By Kurt Ernst
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 – image: GM Corp
Thanks to spy photographers, loose-lipped employees and the speed of information on the internet, it’s virtually impossible for an automaker to tee up a surprise new product. Generally speaking, by the time something new does hit the auto show floor, it’s been dissected to a molecular level by journalists the world over, who will typically complain that it’s underpowered, devoid of interior style and utterly worthless since it won’t be sold in a station wagon variant.
When Chevy pulled the wraps off the 2014 Camaro Z/28 yesterday, few people saw it coming. Call it sleight of hand; after all, Chevy had recently dropped the all-new Corvette and Corvette convertible, along with its SS muscle sedan. We were expecting a moderate refresh for the 2014, not a dedicated track animal that’s capable of showing taillights to the almighty Camaro ZL1.
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 – image: GM Corp
The 2014 Camaro Z/28 comes packing a tuned 7.0-liter LS7 V-8, liberated from the Corvette Z06 and rated at “at least” 500 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. If you’re looking for floppy-paddle shifting, look elsewhere, since the Z/28 comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. Final gearing is 3.91:1, which Chevy calls ideally matched to the LS7’s power output.
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 – image: GM Corp
The Z/28’s suspension has been tuned to deliver 1.05 g worth of cornering capability, thanks to adjustable spool-valve dampers, stiffer spring rates and suspension bushings and 19-inch wheels with 305/30ZR19 tires that shave 42-pounds of the weight of the 20-inch units used on the ZL1. If that’s not enough to blow your mind, consider this: the Z/28 also gets carbon ceramic brakes (which sounds like a great idea until you price replacement rotors).
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 – image: GM Corp
Weight savings is the key to the Z/28s performance, so the car deletes the audio system, sound deadening, tire inflator kit and air conditioning (which can be added back in as a stand-alone option). Window glass is reduced thickness, and neither HID headlights nor foglamps are available. The Z/28 retains its back seat, but eliminates the trunk pass-through and uses lightweight high-density foam. The net result is that the Z/28 weighs some 300 pounds less than the ZL1.
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 – image: GM Corp
Unlike Z/28s of the past, this version is more about going fast than looking cool. We suspect that many buyers will learn the hard …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Automotive Addicts
