It's Baack-----2014 Z28

[BULLITT65]

While i would have liked to see some radical 302 in there, I think in a lot of ways they did the Z/28 name justice. Striping down the car to the bare essentials (dropping 300 lbs of weight) was a good start. I am not in love with the looks of the ca, but some of which is devoted to the track, in a lot of ways even more so than the original. I would tip my hat to GM for producing the Z/28 the way it was intended, as a road corse/auto cross beast. They could have just thrown a bunch of horsepower at it (like the ZL-1) and named it Z/28. It looks like they actually spent a lot of time and research getting it to this point. I hope the next re-body of the car looks more retro though..... the mustang and the camaro are looking to similar on the front end of the car.

[Stingr69]

It has a high revving 427 that makes big power so how bad could it be??? Air conditioner is an option. I don't think you can get much of a radio.  Not exactly "light" but they did take a few pounds out of it.  While It has the flavor of the original there is no big name sanctioned race to compete against the bad guys.  I like it but there seems to be a little bit of the excitement missing.  Good job overall but I will probably just keep my blown 2010 SS. (and my '69)

-Mark.

[69Z28-RS]

I've driven a 2007 Corvette Z06 with the LS7 (427 ci engine).  That engine is amazing..  not only in the power level, but also how quickly it revs for a big cube engine (not at all similar to the 'old school' 427 engine!  My main issue with the 'new camaro' is the body .. size, weight and visibility from the driver seat.  I think they tried to do too much in that desgin, and tried to capture not only the 1st design shape, but also the 'cartoon CARS' or whatever.. brutish look, and in doing that it loses a lot of the 'retro appeal' (at least for me).

That said, I like a lot about what GM has seemingly done for the Z28 model, and the PM's enthusiasm for the car, but I'm very curious what the price point is gonna be.. .   In the past, when proposing that the Corvette offer a 'stripped down' model (wtih options), we were told that it was more expensive to offer the options (which complicate the assembly process), than to just put all the options on all the cars (ie. AC, PW, PS, etc)..

[69Z28]

I went back to take a closer look at the new Z28 and it's really not THAT bad. At first glance I thought the Z28 emblems were tape but they are dimensional, maybe need to be a touch larger. Move the emblems from behind the wheel to the front of the fender and put CAMARO behind the wheel like the original was and move the Z28 to the center between the taillights. The bowtie looks good but not on a Z28. The taillights look retro but what messes them up is the wrap around ends. Need different rims too, not too fond of the black or the style. Retro ralleys maybe? Add the stripes and a cowl hood with that air ducting at the rear of the hood and you might have something there. Oh yeah, need the simulated air vents in front of the rear wheels. Interior, what can I say, ALL black in any material would suit me fine. Spoilers? I don't have a vision on what would be better than what is there now. Not sure what to think about the grill, but I have to agree that it is too narrow. It looks like you can blind it with dental floss. As for the drivetrain. I would keep that as is. You can't mess with Chevy perfection. Even if it doesn't beat the new Mustangs, who cares. I would definately have fun driving it.

[JKZ27]

I was really hoping to see a 302. However, i guess thats the same as wishing for a four speed trans.
Maybe GM was having trouble getting the right power numbers out of that small of an engine in the LS design. I know the 4.8 was never very strong or efficient in the trucks. Everything else on the car is fine with me, even the 2nd gen tail lights. Visibility is bad though. I would expect to see it priced at $45,000-$55,000.

John

[RUNUTZ]

A few years too late.That platform should have been available since day 1 and long before the ZL1.
I just see a puffed up camaro with Z/28 emblems added.Nice corvette windowed type hood .
Wow a Z with no stripes.Adding a Z/28 emblem to a small block 67 camaro doesn't make it a Z.

[festival]

Scott Settlemire has some personal comments on the 14 Camaro that provides fascinating insight as to how GM internally makes decisions, on one hand to try  to pay tribute to the first generation Z/28 through the new for '14  model by drawing an over emphasis in the (/) as the defining point--that in his case that the new "Z/28" is indeed pure from a heritage point of view.

I would have to admit that I disagree with quite a bit of his opinion - and I think that the new 427 drivetrain is more of a departure from the original intent of the first generation Z/28 in much the same way the new for 1970 model was....anyway here are the links. to his comments.    I still like the car but his comments in the first two posts below leave me scratching my head.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286046

[Charley]

If they would have put a 302 in it people would have just bitched that they should have put in a LS7 or LS9. Some people will never be happy. I'm happy they built a haul ass car that I'm sure will beat any Mustang on the road course. This is a race car. That low front fascia is there for racing, not boulevard cruising. And yes they get busted up on race tracks. Really people, think about it. Chevrolet just built you a 427 Camaro with a bulletproof engine that can easily be pumped up to even more hp.

[RUNUTZ]

My point.Ford buillt the Mustang for Joe Public.GM is not it's either too much for the blue collar guy or not for street use.Missed the boat on the Z curb rash
or flatbed your new toy home and garage park it.The camaro will always be second fiddle to the vette.The Mustang will never be second to anything.

[festival]

And every Z28 engine cubic inch designation since 1970 was a corporate level engine that also was used in the Corvette too.  This included even the 305.   305 was the base Z28 engine in the early 1980's and also used previously in the Corvette as well.

The LS-7 in 14.. I love it and the car!   The Z28 changed with the times through the years and even when they were poor performers in the early 80's - odds were that everything else was the same or worse.    Gee with  '14 we have a factory Z06/LS-7 engine now coming to a Camaro-- and BOY I want one.   

 

[Charley]

My point.Ford buillt the Mustang for Joe Public.GM is not it's either too much for the blue collar guy or not for street use.Missed the boat on the Z curb rash
or flatbed your new toy home and garage park it.The camaro will always be second fiddle to the vette.The Mustang will never be second to anything.

Camaro built the SS, ZL1 etc for the drive it on the street crowd.
 The Mustang will never be second fiddle because Ford has nothing like the Vette. Ford had the GT for 2 years and the Mustang was second fiddle."Wow a Z with no stripes" If you really believe it is just a puffed up Camaro you haven't been paying attention.

[Dusk_Blue_Z]

Festival makes a good point, they used the 'corporate' engine in the Z for years. I guess I was hoping to see a 302 to rival the lastest Boss 302.

After a few days of thinking about the new Z the more I'm liking it. And a Blue Ray Metallic might sit well next to my other car

[RUNUTZ]

How long has the LS7 been swapped into the new gen camaro.Suspension upgrades,exhaust,elctronics,wheels/tires nothing new
just now GM has decided to put a moniker on it and do it themselves and after 4-5 years call it a Z/28.We can argue semantics but my original beef is
4-5 years too late.Should have been offered from the get-go.

[wtexz10]

I owned a 68 Z/28 back in 71-74.  Loved that car, (the one that got away).  I hadn't found that kind of fun until I purchased my C6 Z06.  The two engines have nothing in common but fun.  The torque in the LS7 is addicting.  As a Corvette C6 Z owner also, I'm loving the fact that the LS7 lives.

[wtexz10]

Also......Don't you think it's nice that GM put the "Slash"  back between the Z and the 28?   Z/28 just looks right.