2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 - The trans - Am racer returns! - Ignition ep. 105

Whew! Ha ha ha! That's more like it that's how we do it in North Georgia, folks. Perhaps the best way to understand the Camaro Z28 is to think of it as a homologation special for a racing series that doesn't exist. How else could you explain the massive splitter, huge wheels and brakes, and high revving 7-liter V8? Underneath we have the hand assembled 7-liter dry sump 427 V8. This thing is a monster. 505 horsepower at 6100 rpm. A red line at 7000 rpm it is a wonderful, wonderful engine. K&N cold air induction system as I mentioned the dry sump oiling system and really beefy 6-speed manual. This thing has all the hard work to make it a monster on the track. We tried testing the Z28 in Alabama but the weather wasn't cooperating. With near-freezing temperatures the surface wouldn't provide enough grip going for braking and handling data was pointless. A month later, Chevy brought the Z28 to California so we could test it on a better surface in normal weather. The Z28 isn't a drag racer nor should you expect it to be but mind the clutch and the throttle and you'll get to sixty miles an hour in 4 seconds, and the quarter mile in 12.3 seconds at a 117.2 miles an hour. Where the Z28 specializes is breaking and handling. While our best stop took just 97 feet the Z28 stayed under a hundred feet for the majority of its breaking runs illustrating the system's tolerance for high heat. Around the figure-8 the Z28 ran a 23.6 second lap matching what we've recorded from the Ferrari 458. The time might have been faster too had second gear been slightly longer as the Z28 would just get to the limiter before the breaking zone. As for outright lateral grip we recorded an average lateral acceleration of 1.06 G. We've been eager to drive this car ever since hearing GM was actually making it. So we were excited to meet Randy Pobst at beautiful Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama to finally drive it. We're here at Barber Motor Sports Park and I can hardly head myself over the roar of this Camaro Z28 but I love it! The sound is good. I'm on cold tired do you notice? There's a 5 mode stability control and I'm on 3 because these cold tires they run so aggressive they're like a racing slick and they need to be warmed up. Best way to warm tires is braking. Now I can start to feel the traction control working on power. Yeah my foot's on the floor but the computer is deciding how much power to deliver. And I tell you what that's really kind of a comfort under these conditions. Track's a little damp still. In 3 it's really aggressive, to me, stability control and traction control bit of a comfort but now it's starting to annoy me. I've got too much comfort. Up with a rise we've got traction I'm going up a mode in traction we're on 4 which is Sport 2. Down into turn 1 into the break zone man I broke too early this thing really stops! Really powerful breaks. Very quick response. The shock damping helps the Camaro over the many rises and jumps here at Barber Motor Sports Park. Good trail break with the nose in 4. Power down through the fast gas. We are generating G-force with the Camaro in all directions accelerating. It's taking a long time for these tires to warm up but they're starting to feel really good now. 305 tires all around that helps to give that throttle a lot of grip and really stick. We are going very satisfying car to drive fast. I must say. Yeah baby, ha ha ha! I love it. Randy you just ran a 136.1 here in the Z28 around Barber and that's a really fast time for this track. The morning felt a little different walk me through the learning curve for this car. It gets better yes I think it's gone abroad power band because you rev it up and it gets better and better. And in cold temps the tires will let go. In warms temps the tires are amazing. Yeah they are really on. Part of the speed of the Z28 is in Troph AOR aggressive track tire. That ridiculous grip. Yeah and it's huge the front tire is a 305 just like the back. I can't think of a Mustang that would be as fast around barber here. This thing is far quicker in a straight line than even the boss 302. Absolutely, absolutely. It's got a hundred and something more cubic inches too. Ha ha, well Randy see you later. We're really praising it I almost feel like Chevy commercial. I think they'll be pissed off about the Mustang comments but that's alright. Oh okay okay yeah but no it is very reminiscent of the Boss from Laguna Seca. Yeah faster though. Faster and really touchy in the braking department. But the Boss puts the power down better. Kim.....Kim?! Say hi! Alright stand still for like 2 seconds. Ugg it's really cold.