Platform: As before, the Z/28 will start life as a regular Camaro, but Chevroletwill give it a total makeover to enhance grip, downforce, and braking, as well as the cooling of critical components. We also expect the Z/28 to be lighter than its Camaro siblings, although stripping weight from the newly lightened sixth-generation Camaro won’t be as easy as it was for the heavier previous-generation car. These spy photos reveal how hard-core the new Z/28’s aero kit will be, with a shelf-like front splitter building on the already prodigious proboscis on the outgoing model, Corvette Z06–like rocker-panel extensions, and a colossal rear wing that appears to be adjustable. Curiously, this prototype lacks an elaborate—i.e., finned—rear diffuser, but perhaps it doesn’t need it with all of those other downforce-enhancing bits. In addition to the splitter up front, the front fascia wears aggressive canards on its cheekbones, as well as a vented hood (a design that Chevrolet has employed in the past to reduce front-end lift at high speeds by evacuating engine-compartment air) that appears similar to the one on the new ZL1. Speaking of vents, the grille on this Camaro is larger than the opening on normal Camaros and similar to that on the supercharged ZL1; it is flanked by two smaller intakes that, again, are larger than similar openings on other Camaros.

The fenders are pumped out to accommodate mega-wide tires front and rear, and the wheels appear to be quite large—we estimate that they’re 21-inch rims, one inch larger than those on the Camaro SS. Massive front and rear brake rotors very nearly fill those wheels, too. Chevrolet has cheekily placed Easter eggs on Camaros it has tested at the Nürburgring before—they appeared on a ZL1 test mule last year—which has us wondering about this Z/28 prototype’s bright-yellow Corvette Grand Sport–style hash marks taped to each front fender. This could hint at the origins of some Z/28 parts—we wouldn’t be shocked if the car’s brakes and adaptive-suspension dampers were donations from the Corvette Grand Sport—or it could be pure fun on the engineers’ part, a simple break from that dreary black-and-white camouflage.

Powertrain: Besides looking bad-*** and being capable of defying physics, the previous Z/28 sat apart from the rest of the Camaro family by virtue of its engine. While every other Camaro utilized a 6.2-liter V-8 (either naturally aspirated or supercharged), the old Z/28 boasted the naturally aspirated 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 also used in the C6 Corvette Z06. The special engine made 505 horsepower, fewer thanthe supercharged V-8 in the contemporary ZL1, and yet the Z/28 was the most expensive Camaro available. We suspect that, this time around, the Z/28 may get a horsepower rating commensurate with its position at the top of the Camaro lineup. For reference, the 2017 Camaro ZL1 is putting down 640 horsepower from the same supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 used in today’s Corvette Z06 (which carries a ceremonial 10-hp advantage over the Camaro). While the Z/28’s power level is a mystery, we’re fairly confident the Z/28’s extra power will come from the very same supercharged LT4 V-8 as the ZL1. A six-speed manual transmission should be standard, while General Motors’ new 10-speed automatic—which debuted in the Camaro ZL1—may be optional.
Competition: BMW M4, Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R, Mercedes-AMG C63 coupe.
Estimated Arrival and Price: Even though this Camaro Z/28 prototype appears largely complete, we suspect that extensive durability testing and a wish to give the Camaro ZL1 some breathing room at launch will push its reveal until next year at the earliest. Assuming a January debut at the 2017 Detroit auto show, the Camaro Z/28 would come to market sometime next year as a 2018 model. The new one should cost roughly the same as the previous Z/28, so figure around $75K.
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