Chevrolet teased us, but it has provided the goods: the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE is now the quickest vehicle to wear the Camaro name ever.
The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE managed a 7:16.04 lap time at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife and dethroned the 2017 Camaro ZL1’s time of 7:29.6 with a 13 second faster time.
“With chassis adjustability unlike any vehicle in its peer group, the Camaro ZL1 1LE challenges supercars from around the world regardless of cost, configuration or propulsion system,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “To make up more than a second per mile on the Nordschleife compared to the ZL1 automatic is a dramatic improvement and speaks to the 1LE’s enhanced track features.”
The Camaro ZL1 1LE ran the time with a factory setup and production tires—no tricks, nothing. In the process, the Camaro ZL1 1LE has become quicker than some serious sports cars including the Ferrari 488 GTB, Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 GT2 RS.
The 1LE package for the Camaro ZL1 adds aggressive aerodynamic bits and a set of Multimatic DSSV dampers borrowed from the fifth-generation Camaro Z/28. Its performance prowess may be added to any Camaro ZL1 with the optional A1Z order code for a total price of $69,995.
The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE goes on sale this summer and it will arrive at dealers with some serious bragging rights.
Comments
Jeeeezus! All for $70k. Dominate a track during the day, then take it to dinner later that night. Smokin’!!!
Insane and astounding track time. Just curious though, anybody else think he could have pushed it a bit harder on the final straight? Seemed like it let it top at 168 and didn’t want to push it any harder
Just what I need to drive to work in. ?
Stellar!!! Proves what GM engineers are capable of!
And lovely to see it’s a manual.
I’m curious how the Z06 stacks up. The standard ZL1 keeps pace with the Grand Sport (see Motor Trend); but that’s a 200hp deficit. This is astounding, but it makes me wonder what the Z06 is capable of doing.
With the active aero tech, DSSV suspension and maybe DOHC motor my guess is they are targeting the 6: minute mark?
New Z28, New LT6 NA 5.5 liter DOHC V8 engine, DI & Port DI.
One now has to wonder what times the ZR1 is doing there with a possible 100 more HP.
It may not make 6 min laps but the C8 will.
Interior the back straight you can see he only hits 170 so this car must have some real down force. On a track like Mid Ohio it should really fly.
Scott3, “It may not make 6 min”/”this car must have some real down force”
The Z06, if equipped with the active aero would be capable of great down force only when needed. allowing much higher speeds on the straights when minimized.
yes it will have active aero.
Look for he rear wing to behave much like the old Chaparalle did years ago but controls by computer today.
They also will have a couple other tricks per the Patent drawings.
Now wait the Z28
No doubt.. the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE is a true giant killer and Al Oppenheiser is a genius for being able to wring out this type of performance.
Road and Track ranks the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE as the #9 fastest mass production car to get around Germany’s Nurburgring which is dam impressive and it’s just mind blowing as to what type of ‘real people’ commercial you can make because this is the Chevy Camaro against the world.
I enjoy nothing more than beating up the camaro on these forums (for legitimate reasons), but this is insanely impressive. GM has allowed the camaro to compete with the vette. The new camaro is a tour de force of sports car engineering, and the real let-down for me is that gm didnt devote a tenth as much effort into ensuring it was a better daily driver – it has less trunk space than a cayman and poorer visibility than a countach. But fact that it’s faster than most 911’s, GT-Rs and Ferraris yields pretty nice bragging rights.
Outstanding value track car. Should be made in LHD / RHD and immediately become a global halo coupe for GM.
(Sorry ‘Vette owners, but the price of this Camaro is just too good to be true!)
Performance equals EXCITEMENT equals SALES; Chevrolet Camaro performance is getting a lot of print about how well the Camaro performed at the Nurburging and this has cause a lot of excitement with consumers which has equated to sales as Chevrolet sold 7,841 Camaros in MAY 2017.
No wonder Ford doesn’t want to go to the ring and run for a top lap! If you don’t ever run at the ring then nobody can claim that your car is faster or handles better then the cars from ford!
Talk about taking the easy way out!
They have run the GT350R at Nurburgring.
https://nurburgringlaptimes.com/lap-times-top-100/ check out #41 on the top 100.
This video give me a flashback to the 80s. Driving a Taxi in San Francisco.