2014 Camaro Z/28 Engineering Upgrades and Specs Detailed

If the old BMW adage was “one bratwurst, three lengths…” — the new Camaro is selling Nurburgring stamina by the pound like ground chuck.

As the aero animation above shows, this was a global project on a huge, long-term scale.

Aero studies like these are mesmerizing to behold – but are only the beginning of the Z/28 Camaro story.

The Z/28 is a really stunning piece of machinery. It follows all paths toward achieving its 7:37.447 lap time – in the rain – in October 2013.

 

Italian Trofeo R tires are a Camaro first, as are Brembo carbon brakes bigger than a Brooklyn pizza and dry-sump engine oil system with numerous extra radiators for track cooling.

Nearly everything on the 2014 Z/28 is new to Chevy’s supplier network, added with a ZR-1-style verve for delivering results.

Exotic metal ores went into these huge carbon-ceramic discs: compressed and shaped into quasi-indestructible in-wheel plates.

A 7.0-liter V8 with 505 horsepower, Mahle titanium internals, Multimatic DSSV damping – the list is nearly endless. Exotic components, plus extremely rigid base chassis?

Yes. Camaro Z/28 details below, especially those highlighting the performance changes needed to get its long-term track attack performance into the GT-R Nissan and GT3 Porsche clubs.

Overview

Model:	2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Body styles / driveline:	Four-passenger, front-engine, rear-drive coupe
Construction:	Unitized body frame, one- and two-sided galvanized steel
Manufacturing location:	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

 

Engines

	LS7 7.0L V-8
Displacement (cu in / cc):	427 / 7008
Bore & stroke (in / mm):	4.125 x 4.00 / 104.8 x 101.6
Block material:	cast aluminum
Cylinder head material:	cast aluminum
Valvetrain:	overhead valve, two valves per cylinder
Fuel delivery:	sequential fuel injection
Compression ratio:	11.0:1
Horsepower / kW:	500 / 373 (est.)
Torque (lb-ft / Nm):	470 / 637 (est.)

Transmissions

	Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual
Gear ratios (:1):
First:	2.66
Second:	1.78
Third:	1.30
Fourth:	1.00
Fifth:	0.74
Sixth:	0.50
Reverse:	2.90
Final drive ratio:	3.91

Chassis/Suspension

Front:	double-ball-joint, multi-link strut; direct-acting stabilizer bar; progressive-rate coil springs; inverted monotube shock absorber
Rear:	4.5-link independent; progressive-rate coil springs over monotube shock absorbers; stabilizer bar;
Traction control:	StabiliTrak, electronic stability control

Brakes

Type:	Power-assisted, Carbon Ceramic Matrix front and rear discs; six-piston fixed front, and four-piston rear calipers
Rotor diameter x thickness:	Front: 15.5 x 1.4 in (394 x 36 mm) Rear: 15.3 x 1.3 in (390 x 32 mm)
Rear rotor (in / mm):

 

Wheels/Tires

Wheel size:	front: 19-inch x 11-inch rear: 19-inch x 11.5-inch
Tires:	Pirelli PZero Trofeo R front: P305/30ZR19 rear: P305/30ZR19

Dimensions

Exterior

Wheelbase (in / mm):	112.3 / 2,852
Overall length (in / mm):	192.3 / 4,884
Overall width (in / mm):	76.9 / 1,953
Overall height (in / mm):	52.4 / 1,330
Track, front (in / mm):	66.14 / 1,680
Track, rear (in / mm):	64.65 / 1,642

Note: Information shown is current at time of publication.

 

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Priced at $75,000

DETROIT – Chevrolet today announced the 2014 Camaro Z/28 will go on sale this spring with a suggested retail price of $75,000, including a $995 destination charge, but excluding tax, title, license and dealer fees.

The new Z/28 is offered in five exterior colors – Red Hot, Black, Silver Ice Metallic, Ashen Gray Metallic and Summit White. Only a single option is available: A $1,150 package that adds air conditioning and a total of six audio speakers. The standard Z/28 package includes one speaker.

“The Camaro Z/28 is an uncompromising performer that’s bred for the track – and every one of its unique components supports the goal of faster lap times,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “It takes the Z/28 back to its racing roots and adds to the strong lineup of Chevrolet performance cars, including a revamped Camaro SS and supercharged ZL1, as well as the SS sedan, Corvette Stingray convertible and 2015 Corvette Z06, which we’ll introduce at the North American International Auto Show next week.”

The Z/28’s unique exterior is designed like a race car to produce downforce that presses the tires against the track for greater grip – up to 1.08 g in cornering acceleration – and faster lap times. The aerodynamically optimized design helped the Camaro Z/28 log a  lap on Germany’s legendary Nürburgring road course that was four seconds faster than the Camaro ZL1’s and beat published times for the Porsche 911 Carrera S and the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640.

Power comes from the 7.0L LS7 engine, with dry-sump oiling, rated at an SAE-certified 505 horsepower (376 kW) and 481 lb-ft of torque (652 Nm). The engine will be built by hand at the new Performance Build Center within GM’s Bowling Green assembly plant.

A close-ratio six-speed manual transmission is the only transmission offered and power is distributed to the rear wheels via a Torsen limited-slip differential featuring a helical gear set, rather than traditional clutch packs, for optimal traction. The differential works in unison with Chevrolet’s proprietary Performance Traction Management system, allowing drivers to adjust the level of throttle and braking intervention to match their capability and driving environment.

The Camaro Z/28 is also one of the first production cars fitted with race-proven, spool-valve dampers, which allow four-way damping control, enabling engineers to precisely tune both bump and rebound settings for high-speed and low-speed wheel motions. The wider tuning range also allows dramatically greater damper stiffness without a significant change in ride quality. Additional chassis changes include stiffer spring and bushing rates for improved cornering response.

Lightweight, 19-inch forged aluminum wheels and Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tires reduce unsprung weight by 49.6 pounds (22.5 kilograms) per car compared to the 20-inch wheels standard on Camaro SS and ZL1.

The massive 305/30ZR19 PZero Trofeo R tires represent the first production-car application in the industry and are believed to be the widest front tire on any production car. To fully exploit their grip, the Z/28 also features Brembo Carbon Ceramic Matrix™ rotors and fixed, monoblock calipers. The large 394 x 36 mm front rotors are paired with six-piston calipers, while the 390 x 32 mm rear rotors are paired four-piston calipers. Compared to similar-size, two-piece steel rotors, the lightweight carbon discs save 28 pounds (12.5 kg) per car.

The combination of tire grip and braking power enable the Camaro Z/28 to achieve at least 1.5 g in deceleration. With standard front brake cooling ducts, the Z/28 is also capable of continuous track use.

Interior details

On the interior, the Camaro Z/28 features trim in a distinctive, matte-metallic finish called Octane, a flat-bottom steering wheel and Recaro seats with microfiber inserts. The seats feature aggressive bolsters for high-performance driving, as well as seat cutouts inspired by the five-point harnesses found on racing seats. To save weight, both front seats incorporate manual adjustment.

The rear seats of the Z/28 have also been modified for weight reduction. Nine pounds, or four kilograms, were saved by eliminating the seat-back pass-through, as well as using high-density foam in place of the rigid structure of the seat back and steel mesh of the seat bottom.

Additional examples of weight savings include:

• Elimination of the tire-inflator kit, except for Rhode Island and New Hampshire, where it is required by law

• Removal of some interior sound deadener, as well as trunk carpet

• Use of a smaller, lighter battery

• Thinner  rear-window glass – 3.2 mm vs. the standard 3.5 mm

• Elimination of high-intensity discharge, or HID, headlamps and fog lights

• No air conditioning except as part of the single option package.

The Camaro Z/28 will be available to order in late January with the first cars delivered to customers in the spring. Rights to the first Camaro Z/28, VIN 0001, will be auctioned at Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. on January 18.

The Z/28’s suggested retail price includes destination and freight charges, as well as the gas-guzzler tax.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.