Spied: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

When we first saw these photos, we were pretty sure this Camaro-shaped vehicle was a Chevrolet, but someone managed to deftly tape over the trunklid badge. How could we be sure? Then we noticed the bow tie on the door, and came to the airtight conclusion that this car is indeed a Chevy. But what’s under the hood?

Luckily, in another sticker-related misstep, someone opened the door and revealed one of the most poorly placed communiqués we’ve ever seen: a tag on the dash that confirms that this is a Camaro Z28—a vehicle often rumored but not officially announced. Even better, the sticker reveals that this mule is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 backed up by a six-speed automatic transmission. Chances are very good that this is the Cadillac CTS-V’s LSA powerplant, which is rated there for 556 hp and 551 lb-ft of torque, as opposed to the higher-powered LS9 V-8 from the Corvette ZR1. Chances are equally good that the Camaro Z28 also will be offered with the CTS-V’s six-speed manual. So, in a sense, you can think of the Z28 as the bow-tie version of the CTS-V coupe, and the ultimate in attainable Chevy awesome.

The tape and camo is thwarting our ability to discern all of the styling changes, but we do note a few. The rocker panels might be reshaped, and there’s a new rear fascia with quad pipes sticking out. (The current top-dog Camaro, the SS, sports dual exhaust pipes.) And we bet the mosquito netting up front is hiding some mean-looking grillework. The matte-black rims are wrapped in wide, Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, and there’s some seriously big brake hardware on display.

Obvious competition will come from the 550-hp, supercharged Mustang Shelby GT500 and Dodge’s naturally aspirated Challenger SRT8, the latter of which is expected to be bulking up from 6.1 to 6.4 liters in the near future. Then there are the myriad tuned Camaros; we’ve reviewed both a supercharged Camaro SS from Lingenfelter and Hennessey’s LS9-powered HPE700 Camaro.

And while we usually have to make an educated guess as to when prototypes such as this will appear in showrooms, that info also was revealed by the dash sticker. Expect this awesomest of factory Camaros for the 2012 model year. We predict a Detroit auto show reveal in January, and expect sales to commence by the fall of next year.

Thanks to: Car and Driver