouble for the 2014 Camaro Z28, right?


Compared the to Camaro SS, the Z28's aero tweaks help to create 410 lbs. of additional downforce at 150 mph.



“I’m a very critical person when I drive a car,” says Franchitti. While he expected a “stonking engine,” the overall dynamics of the Z28 left him “absolutely shocked.”

“[The Z28] made you want to push a little bit harder. You can really feel it, the weight savings and aero changes.” He admits the Camaro’s dynamics shattered “a preconceived notion” that muscle cars were quick but crude devices.

Making the leap from an IndyCar open-wheeler to a production car still requires a degree of mental adjustment, even for a racing champ.


Franchitti took time to talk with the NY Daily News Autos about the racing world, favorite street cars, and his pick for most daunting corner at the Indianapolis 500.



Franchitti admitted that, yes, from the driver’s seat in the Camaro, it’s possible to feel the 36-inch strip of bricks that remain on the front straightaway of Indianapolis – the track was originally covered by 3.2 million paving bricks. These introductory laps in the Camaro made him realize that, compared to scorching around the track at 200+mph in an open-wheeler, this was the first time he’d actually felt the quick rumble made by that one yard of bricks.

Franchitti explains that driving flat-out on an oval is ain incredible challenge. “It’s like walking between two skyscrapers on a tight-rope. There’s the wind, the other cars around you…you’re absolutely on a tight-rope the entire lap.” He still rates Turn One at Indianapolis as the “toughest corner in racing” that he’s ever encountered.

Driving on the limit can also lead to some bizarre distractions.

While testing his racecar at the 1-mile long Phoenix International Raceway, Franchitti recounts how a fly managed to find its way into his racing helmet.

“Now, we’re pulling 5gs in the corners. So for five laps this fly would fly around, and then slide to the side in every corner,” says Franchitti, laughing.


A selife seemed inappropriate with a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. New York Daily News Autos Editor, Nick Kurczewski (the grinning guy in green), poses with Dario Franchitti and the Camaro Z28.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/thr...#ixzz31dWFUKYC

[brt3]

Review: 2014 Camaro Z/28 is equal parts brawn and brains

Forget everything you thought you knew about muscle cars. The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 is lighter, faster, and better-balanced than ever before. We finally got our hands on this 505-horsepower tire-burner and pushed the Z/28’s prodigious performance envelope.

BY NICK KURCZEWSKI NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Wednesday, May 14, 2014, 4:37 PM


The 2014 Camaro Z/28 is a track-honed performance machine that shatters everything you thought you knew about muscle cars.

Chevrolet went a little wild with the 2014 Camaro Z/28, and the result is an all-American sports car that can take on the world’s best performance machinery.

The new Z/28 is more than the sum of its parts. In fact, much of the car’s greatness has to do with things that aren’t there. Open the trunk and you might think the Z/28 left the factory unfinished. There’s no carpeting, or sound deadening material of any kind.

Crank up the stereo and prepare to be seriously…underwhelmed? Unless you opt for the optional (and no additional cost) 6-speaker system, all you’ll get is a puny one-speaker unit.

Chevy only kept that solitary speaker due to automotive legalities – every new car or truck sold in the U.S. needs to emit a warning chime if a door is left open.


The Z/28 cabin features new Recaro sport seats, along with suede-like microfiber on the dash, seats, steering wheel and gear-knob.The Z/28 cabin features new Recaro sport seats, along with suede-like microfiber on the dash, seats, steering wheel and gear-knob.

There’s more – or less, depending on how you look at things – to the Z28’s extensive weight loss.
The foam used in the rear seat is lighter than stock, and the rear glass is thinner to save precious ounces.

Compared to the almighty 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1 coupe, Chevrolet’s engineers trimmed approximately 300 lbs. of weight to create the Z/28.

Each 7.0-liter V-8 engine is hand-assembled for the Z/28. This motor pushes out 505-hp and 481 lb.-ft. of torque.

Was the crash diet worth it?

Oh yes, you bet it was!

The Z28’s hand-assembled 505-horsepower7.0-liter ‘LS7 ‘ V-8 engine grumbles at idle, as I balance the fine art of wearing prescription glasses while squeezing on a racing helmet for hot-laps at the Monticello Motor Club, located approximately two hour’s from Manhattan.

The bulky helmet requires some extra maneuvering when sliding behind the wheel but, generally speaking, the cabin layout is pretty much standard issue Camaro. The retro-looking, deep-set gauges are all there, while suede-like microfiber now covers the dash, steering wheel, and portions of the heavily-bolstered Recaro sport seats.

Shifting into first gear and letting the clutch out, the result is nothing like the bear-wrestling match I expected from this hardcore Camaro. The clutch is forgiving and the Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual gearbox has short throws and a very precise feel to it.

The 19-inch wheels fitted to the Z28 are slightly smaller than the 20-inchers you’ll find on other Camaros. Bigger isn’t necessarily better; the smaller wheels help lower the Z/28’s center of gravity by about 3 centimeters. They also come wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo summer-rated rubber, which more resemble racing slicks than they do road tires.


That Z/28 badge signifies this $75-grand Camaro has a 505-horsepower 7.0-liter V-8 under the hood, and an extensive (sometimes crazy) amount of trick weight-saving tech.

No wonder this mega Chevy can pull 1.08 Gs in corners.

Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes bring things to a halt with an equally impressive 1.5 Gs of seatbelt-straining deceleration.

Okay, okay, but what’s it like on the track? The answer: Abso-flipping-lutely incredible!

The harder I push, the faster the Z/28 snarls its way around the track. This car’s limits are so high, you have to be careful not to get cocky and over-confident. This car will bite if you don’t show it some respect.

With each successive lap, I toggle through the five adjustable driving modes in the Camaro’s Performance Traction Management system.

Mode 1 keeps active handling on, and reduces engine power for wet conditions. Faced with cloudy skies but a dry track, I focus on the remaining four settings, which progressively reduce the electronic nannies and increase available engine power.


After driving it, I can confirm the Camaro Z/28 is definitely worth the steep price of admission!

Toggle to Mode 4 and 5 – Sport Active Handling Off and Race Active Handling Off – and get ready, because this car lets you get into some trouble.

I did exactly that when diving in way too late for a tight right-hand corner. After seriously missing the apex, the tail of the Z/28 gave a quick wag, as I jammed the brakes and worked to recover the car for the next bend. It wasn’t pretty, but even this ego-bashing moment was outrageous fun.

The massive grip from the tires and the force of those carbon-ceramic brakes are the best kind of safety net. Chevrolet has also equipped with Z/28 with motorsport-derived spool valve dampers. These do a tremendous job keeping the ride firm and stable, but not brittle or bone-crushingly hard.

In fact, after getting the hang of the track’s layout, the Z/28 starts to feel downright comfy – that is, as you slam the brakes, get thrown in the seatbelts, and then punch the gas pedal and get socked backward into the seat. Compared to the current Camaro SS, the Z/28's large front splitter, rear spoiler, and hood extractor all contribute to a 410 lb. increase in downforce at 150 mph.

Chevrolet tuned the dynamics at the notoriously treacherous Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany; and the time spent in Europe has given this Camaro some incredible manners! The Z28 is so much more than a muscle car that’s big on horsepower.

When it comes to price, it’s also a whole lot more than a standard Camaro, including the $55,000 ZL1 coupe. The 2014 Camaro Z/28 stickers for an eye-widening $75,000, once you factor in the destination charge and gas guzzler tax. That’s Corvette Stingray territory, and nearly three times the price of a base V-6 Camaro.

As the ultimate expression of the Camaro, however, it’s worth it. The Z/28 has been honed to be a precise racing instrument, and its rarity and hardcore appeal make it an instant muscle car marvel.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/lat...#ixzz31jLI9QS6

[Fenderaddict2]

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/s...pad-2014-05-30

[2cnd chance]

Originally Posted by Fenderaddict2

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/s...pad-2014-05-30

Very very cool!

[brt3]

The recent Road & Track review:

[Jackass]

Anymore questions ?

[brt3]

READ MORE HERE

2015 Chevy Camaro Z/28 drive review
Feels like the first time, feels like the very first time



By: Jake Lingeman on 6/12/2014
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What is it?

It's the freakin' Chevy Camaro Z/28. It's high school. It's “Dazed and Confused,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Billy Madison” and Foreigner. It's what the coolest kid you knew drove. The new Z/28, at a decidedly not high-school price of $76,150, goes on sale later this year.

When the Camaro was introduced in 1966 (as a 1967 model), the Z/28 was the road-racing version. Several other names were considered, but nothing stuck, and Chevy just ended up naming the package after its option code, which came after the Super Sport package—option Z27-- on the options sheet. The Z/28 was designed specifically to compete in the SCCA's Trans-Am series with a 302 V-8 built to squeeze in under the 305-inch limit. The factory said it made 290 hp, most say it's more like 400.

This modern Z/28 comes with an absolute sledgehammer of an engine. It's the 7.0-liter, 505-hp V8 sourced from the last Z06 Corvette. It gets a Tremec six-speed manual and 481 lb-ft of twist sent rearward. The gas guzzler tax definitely applies. All of the action is controlled by a suede-covered steering wheel and a suede-covered shift knob.

Massive 19-inch spider web wheels are shod with fly-paper-sticky Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tires. They surround 15-inch Brembo carbon ceramic brakes. Z/28 also gets Chevy's DSSV shocks, which use spool valves control the movement of fluid. That results in higher predictability and repeatability on the track.



What's it like to drive?

We tested the new Z/28 at the 1.9-mile GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Mich., and we instantly felt like busting a few donuts on our way out for summer vacation. Jokes aside, there's nothing '80s, '70s or '60s about this car.

On startup, the Z/28 braps and pops like a straight-pipe muscle car. Lowering the hammer smoothly takes some practice, as the sound almost overwhelms the driver, regardless of speed. At certain points on the track we had to mentally tune it out, lest it distract us from the task at hand. In this case, it was keeping more than 500 horses corralled on a 36-foot track.

Surprisingly though, it wasn't a rampaging buck out there. On acceleration, at least when we were pointed straight, the Z/28 shoved us back in the Recaro seats. To get any wheelspin we had to dump the clutch hard as we put our foot down. That didn't stop us from doing it. It just wasn't as easy as we expected. The Trofeo R tires are clearly made up of a combination of tree sap and Super Glue.

That made it stick around corners, especially on acceleration. We toggled the traction control system from sport, to sport 2, to race, and never brought the back end around without meaning to. At the limit, you can feel the car wiggling, scrounging for every bit of grip. It reminded us of the last Viper ACR, but it never felt scary or out of control. The only time we did get a little loose was during trail braking, where the car spun about 30 degrees, but was easily brought back in line.

The g forces did slide us around a bit, which is why we still choose the Mustang's Recaro buckets over the Camaro's. A wider man may have less of a problem. A taller man, however, would have more. At 5'10” plus helmet, we fit in the Camaro with about an inch of headroom or less. The seat adjusts another one or two inches, but at 6'2” or more, we'd worry about helmet clearance.

The clutch pedal effort was a little too easy for such a powerful car, but the slip point was small, which we like. Same goes for the steering; it was plenty sensitive, but extremely easy.

At the relatively short track in South Haven, the Z/28 spent most of its time in its monstrous third gear. It provides power from 20 mph to more than 100 mph. Lifting off before a turn brought a cacophony of pops and growls at we settled into the brakes.



Do I want one?

Hell yes you do, especially if you have 75 Gs laying around. It's the best Camaro ever built, if not the most powerful. We beat on a quintet of cars continuously for six hours with no brake fade and no “Check Engine” lights, though we did swap tires a few times. It also looks the part with a giant front splitter, black wheels and integrated quad exhaust.

The Camaro Z/28 sits in a segment of its own for the time being. It outpaces the old Boss Mustang, but also out-prices it. The last GT500 would surely take it in a straight line, but in the turns, we're not so sure.

The Z/28 won't make you the star of the football game, or the prom king, and definitely not head of the debate team. But to those kids in the auto shop, and the ones smoking behind the bleachers, you'll be the coolest kid in town.

[brt3]

LeftLane Z/28 Review: ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE

First Drive: 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 [Review]



By Bryan Joslin
Monday, Jun 16th, 2014 @ 11:45 am

Forget what you think you know about the Camaro Z/28. Tamp down your urge to make that mullet joke; suppress all thoughts of T-tops, stripey stickers and slushbox transmissions. Go back to the beginning, late in 1966, when the just-launched '67 Camaro's options list included the unassuming code "Z28." To understand the all-new Z/28, you need to start there.

Ticking that box delivered a collection of track-oriented performance hardware developed with one simple goal in mind: to give Chevy's new Mustang competitor every legal advantage it could get in SCCA's Trans American sedan racing series. The original Camaro Z/28 was a legitimate track beast, and now Chevrolet is intent on returning the top-dog Camaro to its motorsport roots.

Back to its Roots
The Trans Am series, like the ponycar battle itself, is still alive and well with new Camaros dicing it out with Mustangs and Challengers in the TA2 class. But those are SS-spec Camaros racing in SCCA, and this new Z/28 - or rather the race-spec Z/28.R it will spawn - is designed to compete in the more advanced Continental SportsCar Challenge series instead.

The major reason the Z/28 exists, beyond returning a once-mighty nameplate to legitimacy among enthusiasts, is to give experienced high-performance drivers a Camaro they can drive to the track, run hard-and-fast all day long, and then drive home. Much like Porsche's 911 GT3, the new Z/28 is legal for the road, but built for the track.

Less Power but Less Weight
As odd as it may seem at first, the naturally aspirated Z/28 sits atop supercharged ZL1 in the 2014 Camaro hierarchy. Make no mistake; the ZL1 still tops the power charts, its blown 6.2-liter LSA cranking out 580 hp and 556 lb-ft of torque. The LS7 in the Z/28, by comparison, makes do with a "mere" 505 horsepower at a pushrod-friendly 6,100 rpm, with a very tractable 481 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. But gross output is only half the story; the track-honed 7.0-liter in the Z/28 delivers its power in a more predictable, linear fashion, which is what you need in the chicanes and between corners.

The differences between the two high-performance Camaros come down to more than just power, though. To offset the reduction in power and make the Z/28 even more balanced, Chevy engineers put it on a serious diet. The Z/28 weighs in a full 300 pounds lighter than the ZL1 thanks to an obsessive undertaking to eliminate as much unnecessary weight as possible. Decisions like smaller wheels - 19-inch on the Z/28 compared to 20s on the ZL1 - saved 48 pounds alone, while the carbon ceramic brakes shed another 21 pounds.

Air conditioning has been made optional to deliver a further 28-pound reduction, while a fixed rear seat with thinner materials plus a reduction in sound insulation each contribute another 10 pounds to the scrap pile. The striptease gets as ridiculously exhaustive as saving just over a pound by eliminating redundant wiring from the harness, and just under a pound by specifying a 0.3-mm thinner rear window. Floor mats, trunk trim, and even the emergency tire inflator kit have been left on the curb in the interest of getting skinny.

Elsewhere, lightweight materials have been employed to keep mass as minimal and as low to the ground as possible. The hood, for instance is pressed from aluminum, and the flow-through louvers are carbon fiber inserts. Carbon fiber is also used in the front splitter and the massive rear spoiler. Even the engine is in on the program. Ditching the blower and using lightweight internals like titanium valves brings the Z/28's LS7 in almost 64 pounds less than the ZL1's LSA.

The result of all those efforts is a 3820-pound coupe - 101 pounds heavier than the most basic V6 Camaro - making it the lightest V8-powered Camaro of this generation. If that doesn't sound all that impressive, it's important to remember that on the track, every ounce counts, and some of these reductions have even great benefits when the vehicle is in motion. The wheel/tire/brake combination alone greatly reduces rotational mass, making the Z/28 more responsive in acceleration, turning and braking. The lighter engine better balances the chassis for better handling as well.

Sharpening its Aero
One way to go faster with less power is to cheat the wind, and to that end the Z/28 team has spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel and at some of the world's most legendary racetracks getting the air to work for it instead of against it. The first thing you're likely to notice about the Z/28 when you first see it in person is its massive front splitter. It reaches out in front of the car to catch the air and direct it up and away, reducing lift at high speeds.

An underbody panel works in conjunction with the rear bumper's functional diffuser to clean up what air does move below. Along with the big rear spoiler, the ground effects pieces create up to an additional 150 pounds of downforce at the rear end at speed.

The front fascia contributes to improved aerodynamics as well, with cooling air moving through the engine compartment smoothly before exiting through the hood vents. Even the Chevy bowtie emblem has been optimized; the so-called "Flowtie" has had its center material removed to improve flow, and someone in engineering with time on his hands ran the calculations to determine that it allows an additional 2.5 cubic meters per minute.

Serious Hardware
The Z/28 borrows several key bits from the Corvette. For instance, it employs the Z06's dry-sump lubrication system for reliable oil delivery during sustained high-G cornering, and the ZR1's liquid-to-liquid oil cooler.

The rest of the spec sheet reads like a SEMA project car. Components from the aftermarket's most prestigious companies replace standard-issue items from the GM parts bin. Brembo makes the ceramic brake package, Recaro does the sport seats, Mahle pistons and Pankl connecting rods live inside the engine, and breathing takes place through an open-element K&N filter.

A Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual is the only transmission offered on the Z/28, a major differentiator between this model and the GenII, GenIII and GenIV Z28s (those without the "/" in the name), not to mention the current Hydramatic-optional ZL1. AAM supplies the limited-slip differential, which is optimized for power delivery in three unique phases of traction while turning - entry, mid-corner, and exit - as well as predictable straight-line performance.

The suspension does without the ZL1's Magnetic Ride technology, saving weight and complexity, featuring instead a lighter dynamic suspension spool valve (DSSV) damper system - the same Multimatic system used in Formula1 and Formula3, and by Ferrari and Aston Martin.

On the Track
All these go-fast pieces don't mean much it they don't work together harmoniously. Chevy claims every component chosen for the Z/28 contributed to a lower lap time on the track. To prove it, they brought us to Gingerman Raceway, a 1.9-mile road course in South Haven, Michigan, that's typically frequented by sports car clubs and track day fans from the Chicago to Detroit - exactly the kind of drivers expected to pony up for a turnkey track car like the Z/28.

Conditions on our all-too-brief test day were about as ideal as they get - upper 60s and dry, with slightly overcast skies. After a short introduction to the cars and a couple familiarization laps, we were set free to explore the limits of Z/28's potential. As we soon found out, a couple hours were hardly enough to discover what this car is truly capable of.

Let's start with the engine. With 11 turns in just 1.9 miles, there's hardly room at Gingerman to take the Z/28 out of third gear, but clearly the car is meant for much more than the 90 mph or so we're able to manage, especially with the front straight off limits to us. Nevertheless, third gear is enough to explore the engine's linearity, lacking as it does the peakiness that comes from high-capacity forced induction engines. Power builds predictably from the moment you roll out of pit lane, the engine making the fantastic bark that only an unrestricted pushrod V8 can manage.

Shifting the Tremec gearbox is a visceral experience, as always. It's not so much that it requires a major effort, but the action of engaging each gear has a distinctly mechanical quality to it. Paddle shifters are, and always will be, a poor substitute for this sensation. The clutch, for all the potential it must restrain, is remarkably civilized, requiring only modest leg muscles to engage. Clutch takeup, like the gearshift experience itself, communicates the sense that something very mechanical is happening, but in a way that's not an unnecessary burden.
The barely street-legal R-compound Pirellis, already with several recon laps on them, still needed a few more hard turns to get good and sticky. Once they had enough heat in them, they were practically unflappable until you do something stupid. The carbon-ceramic brakes, on the other hand, seemed up to the task at the first corner, and they only seemed to get better with each lap. If there is one piece of hardware that requires a new set of expectations, it's really the brakes. With each successive corner you go deeper and deeper, wondering if there isn't a point at which they just won't work. They never disappointed.

The Z/28's chassis is agile and responsive despite its two-ton weight; there is never a sense that mass is shifting, as the car remains supremely composed no matter how ham-fisted your inputs are. Lateral grip is astounding, owing much to the tires, but also the DSSV suspension and the differential, which does its best to keep the power going in the direction you point it. Chevy claims the Z/28 is capable of 1.05 g of cornering acceleration, as well as 1.5 g of braking deceleration. We would have a hard time disputing those claims.

The Powertrain Management (PTM) programming is surprisingly subtle as well, allowing for very high limits of cornering and acceleration with just enough safety net to keep you from killing yourself. Modes 4 and 5 in particular allow an experienced driver to get the most out of the Z/28 without interrupting the fun at the first sign of opposite lock.

While the Z/28 is dynamically brilliant, the cockpit leaves a bit of room for improvement. Specifically, the headroom is compromised once a helmet is on. Perhaps lowering those beautiful Recaro seats would address this. Despite having a flat-bottomed steering wheel, the steering column itself actually impedes right-foot activity, making heel-and-toe downshifting a bit of a challenge. The cowl that surrounds the column is bulky, and it requires a conventional ignition switch. A change to a push-button start switch on the dash could slim down this little knee buster and make fast driving a bit more enjoyable.

The $76,000 Question
The 2014 Camaro Z/28 starts at $72,305. Add in the mandatory gas guzzler tax ($1,700) and destination charge ($995) and you pull up right at $75,000. Throw in the air conditioning package (which also includes additional speakers) and you're at $76,150.

That's a lot of money for a Camaro, but if the track is your playground, you'll have a hard time finding a more focused and better-prepared car for the task at hand. If what you really want is a showy sports car for the street, better options are available in cars like the Porsche Cayman, Jaguar F-Type and even Chevy's own Corvette. But for the same money, none of these will deliver the kind of on-track experience that the Z/28 offers.

No doubt some Camaro SS owners will attempt to create their own Z/28 in the aftermarket. They will probably come close, but in likelihood will have spent at least as much in the process. In the end, the Z/28 is the real deal, the car serious collectors will be clamoring for at the 2064 Barrett-Jackson auctions. For the right kind of driver, the Z/28 is an exceptionally good value.

Leftlane's Bottom Line:
Forget the mullet. Your new haircut is a helmet.
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 base price, $72,305. As tested, $75,000.
Gas guzzler tax, $1,700; Destination charge, $995.

Photos by Bryan Joslin.

Read more: http://www.leftlanenews.com/first-dr...#ixzz34rOjnIw8

[brt3]

GM Authority Tests The Z/28: ORIGINAL STORY HERE

2014 Camaro Z/28 – Track Car For The Street: First Drive
BY MANOLI KATAKIS — JUN 17, 2014



Keyboard warriors like to bring up the subject of the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28′s price tag.

“OMFG Y I5 TH3 Z28 SO XPENSIV ITS A CAMARO !!1!!1″
Because it is.

“WHY WOULD i GET A Z28 FOR THAT MONEY WEN i CAN GET A CORVETTE??!”
Honestly, I bet you’ll never own either of those things. Your daddy doesn’t count.

And of course, there’s the “THE ZL1 IS FASTER AND CHEEPER WHATS THE POYNT??”

There are educated answers to each heated question. But, as the adage goes, the best way to prove a point isn’t to tell people. It’s to show them. And Chevrolet is showing everyone right now that the 2014 Camaro Z/28 is a thoroughbred race horse that reshapes the way we must think about American performance cars. If you would have said, even five years ago, that Chevrolet would launch a Camaro that could hang with the Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 GT3, Audi R8 and nearly the likes of the Ferrari 458 Italia, you may have been lynched. Probably in some legal way.

The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 or Boss 302? Left in the dust here.

So, here we are today, with a Camaro sporting the absolute largest front radials in the industry, mirroring the 305mm-wide Pirelli Trofeo R tires which can range in price from $503 to $800. A piece. These amazing, barely-street-legal performance tires are supported by minimalist black wheels and Brembo lightweight carbon ceramic rotors (396 x 36 mm) and six-piston, monobloc aluminum calipers in front as well as 4-piston fixed calipers with 390 x 32 mm carbon ceramic rotors for the rear These are around $2,500 out of the box. Compared to similar-size, two-piece steel rotors, the lightweight carbon discs save 28 pounds per car and are capable of 1.5 G in deceleration, lap after lap (I can vouch for this), and 113 feet of 60-0 mph deceleration — 13 feet better than the ZL1. They’re also the same brakes that will be clipped onto the 2015 Corvette Z06.

Though unlike the Z06, which will feature carryover magnetic shocks from the Corvette Stingray, the Camaro Z/28 sports Multimatic Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve dampers, which is perhaps the crown jewel of the Z’s suspension system. “Hellaciously expensive,” to quote a certain chief engineer, these dampers are composed of independent high and low speed valves (not shims) for better control of both bump and rebound, and includes linear indexed adjusters, matched from damper to damper to optimize the symmetry rating across each axle.

Probably lost you there, but I also have to point out that no other road-legal car has a DSSV system outside of the outlandish Aston Martin One-77. DSSV shocks are specifically tailored from the factory, and are closed units thereafter. So for those looking to tinker with these dampers to adjust them, best of luck. The DSSV system also saves a good deal of weight from the familiar Magnetic Ride Control setup that GM installs on just about every other performance car it builds. However, the trade-off compared to MRC is the duality of ride comfort. MRC does a good job at adjusting its magnetic fluid to either firm or soften the suspension at the push of a button. The DSSV setup on the Z/28 is optimized for the race track, and not the pot-hole infested roads of Michigan. The results of which on the race track are blissful. The road, not so much.

In total, there are 190 unique parts that separate the Camaro Z/28 from a conventional Camaro SS, all of which contribute to faster road course lap times. It sits 33 mm lower than a Camaro SS, with noticeable negative wheel camber and the most aggressive front splitter we’ve ever seen on a factory GM car to-date.

Compared to the Camaro SS, the 2014 Z/28 features 85 percent stiffer front springs, and 65 percent stiffer rear springs, which are optimized to keep up with the new DSSV dampers. Then there’s 25 percent stiffer lower trailing-link bushings on the rear suspension improve lateral stiffness in cornering and reduce wheel deflection during hard braking. To improve steering feel, the lower-arm link bushing is 50 percent stiffer. Smaller stabilizer bars (from 28 to 25 mm in front; 27 to 26 mm in rear) are tuned to match the reduced rebound travel. And finally, the rear upper control arm bushings are a whopping 400 percent more firm to improve lateral stiffness.

All of this and more contributes to 1.08G of lateral acceleration capabilities.

This amazing suspension work is paired with the purist’s choice of a motor, a 505 hp 7.0L LS7 V8 with a dry sump oil system, complete with a K&N air filter, Mahle pistons, Pankl titanium connecting rods, titanium valves, and improved cooling compared to the engine cradled in the C6 Z06, where the engine was previously seen. Its power is transferred to the rear wheels via a Tremec TR6000 six-speed manual. The engine is also nearly 64 pounds lighter than the ZL1′s 580 hp 6.2L supercharged LSA V8, which helps optimize weight and distribution of said weight. In the most capable hands, the Z/28 achieved a 7:37 Nürburgring time in the wet with the cameras rolling, but a 7:31 when the track was completely dry. When looking at other performers in the GM family, the Cadillac CTS-V ran the ‘Ring half a minute slower, and the C6 Corvette ZR1 did it in a ridiculous 7:19.


2014 Camaro Z28 Gingerman Raceway

How good is that? That’s Ferrari 458 Italia and Porsche 911 GT2 good. In conversation, Camaro Z/28 performance manager Mark Stielow recalled his time with the car on the ‘Ring, where it would catch so much air at the track’s Flugplatz that he could feel the car kite before it landed to make an immediate right-hander. Just imagine what the team could do with a lighter platform to build from in the future.

Now, a big-body vehicle like the Camaro Z/28 is going to be heavy in a relative sense, but the engineering team did everything they could to minimize its weight. Kind of like how a wrestler vomits before stepping on the scale for weigh-ins. Unnecessary wiring, gone. Floor mats, deleted. Sound insulation, removed. Trunk insulation and carpeting, nixed. Sound system? Purged, with only a speaker left for the door chime. Basically, if it was legal to be omitted, it was so.

We could hash out all the weight-saving details, but it’s more important to know that the Z/28 still weighs 3,820 lbs, but that is 30 lbs less than a $101,770 Nissan GT-R, the internet fanboy favorite. Despite the girth, it all feels more like active weight than sheer adiposity when driving it around Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan.

And God damn, did I drive. I drove until the carbon ceramic brakes roasted with smoke and the tires heated into goop. And then I continued to drive some more. The Camaro Z/28s that Chevrolet provided were pushed on Gingerman raceway from mid-morning, well into mid afternoon, and despite the visible wear, the brakes barely amounted to any fade, and the gummy tires held on as best as they could. Their sheer width also eliminated the sense of understeer that can present itself in lesser Camaros, while the six-speed manual’s shifts were short and precise. The firmness and downforce are both immediately apparent compared to even the 1LE Camaro, which I feel behaves the closest to the Z/28 compared to the SS or ZL1. Meanwhile, the Torsen limited-slip differential helps keep the rear wheels on the rail when cornering. One cannot even blink when pushing the Z/28 around the track, or you will lose that split-second turn-in, or the tiny braking zone needed for the Brembos, which would make a track day go horribly awry. Concentration is pivotal here.

Impressively, the Camaro Z/28′s suspension and tires would help carry enough speed through the bends of the 1.88-mile track to allow for fourth-gear passes well above 100 mph down the 1,378-foot back straight. That’s mostly unfeasible for other performance cars, especially those south of 80 grand like this one (this is also why I wish there was a HUD option for the Z/28, because it’s a tad frightening to look down at the instrument panel while at speed, even for a half-second). This race car with turn signals that’s evolved well beyond the base model sitting around the Hertz rental fleet lot, and promises to push your limits as a driver. Plus, unlike other makes, Chevrolet will stand behind the powertrain warranty, even at the track. Though if you go into the wall, that’s on you.

In a sense, what we have here is a turn-key race car that can be driven home after a track day. And considering how expensive it gets to build a modern race car these days, the Z/28 isn’t expensive. It’s a bargain. But like an aged barley wine, you better know what you’re doing before you buy one.

Photos and video by Steven Pham.

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