1998 Camaro Z28 - Exclusive! - American Car

At great personal risk, our network of corporate moles has unearthed exciting developments for the '98 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird (known within GM as the F-cars). These classic quarter-mile warriors will bound toward the 21st century packing new muscle from GM's upcoming Generation III V-8 engine and touting significant upgrades to their appearance.

To be introduced in the all-new Corvette, the all-aluminum 5.7-liter (350-cubic-inch) Gen III V-8 is expected to produce up to 350 horsepower in the two-seat sports car. A slightly less powerful 5.4-liter/290-horsepower (327-cubic-inch) version of the engine is expected to be offered in the base Corvette. Our sources report that while the 5.4-liter will be fitted in the midlevel F-cars, a version of the 5.7-liter engine will be stuffed into Z28 and Trans Am models.

It's hard to overstate the importance of the Gen III engine to GM's future. This is the corporation's first new, mass-production pushrod V-8 since the Chevrolet big-block was introduced in 1965. Ultimately, it will also serve as the powerplant for GM's full-size trucks and sport/utilities. The Gen III design will replace the hugely successful 4.4-inch-bore-spaced V-8 architecture introduced as the Chevrolet small-block more than four decades ago. With the production of GM's full-size rear-drive sedans ceasing at the end of '96, the '97 F-cars will be the only platform using the 5.7-liter LT1 engine. Because low-volume production of the LT1 doesn't make economic sense for the competitively priced Camaro and Firebird, the adoption of the Gen III engine for the F-cars is inevitable.

By changing to the Gen III engines, the Camaro Z28 and V-8 Firebirds should enjoy a power increase from 285 to a whopping 320-330 horsepower, according to numerous inside sources. But would Chevrolet really use this hot new motor in the '98 Camaro so shortly after the new Corvette's introduction? In a word, yes. From a power standpoint, the current Corvette and base V-8 F-cars are now separated by a mere 15 horses, with the Ram Air and SS ponycars touting five more horses than the current base Corvette.

Technologically, the upcoming Corvette would still have bragging rights given its four-wheel independent suspension, rigid three-rail chassis, and rear-mounted transaxle. The F-cars most likely would feature a deep-skirt cast-iron block with aluminum heads, topped with a thermoplastic intake manifold similar to that already used on the 3800 V-6. A sequential-fuel-injection system will be used, along with a distributorless ignition system utilizing individual coils (located in the valve covers) for each cylinder.

One rumor maintains that the 5.4-liter version would be the motivating force in a revamped Camaro RS, which would be a Genuine Chevrolet tribute to the 327 engines installed in Camaros from '67 to '69.

The Gen III will take Chevrolet's lineup by storm, serving as the basis for not only its performance cars but also its future truck engines, beginning approximately by model-year 2000. By starting from scratch, Chevrolet powertrain engineers have developed a fuel-efficient, low-emissions V-8 whose metric specifications can be incorporated easily into next-century vehicle development. Based on the proven overhead-valve design with modified roller-lifter valvetrains and cammed for higher rev capacity, the Gen III engine should produce the tire-smoking horsepower and torque that lead-footed performance enthusiasts have come to expect.

Putting this power in gear for the F-cars will be the current Borg-Warner T56 six-speed manual and the 4L60-E electronic four-speed automatic. These familiar, durable transmissions can handle the extra power, and each contributes significantly to the F-cars' respectable highway fuel economy.