Chevy has reportedly deep-sixed the Z06-powered Camaro Z/28

Chevrolet's sixth-generation Camaro will not spawn a high-performance variant worthy of the Z/28 badge, according to a recent report. Its development has been canceled due in part to disappointing sales in the United States.

Anonymous sources familiar with the contents of Chevrolet's product pipeline told Motor Trend that the canned Z/28 would have received its own version of the naturally-aspirated, 5.5-liter V8 that will power the upcoming Corvette Z06. Fitted with a flat-plane crankshaft, the eight-cylinder should have developed about 600 horsepower in the Z/28, an increase of roughly 100 horses over the last-gen car's 7.0-liter V8's output, and it would have been available with a manual transmission. It sounds like it would have been the fiercest production Camaro to wear the Z/28 emblem.

Blaming a controversial exterior design, Motor Trend's sourced hinted Camaro sales are far too low to justify the development of a range-topping Z/28 model, even one built largely with off-the-shelf components. Camaro sales in the United States fell to 29,777 units in 2020, which was admittedly a tumultuous year for the whole industry. That's a 38.3% drop compared to 2019. For context, Ford sold 61,090 units (-15.7%) of the Mustang, and 52,955 buyers (-13%) took home a Dodge Challenger. Another point worth mentioning is that Chevrolet parent company General Motors is investing a small fortune into the development of electric vehicles, including a battery-powered Silverado. Electrification is expensive, and it's difficult to hear the incessant "the future is electric" jingle over the roar of a V8.

We've reached out to Chevrolet, and we'll update this story if we learn more.

While the Z/28's demise will undoubtedly disappoint enthusiasts, there might be worse news on the horizon. The rumors claiming the sixth-generation Camaro will not be replaced are getting louder as the model prepares to celebrate its sixth birthday. Some of the unverified reports speculate the current car (pictured) will soldier on until 2026 before going away for good. Chevrolet has remained tight-lipped about the Camaro's future, however.

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