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Remember when there was a bit of consternation among the Bowtie faithful after Chevrolet introduced the Camaro ZL1? The issue wasn’t around the big coupe’s awesome performance, it was with the name – many wondered why the company hadn’t chosen to exhume the company’s legendary Z/28 moniker. There was a bit less of an outcry when Chevy showed off the 1LE model, but only just. Well, apparently there’s a good reason why the Z/28 nameplate wasn’t used – because they were saving it for this bad boy.

Powered by Chevrolet’s 7.0-liter LS7 small block V8 (also found in the C7 Corvette), the 2014 Camaro Z/28 looks to offer massive performance above and beyond the already capable ZL1. Chevy hasn’t released official power ratings yet, saying only that the Z/28 will deliver “at least 500 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque” – the supercharged 6.2-liter LSA found in the ZL1 dispenses 580 horsepower, so the track-focused Z/28 probably won’t be the most powerful Camaro on offer.

Perhaps more importantly, curb weight is down 300 pounds compared to the ZL1 thanks to a comprehensive lightweighting program, including thinner rear glass and lighter wheels and making air conditioning an option. Chevy says that the weight cut and the institution of substantial chassis and braking changes are good enough to cut a whopping three seconds per lap off of the ZL1’s times, though it hasn’t specified what circuit it has been tested on.

Aero changes include a whopper of a front splitter tied to a lift-curbing undertray, along with flared fenders and rocker extensions. Out back, a unique spoiler and diffuser help keep the massive meats planted to the ground at high speeds.

Inside, the manual-transmission-only Z/28 gets the ZL1’s excellent flat-bottomed wheel and standard Recaro seats (already optional on SS and ZL1 models). The interior is finished in a matte-metallic finish dubbed Octane. Pricing has yet to be announced, but for all the details, scroll down to look at the lengthy official press release and to watch the car’s live unveiling. We recommend fast-forwarding to the 8:55 mark to hear the Z/28 get fired up.

Continue reading 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 is back! [w/video]

2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 is back! [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Jeremy Korzeniewski

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The new B6 Venator wasn’t the only vehicle on display at the Spyker booth at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The company still has its C8 Aileron on offer, and Road & Track has word of a potential powerplant upgrade for the long-running machine.

Since its introduction in the year 2000, the C8 has used a 4.2-liter V8 engine sourced from Audi, which, in base form, offers up 400 horsepower. Though it’s a great powerpant, that’s simply not enough power in this day and age – after all, if a car is going to be called super, it needs to offer more ponies than something as mundane as the Ford Mustang GT.

According to R&T, John Walton, Chief Commercial Officer at Spyker, indicated that a new engine supplier may be in the works. “[The Audi-sourced V8] really hasn’t got enough bang for the buck. To be honest, every supercar needs to have something that begins with a ‘5’ today. That’s why we’re supercharging the car in the future, which will take it to over 500-hp,” said Walton.

Assuming Spyker doesn’t decide to supercharge Audi’s V8 itself, where will that supercharged engine come from? We have no idea, though with legal wrangling still in process it seems a bit unlikely to come from General Motors, although its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 would seemingly make an excellent choice.

On the other hand, if GM‘s engine is the best option available, Spyker could potentially buy complete supercharged crate engines directly from GM Performance Parts in either 556- (LSA) or 638-horsepower (LS9) iterations, and it probably doesn’t need explicit approval to do so. In any case, we’re just postulating. Only time will tell what, if any, new engine Spyker will bestow upon its C8 Aileron.

Spyker C8 Aileron to come back with supercharged power? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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