What does the name Camaro mean to you? Do you think of the years gone by of the Great American Muscle Car, with a huge engine, awesome power, killer skids off the line, and the rumble and shake from under the hood that meant others better back away? If so, the new version of the Chevrolet Z28 Camaro is sure to bring those nostalgic memories back to the front of your mind for you.
At the 2013 New York Auto Show, Chevrolet stole the show when instead of revealing just another new Camaro a fully powered, ferocious looking Z28 roared onto the stage and wowed the crowd. The new Z28 is so amazing it actually performs the ZL1 in many regards, which is quite an accomplishment as the ZL1 was supposed to put the Z28 in its grave, but here it is, back and better than ever.
Supporting a price tag that starts over $56,000 the Z28 is a serious muscle car with a ton of power and handling. On the gorgeous eleven inch wheels this beauty shows off with a bit of a smaller tire coming in at nineteen inches instead of the standard twenty on most of the V-8 Camaros. The engineers chose these tires for their lighter weight and easier handling, by having slightly smaller tires the car is also a little lower to the ground.
Add to the wheels and tires the improved and stiffer suspension, thicker roll bars and larger carbon-ceramic brake pads, the Camaro Z28 has an improvement in handling that has been absent from other models. Unique to the Z28 as far as control is the Performance Traction Management allowing when partnered with all the other control components for the car to corner at 1.05 g of force.
Under the hood promises to delight even the stodgiest of car guys, brining impressive power with awesome torque, the Camaro Z28 has what everyone wants in a genuine muscle car. No matter what your age, this Z28 will make you feel like you are seventeen again and getting ready for a drag race with your friends.
With a car that is lower to the ground, handles better than ever, and allowing huge power under the hood you had to know Chevrolet would make sure the car was lighter than before as well. In fact the Z28 is actually around 300 pounds lighter than its ultra-powered cousin the Camaro ZL1. With the lower weight brings about quickness in and out of turns that the ZL1 is not capable of and gives the extra speed to take the straight line race from just about any other car out there.
Added features of an aerodynamics package help keep the Camaro Z28 stuck to the road like glue. This unfortunately is one of the drawbacks as it has a wide face and presence which doesn’t afford as much aerodynamics as other Camaros. With the power the Z28 possesses, the wings and vents are necessary to keep it stuck to the road which is where it belongs. Because this Camaro has been engineered to have more down force in the rear, it is a much better handling car than is brethren.
Showing off with a zero to sixty times of 4.2 seconds, and a 12.5 second ¼ mile, the Camaro Z28 is a major player of the muscle car brands. Unfortunately it does have a lower top speed than its processor, topping out around 170 mph versus the 180 of previous year. Even with this lowered top speed the Z28 will beat out the ZL1 on the track, mostly due to the better handling and lower weight, it’s simply quicker and more agile at the track than the Camaro ZL1.
If you are looking for a Chevrolet Camaro Z28 to be your next toy, keep in mind there are a lot of features taken out of the interior to gain the weight loss that was accomplished. The Z28 does not come equipped with air conditioning, it also does not have but one door speaker and a very basic radio and any of the sound insulation you are used to in your daily driver are nonexistent. This car is designed specifically to beat other cars in a race, and did not allow for owners who would like one as a daily driver or a leisure car.
On the other hand, if you enjoy the sound of the road around you, and don’t feel you need the air conditioning, which actually can be added back in and only adds about twenty pounds, this is a great choice for a toy. If you are into weekend racing and have a yearning to make this a hobby, there is absolutely no reason not to get behind the classic and redefined name of the Chevrolet Camaro Z28.
Regardless of why you want a Camaro Z28, this car has what you expect, power, handling, quickness, and the classic look that has come to be associated with one of America’s premier muscle cars. Chevrolet has hit a home run by bringing back a name that inspires the inner car guy in all of us.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.
