Whipple has released pricing and specifications of the 2.9L supercharger available for the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro SS. Impressively, it boosts the power output of the 6.2L LT1 V8 to 600 horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque at the wheels, which is more power to the ground than the 2017 Camaro ZL1.
One of the points emphasized by Whipple is the fact that this supercharger has 50 percent greater capacity than the 1.7L Eaton TVS supercharger used on the factory LT4. If you’re familiar with superchargers, you’ll know that the smaller blower needs to spin more quickly in order to generate the same amount of pressure, thus creating more heat. In addition to this, the Whipple bower is a twin-scroll supercharger, whereas the Eaton TVS supercharger is a roots style blower, meaning the air is compressed before being forced into the engine. Whipple states that these differences could mean less stress on your engine, and a lower chance of overheating at the track – something that plagued the C7 Corvette Z06.
If you want the 2017 ZL1 as bad as we do, but it’s a bit out of your price range and straight-line acceleration is really all your after, a Camaro SS coupled with Whipple’s $7,200 blower kit may be your best bet. Of course, there’s much more to the ZL1 than its powerplant. For one thing, it’s got 7 heat exchangers cooling the blower, engine, transmission, and rear differential, not to mention tighter gearing. And while some may find the ZL1’s looks to be distastefully cartoonish, we’re enthralled by it.
All that said, we’re very curious to see how a Whipple-supercharged Camaro SS 1LE would fair against the ZL1. We’ll turn it over to you for further speculation, speak to us in the comment section below.
Comments
Cool, but no one buys a ZL1 just for the HP…
They buy it for the handling, such as the awesome electromagnetic suspension.
So this would only beat a ZL1 on the drag strip… Any other road, the Zl1 will make toast of it!
I agree to an extent, but I think there is more to it than that. As a whole, there’s a lot the ZL1 does better – or else you could just slap the Whipple on an SS 1LE and have the superior car.
do you loose your warranty by putting on a supercharger? ?????
Not if you have the 1ss 1le package , it is a zl1 without the supercharger . I am just wondering what the compression ratio is on a non supercharged 1le and if it would be detrimental in the long run ??
Not to mention that GM will INSTANTLY void your entire drive train warranty the moment you pull up to the service department and they see that Whipple sitting on the top of your LT1.
Isn’t the ZL-1 650/650? So this article is wrong.
I own both types of blowers. The major advantage of the EAton is the incredible reliability. I have one with 300K on the clock and the only service is an oil change every 75K
650/650 at the crank < 600/630 at the wheels. Have you had issues with your Whipple blower?
I did miss the “at the wheels” comment. Thanks
Nothing as of yet. It doesn’t have much mileage but it sees 10-15 days per year on the road course and I’m on year 2. So far so good.
I have read extensively and have experience with various generations of Roots. Due to the nature of the twin screw, tolerances must be extremely tight or the blower will destroy itself. It is far more expensive to build. My experience on the same car with similar boost, the Roots will initially kick-in harder but the TS really starts to show it’s colours ever 3500RPMs where it pulls so hard and never drops off. I don’t have a rev limiter (but a glaring shift light) and I’m confident the TS will continue to pull hard until the engine grenades. My dyno sheets seem to confirm this. So in a nutshell, IMO the Whipple is a stellar performer at the track but the TVS gen 2 is more fun on the street. And they sound very different. The Whipple never shuts up. Lol
The 650/650 on the ZL1 is to the crank so at the wheels it’s much lower because it has to travel through the crank and back differential
Promises, promises.. as this is a wait and see situation because this article is a discussion in theory as Whipple needs to demonstrate this fact that they can transform a 2017 Camaro SS ILE into a King of the Hill monster; build it without costing more than a 2017 Corvette Z06 then Whipple has something.
At the end of the day it is what it is… a modified SS Camaro. If you don’t want to spend the 65k for a ZL1, but want better acceleraton, this just may be your ticket. Other than that, a Zl1 will still be in a different class.
To GMAuthority,
I bought a 2017 1LE and will be taking donations/sponsorships for this blower.
That is all
I have purchased the new Whipple and hope to see it Whipping some $SS