The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE is a monster. The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a beast. Combine both and what do you get? This monster of a beast. Meet the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.
If this car looks familiar, that’s because we’ve seen it multiple times testing, but it was identified incorrectly as the sixth-generation Camaro Z/28. Nope, Chevy pulled a fast one.
The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE was revealed at Daytona International Speedway a day before the Daytona 500. Fitting scenery indeed. Visually, a giant rear wing is present at the rear, while large dive planes, a bigger front splitter and grille opening help feed more air into the engine. It looks properly menacing.
As for technical specs, the story isn’t about power. Hell, it’s not about the transmission, either. The Camaro ZL1 1LE uses the same 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 V8 engine found in the “regular” ZL1. And it’s paired exclusively to a six-speed manual, not the new ten-speed automatic.
The story is in the suspension. Why? Because Camaro engineers have ditched the Magnetic Ride shocks and replaced the system with dynamic spool-valve dampers (DSSV). If these sound familiar, that’s because they are straight from the fifth-generation Camaro Z/28, which made excellent use of them on the track. Minor suspension tweaks also help stiffen the ride to a greater extent.
The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE also features the largest tires ever fitted to a factory Camaro, clocking in at 305s at the front and 325s at the rear. These Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires should have no problems putting power down and will pull 1.10 g of lateral grip. And when the power needs to come to a halt, six-piston Brembo brakes are present up front and four pistons are at the rear.
How much quicker is it? Chevrolet says it laid down a time three seconds faster than the already bonkers Camaro ZL1 at the GM proving grounds.
Your move, Ford.
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Comments
This car is a monster.
http://oldcarmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2018-buick-firebird-transam-4.jpg
OK Sean, then it’s definitely time to Resurrect THE “Screamin Chicken “!
It’ll really bring the traffic through those DEAD Buick – GMC Dealerships.
wow looks like internal competition is taking over these monsters!! competition is never a bad thing. I bet this thing will creep close to Z06 numbers around a track. I love this……. cant wait to see the ZR1 to raise the bar even more
Yup, which is why it makes so much sense for the C8 to become a mid-engined supercar 🙂
Can’t help but love how Chevy keeps out-doing themselves! Any chance some of this trickles down to the poor old family haulers?
Tough to do any more as FWD limits things as does future regulations.
Also performance does not sell like it used to.
In the past you could just take a economy car like a Nova and toss in a big engine. Today it takes a fully integrated package that is not cheap.
I would love to see the Impala replaced with a Alpha sedan using the Camaro package under it. But I am not holding my breath. If such a package would happen it will show up in NASCAR next year. But I Expect the Bu to show up.
Yes, high-performance FWD cars with transverse-mounted engines would be a non-starter, but it’s almost shocking that the alpha platforms are not being used for any Chevy sedans or small SUVs. With performance oozing out of this Chevrolet team, you’d think there would be room for an alpha-based sedan/SUV.
Chevy’s game is best performance for the $$$ and performance does sell (just Chevy offers nothing interesting in sedans or SUVs). Malibus and Equinoxes can’t hang with even the most basic Audi/BMWs. The SS is fine for a 10-year old platform, but is a bit of a relic — let’s face it.
Hope there’s something more in store for the family haulers…
I understand building a SS performance car but I never understood build any performance cars from the malibu size and down! These cars are ment for commuting families from point a to b or young kids that have a small wallet.
Performance should not be the focus of these cars, doing what GM has done over the last 10 years is the right approach. Make the everyday commuter cars as reliable and comfortable as you can and make the real performance cars worth every penny.
So your philosophy is to tell the outliers to go buy a Subaru WRX, Volkswagen GTI, Ford Focus RS, Audi A3, etc, because, by golly, Chevys are only meant for commuting families.
I respectfully disagree. I think Chevy has shown themselves capable of making some of the best performance cars (and bargains) in the world and I’m sure they could make a worthy competitor there, too.
General Motors is giving the Chevrolet Camaro all of the tools necessary to allow it to inherit the mantle currently held by the C7 Corvette and will Chevy continue the advanced engineering techniques used by cars like the Malibu to drop weight as the next generation Camaro would be even more of a beast by dropping 300 lbs while keeping it’s 650 hp engine, suspension and brakes.
Can the current c6 camaro drop another 300 pounds? Or is the weight savings at the max now?
It’s maxed on gen 6 without using more exotic or expensive materials as seen in the CT6 or making the whole thing out of aluminum. Or, if new techniques come along, bit those are more long-long-term.
I disagree the gen 6 camaro can be improved on and the z28 will show just that.
If anything GM can try new technology to trickle down to the lower models on the gen 7 camaro in 5 or 6 years.