2012 ZL1 Camaro

[Wretched]

What is it?

Chevrolet’s super-Camaro, the ZL1. While it lags behind the newly launched 650bhp Shelby Mustang GT500, it’s still in supercar territory with 580bhp on tap – more than a Ferrari 458 Italia or Lexus LFA.

Technical highlights?

The supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine is shared with the Cadillac CTS-V, but here it has a reworked air intake and an active exhaust system borrowed from the Corvette ZR1. Everything touched by its power is modified from the standard Camaro, or unique in some way. Highlights include a beefed-up rear differential and CV joints, plus unequal-stiffness half-shafts to prevent wheel-hop under hard acceleration. The brakes are by Brembo, with six-piston calipers squeezing the two-piece front discs.

All the aerodynamic changes on the ZL1 are functional, resulting in net downforce at speed. The centre bonnet bulge, made of carbonfibre, covers the top-mounted intercooler and also extracts air from behind the radiator and pulls it up and over the body. Underneath the car a flat belly-pan finishes in NACA ducts that direct air to cool the transmission. The front grille, reminiscent of the Transformers Bumblebee, hides brake-cooling ducts in the outer edges of its lower section.

On the suspension front, the ZL1 comes with third-generation magnetorheological dampers with two driver-selectable settings. This latest iteration of the system uses two small coils instead of one large one to create the magnetic field that aligns and thickens the ferrous damping fluid, resulting in a faster field dispersal and better control. These new units react 1000 times per second – more than fast enough to stiffen up the car’s front end under braking.

What’s it like to drive?

All of this work is toward the singular purpose of making the Camaro ready for a full day at the track, straight out of the box. The only performance-related option on offer is a six-speed automatic transmission, and it too has been modified to run lap after lap. Chevrolet says the two-pedal car reaches 60mph from rest a tenth of a second quicker than the six-speed manual – 3.9sec rather than 4.0 – and tops out 4mph faster, at 184mph. But the manual is better to drive, plus it adds launch control and a trick ‘no-lift shift’ function that allows you to keep the throttle pinned on upshifts without the revs rushing for the limiter.

The ZL1’s Performance Traction Management system has five settings, which loosen up traction and stability control boundaries in incremental steps. In its final setting, Race, intervention is near impossible to detect unless you make a deliberately stupid manoeuvre. Turn everything off and the ZL1 proves amazingly easy to drift. The car has a neutral balance, bordering on oversteer, and the only downside to the higher limits is that they highlight a lack of support in the flat seats. On track the ZL1’s sharpness might surprise even an M3 owner.

On the road, the Camaro’s aircraft-carrier width is more of a problem than on track, but otherwise the ZL1 is easy to drive in traffic and rides comfortably over long distances. Chevrolet has managed to turn the Camaro into a proper GT car.

How does it compare?

Its fiercest foe in the latest round of muscle car wars is that new GT500. In the States the ZL1’s 54,995 USD (c£35,600) base price is an impressive power-per-dollar deal, although buyers in the US have to pay a 1300 USD gas guzzler tax (double that for the auto), while the Shelby GT500 dodges the fuel consumption surcharge. It’s a shame, really – the Shelby beats the ZL1 in nearly every numerical category, but don’t let that fool you into thinking this Camaro isn’t one of the very best cars in its class.

Anything else I need to know?

Sadly, its chances of coming to the UK are ‘less than 50:50’ according to Chevrolet. We’ll have to prove an appetite for imports of the less powerful SS before it will even consider bringing the ZL1 over here.

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evoc...amaro_zl1.html
I'm not a huge fan of the Camaro but this does draw my attention. Interesting to see around a track a comparison between this and the upcoming GT500.

[Moby Vic]

I read a book about the creation of the new-generation Camaro. It's ridiculous how they hacked up the Holden chassis to get the cartoonish styling to fit.

It does have impressive performance numbers, though.

[DJM83]

[blk6t]

That second pics makes the Camaro look sexy, looks really low.

Is there still talk of this car coming to Aus, if the Commodore does get axed, the Cruze can be the family car and this the performance car?

[Cheese3]

I haven't read much about this car but im guessing it runs a IRS rear end unlike the stang?

[40RDT]

Thats hot...

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Cheese3

I haven't read much about this car but im guessing it runs a IRS rear end unlike the stang?

Yes. It's built on a hacked Holden chassis, as I said earlier. They changed the wheelbase (I think they moved the front wheels 2 inches forward and the rear wheels 7 inches forward). They had to redesign the front suspension completely because they wanted it to have the concept car's low hoodline, but they wanted to be able to offer 22-inch wheels, which the Holden was never designed to have.

It has independent rear suspension, and the ZL1 has electromagnetic dampeners in the shock absorbers. It's more sophisticated than the Mustang, but also more expensive and heavier.

In a recent Motor Trend track test, the ZL1 beat the Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, but soon the 650 hp 2013 GT500 will arrive. It will be interesting to see a comparison between the ZL1 and GT500.

[GT 160]

I'll take one in black, don't bother wrapping it.

[Rockape]

Whats the chances of HSV getting that engine?

[Iggypoppin']

Thought new Mustangs all had IRS now?

[Cheese3]

Wouldnt the stang get IRS when they go to a globle plateform?

Anyway very nice looking car the camaro looks!

[MethodX]

Very nice indeed. I will take a black one also.
No big deal that they used Zeta. Part of being a multinational.

[Nikked]

Looks like something the Ring Brothers would do...

[gcg2503]

I know I am going to get flamed but here goes

But in my opinion, that looks a million times nicer than the current Mustang (in whatever form - GT500, Laguna Seca blah blah)

[ACEz]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

I know I am going to get flamed but here goes

But in my opinion, that looks a million times nicer than the current Mustang (in whatever form - GT500, Laguna Seca blah blah)

I wouldn't say a million times But damn that second pic has got me

[Thunderchild]

Nope, design just doesn't grab me especially the **** end.
The gold Chev badge on the other hand......

[Psi-Pop]

Nice, ill be looking forward to it (hopefully) getting pasted by the GT500 though.

The value for money is rather crazy.

[Bucknaked]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

I know I am going to get flamed but here goes

But in my opinion, that looks a million times nicer than the current Mustang (in whatever form - GT500, Laguna Seca blah blah)

I have to agree. I much prefer the styling of this over the Mustang.

[Bossxr8]

Its funny how Chevrolet made such a hoo ha about its debut, that it was massively powerful, nothing would touch it etc, then Ford said nothing and released the GT500 with an extra 70 hp at the same show and made the ZL1 look pretty limp wristed in comparison.

There was one of those hilarious hitler in the bunker parodies about it, but I can't find it on youtube for some reason.

[Ibo]

The inside is a but plain.. but damn with exterior looks like that i wouldn't mind

I would by one of these before the comparably priced FORD GS 315, wouldn't you?

[Bent8]

Looks good... but the GT500 still does it for me.

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Cheese3

Wouldnt the stang get IRS when they go to a globle plateform?

Anyway very nice looking car the camaro looks!

The 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2004 Cobras were the only Mustangs with IRS.

The 2014 Mustang will likely have IRS standard. It will be a completely new car.

[mik]

it looks ok on the outside , the inside looks rubbish compared to the stang,
camaro 8/10
mustang 10/10

[Moby Vic]

The Camaro is much bigger than the Mustang, and heavier. I think the current Mustang looks weird from the rear, but the Camaro just looks fat and square.

[Nikked]

All these retro cars (Camaro, Mustang, Challanger) look fat and square.

[chrisfpv]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

I know I am going to get flamed but here goes

But in my opinion, that looks a million times nicer than the current Mustang (in whatever form - GT500, Laguna Seca blah blah)

Not for a second mate, camaros look amazing.

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Nikked

All these retro cars (Camaro, Mustang, Challanger) look fat and square.

Mustang is pointier. The Challenger is essentially the same size (and weight) as my Crown Vic.

[GlenW]

I would gladly switch camps and own one of these. Its not as overtly retro as the Mustang, which is what I like.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Rockape

Whats the chances of HSV getting that engine?

What's the chances of HSV getting that CAR?
What's the chances of FPV getting the mustang?
it doesn't make sense to me

Originally Posted by GlenW

I would gladly switch camps and own one of these. Its not as overtly retro as the Mustang, which is what I like.

we were talking about why the new knight rider is not as good as the 80s tv show and i suggested the original KR was futuristic, and the new series uses a "retro" mustang.

[chevypower]

It's destined to get slaughtered by the GT500 - in acceleration, speed, handling, looks, and sound.