Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible
If performance is a major factor in your next automobile purchase, the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible should be on your short list.
Sure, there are more refined sports cars out there, but few measure up to the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible in horsepower and torque versus price. Bang for your buck they call it and this is where the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible shines.
Chevrolet dropped off a light pewter metallic Chevrolet Z28 Convertible for this evaluation. This is one of a trio of new colors for 1999 that also includes hugger orange and bright blue metallic. A couple of other enhancements separate the 1999 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible from last year’s edition. Offered as a first-time option, traction control adds $450 to the bottom line. Capable of holding more than a gallon of additional fuel than the old gas tank, a new 16.8 gallon nonmetallic fuel tank should add about 35 miles to the Z28′s range on the highway.
The driving experience is everything in the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible. This is not a car for the faint of heart. If you didn’t come to rock ‘n’ roll, you should have stayed at home. Engineered to reach 60 miles per hour from a standing stop in under six seconds, the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible still takes its pony-car heritage seriously. Stomping on the accelerator launches this car, pinning its occupants in their seats. This 305-horsepower V-8 explodes with a roar sufficient to cower the 6-cylinder wannabes surrounding it. Three hundred thirty-five pounds-feet of torque gather quickly to pull the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible off the line. Although the gearbox works smoothly enough, the clutch requires serious effort. The six-speed manual transmission helps keep the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible‘s fuel economy in the respectable range. The its miles-per-gallon rating is 19 city and 28 highway. Not too shabby for a bad-boy V-8.
The Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible may lose some points with folks more familiar with the ride quality of sedans. This is not a boulevard tourer. Its suspension is taut at best and downright unforgiving in its most highly tuned version. The regular underpinnings, as my test Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible had, provide a firm, controlled ride. There is no vagueness here. Remaining flat and neutral, the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible attacks corners with brutal precision. The Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible will demonstrate some oversteer under hard cornering, but good sense is the perfect antidote for such histrionics. Monitored by an anti-lock system, disc brakes on all four wheels bring the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible to controlled stops.
Despite the Camaro’s rather wide stance, its cockpit is remarkably intimate. Front-seat occupants have adequate head- and shoulder room. Hip room, even up front, is a bit constrained. The front-seat passenger also has to contend with a narrow footwell. As is typically the case within the sporty-coupe segment, the rear seat is little more than a parcel shelf. That’s good though because the trunk isn’t designed to hold much more than a suitcase or a bag of golf clubs. But, if cargo space is what you want, buy a station wagon. Neither driver nor passenger will have a problem reaching the controls. Everything is easy to operate, too. This year the Monsoon Premium audio system, standard on the Z28 Coupe last year, is now standard in the Convertible as well.
A snap to operate, the convertible top fits snugly when raised and has a glass rear window. Two easy-to-operate levers must be unlatched to separate the top from the windshield header. A push of a button automatically lowers the top. The entire process takes about 30 seconds. A hard, three-section boot must be manually installed for a finished look. When not in use, the boot occupies most of the trunk space.
Base price of the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible is $27,850. Standard features not already mentioned include dual air bags, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, fog lamps, power locks with remote keyless entry, dual electric outboard mirrors, leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel, anti-theft alarm system, carpeted floor mats, six-way power driver’s seat and 16-inch aluminum wheels. Options on my test Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible: traction control ($450), upgraded Z-rated tires ($225), CD player ($100) and the sport appearance package ($1,348) with front fascia extension, moldings, spoiler extension and rear fascia molding. Adding the $535 destination charge brought the total to $31,008.
