Franchitti to Drive Camaro Z/28 Pace Car at Indy 500

AutoInformed.com

Track capable at racing prices. Z/28 is $76,150 with the optional sound system.

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti will drive a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 to pace the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25. He retired from racing after serious injuries at the Grand Prix of Houston in October of 2013.

This is the eighth time a Camaro has been the pace car, going back to 1967, and the 25th time a Chevrolet has paced the race. The 2014 Camaro Z/28 is said to be the most track-capable model in its history, building on the legacy of the original SCCA Trans Am-series contender introduced in 1967.

Power comes from the 7.0-liter  LS7 engine, with dry-sump oiling, rated at an SAE-certified 505 horsepower (376 kW) and 481 lb.-ft. of torque (652 Nm). The engine will be built by hand at the new Performance Build Center within GM’s Bowling Green assembly plant.

A close-ratio six-speed manual transmission is the only one available offered and power is distributed to the rear wheels via a Torsen limited-slip differential featuring a helical gear set, rather than traditional clutch packs, for what’s claimed to  be optimal traction. The differential works in with Chevrolet’s proprietary Performance Traction Management system that allows drivers to adjust the level of throttle and braking intervention to match their capability and driving environment.

The Z/28 is offered in five exterior colors – Red Hot, Black, Silver Ice Metallic, Ashen Gray Metallic and Summit White.

Read AutoInformed on:

 

About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
This entry was posted in auto news and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *