2018 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Spotted At Virginia’s ‘Back Of The Dragon’
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It’s been awhile since we’ve seen any sign of the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, but it’s back at it again (giant wing and all), this time spotted in Tazewell, Virginia.
Not on any Virginia roads, though. The Camaro team took these two prototypes, spied by Jalopnik, to the Back of the Dragon, where intense corners and curves provide intense, yet rewarding, driving roads.
Interestingly, again, we see one prototype with a giant rear wing, while the second Camaro goes wing-less. However, both share the same front fascia design, extra aerodynamic bits and missing rear window.
The jury remains at recess over what will be powering a new Camaro Z/28. While rumors have stated the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine will surface yet again, it seems unlikely such an old powerplant would grace the agile Alpha-based Camaro. Maybe the Camaro team has something extra special cooked up for its track-focused variant…
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The LS7 has my mind swirling… what if GM has quietly been building a Hellcat killer.
The one benefit of the LS7 is that it’s block is not just bomb-proof, it could encase a nuclear reactor.
Put a supercharger on that, you blow past 707 hp… quite literally.
That was close to what I was thinking. I don’t think GM wants the Z28 clumped in a HP race with a 4500 pound brick that can’t turn. I think they can get there mechanically with the LS7. Get it to 630 HP without any aspirators and it’ll still blow past a Hellcat.
I agree with Hoffa, that the LS7 can be updated to surpass 600hp pretty easily. in general, Gm was would want to keep the Z28 naturally aspirated as it is a track car, and any performance add on would disqualify it from certain events. The idea is an incredible platform where one can bolt on a supercharger latter if you want more. Taking the charger off would just kill the effectiveness if they went that way. either way, expect more power!!!!!!
But that’s where the intrigue begins! Not all Z/28’s have to be created equal. I could see a 600 hp Z/28 clocking in at $60,000 – and then GM going bold with a supercharged version for $80,000… retaking the mantle of the world’s fastest muscle car.
where would that land in the HP district, considering that charging give a 30-50 percent increase in power?
Hennessey was able to achieve 750 hp with no problem. And that was with the older LS7 engines before GM got all the bugs out. Could hit 800 hp if GM really wants to push it. I doubt they’ll go north of 750 unless/until the revised Hellcat V8 bows.
Look here if GM makes the Camaro as an all out Hellcat killer the Camaro will come forth supercharged with over 700 hp as a already supercharged ZL1 not a Z28 plus I’d rather have 2017 650 hp ZL1 over an Hellcat any day. Yet compare the Z28 to Dodge’s Viper that is naturally aspirated yet the Dodge Hellcat has more HP than a more expensive Viper. So to me a already naturally aspirated 630 hp Z28 should cost more than a ZL1 or Hellcat because once you put a supercharged huffer on it it will lethally 800hp way to much for the street GM always humbles there true limits on all their engines for the sake of tweaking it
I’ll predict an LT style LS7 called the LT5 or perhaps LT7. Being the LT1 puts out 30HP more than the LS3 in corvette trim, I’ll also predict a 535+ HP N/A 427 to go head to head with the GT350R leaving the ZL1 to get the LT4 and slay the hellcat, IMHO.
I saw these two camaros personally at the subway/ gas station on highway 16 and main street in Marion Virginia.They had white and black camo style paint and black wheel covers. The side windows are slender as to make me look at them and wonder if it obstructs the drivers view….I mean it was that slender folks
I was in my supercharged corvette, c5 with an f1A procharger . The camaros did not have any whine that I could detect whatsoever but they had a nice LS growl. Compared to my 1100 HP vette they sounded like 500-600 hp cars in my estimation.
I agree withC4ce…its a 427 NA in the mid 5’s, but great torque, at least on the one with the large wing on the back that I heard take off after refueling
John,
We’d love to see your photos next time. 🙂
Cheers,
-Sean
If the back of the dragon is a great driving road in virginia, and the tail of the dragon is one of the most word reknown roads in North Carolina, and the Claw of the Dragon is also in virginia…
I’m really starting to wonder where the head of the dragon is. West Virginia or Maryland?