More news on Z28 Potential
Maybe those pictures from a few weeks back were the real deal, I myself am still skeptical, but more rumours are flying in about the return of the Z28. According to one Camaro5 Forums member, a friend working in a GM driveshaft supply house had an order placed for a dozen Camaro driveshafts built for higher HP output. He calls them Z/28 driveshafts, but I imagine they have no official title yet and are in fact driveshafts designed for the Camaro body proportions and built withstand 500+ horsepower. That's normally how these machine housing orders come through. A new driveshaft, possibly to fit the LSA from the CTS-V? Maybe for a new iteration of a different engine model? Perchance a non-naturally aspirated LS3 with a higher output? Only time will tell, but for now we have a "friend of a friend" report towards the increased performance driveshaft for the Camaro.
Here's the actual post from the Camaro5 Forums:
Is this the Z28, or just another impostor?
Well, word has been going around the Camaro community the last couple of days that the official Z28 test car has been spotted. Everyone from Camaro5 to Camaro Forums to Insideline and GMInsideNews, but I wanted to hold off for any sign that it was more official. Thus far, it appears that everyone is basing their information off of the Camaro5 report, so I figured instead of just regurgitating their information, I'd try and do some further investigation to see if there exists any validity behind this statement.
Camaro5 reported that the test vehicle seen in their images sported the LSA 6.2L Supercharged V8, which would be consistent with what Chevrolet themselves were saying would be in the Z28... exactly one year ago. The stipulation was though, one year ago, that the Z28 would not begin any sort of production or testing run until Chevrolet and GM had their financial situation in a better place. Over the last year the Camaro itself has almost single-handedly saved Chevy, while GM has trimmed a lot of their unnecessary fat as a means of cutting their overhead. It seems logical then that in that year's time this vehicle went ahead in production, although maybe a little premature. We know, from what vehicle history has shown us, that vehicles need multiple months to begin their testing phases, and a few more afterwards for production. What that means is that the choice to move ahead with the Z28 would had to have been made maybe 3 or 4 months ago to be at a place where test mules are running today. GM's end of the year numbers would not have been calculated at that point, nor would the Camaro final year sales numbers, but it could be assumed that GM would have been the incredible rate at which the Camaro was selling and made this decision. I say that, based on this, it's entirely possible that the test mule seen was the Z28, but not ultimately probable.
To further complicate the probability as to whether or not the test mule spotted was, in fact, the Z28 is the simple matter that GM and Chevy have been very candid about the Camaro and what their doing with it as time has progressed. A year ago they said they wanted to make the Z28, and said that they wanted it to happen in the not too distant future. They were also candid about their financial situation. They were then candid about Camaro convertible production beginning, well before test mule shots of that were ever seen. When first starting the Camaro production run, the public was getting consistent updates as to what the Camaro itself would entail. They were not keeping secrets then. So, with all of the truthfulness they've offered up to the public concerning the Camaro in the past, why now go to a more secretive nature? I can't imagine any solid reasons. Maybe they want to continue to promote Camaro SS sales, and think that announcing a Z28 production run would cause those to slow while people wait for the Z28, but I can't see that happening logically. If anything, Z28 announcements would mean more publicity for their powerhouse seller sports coupe. Also, because of the Z28's obviously higher price tag, it seems that the majority of the potential Z28 buyers are in a different economic group or class than those driving or looking to drive SS Camaros today. I can't imagine how GM would benefit from keeping the Z28 private, as they say in business "No press is bad press", and the Z28 is nothing but press.
Here are some images of the vehicle that was spotted, maybe you can tell me what you think or how you feel about it. Does it seem reasonable to assume that this is the Z28? There's no Ram Air hood, which is typically indicative of the Z28. The styling just feels off, it doesn't seem that there's enough here to differentiate this Camaro from any other SS on the road (which isn't a bad thing, b/c the SS is a damn beautiful car).
If I were to put a probability on this, I'd say its maybe 40% likely that this is the Z28. The people providing the info seem genuine enough in their belief of it, but something just doesn't seem right. The sudden secretive nature of GM, the all too soon timing of a mule, and the lack of traditional Z28 styling all lead me to believe that we're (sadly) not seeing the Z28 yet. Here's to remaining optimistic towards the Camaro future though, and hoping that I'm wrong and this is the Z28 and the world will soon be graced with its presence.
Click thumbs for jump to large, hi-res images:
More Great Camaro News!
A recent article from wheels.ca shows just how fantastic the Camaro sales have been. For Lutz to be open about how profitable the vehicle has been is a huge vote of confidence in the Camaro and its future. Once again, hopefully these fantastic numbers will lead to more on the Camaro revival front down the line. I really want to see a Z28, and with the convertible being released this year, that seems absolutely possible since one can only assume these numbers will continue to rise!
Camaro races ahead of GM's profit expectations
Retro muscle car far more lucrative than automaker had originally forecast
Jan 13, 2010
Tony Van Alphen
Business reporter
DETROIT–The Chevrolet Camaro muscle car, which General Motors builds in Oshawa, has become far more profitable to the automaker than original forecasts, says company vice-chairman Bob Lutz.
Lutz, GM's product guru, said the iconic car is beating internal sales projections, easily surpassing estimates for average transaction prices and the combination is leading to big profits.
He said GM is making an average of $8,000 to $9,000 (U.S.) more per sale than it anticipated on models with transaction prices in the $35,000 to $40,000 range.
"What is especially remarkable is the average transaction price," Lutz told reporters at the North American International Auto Show.
"It's way, way higher than we expected it to be and the profitability of the vehicle has turned out to be far better than our expectations."
Lutz said one of the reasons for the strong profitability is, ironically, fuel economy. GM promoted the V-6, 300-horsepower, more fuel-efficient model with lower pricing and less profit to encourage sales.
The company then overpriced the V-8, more powerful, less fuel-efficient model to keep its sales down.
In Canada, the manufacturer's suggested price is almost $27,000 (Canadian) for the V-6 model and $37,000 for the V-8 version. But V-8 sales still outpaced the V-6s by a wide margin in both countries.
"End result: 80 per cent of sales, V-8s," Lutz said.
The Camaro ceased production at GM's plant in Ste. Thérèse, Que., in 2002 after 35 years, but was revived in March last year in Oshawa after a concept at the show generated a huge positive response. Production on one shift with some overtime totalled more than 83,000 in less than 10 months last year.
Waiting times for delivery for the Camaro in Canada vary, but could be up to 90 days.
The Canadian Auto Workers pressed GM to add another shift to meet demand but the company has rejected that idea.
Muscle cars normally have a strong sales start for 18 months to two years before gradually losing their momentum.
Automakers add special edition models to boost interest after the initial surge. GM is adding a Camaro convertible model in the first quarter of next year.
The Camaro, which uses ads with such tag lines as "lust conquers all," is up against Ford's Mustang and the Dodge Challenger and Charger, which have posted some good sales numbers in recent years.
Lutz attributed the success of the Camaro to designing more than just a retro car, but one with modern styling cues.
He said original clay models of the Camaro looked a lot like versions from the late 1960s, but then-chief executive officer Rick Wagoner told designers they should do more work.
GM showed Camaro buffs and collectors the second version and they criticized it sharply because the car didn't look like the early models.
"Not looking too much like a '67 turned out to be a good thing," Lutz said.
Camaro December Sales Numbers
Well, the Camaro is staying strong! A look at the December numbers for sales, and the 2009 production numbers are quiet impressive, and definitely offer a lot of hope towards GM's future. Let's also remember that the Camaro outsold the Mustang (by a considerable margin) for the 7th month in a row, which is its direct, popular, competitor.So, here's to selling another 60k+ Camaros in 2010 for you GM! If they want to guarantee improved numbers too they'll have to give the public new options. Maybe we'll see the return of the Z28 finally come to fruition this year! We can only hope!
Production Stats:
Camaros produced in December 09: 8,368
Total Camaros produced to date (since March 16, 2009): 82,188
Delivery (sales) Stats:
Camaro December Deliveries (actual sales): 7,548
Total April - December Deliveries (actual sales): 61,648
SLP Has A New Monster on the Roads…
Street Lethal Performance has been doing some great work for GM for some time now, and has gained the Manufacturer's love and blessing. Their new tuner is the apotheosis of their quality too, and definitely gives GM reason to feel good about their endorsement of SLP. The new SLP575 Camaro is an absolute beast, and Edmunds was lucky enough to get a drive behind the wheel of it. The SLP ZL575 packs a 575 horsepower LS3 V-8 and is eligible for the 3-year/36,000-mile warranty from GM if you order the ZL575 package through a Chevrolet dealer. The SLP ZL575 package includes a bunch of dress-up items, 1-inch lowering springs, 20-inch wheels, high-rise hood and a host of interior enhancements as well. The complete ZL575 package sells for $22,995, which brings the total for the Camaro SLP575 to just under 60k. That seems like a steal to me for a car with that much power, performance, and beauty.
Big SEMA Update! Pictures galore!
Well, it's the end of the week and I have received a ton of pictures and info from SEMA on some of the different Camaros that were shown there. I'm going to post some today, and expect more to come in the following week! Below are some of my favorites and details on each one:
Apparently DSO Eyewear customized this Camaro to support the active Urban lifestyle. I sort of thought the Camaro did that already, but never the less, they did a good job on some customization touches here. The window trim looks great, and the sound system inside is a big step up from the stock Camaro entertainment system (that is, entertainment not pertaining to the actual thrill of driving). The polished stainless touches on the side skirts and rear bumper/diffuser are a nice addition as well.
This Camaro Dusk is finished in a fantastic dark metallic blue, which works really well on the car. The ground effects, while subtle, are a great touch for the Camaro. The custom interior looks fantastic, and is a nice touch to the vehicle as well. The performance bonuses are minor, with a custom Billet exhaust being the only major performance touch for the vehicle, but with a car that looks that good and already performs as spectacularly as it does, we wont hold that against them.
Ok, so, this next one was a little disappointing to see. That Camaro that websites were saying would be the next Z28 (and I must admit, I bought in to the hype also) was in actuality a custom Camaro made by Chevy for America's most famous car collector: Jay Leno.
I must admit, the vehicle looks great and I am certain Mr. Leno is ecstatic to be the owner of it, but it did disappoint me a good bit to learn that it was not the Z28. Outfitted with twin Turbometrics turbos, Tremec 6060 6-Speed Transmission, and just about every customizable under the sun (Exhaust, intake, pressure plate, discs, hood, fog lamps, lip soiler, rear rocker, rear diffuser, and more), this is definitely one of the prize Camaros at the event. Maybe they will use this as a basis for creating the Z28, I like the styling a lot.
Ok, here's one more for today, and expect more to come still:
Well, I said the Leno Camaro was one of the prize machines at all of SEMA, but this right here is the baddest of the bad! This Camaro 2Go by Rick Bottom designs has a list of modifications too long for me to duplicate here. I'll give you the short-hand version though: extremely custom look, extremely custom suspension, braking, handling, performance, everything. Just how custom is it? How about 1000+HP Vortech Supercharged with suspension built to handle over 1G of force on a skid-pad. ARH full Exhaust system, Fedoro and Baer brake components are just a few other awesome components to the vehicle. That sick enough for you? Yeah, I thought it would be.
Anyways, keep up with me as I give you more from SEMA in the week to follow.
Can’t wait for SEMA! Will we see the return of the Z28 officially there this year?
Facebook, what hath thou wrought? Yesterday, the internet automotive community was abuzz because of you and something one of your users posted. Is that, could it possibly be, the new Camaro Z28?! Boy, we sure do hope so!
This possible Z28 image was leaked on Facebook
SEMA starts today, and starting tomorrow I'll be providing you with updates from the event myself, but until then all I can do is troll the internet and get my hopes up as to what the event will offer me. This image, which clearly shows a very mean, very bad-ass looking Camaro on the SEMA floor, has brought upon a number of speculations that this may be the new Z28. Nothing is official yet, but the vehicle absolutely looks the part. Those hood-vents are mean looking, and an already gorgeous front-end has been improved upon. Reportedly the Z28 will include the LSA powerhouse underneath its hood when released. For those who don't quiet remember what that is, we're talking about a 556 HP and 551 Lb-Torque engine being used to power the Cadillac CTS-V. Imagine that beast in the Camaro. Drooling yet? Yeah, me too.
Source: AutoBlog
Great Z28 Commercial!
Loved this commercial for the Z28! Thought it was humorous and poetic, and I know all too well the torture of being torn between an old love and a new one. In the end I like his choice, and what a beautiful driveway he has for making it!
It’s Baaaaack: Supercharged Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Is Back on Track
2010 Camaro Z28
DETROIT — What's that Mark Twain said about his death and exaggeration? Oh, who cares. Inside Line just got confirmation that the supercharged 500-plus-horsepower Camaro Z28 is back in the product plan and is set for production.
It appeared that the extra-high-performance Camaro — which should give the 540-hp Ford Shelby GT500 a good run for its money — had fallen victim to the cost-cutter's knife and the importance of appearing sensible in GM's new role as partial ward of the state.
According to Ed Welburn, GM's vice president for global design, the on-again, off-again Z28 is back in the plan. The modified body is done, according to Welburn. There is still calibration work to be completed on the powertrain, though. We're still looking at about a year's wait before the Z28 would appear.
The basic engine is a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, which sees duty in the Cadillac CTS-V. In that application, the engine makes 556 horsepower and is available with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. There's no reason to assume that the Z28 wouldn't be offered with both transmissions, and only a fool would dial back the power.
The Z28 will come with a specific body kit with a slightly raised hood to accommodate the top-mounted intercooler/supercharger unit and a tall rear spoiler. Specific wheel design and suspension tune will surely be part of the package. Wider rear rubber might prove necessary, too, we'd think.
Just goes to show that for all its sensible talk of late, enthusiasm for performance vehicles still runs deep at GM. We're also hearing that GM is considering doing a higher-performance version of the V6 Camaro, in hopes of piquing the interest of less traditional Camaro enthusiasts.
Inside Line says: Oh, hell yes! — Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
From Edmunds.com : Inside Line
GM Official: Chevy Camaro Z28 Is Coming
2010 Camaro
Chevy Camaro die-hards won't have to content themselves with just the SS for long. The legendary Camaro Z28 is going to return.
Edmunds Inside Line reports, "It appeared that the extra-high-performance Camaro -- which should give the 540-hp Ford Shelby GT500 a good run for its money -- had fallen victim to the cost-cutter's knife and the importance of appearing sensible in GM's new role as partial ward of the state." GM Vice President of Global Design Ed Welburn, however, has confirmed that "the on-again, off-again Z28 is back in the plan. The modified body is done, according to Welburn. There is still calibration work to be completed on the powertrain, though. We're still looking at about a year's wait before the Z28 would appear."
When it finally shows up, it will be a beast. It will use "the 6.2-liter supercharged LSA V-8 that also powers the Cadillac CTS-V," according to Motor Trend. That monstrous engine puts out 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque at 3800 rpm. Since the Z28 will weigh less than the CTS-V, it should outperform the caddy. Motor Trend speculates, "it may nail 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and run the quarter in the very low 12s. This Z28 could be the fastest Chevy ponycar since the legendary ZL-1-powered COPO 9560 Camaros built 40 years ago."
Outside, it will offer a more muscular take on the current Camaro's retro look. Inside Line reports, "The Z28 will come with a specific body kit with a slightly raised hood to accommodate the top-mounted intercooler/supercharger unit and a tall rear spoiler," as well as wider tires and a Z28-exclusive wheel design.
Pricing has not been announced, and the Camaro fan forums have not switched to advocating for a new IROC Z...yet.
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