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2017 Chevrolet SS 1LE Eliminated From Best Driver’s Car: Video

It was a tough task, but the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE gave it its best. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to become Motor Trend’s Best Driver’s Car.

The 2017 Camaro SS 1LE was praised for its incredible performance, with plenty of comparisons to Z/28 capability, but with all of the day-to-day livability. It was, in fact, faster than a fifth-generation Z/28 around Laguna Seca.

However, there was another pony car turned sports car gunning for the crown. That was the Shelby Mustang GT350R. And it outdid the Camaro SS 1LE around the track, and in overall driver feels, according to MT.

But, have no fear, there will be another Best Driver’s Car competition. And the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will certainly be in attendance.

So, what was the winner? You’ll have to press play and find out you yourself above.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. I thought for sure Motor Trend was going to crown the Shelby GT350R the winner of BDC 2016! But they chose the McLaren; I’m a little iffy about that decision….Oh well! It’s great to see two American cars (both the most affordable in the pack) make the top 5 in a crowd full of high dollar, performance beasts! Either way, I see it as a win for America; even if we didn’t get the gold!

    And why was there no Grand Sport or Focus RS in this competition? I’m sure these two cars would’ve sweetened the victory!

    Reply
    1. Were the cars not out soon enough for the competition maybe?

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    2. I agree with that about the Grand Sport. That would have run circles around the GT350R AND both are at the same price level. (Especially since the GT350R has insane dealer markup) The Grand Sport would have likely bear or tied the McLaren and is 40% of its price.

      As for the Camaro 1LE, there is no reason on earth why anyone should be disappointed in its performance. For the price point, there isn’t a car even close to this on the market. Heck, the Focus RS is at the same price and it’s not nearly as quick!

      I think they sang the car great praise, and I’m not concerned that it wasn’t faster than a car that is 20-25k more expensive.

      And I’m ecstatic that I was finally able to place my order for a new 1LE this last Monday… Happy, days…

      Reply
  2. Well isn’t 1LE more of a daily driver with track day capability whereas the 350R is pretty much just a track day car that could be driven daily but it would suck?

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  3. Maybe GM didn’t spend enough on advertising In Motor Trend. . Perhaps a donation to The Clinton Foundation would have gotten the 1LE the top spot.

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  4. Hard to watch video with the “twit” commentary. These guys are trying too hard to make what they mistakenly think are entertaining remarks. Had to bail at the end of the Viper “critique”.

    Reply
    1. I don’t mind these guys. They were informative, had reasonable points, and showed something more than anyone else has about the 1LE so far since February. (And twit commentary compared to 99% of the videos posted by tools over the last 7 months which were basically repeated static images to some background music. Every time I opened a view and realized it was “my first youtube video production”, I wanted to know where that person lived so I can hurl something at them for wasting my time. MT at least made a great production.

      Reply
  5. What the 1LE did perform the best in was performance value. Can it perform as well as a $220,000 McLaren, a $165,000 MB or even a $66,000 Muskrat? No, but at $45,000 you can have “almost” Supercar fun without the 7 figure income…

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  6. *uck ford

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  7. I used to love ford. Give me a good GM or Mopar any day. I thought for sure the Camaro was going to win that one out.

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  8. By far the cheapest and one of the only cars to wear 200 tread wear street rubber, the 1le is the only car I would consider affordable in its performance capability bracket.

    A simple wheel and tire swap with the GT350r would have it matching the more powerful Mustang. Camaro continues to kick ass.

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  9. Dont feel bad fellow GM fans. Dont forget, the regular SS Camaro was so good its still on top of a standard GT350. If a 1LE is in league with the carbon fiber wheeled, no back seat, hyper tweaked suspension GT350R, then just think how killer the Z/28 will be!

    That said, if I won the lottery tomorrow, I’d make Ford take my money for a GT350R.

    As much as I love the new Camaro, the new Shelbys just have that ‘instant love’ in spades. As if the profile, curve of the hood, swell of the fenders, and stance weren’t damn near perfect, the went and put that awesome flat plane motor between the fenders, which bullseye’d the defintion of the perfect Mustang.

    Even I, a traditional Mustang hater, can’t deny my infatuation for the thing.

    Reply
  10. “eliminated”?

    Why not just say the 2017 SS 1LE places 4th in Motor Trends BDC? None of the contestants were eliminated…they just didn’t win.

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  11. Gm fans have a tendency to over praise a car before it comes out like the corvette zo6 that super car killer best track car and it wasn’t. As they over heat terribly when pushed to its limit so let’s see if this camaro balances out more then excited fans over speculating

    Reply
    1. Seriously? In this case the car is amazing. I just took ownership of one. And the SS 1LE performs supercar feats at an incredible price. It’s the best value in sports cars on the market period. It even runs rings around the GT350, M2, and Cayman. You have to go to cars between $75-$100k to find a comparable car.

      Reply

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