GT350 vs. Z/28

[L8APEX]

The Z/28's price is ridiculous.

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[thePill]

Using your vast knowledge of motor racing in general, and Barber Motorsports Park specifically, what would be a good time for a 505 hp car on R tires with ambient temps in the 30’s?

I'm not really sure Jim, most of the laps I have heard were before the new surface. The current Boss 302R ran a 1:36 last season, and that wasn't very fast. It was the 3rd slowest I think... I would have guessed a 1:35 with just power alone. The weight of this thing is horrendous, it weighed between 3820 and 3862lbs, not something you want to bother with in cold weather.

They should have just tested at Laguna Seca as well. There is so much more competition to compare it to.

There really isn't much info at Barber except for Pro and Am racing.

I loved the Motor Trend opening line...

Homologated for a class that doesn't exist... That is about the genius behind this turd.

I like the Black and Red z28's the best, I hope they use a Red/Black z28 and a White with LeMan's Blue stripes GT350 for all the comparisons. I want some screen savers of that.

 

[thePill]

First, I gotta bring up the quarter mile. Yeah, I know, it's a "Track" car. Nevermind nobody can competitively race this thing... It's a turd at the stop light. The ZL1 is worse, this is absolutely horrible for an as tested $77,000. I wouldn't consider the z28 a street car, I wouldn't want to be caught dead in one out there. This is Coyote food... N/A Coyote food... God, that's awful... It managed a 12.7 in one test and a 12.3 in the California portion of the MT test. 0-60's were 4 to 4.4 seconds... Meh...

It does sound awesome and the Black and Red one look pretty bad ass. I really wish Motor Trend lapped Laguna Seca. Not too much info on any competition for Barber. Even less info after the resurface last season. I can't really say if it's good or bad because nothing exist except Pro racing.

It was cold, not hot and humid... Sorry, that's just what I picked up. The tires did get hot... The time is right on par with a mid pack IMSA CTSC time so, the package performance was right on. It just took tons of illegal shit to get it to work :(

I think Motor Trend said it best, it was homologated for a class that doesn't exist. PERFECT!!! AND THANKS FOR READING GUYS.

That pretty much sums it up in a nutshell. However, it's performance is only on par with its class competition, in which the engines are tiny both in displacement and output. As we discussed in depth earlier (for the last 7 days), the intended class is limited to 350-405hp and 3050-3300lbs. While these cars are prepped to meet class regulations, a whole car needs built for a z28. If only they would have at least tried to meet the standard, it would have been cool and great for the class. Hopefully, Ford Racing still has an incentive for building a factory race car. With this type of behavior being rewarded, what's the point? Kinda ruins the whole "Factory" thing and still let's them market it as such.

I heard the Boss did very well, not Boss 302R well but well enough for MT to keep it hush. They really didn't like Randy talking about it either... It would be nice but I understand it's their turn. No real data or track info like usual, kind of a bland test. The MT video with Randy was fun, I watched Randy twice. I'll probably watch him again later.

I know the Laguna Seca isn't a 1:36 car at Barber, it would require race rubber for sure and maybe a cage for strength. The Boss is a 1:39 car at best... I'll keep looking for Motor Trends time but I'm not promising anything. Hopefully they let it slip in the magazine.

Something tells me a the time between the two may have been hard to justify with a $25,000-35,000 MSRP gap. Especially since it can't be classed anywhere... Makes lap times just... for nothing really...


NOW... the GT350...

I want to see what they ran the z28 at Laguna Seca, it won't break the Z06's 1:36 there. Weight is a bad thing at Laguna, the gap between a 1:39 Boss 302 and a 1:37-1:38 z28 looks even less attractive for $30,000 more...

...and again, the Boss CAN race...

 

[cpumatt]

First, I gotta bring up the quarter mile. Yeah, I know, it's a "Track" car. Nevermind nobody can competitively race this thing... It's a turd at the stop light. The ZL1 is worse, this is absolutely horrible for an as tested $77,000. I wouldn't consider the z28 a street car, I wouldn't want to be caught dead in one out there. This is Coyote food... N/A Coyote food... God, that's awful... It managed a 12.7 in one test and a 12.3 in the California portion of the MT test. 0-60's were 4 to 4.4 seconds... Meh...

It does sound awesome and the Black and Red one look pretty bad ass. I really wish Motor Trend didn't lap Laguna Seca. Not too much info on any competition for Barber. Even less info after the resurface last season. I can't really say if it's good or bad because nothing exist except Pro racing.

77,000?! That seems a bit pricey compared to the GT500's you can buy now-a-days. If they want to be on the playing field they need to lower that.

 

[thePill]

77,000?! That seems a bit pricey compared to the GT500's you can buy now-a-days. If they want to be on the playing field they need to lower that.

They are working on it Matt, they spent a lot of money on band aids. The z28 required a lot of weight reduction, expensive drivetrain, one-of shocks, brakes, EMS and expensive wheels and tires. It is still over 4000lbs with a driver, same wheelbase as a Ford Taurus and can't be registered to race in any class in organized Motorsport.

At this level, I am willing to spend $80,000 on a race car... So $77,000 is the least of my worries. The 4000lbs, Full-size platform and Not Being Legal is where my money goes back in my pocket.

Oh, hello 2015 Mustang GT... For strip, street and curcuit. It's faster than a Laguna Seca... Put R tires on a Mustang GTR (yes, I'm calling it that) and the gap between Boss 302 Laguna Seca and Corvette Z06/Z07 gets pretty stuffy. The GT500 is faster in all comparisons vs. the Boss 302LS, the gap gets tighter still.

No thanks, I'll take a class maxed 2015 Mustang GTR and spec as needed. Save $40,000, be legal to race region wide AND, probably be on the z28's heels.

In a drag race? Well.... Let's just not talk about that sport anymore.

 

[Jim968]

I'm not really sure Jim, most of the laps I have heard were before the new surface. The current Boss 302R ran a 1:36 last season, and that wasn't very fast. It was the 3rd slowest I think... I would have guessed a 1:35 with just power alone. The weight of this thing is horrendous, it weighed between 3820 and 3862lbs, not something you want to bother with in cold weather.

They should have just tested at Laguna Seca as well. There is so much more competition to compare it to.

There really isn't much info at Barber except for Pro and Am racing.

OK, then here are some facts.

At its stock weight and power the Z/28 slots into NASA's ST3 class - a class it can run right out of the box with nothing more than safety mods. NASA ran at Barber in mid February on the new surface with ambient temperatures slightly warmer than the Z/28 test day.

The best ST3 time of the weekend was 1:35.665 in qualifying. The second best time and fastest race time was 1:36.658. A 1:36.1 would have put the Z/28 on the front row of the class in contention for a win with a car that's completely streetable. A pretty amazing feat considering that the other ST3 cars aren't even close to streetable.

http://www.mylaps.com/en/classification/2974588?perClass=1

http://www.mylaps.com/en/classification/2974590?perClass=1

 

[Nate408]

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-chevrolet-camaro-z-28-road-test-review

Have you guys seen this? So underwhelming! An s550 might be nearly as fast in a drag.

 

[Taneras]

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-chevrolet-camaro-z-28-road-test-review

Have you guys seen this? So underwhelming! An s550 might be nearly as fast in a drag.

4.4 0-60 and a 12.7@116mph in the quarter?

Yea pretty sure it will be faster.

5.0's trap what? 113-114 right now stock? If it can drop 100lbs and gain 25ish hp I think it's there.

 

[thePill]

OK, then here are some facts.

At its stock weight and power the Z/28 slots into NASA's ST3 class - a class it can run right out of the box with nothing more than safety mods. NASA ran at Barber in mid February on the new surface with ambient temperatures slightly warmer than the Z/28 test day.

The best ST3 time of the weekend was 1:35.665 in qualifying. The second best time and fastest race time was 1:36.658. A 1:36.1 would have put the Z/28 on the front row of the class in contention for a win with a car that's completely streetable. A pretty amazing feat considering that the other ST3 cars aren't even close to streetable.

http://www.mylaps.com/en/classification/2974588?perClass=1

http://www.mylaps.com/en/classification/2974590?perClass=1

What's the z28's power to weight ratio there big guy? ST3 is for equal to or greater than a 9.

ST2 is 8 to 1 and ST3 is 5.50

That is a class for a stock 2011 5.0 GT's. It's all older modded cars I thought anyway.

 

[garagelogic]

Hey, at least when they test drove the Z28 around Barber, it did not catch fire! That's gotta make GM feel awful proud!

www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/03/24/...ches-fire-during-test-drive/?intcmp=obnetwork

 

[thePill]

Holy pick on someone your own size Jim!!! If you need a z28 to win a championship in NASA ST3, you'd be the champion of the biggest idiots...

The 2014 z28 is not eligible for ST3 although I do consider it a Super Tourer. Using 3840lbs @ 505hp, the car has a 7.60:1 PtW ratio. According to the Rulebook ;) it would only be eligible for ST1.

Please see ST1's competition and see if that Championship seems reasonable. It SHOULD be classed with ST2 or 3 cars... but, that's not happening.

Good news though, unlimited mods in that class. It's more of a Daytona Prototype/GT class if I remember.

 

[Jim968]

What's the z28's power to weight ratio there big guy? ST3 is for equal to or greater than a 9.

ST2 is 8 to 1 and ST3 is 5.50

That is a class for a stock 2011 5.0 GT's. It's all older modded cars I thought anyway.

3,862 + 175 for driver = 4,037 lbs

505 crank hp * .85 for drivetrain loss = 429.25 estimated RWHP

Estimated lbs/hp ratio = 9.4

ST3 is for ANY closed wheel car that meets the lbs/hp requirement regardless of mods or lack thereof. Heavy car with lots of power, no problem. Really light car with low power, that works too.

 

[Jim968]

The 2014 z28 is not eligible for ST3 although I do consider it a Super Tourer. Using 3840lbs @ 505hp, the car has a 7.60:1 PtW ratio. According to the Rulebook ;) it would only be eligible for ST1.

I’m impressed you found the rulebook. Too bad you can’t understand it. Weight includes driver. HP is RWHP as proved on a dyno. See my calculation above for the correct numbers.

 

[thePill]

...and I hope to see all 500 z28's out there this season. Thats $$$ in that class, where's it's primary competitors? Why not race there? Why some obscure, class and none of the Mustangs 2 dozen classes?

I can't respect that, just bring a 2015 Mustang GT on R's then and save $40,000. It would have a similar PtW in that respect.

I'm comparing a $77,000 Camaro to a $35,000 Mustang now. That's how bad this is... I wouldn't race a mutt class anyway. Is that z28 heritage? I doubt the Mustang would follow it there. I think T2 would be perfect...

They just can't go toe to toe with the S197, ANYWHERE that counts. An unlimited mod class with unlimited vehicle classes is garbage, and that's where the Camaro belongs.

With every other car and driver that that can't class. Scraping bottom?

It's a dirty tactic to pick on vehicle that were built SPECIFICALLY for a certain class, that has limitations. It's a Camaro tactic to brag about it, 4 years later, still draggin it's fat ass through Motorsport, slowing down every class their fat ass touches.

It's dirt, it's a shitty time both 1/4 mile and track time for what it cost and what you can do with it.

 

[Jim968]

It's dirt, it's a shitty time both 1/4 mile and track time for what it cost and what you can do with it.

You post a lot on the importance of OEM and “near OEM” in racing.

Here’s a car that literally can be driven from the showroom to a cage builder and from there straight onto the front row of the grid in NASA. No other mods required, which is pretty much unheard of in modern racing.

If OEM competitivenes is so important to you then WAKE UP. THE Z/28 IS THE CAR YOU’VE BEEN WAITNG FOR.

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