Video: 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Tested By Jay Leno

To some of us, Jay Leno is known more for his impressive car collection and knowledge than for his chin or his jokes, and that combination of passion and fame often gets him seat time in some pretty special cars. Most recently, General Motors gave Leno the honor of being the first person outside the company to test drive the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.

The video gives a great walkaround with Chief Engineer Al Oppenheisser, getting into the idea behind the Z/28 and the ways they realized this idea (basically, to make it lighter and faster).

The Z/28 weighs 100 pounds less than the SS V-8, and uses the LS7 motor good for more than 500 horsepower. It has carbon-ceramic brakes as standard, but air conditioning is not.

Leno drives the Z/28 on the road, and comes away with a couple impressions that we find worthwhile.

He calls the Z/28 “classically American” with a “nice high-speed rumble to it,” as well as a “throwback to the old Z/28, but on steroids.” He likes the abundance of low-end torque and the stable tracking of the car.

Also, noting all the track-oriented and high-performance goodies built into the car, Leno says he feels “sorry for the aftermarket guys.” Z/28 parts, though, will be available to Camaro owners who want to upgrade their cars without going whole hog on a brand new Z/28.

Scroll down for the full first test drive of the Z/28 on video.