GM kills flagship Z28 Camaro
July 25, 2008 by George Skentzos
While Australians hold their breath to see if the Australian-developed Camaro will even be sold in local showrooms, potential US buyers have been slightly deflated with the news the flagship Z28 model has been scrapped.
Intended to boast a LS8 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine good for around 373kW – W427-rivalling performance – GM has instead left the flagship role up to the more marketable SS derivative.
With growing emphasis toward greener modes of transportation and fuel costs soaring, it is easy to assume the Z28 met its death at the hands of an accountant.
For now, punters will have to make do with the LS3 V8 engine from the HSV line-up in the Camaro SS which develops a far more sedate 300kW.
Regardless, closer to home we have a completely different issue to face with the Camaro – that it may never be seen on local roads at all.
Would you support the sale of the Camaro in Australia? How should GM market the retro invasion – with a Chevrolet bow-tie? A Holden badge? Maybe even under the HSV flag?
With essentially the same underpinnings as the VE Commodore, what premium would you expect to pay over its four-door Australian cousin – if at all?
Print it: 
well you either sell camaro or the monaro.
according to holden monaro is possible in the coming years.
having 2 coupes would kill each others sales.
i would prefer the camaro….sleeker looking.
Personally I think it looks silly and the interior looks awful, I would support it staying in the movie transformers and being fictional. But if it is sold in Australia I think it should be branded a Chev because its a unique American car, just as I think the Monaro should be called a Monaro in the UK and the commodore should be a commodore in the US.
I agree with Austin about the naming. But like HSV’s catchphrase states “I just want one”.
It’s a crap looking retro. Chrysler did a much better job with their retro offering the Challenger, which is a much better looking and cleaner lined muscular car.
Holden forget the Craparo sorry I meant Camaro and give us the Coupe 60 and call it a Monaro. Onnce all W427’s have been built then give us an LS9 powered coupe.
Why are people hating on this car? It looks superb, and the interior is actually very nice for the type of money they will be offering it.
And no issues with them not offering the Z28 model. Thats what the Corvette is for. No one can complain about a 420hp LS3.
No Shelby Gt500 competitor… that sucks! i would of loved seeing the 2 500Hp coupes going at it! like the old days – chellenger, mustangs and camaro.
Now that I’ve seen these publicity shots, I think it looks great. It’s a pity it’s not pillarless, as the real amount of daylight able to be seen through the side windows is woeful. Has it inherited the Commodore’s thick A-pillars?
The interior is one of America’s best.
Why pay a premium?? If the Yanks get our Commodores cheaper than we do, we should get this thing cheaper than they do!!!
Oh well a bloke can dream can’t he?
Carl, If our population was 250million then perhaps we can sell it at that price.
Joober…..Not just population size we have more taxes on everything including cars! BUT i wouldn’t want Australia to have Americas health system, social security system and all the other things that make this country great! So i won’t complain too much!!
Oh geez lets not get into this bloody price argument again please!
I’m pretty sure Holden has already made public that if they sold the comaro in Australia it will be sold as a Chevy and will be sold through the new Cadillac dealer network that will pop up next year when Cadillac is launched in Australia.
Probably cost around 60k is my guess
I’m not sure why there’s so much hate around this one…I love the yellow color and the inside looks pretty comfortable to me – I’d drive it!
Definately they should bring it here. Lots of people think it’s a good looking car, inside and out. And seeing as we’re not getting a Monaro anytime soon, this will fill that void nicely until the Monaro does come back.
Also, given that Americans will get the car fairly cheap, surely it can be sold here without being stupidly expensive.
If the Camaro SS was the same price as Commodore SS I’d certainly consider one….
Selling the Camaros in Holden yards would make them more accessible and therefore make more sales.
On the other hand, adding Chevrolet in the GM Premium Dealships (next to Saab, Hummer and so-to-be Cadillac) would allow them to add other Chev cars, like the Corvette, so the line-up. That could be good…..
I’d rather see Holden sell Chevsy in selcted dealerships [alongside HSVs] instead of those god damn ugly caddies.
That way there is the possibility of us getting the new
HH-R Nomad which would be perfect as a modern version of the iconic Sandman
Having said that I actually prefer thle ook of the Challenger which Dodge/Chrysler should try to import as theyve got virtually nothing else left in the way of a Real Car
Camaro or Monaro, bring it here (in RHD of course)!!!
I would like to see Australian engineered Camaro be sold here in Australia. I don’t really care how they choose to, as long as it is sold here.
Either sell it as a Chevy with its bowtie and all, in Holden dealers, or set up a new specialty dealer (so other brands can also come in) or… just slap on the Holden logo, and a Monaro badge. Save money in having to set up a new dealership network.
Is there anything wrong with a Camaro being badged a Monaro? I would delay my saving up to get into the property market to get one of these.
who cares? just get it here!!! awesome looking car, would be a nice hero car to offset holden/gm/DAEWOOs low end range of rubbish
Where do I sign & how much?????????????
C’mon Holden, I know the Monaro is at least 2 years away from being re-released, why not capitilise on a market that needs a car like the Camaro to help boost sales.
Only downside to it all would be the 18-25 year old “doff doff” lovers going out and buying one and then wrecking it with fake Transformers stickers
yummy… if you wouldnt drive this you have something very wrong with you
Tis nice and i’m sure we’d all love one but it ain’t PC. Is there a real need for a 373Kw daily driver in a congested urban environment. That what I really struggle with.
It looks far too retro, Mustang has taken styling cues from it’s past and blended them nicely into a modern design. Unfortunately this is far too close a copy of the ’60’s original.
New Mini, Beetle, Fiat 500 and Mustang all show how it should be done.
Shelby GT500 Super Snake, that’s what this country needs, or the return of the GT-HO..
..and sooner rather than later!
Make it as a HSV ;)
Whooo boy, I think all three yank retros look good, Mustang, Camaro and Challenger.
Noname/Cupid Stunt, most of my kms are highway/small city. One of these would suit me fine ;-)
holden & chev are family so why not share the camaro with us aussie’s after all we could use something new to boost holden sales.
holden’s are great but im more of a chev fan & im sure im not alone on that thought ie: my SS ute has a chevy badging
Having driven one of the old 69 Camaros I would love to see how this thing handles in comparision. Badge it as a Chevy, sell it at a HSV dealership and get it out on the road
I so wish that GM had actually done what they said that they would and gotten the Camaro on the road in Australia.
I dont care what they badged it as – badge it as a ford for all i care if thats what it takes to get it here!!
Would rather it was sold as a Chev here though as that is what it is. I think a lot of die-hard Monaro fans would be screaming blue murder if it was sold as a Monaro though – I would know I live with 2 of them!