In the October issue of Car & Driver, they take some of the world’s best (unmodified) cars in several classes and thrash them around a race track in the Lightning Lap, which somebody uploaded online via VW Vortex. Twenty-five were tested, categorized in multiple price brackets, from $35,000 to $245,000 and above. Two Chevrolets were included in this test: a 2014 Corvette Stingray and a 2014 Camaro Z/28. Care to guess which one turned the fastest time around the 4.1-mile course?
Well, if you read the headline you can probably guess − the 2014 Camaro Z/28. Chevrolet’s dedicated track-car-for-the-street went around the course in 2:50.9 seconds at 86.4 mph with a peak speed of 145.3 mph. The Corvette, in contrast, 2.53:8 seconds at 84.9 mph with a peak speed of 148.1 mph. In fact, when looking back, the Z/28 was actually faster than the 638-hp 2009 Corvette ZR1, and just .2 seconds slower than the 2012 ZR1.
The cars faster than the $75,000 2014 Z/28? The $437,844 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta (.1 second!), a $134,680 SRT Viper TA (1 second), the $151,880 Nissan GT-R Nismo (1.5 seconds), and a $875,175 Porsche 918 Spyder (7.8 seconds). The pricing of which was as-tested. That’s pretty heavy company. But factor in the price index, and, well, come on.
And the Corvette? A Porsche 911 Turbo S was situated between it and the Camaro. But we’re all still keeping in mind that the Stingray represents the base model, while the 911 Turbo S was nearly $200-grand as-tested and the Z/28 is the zenith of the fifth-generation model. A 2015 Corvette Z06 is expected to chew up both like an underwhelming appetizer.
This just goes to show that Chevrolet’s engineers are beyond reproach, especially considering the weight of the Z/28. Can you imagine what they’ll give us for the next-gen Camaros?
Comments
And this is a surprise?
This is why I have great expectations for the Alpha as it will have less mass and will be designed from the start to be more like this vs. fixed from what it was.
The standard Zeta is great but is showing its age and limits. This car will re-rack the limits to the next level.
Good times are coming!
Impressive performance for sure, due in no small part to……….THE TIRES! Car & Driver re-iterates the point that the Z/28 has the widest front tires ever installed on any production car ever and that the tires were instrumental in helping the Z/28 achieve such impressive times. The same goes for the Nissan GT-R Nismo in this test, it has softer compound Dunlop rubber for the model tested. Other cars tested, like the Z51 Corvette don’t have these aggressive track tires and are at a decided disadvantage as a result. Is it unfair? No, it’s not unfair since the Z/28 and the GT-R Nismo offer this rubber “right off the showroom floor” but let’s not be fooled, if some of the other cars were fitted with R compound track rubber, their times would be better as well.
Well you are wrong on two levels.
One they are the tires off the show room floor and two the car is nearly has fast and at times faster on the harder Goodyear F1 Eagles from the ZR1.
LFX323HP I would suggest you read up and watch some of the Videos of Mark Stielow on what was done to this car to make it do what it does so well on the track.
GM has learned the art of the entire suspension system and not just relay on big sway bars and big tires anymore. Just check out the shocks alone as they are some of the most advanced on the market.
The bits put into this car is why it cost so much as the parts they used were not jus off the shelf bits like they would in the past.
If you are looking for unfair I would love to see the GTR do this with only RWD and just see how far behind it would be on the lap.
In a way compared to the GTR the Camaro did the lap with one hand tied behind it’s back.
Read the MT test on the tire swap and how it really made little difference on the Z.
This time GM finally is doing things right and you are going to have to accept the fact they did.
Just wondering how the Z/28 would do with a supercharger on it ???????
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/05/lingenfelter-now-offering-657-horsepower-supercharged-camaro-z28/
it is not just the tires, get a life. MT just put out an article showing them swapping tires on a z28 and ss 1le. the z28 is fast because of the total package not just the tires. and last year they tested a zr1 with pscups and ps2’s and it gained a second. so you aren’t going to be able to just put gumball tires on a slow car and make it a good car. the whole thing has to be engineered to work as one.
Disclaimer: VIR is re-paved and even wider in some places than in previous iterations of the Lightning Lap. The Z/28 has nothing on a C6 ZR1 besides wider front tires. Still impressive; don’t get me wrong. I think the Camaro is set up with more attainable performance. Back in 2012 GM’s Corvette performance engineer ran 2:45 around VIR with the ZR1.