The Camaro Z/28 returns

Chevrolet has given its Camaro a facelift. The updated 2014 model, unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, features redesigned front and rear ends that give it a wider, more purposeful stance.

The changes have been made primarily to improve cooling and aid high speed stability. They include a shallower front grille, a wider lower air intake, new horizontal rear light clusters and a restyled rear bumper that now incorporates a diffuser.

But the big news is the reintroduction of the hardcore Camaro Z/28. Fully street legal but aimed directly at track users, the package combines extra downforce, sharper handling and less weight.

It won’t appeal to everyone though, as Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, explained: “While the Camaro ZL1 offers exceptional performance on the street, the drag strip and the track, the Z/28 is entirely focused on the track performance. The Z/28 will be too track-focused for most drivers, but offers road-racers one of the most capable track cars ever offered from an automaker.”

Powering the Z/28 is the normally aspirated 7.0 litre LS7 motor, which sends its 500 bhp (373 kW / 507 PS) to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission (there’s no automatic alternative).

Despite the large displacement, that output is actually less than the 580 bhp (432 kW / 588 PS) produced by the ZL1’s 6.2 litre supercharged engine. However, the LS7 unit is lighter, has a broader spread of torque, can rev higher and employs a number of race-derived components.

All are attributes that should be useful around a circuit, so it’s unsurprising that Chevrolet is saying the Z/28 will set faster lap times than a ZL1. Performance figures haven’t been released yet, though.

The superior pace isn’t just down to the engine. Thanks to a strict diet, the Z/28 is considerably lighter than regular Camaro variants. Thinner rear-window glass, special 19” forged alloy wheels and a smaller battery have all contributed to the weight loss. The sound deadening and audio system have been deleted altogether, while the air conditioning system has been relegated to the options list. The Z/28 still retains a 2+2 seating configuration, but the rear bench has been modified to rid it of a few pounds.

Its chassis has been thoroughly reworked too. Stiffer spool-valve dampers with four-way adjustment for bump and rebound are fitted, along with firmer springs and suspension bushings. Fade-free braking is provided by lightweight Brembo carbon-ceramic discs.

Additional aerodynamic grip comes courtesy of a large front splitter that works with a rear wing and an underbody panel. Completing the bodywork alterations are extended wheel arches and broader sills.

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro range will be available later this year.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 - Preliminary Specifications
Body
Type	Four-passenger coupé
Construction	Unitary galvanised steel body
Drivetrain	Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine
Type	LS7 7.0 litre V8
Displacement	7,008 cc (427 cu. in.)
Bore and stroke	104.8 x 101.6 mm / 4.125 x 4.00 in.
Block material	Cast aluminium
Cylinder head material	Cast aluminium
Valvegear	Overhead valve, two valves per cylinder
Fuel delivery	Sequential fuel injection
Compression ratio	11.0:1
Power	500 bhp (373 kW / 507 PS) (estimated)
Torque	637 Nm (470 lb/ft) (estimated)
Transmission
Gearbox	Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual
Differential	Limited-slip featuring helical gears
Chassis
Front suspension	Double-ball-joint, multi-link strut; direct-acting anti-roll bar; progressive-rate coil springs; inverted monotube shock absorbers
Rear suspension	4.5-link independent; progressive-rate coil springs over monotube shock absorbers; anti-roll bar
Traction control	Chevrolet Performance Traction Management system; StabiliTrak electronic stability control
Brakes	Power-assisted; Brembo Matrix carbon ceramic front and rear discs; six-piston fixed front calipers, four-piston rear calipers
Wheels	Front 19 x 11 in.; rear 19 x 11.5 in.
Tyres	Pirelli PZero Trofeo R, P305/30ZR19

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Images © General Motors.