Sexy brawler

Envision a '99 Camaro Z28. Now picture it midnight black, and as a ragtop. Add a ground effects package and chromed 5-spoke wheels. Having a sensory overload yet??

This car so thoroughly impressed me that I feel compelled to write about my tryst with one, the very same that I'm describing.


LOOKS: I'll start with looks, well, because obviously that's gonna be the first thing you're gonna see about the car. Camaro's are generally low cars, but the ground effects package (like the last RS's had) that this one had really gave it a meaner, hunkered-down appearance that's not quite so evident in normal Camaros. It also really styled the car up, flowing back from the foglights, running along the lower body panels to around the rear bumper, and going up over the spoiler to make it stand out. To further the effect, this car had 16-inch low profile tires, on which were mounted some really sharp looking chrome 5-spoke wheels. Another bonus is the large, rectangular dual exhausts on mine, out from which came one of the sweetest exhaust notes I've heard yet on a newer car. With the top down, the V8's predatory rumble can really be heard. Since this is a convertible, I'll comment on the top. I really like the look of the convertible top, it just looks sexier than the standard coupe, either up or down. But the view from behind with the top up is really not that good, so be extra careful making lane changes and backing up. And while we're on the subject of being careful, that nose can also be a problem. Watch going up or down steep inclines, or anything that even remotely resembles an incline of any sort, as you could mess the front clip up good.


INTERIOR: Since the car is closer to the ground than to you (in most cases), getting into the car may be a process in and of itself for some people. Opening the longish door reveals a black leather bucket nearly on the ground, and to the right. Doing a quick shift in midair to the right ensures that you're sitting in the middle of the seats. Once in the car though, all's well. The buckets were comfortable and boosted in all the right places. The steering wheel is thick and grippy (albeit a bit ugly), and you look right at a clear dash pod, housing the 155-mph speedometer and tach. Everything you need to know is there. The black dash (and there's a alot of it; the sexy sharply raked windshield is the cause) was centered so that the driver has access to everything. There were no surprises to me on anything, being familiar with GM and their multi-talented, multi-function (pain in the butt) column stalks, and great, simple temperature control knobs. The Monsoon CD/stereo was great, but a bit busy looking. The Hurst 6-speed is right there within reach, and it was completely natural to reach to it for me. Again, I had a problem with the gates, sometimes not feeling very well defined. I attribute this to the skip-shift mechanism installed on the cars to help make them more fuel-efficient, but I find it a pain. Otherwise, the Hurst is good, and it'd be my choice all over again. One thing that would seriously bug me though, is to be a passenger in this car. In the front, there's this great little hump in the floor that's awkward as you can't really put your feet there, and it takes up so much room in the footwell that you really can't put your feet anywhere else. Now, the backseat. Not to be repetitive, everyone knows that the F-body's backseats are pretty much a joke, things and small kids only, so I'll go on.


DRIVE: This car is flat-out AWESOME to drive. It communicates with you, in everything--the ride, the steering, the brake, the engine note. It rides pretty good, taking most road joints and things, but slighty-serious road construction will be felt. The penalties of a stiff, sporty suspension. Those really into the car will overlook this. Overall though, the car felt well-made and stiff. Steering is good, going where you want to go, and in a happy medium between feeling too touchy and unresponsive. It is rear wheel drive though, and will step out if someone gets stupid with it. My advice is; if you want to test the handling limits, make sure you're in a huge parkinglot that's void of those tall lights and of cars.
Brakes are excellent, having discs equipped with ABS stopping you quickly, and with a firm pedal feel.


ENGINE: Gosh, what's not to like with this engine? The 5.7-liter V8 is legendary, and doesn't disappoint. It pulls strongly in nearly all of the rev band; you want power, you got it. As it should be, this thing's got 305 horses under that sharklike hood (@ 5200rpm) and 335 lb-ft. of torque (@ 4000rpm). The Ford Mustang GT convertible comes with a 4.6-liter V8 that puts out 260hp (@ 5250rpm) and 302 lb-ft. of torque (@ 4000rpm) for comparison. This car will lay some serious smack down on the Mustang, even the mighty GT, and is competitive with the Cobra. Of course, for those who can never have too much, Chevrolet also offers the Z28 SS which comes with 330 horses and an awesome hood scoop that will outrun the Cobra, but that's a whole 'nother animal.
Gas mileage should be around 17 in the city, and 24 mpg on the highway. Not too bad, but those of you looking for a car that will get you back and forth a couple of weeks on one tankful, should look elsewhere, as this is not the car....however, if you're looking for a weekend cruiser and a car to be seen around town in, this could be your solution.


MISCELLANEOUS: Again, I highly recommend MSN.com's Auto feature that provides some great information on cars, new and used. Additionally, they gave the '99 Z28 a 5 out of 5 for reliability.


OVERALL: I love this car. The looks, the performance, the confident, self-assured manner the car handles itself all says it's not just a one-trick pony. This car's good as a second or third car, or for those who just want to have one, and possibly show and/or customize. But please, hurry, Chevy's making a huge mistake and will stop production soon, so get 'em while they're hot!