Sunday 20th March 2016

New Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 announced

Of course it's not for the UK, but it does have 640hp and a six-speed manual...

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"The Camaro ZL1 is designed to excel at everything". That's the opinion of Mark Reuss, Chevrolet's executive vice pres of Global Product Development. Just in case there was any doubt American confidence was back...

New grille lets more air in. Possibly more wildlife too

This latest ZL1 is based on the sixth-gen Camaro PH drove (and rather liked) last year. Marking it out from the standard V8 and the 1LE are a new grille that lets more air in, a bit of carbon on the bonnet, a "wing-style rear spoiler" and wider front wings; all of this was devised through over 100 hours of wind tunnel testing and track development. Predictably enough it's not shy, the front in particular brooding with intent. Look at that grille!

Behind that grille and under the carbon is the supercharged LT4 6.2-litre V8, making 640hp and 640lb ft. Should be sufficient, the numbers representing useful gains of 60hp and 80lb ft up on the already-pretty-potent old ZL1. Plus the new car is 90kg lighter...

As standard there's a six speed manual, but Chevrolet will also introduce a 10-speed (!) automatic as an option on the ZL1. It's the first application of this gearbox ahead of eight new models receiving it by the end of 2018. Chevrolet promises "lightning-quick responses" both up and down the 'box.

Getting all that power to the road (remember when the Lamborghini Murcielago had power upped to 640hp?) are four Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tyres, 285/30 ZR20 at the front and 305/30 ZR20 behind. The front Brembo brakes are 390mm diameter with six-piston calipers.

Manual for the purists; 10-speed auto also offered

Like many other modern performance Chevrolets, the Camaro ZL1 comes with the Driver Mode Selector, tweaking parameters such as the throttle response, traction control, steering, the limited-slip diff and the magnetic ride. On the latter, Chevrolet has updated the damping once more, that man Reuss saying the car has "perfect damping and isolation for optimal performance and driver confidence in virtually any situation".

Given how well received the standard Camaro has been, plus Chevrolet's recent success with cars like the Corvette Z06, we'd bank on the ZL1 being pretty damn good. It would surely make for a breathtaking track test with a Mustang GT350 as well, at least until the next Z/28 comes along. Oh to be an American track day enthusiast (!). Until that happens, you'll just have to hope a few ZL1s are imported again.

[Gorbyrev]

Yes please! That looks absolutely gorgeous and my kind of spec too.

[5ohmustang]

50 shades of awesomeness.

https://youtu.be/DBUsz_XfYx8

[GroundEffect]

Gorbyrev said:

Yes please! That looks absolutely gorgeous and my kind of spec too.

?!

That's the ugliest car I've seen all year.

[A10]

The wheels are too fussy but apart from that it's great.

Proper blokes motor.

[aeropilot]

Wish they hadn't used the famous ZL-1 name tag though - it's not really deserving of that!!!

[Gorbyrev]

GroundEffect said:

Gorbyrev said:

Yes please! That looks absolutely gorgeous and my kind of spec too.

?!

That's the ugliest car I've seen all year.

One man's fish is another man's poisson and all that but really? In a year that is spawning Bentley Bentaygas and Abarth 500x's is the ZL1 the pinnacle of ugliness thus far?

[Vocht]

If it's anything like the Corvette Z06 (also manual & 600hp+) then this is going to be brilliant too! The Americans really have upped their game in the past few years and it won't be long until their interiors are up to grade too.

[bigmuzzie]

Why do American cars have such naff digi dashes? I recently had a Challenger SRT MY15 for a few weeks and the dash / interior was appalling. The inside of my 18 year old Fiat Coupe is far better, let alone my XFR which I would assume is close to being a competitor - performance wise if not price wise.

[epom]

10 speed auto hahahhahaha imagine it ??

[stanglish]

epom said:

10 speed auto hahahhahaha imagine it ??

Why don't you watch the video 5ohmustang helpfully posted?
https://youtu.be/DBUsz_XfYx8

[stephen300o]

A10 said:

The wheels are too fussy but apart from that it's great.

Proper blokes motor.

Then the women are right about blokes..

[ma7mgte]

What car should the ZL1 name be attached to?

[A10]

stephen300o said:

A10 said:

The wheels are too fussy but apart from that it's great.

Proper blokes motor.

Then the women are right about blokes..

Do you think you'll see many women driving them?

[ZX10R NIN]

Very nice

[aeropilot]

ma7mgte said:

What car should the ZL1 name be attached to?

If you mean, what car was the ZL-1 engine code originally applied to.....

It was the GM code for the very special all ally big block Can-Am engine, in street spec. Special order via the GM COPO system in 1969 in a Camaro. Only 69 were built. Worth about half million dollars today.

http://www.superchevy.com/features/sucs-0707-1969-...

[5ohmustang]

A10 said:

stephen300o said:

A10 said:

The wheels are too fussy but apart from that it's great.


Proper blokes motor.

Then the women are right about blokes..

Do you think you'll see many women driving them?

I did actually see a woman last week driving a zr1 vette.

[A10]

5ohmustang said:

A10 said:

stephen300o said:

A10 said:

The wheels are too fussy but apart from that it's great.


Proper blokes motor.

Then the women are right about blokes..

Do you think you'll see many women driving them?

I did actually see a woman last week driving a zr1 vette.

I hope you proposed to her...

[stephen300o]

5ohmustang said:

A10 said:

stephen300o said:

A10 said:

The wheels are too fussy but apart from that it's great.


Proper blokes motor.

Then the women are right about blokes..

Do you think you'll see many women driving them?

I did actually see a woman last week driving a zr1 vette.

Cool, love it when ladies drive the 'men's' cars haha

[epom]

stanglish said:

epom said:

10 speed auto hahahhahaha imagine it ??

Why don't you watch the video 5ohmustang helpfully posted?
https://youtu.be/DBUsz_XfYx8

I have, but thanks for the suggestion

[5ohmustang]

A10 said:

I hope you proposed to her...

She had shades on but she looked pretty hot too from what I could see.