Jay Leno drives the Chevy Camaro Z/28

Jay Leno took one of the first non-GM-employee drives of the new Chevy Camaro Z/28 on his “Jay Leno's Garage” web series this week. He talked with chief engineer Al Oppenheiser at his warehouse about what it took to add the famous name to the proud pony car.

We first saw the new Camaro at the New York auto show in March. It uses the LS7 dry-sump 7.0-liter from the Corvette Z06, rated at 500 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque.

Like the original, the Z/28 comes with very basic equipment from the factory. Air conditioning is extra, as is an upgraded radio.

Carbon-ceramic brakes, better tires and less weight are key aspects of newest track car. It uses the six-speed quick-ratio shifter from the ZL1 but is several hundred pounds lighter.

Many of the parts on the Z/28 will be offered for lesser versions, and only about 1,500 will be built per year. Leno and Oppenheiser even get stopped by a young blonde to ask about the new car.

Check out what denim Jay has to say about the Z/28 in the latest episode, and click here for our initial report.

By Jake Lingeman