We don’t expect to see a high-performance Chevrolet Camaro at the 2016 North American Auto Show (though, you never know…), but it should be coming soon. We seem to be catching glimpses of the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 more frequently than ever and, this time, Camaro News caught the upcoming variant.
The 2017 Camaro ZL1 was spied in convertible form during some cold-weather testing on snowy Michigan roads.
It’s still easy to tell there’s something more going on underneath the camouflage, especially in the car’s wider stance and massive tailpipes in the rear. Camo also tries its best to hide a rear splitter and cover up a small wing of sorts, but it’s nothing our eyes can’t place in for us.
We still have no official word as to what will power the 2017 Camaro ZL1 and a drop-top variant, but it seems very likely it will follow in the C7 Corvette Z06‘s footsteps and utilize the 6.2-liter LT4 supercharged V8 engine.
Comments
With the camo, how does anyone know if it’s a ZL1 or a Z/28 and therefore know what the power plant will be?? Will the definitive engine for the ZL1 be the LT4 and if so would it need to be boosted to over 700hp to beat the Hellcat and whatever Ford has coming in the GT500? What engine is going into the Z/28? A revamped direct injection 427 with 535hp or detuned LT4? My point is these speculative photo’s are nothing more than speculative and tell us nothing while showing us very little.
it most likely is the zL1 convertible here. the z28 would focus on weight and handling which is why you wont see a convertible version, it would give up structural rigidity. It also has wide tires and the extra big wing on the back just like the ZL1 testing in the videos and other spy shots, and the raised bump in the hood for the supercharged engine as well. There is also an SS presumably the 1LE version that has been caught testing at the ring. as for the Z28 im sure that will come after the ZL1/1LE which share a lot of the same parts except engines. I don’t see GM pulling out a 700 hp engine to compete with the hellcat since almost every Hemi is gone by 2019 and the fact that the ZL1 will be at least 400 lbs lighter than the challenger. Im clueless to what engine they would use for the z28 unless they are secretly cooking something up to replace the LS7. my only guess is a tuned and revised LT1 to put out more HP
Sorry Frank but I disagree with “the z28 would focus on weight and handling which is why you wont see a convertible version, it would give up structural rigidity.” Why? Just look at the Z06 convertible so I’m not sure why your so sure there won’t be a Z28 convertible. If the platform and demand is there, they’ll probably build it, IMHO. Being I’ve read nothing of a direct injection 427 (LT2,LT3,LT5?) for a new Z28, I tend to agree with you that a ZL1 will show up first as a detuned LT4 like the CTS-V’s seems to be a shoe in. Here’s a link to a HOT LT1 427 which may be similar to what chevy has in mind.
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/1504-how-to-build-a-z06-corvette-slaying-lt1-small-block-without-a-supercharger/
Good read.
I’m a Camaro fan but I have to admit it. GM can make Camaros that beat any mustang in a straight line and track performance except they can’t or they would not make (to be precisely) a ZL1 that outperform the GT500 (662HP) because of a very simple reason which is that’s the corvette z06 task. Let’s look at numbers GT500 1/4 mile is 11.6 and corvette is 11.4 (manual) and it costs around 80-90K $. Are you guys so stupid to think that they would make a zl1 that costs around 60k$ that can compete with GT500 and costs 20k less than a vette at least. Plus, Camaros are always slower and cheaper than vettes that’s how the company is lining its products since decades. On the other hand, mustangs are the top dog in ford lineup, they can make it 700-1000hp from factory if they want so it has no limitations.
The fact that you think the ZL1 is going to have less power than the Z06 IS HILARIOUS. Corvette is a Supercar, it’s not supposed to be in the same league as the Camaro, but there is no way GM is going to let Dodge lead with the horsepower title. Aside from the fact that if we have to compare the ZL1, it’s going to be the ZR1. Both are setting on top models for both lineup, the Z28 is the comparable for Z06. Aside for the fact that the current gen ZL1 had 580hp and was faster than the previous gen Z06 0_0, wait faster than the old Z06? By almost 80hp??? There’s no way Chevy is going to up that by only 20hp, even the SS has almost a 30hp improvement. Note if you’ve done your research you would have found out that GM bought the rights for the name LT5, LT6, and LTX. These are probably the names of the unworldly beasts that will be housed for the future models.
don’t get me wrong, I really want the zl1 to beat the stupid ass mustang, but then whom would pay more for corrvtte when zl1 can do the job. GM will really lose sale numbers on the vette.
…last Thing i recall reading up on has been been corvette shifting over to mid engine beast to better compete at the Le Mans. (Corvette will be battling Ferrari and lambergini not camaro and mustangs). That’s a big step forward. That is also including the fact that gm released the barrier from camaro and corvette. Meaning if the camaro surpasses corvette so be it. I mean corvette stands in a league of its own. Gm is looking to bigger and better things for corvette as a super car. And something is going to have to replace the beast of the corvette on the regular mans basis. that’s where he camaro comes into place.
The new ZL1 rumor said she has over 700 hp LT5 LTX LT4 the z28 640 hp 620 hp 7 speed manual the new ZL1 will be fantastic car super car killer big brakes Brembo big torque big engine big tyres 335 45 24 305 45 24 front mark Reuss said last year the ZL1 ia faster than corvette z06 ZR1 Gm now top the Camaro ss ZL1 z28 corvette for garbage electric soon February 12 the big nasty out in Detroit