But for those that appreciated a somewhat spicier driving experience, the sporty looks of the RS would never cut it. Thus, the venerable Z28 badge
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| The Z28 is distinguishable from the V6 with its unique dual rectangular exhaust exits. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
marched on as the Camaro's handling performance package. Replacing the 3.4L V6 with a detuned Corvette LT1 meant that the 1993 Z28 cranked out 275 horsepower, besting its Blue Oval competitor, the Mustang GT, by a massive 70 horsepower. Even better, Chevy had the LT1's breathing problems solved three years later, and the Camaro gained ten horsepower as a result. True to the Z28's roots, the performance version of the Camaro also included sport-tuned suspension to complement the added horsepower, finishing with standard 16-inch alloy wheels shod in Z-rated rubber that allowed GM to remove the speed
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| The ultra-narrow quad headlamps reside in deep buckets, and are one of the few stylistic cues carried over from the previous third-generation Camaro.� (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
limiter found on the base coupe.
Getting that 275 horsepower to those rear tires was a Z28-only T56 six-speed transmission; the same found in Dodge's Viper and the familial Corvette. The best 'boxes are those in the 1993 cars, as all 1994 and later cars incorporated the excruciatingly frustrating CAGS skip-shift feature that forces a 1-4 shift to increase fuel economy. Sadly though, while the good gearbox was limited to 1993, Traction Control wasn't introduced as an option on Z28s until 1995 (it was made available on base coupes in 1999), meaning getting a car with both will require a little bit of work. Z28 spotting was made easy from all angles by the addition of unique, rectangle-tipped dual outlet exhaust as well as a smattering of badges on the fenders and rear bumper. Of course, the convertible was also available by 1994, although it remains somewhat pricey to this day.
And finally, if even the Z28 wasn't enough to quench a potential buyer's need for speed, Chevy offered the SS. Introduced/re-introduced in 1996, the SS was constructed by aftermarket performance parts manufacturer
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| The interior was vastly improved over the outgoing model, although the quality left something to be desired. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
SLP Engineering. Using a myriad of their own products, including a nifty functional ram-air hood, the SLP-built Camaro SS managed to crank out a conservative 305 horsepower in its maiden year. Opting for an optional exhaust system meant even more power (and a wicked exhaust note), adding 10 horsepower to the already-fast SS. Also, the SS received wider 17-inch wheels and tires plus the race-derived 1LE suspension package that used top shelf components like double-adjustable Koni shock absorbers paired with bigger anti-roll bars to give the Camaro surprisingly good handling for such a heavy car; especially one still saddled with a live rear axle.
As the fourth-generation of Chevy's ponycar soldiered on it received
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| All in all, the LT1 equipped Camaros are a great value, and look excellent for their age. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
numerous upgrades, the most notable being the retirement of the LT1 V8 in favour of the fantastic all-aluminum LS1 V8 in 1998, a motor once again carried over from the Corvette. But for all its Mustang-beating performance, a fully loaded Camaro carried a near-Corvette like price tag. The result was that the little Chevy ponycar's traditional target market; young people, could no longer afford to drive the performance-oriented Camaros, instead turning to imports (gasp) or Mustangs (gasp).
Fast forward a few years and Mustang sales are soaring while the Camaro is nowhere to be found. We can only hope that if, and when, Chevy reintroduces the much loved Camaro that they don't make the same mistake again, and allow a new generation of car enthusiasts the joy of taking part in what could become the ponycar wars, part two.
