REPORT: Supercharged Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 cometh? Again? For real?
Not the real Camaro Z/28 - Click above for high-res image gallery
To build or not to build... that is the question. The subject is the Camaro, in this case in the long-rumored Z/28 guise. We've heard over the last few months that the automaker would pass on the opportunity to drop a supercharger atop the Camaro's optional V8 powerplant due to fuel economy, emissions and price concerns. However, Inside Line is reporting that GM Veep Ed Welburn says the Z/28 program is back in full effect and is headed for production.
Underneath a new bulge in the hood will sit a version of the excellent 6.2-liter LS-A from the Cadillac CTS-V that should be good for about 550 horsepower and mated up to either an automatic or manual transmission with six forward ratios. If these newest rumblings are to be believed, the Z/28 will hit the market in about a year. All that's left, says Welburn, is to finalize the tuning of the powertrain and suspension bits. Sounds good to us – we'll take ours in classic Hugger Orange with white stripes, please.
Gallery: Camaro Z28 Renderings
[Source: Inside Line]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Hike15 8:00PM (9/21/2009)
Good thing lutz didn't say this. This could actually be possible now!
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AMcA 8:42PM (9/21/2009)
Hugger orange? But it looks so hot and scary in that gray metallic . . . .
geo.stewart 9:05PM (9/21/2009)
not buying it (the story). I dont believe that Chevy will allow a Z28 to have higher hp than a Z06.
the SS doesnt eclipse the base Vette now. keeping the hierarchy, the Z28 would have to have less than 505 hp, probably 450-475. I'm guessing a supercharged DI 6 IF they do it.
cwcentral 12:16AM (9/22/2009)
Any program can be "in full effect". Production reality is another answer that usually means a real date. If the economy turns bad (again, assuming we're on the road to recovery), this program will be killed in a heartbeat (no pun intended).
Hugger Orange? Barf! With the edgy shape of this car, flat black or deep blue with white stripes would do it right.
Chris O 1:17AM (9/22/2009)
@geo.stewart:
I don't think Chevrolet is worried about the Z28 cannibalizing Corvette sales. The Z28 is aimed at the likes of the GT500. A pony car (even with 550+hp) isn't a sports car. I'm too lazy to see what the LS-A weighs in a CTS-V, but I'm guessing that the Z28 would have to be around 4000lb. Even at *just* 505hp, I'll take the MUCH lower curb weight of a Z06.
Chet 3:45AM (9/22/2009)
Whatever reason GM has for not building this car, cannibalizing Corvette sales is not it.
Consider this -- the CTS-V is an awesome achievement, with tremendous power and fantastic handling; it made its mark as the fastest production sedan round the Nurburgring.
It's so awesome, in fact, that it's just as fast as... a base Corvette.
Camaro is similar in size and weight to the CTS-V -- so expect its performance with the same engine to be about the same -- at best.
Pokey 8:05PM (9/21/2009)
What is it with this on again, off again crap? It's getting kind of old.
I am not just talking about the Z/28 either. Four years worth of it from the Lexus LF-A, and then there is the Toyota/Subaru "sports car".
I am glad to see that the Z is slated for production, again, but for crying out loud, STOP TEASING US!!!!
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vespid82 8:52PM (9/21/2009)
I guarantee you a LOT more projects in the past went this same route. There just weren't a bunch of nerds sitting on web forums and blog sites 24/7 CONSTANTLY looking for any shred of information about upcoming products. I guarantee there was a lot less "official" misinformation as well. I mean come on now, you see how even THIS site was hopping all over what was an OBVIOUS fake vehicle in the form of the Porsche Shooting Brake. (Side note - I still can't believe you people fell for such a thing, lol. Moving along ) Before all these "news sites" popped up in various forms, people would just wait to see what was given to them and be happy with the results. They didn't hope for the "inside story" from some auto exec that frankly doesn't have to tell the buying public a damn thing about upcoming products or business decisions. (insert bailout comment here, lol)
Hell, think about this. Think back before there were sites like this one and you were foaming at the mouth to pick up the latest PRINTED issue of Motor Trend or the like, just to see what spy shots and press releases were in it? Back then, you had to wait a month for your automotive news and at the time it was "cutting edge." Before that, what'd you have? Again, just press releases, a few shows here and there, and that's about it. And what were the results? Everyone was HAPPY to see that new (insert car from the 1980s here) in all it's beautiful glory!
You want your information by the second, then be prepared to accept the normal goings on and hoop jumping that are involved in such ventures.
Or hey, you could always just wait and see. There's a novel idea, huh?
J.Crew 8:15PM (9/21/2009)
GM should say nothing. They should just put it on stage at an autoshow when it is one month BEFORE production is ready and announce its production ready at that time. Let the media go nuts for it... Build some mystery and deny everything until it is ready. Surprise the consumer and create excitement with real flare. Stop it with the long lead look at what is coming next year or two or three year stuff. It seems like I know everything GM has on the drawing board before the sketch is done. It is nice they had to show the world they have stuff coming, but shut the doors, turn off the mic to Lutz and others, and do what is required behind the scenes and only show what is ready when it is ready. That is what a confident company does. I want GM to get on its feet again and I feel its robe is way to open.
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Pokey 8:20PM (9/21/2009)
Sounds good, I wish they would do that too, but you know they cannot help but toot their own horn.
Besides, the clock is ticking. ;)
naggs 8:39PM (9/21/2009)
if they let out info as they develop the car, they get real-time feed back, free publicity, great product awareness at launch, and it keeps the pressure on to meet time targets
your personal preference is to be supprised, i will take the better car brought to market sooner
vespid82 8:55PM (9/21/2009)
naggs, I GUARANTEE you GM is having NO "issues" moving or making the public aware of the Camaro, even in it's lowest V6 form, lol.
Nightcrawler 8:58PM (9/21/2009)
There is another factor too. Leaking it early might keep people from buying now and instead cause them to wait for the new, better model down the line. That alone should be enough to make them keep their mouths shut as much as possible. The need buyers right now.
With that said, you can only keep it quite for so long. Too many people have to know about a new car as it gears up toward production.
Sean Flanagan 9:05PM (9/21/2009)
So you mean the exact opposite of what they did for the Volt...
Senseiwalex 8:18PM (9/21/2009)
It's dead...it's alive...it's dead...NO WAIT THERE'S STILL HOPE!
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Solstice 8:40PM (9/21/2009)
CLEAR!! **ZAP**
Farmboy 12:26AM (9/22/2009)
500 dead or alive......oh wait. Sorry, thought this was the Fiat thing.....nevermind.
Farmboy 8:18PM (9/21/2009)
Is GM a on and off about crap lately. Oh yes....oh no....OH YEAH!!!!!
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Brian 8:26PM (9/21/2009)
My God, Farmboy, we agree about something!
KeatMP 9:01PM (9/21/2009)
@ Brian
I don't care what you say...I see your name, down rank you, then move along...