Chevrolet brought something special to this year’s New York auto show. This week, the company revealed its newest high performance Camaro variant, the ZL1. While the sixth-generation Camaro SS we drove last year offered impressive performance, the ZL1 model promises to substantially ratchet up the pony car’s capabilities.
The new ZL1 is motivated by GM’s 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 V8, the same motor found in the engine bay of the C7 Corvette Z06 as well as the new Cadillac CTS-V. In the Camaro ZL1, that LT4 generates 640 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 60 ponies and 84 pound-feet over its outgoing fifth-generation counterpart, making it the most powerful Camaro ever sold from a Chevrolet showrooms. Mark Reuss, GM’s executive vice-president of product development, calls the new ZL1 “the hammer in the Camaro lineup for Gen Six.”
Along with the Recaro sport seats, the new ZL1 benefits from the array of enhancements that debuted with the 2016 Camaro, including a new infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The ZL1’s numbers are certainly impressive, but it’s worth noting that it’s still outgunned by the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, as the Mopar’s 6.2-liter supercharged V8 makes 707 horsepower. However, like the rest of the sixth-generation Camaro lineup, the ZL1 rides on a new lightweight architecture that’s shared with the ATS coupe. As such, it’s expected to be more than 200 pounds lighter than its predecessor, and more than 500 pounds lighter than the Dodge.
That weight savings should help give the Camaro an edge against the Hellcat on the road course. If you’re thinking that the ZL1 is all about the engine, consider the other specifications of this new Camaro. As was the case with the fifth-generation Camaro ZL1, the new model’s chassis is tweaked for track duty, with a specially tuned version of GM’s Magnetic Ride Control dampers, stiffer springs, lower ride height, an electronic limited-slip differential, and a more track-focused iteration of performance traction management.
The new top-spec Camaro will ride on 20-inch forged alloys with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires that sport a compound that was developed specifically for the Camaro ZL1. Brembo six-piston calipers with two piece rotors are on hand to provide enhanced braking capability.
Behind those unique forged wheels lurks some serious stopping power, courtesy of Brembo.
The new model’s exterior design puts an emphasis on aerodynamics and heat management, with the requisite front splitter, rear wing, and new hood complimented by reworked front and rear fascias, wider fenders, unique rocker panels, and a new grille design to provide more airflow to the engine bay.
The track-focused theme continues inside the cabin, with new Recaro buckets, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and an optional Performance Data Recorder.
The ZL1’s hunkered down stance and functional aerodynamic enhancements should help it stand out compared to the rest of the Camaro lineup.
But perhaps the most surprising news about this new boosted Camaro is the debut of an optional 10-speed, paddle-shifted automatic gearbox. GM says the Camaro ZL1 is the first of eight vehicles earmarked to get this new transmission by the end of 2018, and it looks to provide faster shift times and better fuel economy than the eight-speed automatic currently found in other GM high performance models. For those that prefer to row their own, a six-speed manual with rev matching will also be available on the ZL1.
Pricing has yet to be announced, but it’s a safe bet that the new Camaro ZL1 will land somewhere in the range of the outgoing model’s $56,000 price tag—quite a bargain if you consider its performance capability. It’s set to go on sale later this year.